Something Old, Something New
by cheri1
Summary: Alt!Ten/Rose. Doctor/OC in later chapters. Set after the events of Journey's End, Rose comes to terms with what happens and her new relationship with the Doctor. FINISHED.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm not going to stop writing real Doctor/ Rose stories. But, the whole idea of a half/human mortal Doctor is intriguing and I wanted to write a story about how Rose copes with this new development in her life.

Chapter One

_No, he can't leave me again. Not now, when I've finally found him. He can't leave me back in the parallel universe. I risked so much to find him and he just dumps me back at Bad Wolf Bay and now he's heading back into the TARDIS with Donna without even a goodbye. _

_And he's leaving me with him._

_This man, this Doctor who isn't even the proper Doctor, just someone who has his face and his body and his memories, but it's not him. I watch as the TARDIS slowly fades away out of my life and I feel his hand taking mine. The hand. The hand that my Doctor lost. The hand that saved him in the TARDIS and allowed him to keep on going in his current regeneration is now attached to this man that is standing beside me. As the TARDIS disappears, I look over at him and he looks back at me, a serious look on his face. I wonder what he's thinking? Does he know I would give anything to be in the TARDIS right now? That even though he told me he loved me and we shared a kiss, right now I am aching inside because this man will always be a copy of the man that I truly love? Don't get me wrong, he's technically the Doctor and at least this time I'm not standing here alone. At least I can grow old with this Doctor, although the thought of him aging seems unbelievable to me. That one day my Doctor will have wrinkles and white hair or maybe even no hair. One day this Doctor will sicken and die and there will be no brilliant golden light to save him. _

_And so here I stand on the beach at Bad Wolf Bay with my mum and a mortal Time Lord who only has one heart, one life and my former Doctor's temperament. And once again, I am given the task of turning him away from the darkness and the anger and changing him into a half human version of his duplicate. _

_At the moment, I really don't feel like changing anything except my clothes. Then, after that, a long shower so I can crawl into bed and sort out everything that's happened. _

"Rose?"

Rose looked over at the Doctor who was studying her intently.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"Nothin'"

Rose looked over when he laid a hand on her shoulder. The hand he lost that day on the Sycorax ship…

"Rose, I know…I know this is going to be difficult for awhile. But I want it to work out," the Doctor said, softly. "I want us to work through all this, so we can become close, just as close as you were to the other Doctor."

Rose nodded, staring out at the waves as they came crashing onto the beach. The Doctor squeezed her shoulder and kissed her cheek tenderly. She stiffened for a moment when he came close to her and then relaxed.

_I'm not being fair,_ she thought. _I need to give this Doctor a chance. He can't help it if he was born. If it wasn't for this hand on my shoulder, my Doctor would have regenerated completely. He's not my Doctor, but he is a Doctor and perhaps, in time, I can learn to love him just as deeply. At least I know for sure he loves me. At least he told me so unlike the other Doctor. And we'll be together for the rest of our lives. There's no curse of the Time Lords now. Now, he can be with me free and clear and perhaps, just perhaps, we can settle down, marry, maybe even have a few kids._

She raised her eyebrows at that.

_Would this Doctor even want that? _She thought._ I mean, it is the Doctor and I'm sure he's just as anti-domestic as the other one. Still…he has no TARDIS. He can't just up and go whenever he wants to. Although, we could always travel the world together, me and him. Just the pair of us, bumming around the Earth, having some laughs and seeing the sights. Could be fun._

"Rose? Could you please speak?"

Rose looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because I want to hear your voice. Right now all I hear is Jackie on the mobile yelling at Pete to drop everything and come get us. I'd rather hear you."

He slowly turned her around until she was facing him. Smiling, he stroked her cheek.

"Brand new life for both of us, I suppose," he said.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

His arms enfolded around her. Rose laid her head against his chest and felt a lump in her throat when she only heard one beating heart.

"Blimey, it's chilly here. Ugh! I hope Pete isn't too far away. Sucks that the gap comes out right here. Think they need to rename this place Hell Freezes Over because that's the image I'm getting in my head right at the moment."

Rose laughed at that. He grinned, knowing he had been the cause of that.

"Say," he said, trying to keep the laughs coming. "Think if we stand here long enough, we'll see some penguins swim up?"

Rose smiled.

"Maybe, you never know," she said.

She cracked another smile when the Doctor pretended to scan the horizon for them.

"Nope, no penguins yet, but I'm sure if we're patient, the little buggers will show up sooner or later."

"Better be sooner, otherwise mum will start throwing a fit because the other Doctor stranded us out here."

"Oh God, anything but one of Jackie's rants, please," the Doctor replied.

He smiled when Rose giggled at that and his heart filled with love for her. He cupped her chin with his hands.

"Don't give up on me, Rose," he said. "I promise I'll live up to him in every way, just please, please give me a chance. We can be happy together, I know we can."

The look in his eyes nearly tore Rose's heart in half. Her eyes misted over as she embraced him tightly.

"I won't give up, Doctor. It's a big adjustment for me, but I do love you."

The tears began to flow down her face.

"How could I not love you? You're the Doctor. _My_ Doctor. "

The tears increased when she saw the joy on his face. She stroked his cheek.

"I love you, you know that, don't you?" she said.

He smiled from ear to ear.

"Of course I do," he said. "It's just that I hope you love me because I'm me and not because I resemble him."

"I can't lie to you, Doctor. I do love him and I'll miss him and like I said, it will take time to get used to this version of you, but the point is, you're still him even if you do only have one heart and finally, I have you all to myself for the rest of my life."

"Yup, be careful what you wish for because you're stuck with me now, Rose Tyler, for better or for worse."

"Rose!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"And by worse, I mean living with your mother," he muttered to himself.

They looked over as Jackie ran up.

"I phoned Pete and he and Tony are on their way. They're going to pick us up in Bergen, which means we have one hell of a walk. However, there is a little town a few miles away. We can go there and arrange for someone to take us to a hotel. Obviously, it'll take a few days for them to get here."

She looked at the Doctor.

"I also told him about you. I explained as best I could what had happened and he's going to let you stay with us."

"Oh good, nice to know I won't be stranded here while you guys are back in London. I'm glad that huge mansion of yours has enough room for my thin little body. And I promise I won't eat more than a crumb a day, lest I grow fat and crowd you out of the house."

Jackie rolled her eyes.

"So, this one has your other Doctor's personality, has he?"

"Yeah, mum."

"Wonderful, I have to go through all the mean little insults again. I just hope you can sort him out before I have to start slapping him again."

"Trust me, Jackie, whatever side of the house you're on, I won't be there."

"Good, keep it that way. Now, follow me, we got a long walk ahead of us."

The Doctor looked at Rose.

"Just what I've always wanted to do. Follow your mum while I'm freezing my arse off."

Rose patted him on the shoulder, gave him a little kiss and took his hand as they followed Jackie off the beach.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_Damn him._

_Damn that bastard for doing this to Rose. Rose, who was so faithful and trusting and loving towards him. Rose, who stuck with him and changed him for the better. Rose, who risked everything to come back and find him and how does he repay her? He dumps her off in the middle of nowhere without so much as a by-your-leave. Rose, who has shown him more love and devotion than anyone he has ever know just had her worst fears confirmed. He told her that night outside the coffee shop that he would never ditch her and run. Well, never let it be said that the Doctor wasn't a master bullshit artist. _

_God, look at her. How could he do this to her? Her heart is shattered and instead of comforting her and letting her know that everything will be alright, he scarpers off and leaves me here to try to mend her broken soul. And worse yet, she's been reduced to being a babysitter for a freakish Time Lord human. I can't believe he did this to me. So, I'm a threat to the universe, am I? I'm just a genocidal maniac who must be watched at all times, lest I annihilate some other species. Never mind that he drowned the Racnoss babies and let their mother be blown to bits. He caused their extinction that night. Well, gee, isn't that genocide? Shouldn't he be the one that's kept on a short leash? Back before he and Rose met the Cult of Skaro, they thought that the Daleks had been wiped from existence. And who did the wiping? Rose. The Bad Wolf power inside her turned them all to dust. But, gee, I don't recall the Doctor freaking out in the aftermath and running to dump her off somewhere because she just committed genocide. If it's him or Rose who does it, that's okay. But, the moment I save the entire universe from being atomized…FOR GOD'S SAKE, HIDE HIM, SO HE DOESN'T GO NUTS AND DESTROY ALL OF CREATION! Hypocrite. Self-important sanctimonious hypocrite. I know it's weird, but right now, I hate him far more than I could ever hate Davros or the Daleks because of the way he treated the precious little angel who's walking beside me. I just hope that for her sake we can make this odd arrangement work and live out our life together peacefully. The poor girl has had enough heartache in her life as it is without losing the Doctor a third time._

"Doctor?"

The Doctor looked at Rose.

"Yes?"

"I've been thinking…"

"Yes?"

"Well, if you're gonna live as a human now, shouldn't…you have a proper name?"

The Doctor frowned.

"I do have a proper name."

"No, I don't mean, Doctor, I mean a human name. Something you can use on a day to day basis."

The Doctor sighed.

"I…I guess so. But, what about Doctor? I mean, that's who I am…kinda."

Rose took his hand.

"No, you are the Doctor."

"Am I?"

She swallowed hard.

"Yes," she said, trying to keep from crying. "You are. You're my Doctor and you always will be. I don't want you to give up who you are; I'm just saying that there are certain times when you'll need a human name."

"Like John Smith."

"Yes, like John Smith. Use John Smith for everyday things like signing forms and bank statements and stuff and then you can use Doctor the rest of the time. I'm just saying that if you're gonna be on Earth long term, you need to…change some things in order to function in society."

The Doctor sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, you're right. If I'm going to be human, I need a human name. But…"

He thought for a moment.

"If I'm gonna be stuck with a name for the rest of my life, I don't wanna use John Smith, it's boring and generic."

He looked at her.

"Help me think of something I can use, Rose. Something better than John Smith. That way we can have something to pass the time while we walk. Besides, if we're going to be together, then I want you to have a part in my birth, so to speak. I can no longer be the Doctor as you know him, which means I need to adapt and make up a persona of sorts. I want you to help me with that."

"Okay, I will."

He smiled.

"Okay, scratch John Smith. What's a good name for me?" he said.

Rose thought for a moment. A smile spread over her face.

"Arthur?" she said.

The Doctor chuckled.

"Hmmm, Arthur, good name for a horse, but is it a good name for me? Arthur…Arthur…I don't know, doesn't seem very me, somehow."

Rose thought again. Suddenly, she giggled. The Doctor gave her an amused grin.

"What? What are you thinking?"

"How about…Alonzo? Then, you can have me say alons-y Alonzo whenever we're ready to go somewhere."

The Doctor beamed.

"Ah, Rose Tyler, you are brilliant. Alonzo. I love it. It's not boring like John. It's has a bit of zing to it. Alonzooooo! Yes, just rolls off the tongue."

"And for short, we could call you Alan."

The Doctor thought.

"Alan. That's nice too. Alan's a good name. Okay, first name's Alonzo or Alan. Middle name next. Your thoughts?"

Rose scrunched up her face while she thought.

"Um…Mickey?" she said, giggling.

"Oh, hell, no."

Rose laughed.

"Jack?"

"No, I don't want his name attached to mine either."

"Um, Pete, Jake, Ianto, David, Benjamin, Jeremiah..."

"How about using Arthur for my middle name?" the Doctor said.

Rose considered that.

"Alonzo Arthur….Alan Arthur…Alan Arthur is very nice, I like that," she said.

"Yeah, but when are you gonna use Alonzo then?"

"Oh, I'll use it, trust me," Rose replied.

He smiled.

"Good, just checking. Okay Alan Arthur…what? Last name?"

"Hmmmm…"

Rose scratched her cheek while she thought.

"Wow, I'm not sure," she said.

"Well, just don't think of something too goofy. I want something dignified. Something a Time Lord could live with."

"Time Lord…Time Lord….That's it, Doctor. Timelord. Make Time Lord one word and use that."

The Doctor grinned and took a hold of her.

"Oh, Rose, I knew I could count on you to help me. Yes, I love that. Timelord. Alan Arthur Timelord. Oh, yes! Yes, that's a name I could live with for the rest of my life."

He fell to one knee.

"Okay, Rose, I order you to christen me with this new name and mark the beginning of our life together."

Rose stared at him.

"What do I say?"

"Just say something that sounds official. It's technically my birthday, so name me, Rose."

Rose cleared her throat and put her hand on his shoulder.

"I…hereby christen you, Alonzo Arthur Timelord. Happy birthday, my Alan, and may you have many more happy birthdays to come."

Alan grinned and stood up. He took Rose's hand and kissed the back of it gently.

"And…I hereby proclaim that the Doctor moniker shall be a pet name for me that is yours and yours alone. No other but you can use it now," he said.

"Oh, really? Brilliantl!"

"Yeah, well, I don't want give up my other name entirely. After all, I'm not entirely human."

"Oi, Doctor, what's going on? Why have you two stopped all of a sudden?"

They looked over at Jackie who was now nearly thirty feet away from them.

"Um…it's Alan now, Jackie. You're not allowed to use Doctor anymore."

He and Rose snickered at the perplexed look on Jackie's face.

"What? Alan? Where did that come from?" she said.

"It's the Doctor's new human name, mum. I helped him pick it. His full name is Alonzo Arthur and his last name is Timelord run together. So, you have to call him Alonzo or Alan."

"Yes, because I've just decreed that Doctor can only be uttered by Rose now, so stop using that name immediately."

Jackie shook her head.

"I don't know about you two," she said.

She sighed.

"Okay…Alan; let's get going before it gets dark."

Alan saluted her. Jackie rolled her eyes as he took Rose's hand and followed her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An hour later, they reached a small village. After talking to a couple of the locals, they found a small inn. Alan breathed a sigh of relief when they finally reached it.

"Blimey, I'm knackered. Having one heart is gonna be rough on me," he said to Rose. "Not to mention I'm going to be feeling my age from here on out."

"Oh, my poor Alan," Rose cooed. "Come on, we'll get a room and you can take a nice long bath."

"That…sounds completely heavenly right now," he replied.

They entered and walked over to the front desk.

"Do you take British money?" Jackie asked the man standing behind it.

He shook his head.

"Do you know where I can get it exchanged?"

The man nodded and gave her directions to the nearest bank. Jackie turned and looked at Alan and Rose.

"Stay here, I'll be right back. Blimey, it's a good thing I thought to bring money with me when I crossed over into the other universe. I can't believe that man dropped us off in Norway of all places."

Muttering to herself, she walked out the door. Alan put his arm around Rose.

"So…we're in the inn," he said to her. "Now what do we do?"

"Wait?"

"Ugh, where's the fun in that?"

"Um…if I were you, I would just wait. Mum's already upset without you adding to it."

"She's not the only one," Alan muttered under his breath.

Rose swallowed hard and drew near to him.

"Alan, the Doctor…he meant well."

"No, Rose, he didn't. I know you're defending him because you love him, but what he did was callous and cold. He didn't mean well, not in the least."

Rose's eyes misted over. Alan pulled her close to him.

"Hear me now, Rose Tyler. I swear with all my heart that I will never abandon you. Never."

Rose wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly while he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Things are going to be different from here on out. I'm not going to be reticent when it comes to expressing my love for you. You will know it, Rose Tyler, every day of your life. I will tell you I love you until there is not an iota of doubt in your mind, do you understand me?"

Rose nodded. He leaned his head down towards hers.

"I will be everything you ever wanted in a man. I will be everything you wanted the Doctor to be and much more besides. I will treat you like a queen and make you feel like you are the most loved thing in the whole of creation. I, Alan Timelord, swear that to you here and now."

Rose looked into his soft, brown eyes and felt complete and utter love for him. Her lips met his and as before, there was no hesitation, no backing away. He returned the kiss completely. They stayed that way for a moment and then Alan nuzzled her forehead with his nose and looked at the man, who was watching them with silent amusement.

"Sorry, we just get these sudden urges to snog in odd places," he said.

The man chuckled and nodded. Just then, Jackie came back in carrying a handful of money.

"Okay, sorry about that," she said. "I need…"

She looked over at Alan and Rose.

"You're sleeping together, I guess."

Alan glanced at Rose.

"Yeah, mum, we are," Rose said.

Alan smiled and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Okay, I need two rooms for the night," Jackie said to the man.

"Okay, please sign the register while I get your keys," the man replied as he pointed to a leather bound book on the counter.

Jackie signed it and looked at Rose.

"Sign in," she said to her.

"Alons-y, Alonzo, time to try out your new name," Rose said, smiling.

Alan snickered. Taking her hand, he walked with her to the registry book He watched while Rose signed in and then took the pen from her with great anticipation.

"Let's seeeeee…" he muttered. "A…L…O…N…Z…O…aka…

He looked at Rose.

"When I use Alan, how do I spell it? A…L…A…N? A…L…Y…N? A…L…A…I…N?"

"A…L…A…N, use that," Rose replied.

"Okey-dokey, aka A…L…A…N. Now, I write…Arthur and last, but not least…Time…lord."

Rose watched as he trailed off the D in Timelord with the pen, circled back, made a figure eight under his name and put two lines through it. Then, giggling, he drew a little heart next to Alan and a smiley face after Timelord.

"Are you finished?" Jackie said as Rose bent over laughing.

"Yes, I'm finished now," Alan said, laying the pen down.

Smiling, he examined his name for a moment and then wrapped his arm back around Rose. Jackie finished paying the man, handed them their key and all of them went upstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Alan opened the door to their room and peeked in.

"Not the TARDIS, but It's better than the freezing cold," he said, ushering Rose inside.

"Now you two behave yourselves," Jackie said to him as she prepared to go into the room next to theirs.

"Yes warder!" Alan said.

He slammed the door before Jackie could say anything.

"You better watch that or mum will go off on ya," Rose said.

"I can't help it. I have Donna Noble-itis. See, I know you don't know Donna all that well. But the woman has quite a gob on her and unfortunately I absorbed some of her when she touched the jar, so I'm afraid you're gonna have to put up with my newly acquired cheekiness."

He looked over at the bathroom.

"And now for a nice, long soothing bath. Except…"

"What, Alan?"

He sighed angrily.

"I have no extra clothes to change into," he said. "Seems someone dumped me out in the cold without letting me pack a bag first."

"Alan…"

"And of course, you don't have any extra clothes either because that would have tipped you off that you weren't going to be going back with him, which would have meant he'd have to listen to you beg and plead, which meant he might have changed his mind and…"

"Alan, stop, please!" Rose said, walking over to him.

He took her by the shoulders.

"Rose, don't you see? Don't you see how cold and calculating all of this was? He always meant to strand you here, but he never let on, did he? Because he knew you might hate him for it. He's afraid, Rose. For all his swagger and bravado, he's nothing but a scared, lonely little boy who pushes people away if they get too close. That's why he couldn't say I love you. As long as he doesn't say it, he doesn't have to own up to it. Keeping silent allows him to turn and walk away and leave you forever. Can't you understand that the man betrayed you? You gave him your love and he threw it back in your face. And you wonder why I'm so angry at him? I'm completely furious at him for doing this. I'm sorry, Rose, but I can't deny this situation. What he did was just as cruel as anything a Dalek could do. In fact, he was just as emotionless and heartless as a Dalek. He didn't even have the…bollocks to say goodbye before going back in. He didn't want to face what he was doing to you. Rose, if I'm such a threat to the universe, why didn't he imprison me in the TARDIS somewhere and let you come with him? He could have done that, Rose. He could have trapped me forever inside the TARDIS, dropped Jackie off and carried on like before with you at his side. He was going to do that to the Master, one of his greatest enemies. the Master almost obliterated the Earth and was gonna nuke other planets in an all-out war for conquest and when the Doctor turned back time and set things right, he told the Master he was going to imprison him in the TARDIS forever, so he could keep an eye on him. And he would have done it too if the Master hadn't been shot and forced himself to die. So, why didn't he do the same to me? Because Rose, that would have left you there with him and it would have been too painful for him to take you along because his whole way of thinking is centered around loss. He lost you once, so I'm guessing he figured he might as well get it over with and lose you again and save himself the agony of waiting."

He stroked her cheek when he saw the tears falling.

"Rose, he's condemned you along with me. He put me here as a punishment, but he's punishing you as well. And you didn't even do anything. Your only crime was loving him too much."

He took her hand and led her to the window.

"This Earth is now our prison. We're trapped here without a TARDIS. This is exactly the same as being imprisoned in the force fields on the Crucible except this force field is much, much larger. You and I, two wandering free spirits have been tied down to one planet now for the rest of our lives."

"We...we can still wander the Earth," Rose said softly.

"Yes, we can. But we can only do that for so long and then what? This is it for us now. No more wild adventures. No more strange creatures or civilizations to see. Nothing, but the Earth."

He laid his face on top of her head.

"It doesn't matter that much to me, but I know how much you loved traveling and the fact that you can't see the stars up close any longer tears at my heart."

He kissed her head.

"Oh, my love, we've been imprisoned here and this time, there is no escape," he whispered.

Rose sobbed softly and clung to him while he embraced her tightly. He rubbed her back while she cried in his arms. Alan ached inside knowing that he couldn't give her time and space anymore and once again, he felt utterly useless. For the hundredth time since he was stranded with Rose, he felt like he was trapped in his double's long, long shadow.

_What use am I now?_ he thought bitterly._ I'm not a Time Lord and I'm not a human. I'm a freak of nature, just like Jack is. I shouldn't even exist. Maybe it would have been better if I had never been born. Then, perhaps, the Doctor would have taken Rose with her and she would have been happy. It's only a matter of time until Rose becomes restless and looks to me to do something to save her from her ho-hum life and when I can't, she'll get angry and leave me..._

He shook that thought from his mind.

_Stop it, you git, that's your double's way of thinking about things. You're better than that. _

He kissed her head and continued to rub her back until she calmed down and quit crying.

"I'm sorry, my Rose. I didn't mean to upset you," he said.

"No, it's alright. You're right. One of the things I hated about being trapped here was the fact that I couldn't travel in the TARDIS. And now that the Doctor is gone again, It's back to the way things were before."

Guilt tore at his heart and he started to mentally beat himself up again before he quickly put a stop to it. Sighing, he kissed the forehead of the woman who meant more to him than anything in the known universe.

"I'm going to go take a bath. Why don't you try to rest and recover from the walk and I'll save enough hot water for you, okay?"

Rose nodded. Alan held her tightly.

"I love you so much," he said.

"I love you too," she whispered.

He gave her one more kiss before he turned and unbuttoned his jacket. With a sigh, he laid it on the bed and rubbed his neck while he walked to the bathroom. Rose wiped the tear stains off her face and watched while he closed the door. She glanced down at the jacket and frowned when she noticed an envelope was sticking out of the pocket. She hesitated a moment and then pulled it out. She turned it over and saw both their names written on the front in the Doctor's elegant handwriting. She noticed there was a huge lump inside the envelope and wondered what it could be. She looked at the bathroom door, walked over to it and knocked.

"Alan?"

"Yes?"

"Did you know about this envelope in your jacket pocket?"

"Envelope? Um...no, what envelope?"

"There's a letter or something for us from the Doctor."

Rose heard him let out a mirthless laugh.

"Oho, so the coward wrote us a little letter, did he? Gee, I wonder what he possibly had to say to us to make this whooooole situation better?"

There was a pause.

"Come inside, angel. Let's read it together and get this over with," he said in a weary voice.

Rose swallowed hard. She paused a moment with her hand on the doorknob and then with a sigh, opened the door and went inside. Alan was sitting in the tub.

"Eek," he said in a high-pitched voice as he put his hands over his genitals.

He grinned when Rose rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, I'm a modest little bugger," he said.

"Sure you are," Rose replied, walking over to him.

She knelt down beside him and showed him the envelope.

"When did he slip this into your pocket?" she asked.

Alan thought for a moment.

"The only time I had my jacket off was when I went to the bathroom to clean up after we got done moving the Earth and everyone was starting to leave. I went in one of the spare bedrooms and laid the jacket on the bed while I went into the bathroom to wash my face. I suppose he came in and put it in my pocket while I was in there."

He glared at the envelope.

"And I suppose the gist of it is, dear Rose, I'm sorry I did this to you, but I had to, please forgive me, get on with your life, don't worry about me, I'll go on being a martyr, love and kisses I never gave to you, Doctor."

He noticed Rose's shocked expression and lowered his eyes in shame.

"Sorry, I keep saying things I shouldn't. I know my anger towards him upsets you, so I'll hold my tongue from now on."

Rose laid a hand on his back.

"It's alright, Alan. I understand, really," she said.

Alan sighed.

"Just open it, Rose, so we can get this over with," he said.

Rose turned it over and opened it. She reached inside, pulled out a folded piece of paper and set it on her leg. She reached back in and pulled out a small brown sparkling lump that was a mineral of some kind. Rose turned it over in her hand as she stared at it in confusion.

"What's this?" she said, turning it over.

"Our freedom."

Rose looked at Alan and noticed the overjoyed expression on his face.

"Alan? What is this?" she said.

"That, my dear, is a piece of the TARDIS."

Rose stared at it.

"He gave us a piece of the TARDIS? What for, a keepsake?"

"No, oh no, it's much, much more than that."

Rose looked at him.

"What d'ya mean?"

He took the mineral from her.

"Do you remember when you were with him on Krop Tor and he told you that TARDISes were grown, not built?"

"Yeah."

"This piece of coral is a part of the TARDIS, which means it can grow and in time…"

Rose's eyes widened, her heart scarcely daring to believe.

"It'll grow into another TARDIS?"

"Bingo!"

"You…you mean we can have a TARDIS of our own?"

"Well, not right away, it'll take time for it to grow enough for us to get inside. But yes, my Rose, in time this will be a fully functioning TARDIS."

"And we can leave…"

"And go exploring," Alan finished. "Course, it takes thousands of years before it'll get to the point that it's useable. But, I'm sure the Doctor found a way to speed up the growth, otherwise why would he leave it with us? Oh Rose, we have a TARDIS!"

Rose squealed and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, Doctor," she said to the ceiling. "Thank you for giving me and Alan a TARDIS!"

Alan snorted.

"Actually, I think this little lump is for your benefit, not mine," he said, letting go. "I'm sure he feels guilty leaving you here and wants to make sure you can still travel. And…I suppose he also thinks that by the time the growth period is up, I'll no longer be a so-called threat to the universe and it'll be safe for me to get back behind the controls."

He gestured to the letter.

"So now that we've seen the coral, let's hear what he has to say," he said.

Rose laid the coral down beside her, picked up the folded piece of paper and stared at it with apprehension.

"Do you want me to read it?" Alan said. "I promise I won't read it in a sarcastic tone of voice."

"Yeah…could you read it, Alan? I'm kinda scared to hear what he has to say."

Once more, rage burned inside Alan and thoughts of strangling his double floated through his mind for a moment. Resisting the urge to snatch the letter and tear it into tiny pieces, he wiped his hands on the towel hanging beside him and took the letter from her hands. With a sigh, he opened it, cleared his throat and read aloud.

"Dear Rose and Doctor,

By the time you find this letter, I will be gone. I'm sorry for doing this, but I have no choice. I can't let this new Doctor commit any more atrocities."

Alan gritted his teeth and took a deep breath, calming himself down so he could go on.

"I realize that he destroyed the Daleks because he was trying to save the universe, but he went about it the wrong way. You can't just lose control of your emotions and murder an entire species without a second thought. Rose taught me that, Doctor. This is why I'm entrusting you to her care. When I first met her, I was exactly the same as you and she became my guardian angel, watching over me and helping me to work through the pain and trauma I had left over from the Time War. You were born in the midst of chaos and forced to fight before you even had a chance to get your bearings and find out who you were. You need to be in a safe environment for the time being, so you can work through your emotions and become a better person. "

"Rose, I realize that I'm asking you to once again go through the anguish you went through when I was in my ninth life. I realize I'm basically burdening you with this responsibility, but I have so much faith in you. You healed me and gave me a reason to live. You turned me away from all the bitterness and the anger and showed me that there is a reason to go on living even when it seems like the universe is against you."

_Thank you for doing this for me, Rose,_ Alan thought. _And in return for your love, devotion and tender care, I'm gonna reward you by dumping you out the door in nowhere, Norway with the genocidal basket case and leave you forever while you try and fix him. Good luck!_

Shaking the thought from his mind, Alan took a deep breath and continued.

"I have enclosed a gift for you, Rose."

Alan looked at her.

"See, told you, this coral is a present for you, not me."

He went back to reading the letter.

"I'm sure my double will give you the details, but it's a piece of the TARDIS that will grow and in ten years time become a TARDIS you can use. You see, I know how deeply you loved to travel, my Rose, and I don't want you stuck on Earth for the rest of your life. You were born to be up among the stars, not stuck in London with your feet firmly on the ground. I want you and him to become as close as we were and do what we did. It only took a year for you to mend me, so by the time the ten years are up; he'll be ready to travel the stars with you."

Rose laid a hand on his cheek when he rolled his eyes and muttered a curse under his breath.

"This is my parting gift to you, my angel. Even though once upon a time I told you that seeing me again was impossible, I feel sure that this time is truly the last time we will ever see each other. The Daleks are gone now, destroyed, and they are the only ones I know of who could have broken down the barriers between worlds. I ache knowing that I will never see you again, my Rose. I wish I could take you with me, but I can't. You belong with your mum now; you need to look after her and your family."

Alan's mouth dropped open.

"Bollocks, Doctor, that's not the reason and you know it," he yelled at the letter. "You dumped her here because you don't want to deal with the fear of possibly losing her again. You are so full of shit, it's unbelievable!"

He caught himself and looked at Rose.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," he said.

Rose kissed him.

"It's alright," she said. "You want me to finish the letter?"

"Are you sure you want to?"

"Yeah, I'll be alright."

"Okay, I guess you better, the more I read, the angrier I get."

Rose took the letter from him and squeezed his hand. She stroked his cheek while she finished reading.

"Please forgive me for doing this. I know how much you wanted to see me again, but it's better this way. The Doctor I'm leaving with you will grow old with you and he'll give you the sort of life I never could. You have ten years now where you can bond with him and become close and then you can spend your time coming and going as you please, seeing the universe and having some laughs. I'm afraid though that you won't be able to do much more than be sightseers. The Time Lord part of his mind went into Donna and with it went the ability to see the time lines and know what events are fixed and what events are in flux. He won't be able to tell the difference between established events and ones that he can change, so for safety's sake, you and he should only interfere when it is absolutely necessary. Still, the two of you can still have fun exploring and finding out what new planets and species live in your universe. Of course, there is the problem of what to do with the TARDIS once the two of you are no longer able to travel. Perhaps, if you trust them enough, you can give it to UNIT or Torchwood for safe keeping. If not, then take it somewhere like a cave and abandon it, so no one will ever find it. I trust you will know the right thing to do, Rose."

"And now, I must end this letter and say a final farewell. Please know that you will always be in my memories and you will live on in my mind long after the world has forgotten your name."

"Take care, my angel,"

"The Doctor."

Rose laid the letter down on the floor and wiped a tear that was running down her cheek. Alan reached over, embraced her and held her close. They remained that way for a moment and then Rose gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Alan frowned.

"For what?"

She smiled.

"For being born and loving me enough to stay with me."

He smiled.

"You're welcome. Thank you for giving me a chance even though I'm not the man you wanted to end up with."

She grabbed the back of his head and leaned in to his face.

"You are just as good as the Doctor is and I'm happy to have you here with me."

Alan's heart skipped a beat. He gave her a kiss on the lips.

"How about you let me finish my bath and then after you have yours, we can start making plans for all the planets we'll visit in ten years time."

"It's a deal."

She gave his hand a squeeze, picked up the coral and the letter and walked out of the room while Alan stared at her in loving silence.

A/N: The idea for the TARDIS coral isn't mine. There was a scene that was originally going to be in show where the Doctor gives them a piece of the coral and the Doctor Who Adventures magazine has a fact file on the alternate Doctor and Rose where it also mentions him giving them the coral.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Alan and Rose lay on the bed in their room staring up at the ceiling. Rose had finished having a bath, but neither one of them had any clue what to do next.

"I am so bored now," Alan said.

"You aren't the only one."

Alan looked over at the piece of coral on the nightstand beside him.

"GROW!" he yelled at it. "THERE'S TWO BORED PEOPLE HERE WHO WANNA USE YOU! GROW, DAMN IT!"

Rose stared at him, amused.

"Does that help?" she asked.

"No, but it helps me blow off some steam," he replied as she giggled.

He blew a long puff of air.

"Anything on telly?" he said pointing to the old TV in front of them.

"Dunno, let me see."

Rose reached over, grabbed the remote and turned it on. They stared at the program. A farmer was milking a cow and speaking to the camera. Unfortunately for them, he wasn't speaking English.

"Oh, crap," Alan said.

He grabbed the coral.

"Maybe if we hold it up to our ears, the TARDIS coral will translate for us?" he said, hopefully.

He held it between them and both of them leaned in to it. They listened, but nothing happened.

"Bollocks," Alan said, putting it back. "Well, I don't fancy lying here watching a farmer milk cows while I try to figure out what he's saying."

He turned the TV off and went back to staring at the ceiling. Suddenly, he burst into song, startling Rose.

"LORD, LORD, OH GOD, I'M BORED. NOTHING TO DO IN NORWAY 'CEPT CLIMB A FJORD!"

Rose laughed as he winked at her.

"You're just useless when you can't go anywhere, huh?" she said.

"Got that right. Life's short and I only got one life to live now. I don't wanna spend it lying here in the roach motel with nothing to do. LORD, LORD, OH GOD, I'M BORED. NOTHING TO DO IN NORWAY 'CEPT CLIMB A FJOOOOOOOOOOOORD!"

They looked over when they heard pounding on the wall.

"DOCTOR! KNOCK IT OFF!" Jackie screamed through the wall.

Alan got up, walked over to the wall and pounded on it.

"MY NAME IS ALAN NOW, NOT THE DOCTOR! GET IT RIGHT AND QUIT POUNDING ON THE WALL, YOU'RE INTERRUPTING MY SINGING!"

He hurried back to the bed and flung himself down beside Rose. They waited for Jackie to reply, but there was only silence.

"Guess that shut her up," Alan said.

"Yeah, she's probably over there planning to kill ya," Rose replied.

"Eh, let her do it, beats dying of boredom here."

He sighed.

"Still, in the interest of keeping peace, I will tone it down…a little."

He folded his hands and put them on his chest.

"They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said, no, no, no," he sang.

Rose giggled.

"I tried to get back in the TARDIS, but the Doctor said no, no, no," he sang under his breath.

He looked over at the window.

"Now that it's raining more than ever.

Know that we still have each other.

You can stand under my umbrella. You can stand under my um-ber-el-la ella-ella-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a…"

"Um, Alan?"

"Yes?"

"I think you can stop with the A now."

"I can? Oh, I'm sorry, I was under the impression the A sound went on for twenty minutes before she went on with the song."

Rose giggled.

"Lord, lord, oh God I'm bored. Nothing to do in Norway 'cept climb a…"

He trailed off.

"Fjord?" Rose finished.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

He looked at her.

"I have the Doctor's memories, as you know, and the first time you were standing on the shores of Bad Wolf Bay, he was looking at you and some distance away, the others were standing in front of a lorry. Am I to assume that the lorry was what you used to get to Bad Wolf Bay?"

"Yes."

"And did you guys drive the lorry all the way from London to Bad Wolf Bay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Oh nothing, I was just thinking how wet and fishy the trip must have been between England and France. LORD, LORD, OH GOD, I'M BORED…"

He giggled when Rose slapped him on the chest.

"For your information, we put the lorry on a ferry and took it from England to France."

"Really? That must have been hell on the fairy's back, not to mention the strain on its little wings and…oh, oh, ferry as in boat. I see, makes sense now."

He grinned when Rose snorted out laughter.

"Yup, you're gonna be a handful just like the Doctor was."

"No, I'm gonna be more of a handful since I got Noble-itis. But, I guess you're stuck with me."

"Yup, I guess I am."

She kissed his cheek and snuggled up with him while he went back to staring at the ceiling.

"Oh, wow…"

Rose looked at him.

"What? What is it?"

Alan pointed up at the ceiling.

"Lookie, a little black spot right there above my head. Finally, something to focus on."

She giggled when he stared at it with wide eyes.

"Is the little black spot doing anything?" she asked him.

"Not yet, but I'm going to lay here and wait till it does," he replied.

He stared for a few more minutes and then suddenly he grabbed onto Rose.

"Rose, I just worked it out," he said in a hushed whisper.

"Worked what out?"

"Shhhh, don't speak above a whisper. We don't want to alert it to our presence."

Rose grinned.

"What? What's wrong?" she said in a whisper.

"I know what it is. I know what the spot is."

"What?"

His eyes bulged causing Rose to snort out laughter.

"The Vashta Nerada," he said.

"The what?"

"Shhh, shhh, shhh, don't move, for the love of God."

"Alan, you really are bored, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not bored. I'm being cautious. The Vashta Nerada can devour us before we can even blink."

"So, what do we do then?" Roes said, playing along.

"Well, there are certain things you do when fighting certain menaces. The Daleks, you aim for their eyestalk. Sontarans, you hit the probic vent on the back of their neck. Jack Harkness, you grab a fire hose and hose the boy down. But, there's only one thing you can do with Vashta Nerada."

Rose giggled.

"And what's that?"

"Run, just run."

"Run? Run where?"

"I don't know; just flee for our lives before it devours us whole."

Rose glanced up at the spot.

"It's hasn't moved yet."

"That's because it's waiting for the right moment to strike."

"Should we move now?"

He grinned.

"Yeah, let's get up and go. Go outside and take a walk and maybe it won't attach itself to us."

"Where will we go?"

"Just around. Anywhere is better than lying here all day."

"Okay, let me ask my mum for some money and we can go get something to eat."

She thought.

"Um…stay back when I do though. I don't know if she's still angry after you banged on the wall and told her to shut up."

"I didn't tell her to shut up, I just told her to quit pounding on the wall."

"Well, whatever, just let me handle it, okay?"

Alan shrugged.

"Go right ahead, the less I have to deal with that woman, the better."

"Just wait here and I'll be right back."

Alan nodded. He sat down on the edge of the bed and waited while Rose went to talk to Jackie. She came back in a few minutes later with some money in her hand.

"Okay, "she said, stuffing the bills in her pocket. "Let's go find somewhere to eat."

Alan stood up and took her hand. He grabbed the doorknob as they went out and closed the door behind them.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Alan breathed a sigh of relief when they left the inn.

"Finally, we're out and doing something besides just lying on a bed in a dusty old inn. And thanks to the man at the front desk, we have somewhere we can go and eat. So, my little Rose, are you ready for our first meal together?"

"Ready when you are, Alan."

He smiled, took her hand and the walked off towards the restaurant.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan frowned while he perused his menu. He didn't have a clue what to get.

"Rose?"

Rose, who was sitting across from him in the small restaurant, looked up from her menu.

"Hmmm?"

"Any idea what you want?"

"No, not really."

"What'd you eat the last time you came to Norway?"

"We didn't eat anywhere. We had food in the lorry, we ate that."

"Bollocks. Um…well, I guess we'll have to be adventurous then, won't we?"

"Yup."

He looked over when a waitress walked up to the table.

"Hello there," he said. "Do you speak English?"

"Yes, sir."

"Ah, good. Um…my friend and I are new in town and in fact, we're relatively new to Norway. What do you recommend?"

"You may like polsa."

"Polsa? What's that?"

The waitress thought for a moment.

"It…is like…hot dog?"

Alan looked at Rose.

"How 'bout it? Fancy trying a Norwegian hot dog?"

"Sure."

"Okay, two orders of polsa then and…hmmm, what to drink….oh! Coke okay, Rose?"

"Yeah."

"Two orders of polsa and two Cokes."

The waitress nodded, wrote the order down, took the menus and went back to the kitchen.

"So," Alan said. "Our first meal together is Cybermen meat and liquid sugar and caffeine. Yum!"

Rose laughed.

"Could have had chips," she said.

"Nah, I'm chipped out at the moment."

Rose raised her eyebrow.

"You don't like chips, then?"

"No, I like chips. I just don't feel like having them at the moment. I'd rather had Norwegian Cybermen meat."

"Why is it Cybermen meat?"

"Because a hot dog is made out of brains, nerve endings and metal."

He smiled when Rose laughed.

"Can't argue with that," she said.

She looked at Alan who was staring at her quietly.

"What?" she said.

He sighed softly.

"Nothing, just admiring your beauty," he said. "Thinking what an angel you are and how lucky I am to be sitting across from you."

Rose's heart leapt. She took his hand and held it. They gazed into each other's eyes, lost in the moment.

"You know," Alan finally said. "I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"You helped give me a new name and I've been thinking I should return the favor and give you one back."

Rose frowned.

"Change my name?"

"Not your proper name. A new pet name. Something I can use besides angel."

"Why? What's wrong with angel?"

"Oh, nothing, in and of itself. But, angel is the name he came up with and I don't want to use it anymore."

He took both her hands.

"See, I know I look like him, but in many ways I'm not him, especially since I'm half human and part Donna. I may be a clone, but that doesn't mean I can't have my own life, my own thoughts, my own way of looking at the world. I don't want to spend the rest of my life being a carbon copy of the Doctor. I want my own identity, which is why I'm so glad you thought up the name change. Alonzo is something that is mine now. Something that is different from him. I was born with his face, his body, his memories and I don't want to live my life in his shadow, being something I'm not. Angel was something he used, that's his name for you. I want something I thought up on my own. Do you understand?"

Rose nodded.

"I look like him, but I'm separate from him. I mean, I know that might upset you, I hope to God it doesn't, because I'm entitled to be my own person."

"No, I agree. I agree completely, Alan. I don't blame you for wanting to be different."

"It's just that…I'm sure you have certain expectations now since I'm basically Doctor Junior and--"

"No," Rose interrupted. "You're right. You deserve to be who you want to be and I don't want you to live your life as a duplicate of the Doctor when that's not who you are. In fact, I love that you're trying not to be him. It says to me that you aren't just some mindless double who is gonna be like a Doctor robot and emulate him in every way. I mean, I will always love the Doctor, but you…you are so loving and gentle and in a lot of ways, you're more open and free with your thoughts and emotions than he is and I love that about you. It's been painful hearing some of your angry thoughts about the Doctor. But, it's also refreshing because you're being honest with me. You don't mince words like the Doctor does sometimes. You come out and say what's on your mind and that's helping you to heal. It helps to get that anger out of you and get it expressed instead of bottling it up inside."

Alan nodded.

"Which is why I'm consciously doing that. I know all too well how the Doctor is and how he goes about doing things and where those choices have led him and I do not want any part of that. I don't want to spend my life carrying ten tons of emotional baggage with me because I'm not brave enough to let someone else see my true self. You know, Rose, I'm not as big an emotional wreck as he'd have you believe. Yes, I have some anger but that's mainly because of what he did to me and to you. I possess his memories and know everything he's done and everything that happened to him, but remembering it and having actually lived through it are two different things. He, Rose, is the one who is more messed up. He told you I had all this anger as another justification of why you needed to stay here. I went through one big battle. He, on the other hand, has ten lives worth of baggage and went through the Time War to boot. The anger that I have will quickly dissipate. In fact, a great deal of it went away after I realized that we wouldn't be stranded on Earth forever more. But, he pushed you away again and he'll continue to push people away or they'll walk away from him or he'll lose them in some form or another and he'll continue to get worse and worse until one day all the anger and grief and guilt he has bottled up inside overtakes him and…well, I'll save the whole Valeyard explanation for later since it's complicated and I don't feel like spending the whole meal discussing it. But, he has seen a glimpse of his possible future before, Rose, and has even battled it on a couple of occasions and it's terrifying, trust me. If what he has seen does come to pass, then the darkness the Daleks tried to bring on the universe will be a lark in comparison to what he could do."

Rose listened quietly, scared at what Alan was saying. She made a mental note to make sure that he did eventually explain who this Valeyard was. Alan smiled at her.

"Anyway, like I said, I'll talk more later on about all this. For now, I want to focus on a pet name that's worthy of you. So…angel is out and I don't want something boring and overused like love or sweetheart or darling. You're better than that. Hmmm…"

He drummed his fingers on the table while he thought.

"What could I use?" he murmured. "Hmmm, perhaps something in French? Ma belle? Ma belle Rose?"

"That's pretty," she said.

"Yeah, but I'm still not happy with it. Ma cherie? Ma petit chou chou…nah, not good enough…Italian perhaps…bella instead of belle? Or…cucciola mia?"

"What does that mean?"

He smiled.

"My young animal."

"What? Is that really a pet name in Italian?"

"Yup, sorta like saying my pet, only prettier. Hmmm…tesorina? Means my little treasure, which you certainly are."

"I like that. It's pretty."

"Me too, but I want something uniquely you. Something no one else will use.

He put his head in his hand and thought while Rose rubbed the back of his other hand. Suddenly, a grin spread over his face.

"Oh, I'm so thick," he said. "I want a name no one else will use, then why don't I use my own language? After all, I am the last living speaker of Gallifreyan…at least, in this universe."

He took both her hands.

"And I know the perfect name for you. Amo'tiri."

Rose smiled.

"I love it. That's Gallifreyan?"

"Yup."

"What's it mean?"

"It means…kindred soul. What'd ya think?"

"Oh, God, yes. I love it. Call me that, please."

"Okay, Amo'tiri, I will."

He kissed the back of her hand and looked over when the waitress returned with their food.

"Ooo, looks delicious," Alan said as she sat his plate down in front of him.

"Thank you," she replied, setting Rose's plate down.

She finished serving them and with a smile, walked back to the kitchen while Alan and Rose began eating. Alan took a bite of the polsa and his eyes widened with delight.

"This is really good," he said.

"It is. It's better than a hot dog. I'm glad she recommended it to us."

Alan smiled.

"I guess we have a new favorite food now."

Rose nodded.

"Yup, we do. So, so far, you have a new name, a new pet name for me and a new favorite food. You're doing well."

"Yup, with each passing moment I'm becoming more me and less him. Feels good. I finally feel like I'm an individual and not just some clone of someone."

Rose's heart ached at that and she took his hand.

"You're not a clone of the Doctor and you never will be," she said emphatically.

He smiled and gave her a kiss.

"Thank you, Amo'tiri," he said.

"You're welcome, flabby bum"

She snickered when Alan gave her a shocked look.

"Flabby bum," he said as Rose bent over the table laughing.

"Yeah, you don't like your new pet name?" she said.

"My bum is not flabby."

"Okay, boney bum then."

"Oh, I'll boney bum you if you say that again," he said.

She laughed when he stuck his finger in her armpit and quickly put her hand over her mouth when the other people in the restaurant gave them odd looks.

"Sorry, everyone, just having a giggle over here. Go back to your meals," Alan called out.

Both of them quickly looked down at their plates.

"I think we better tone it down before we get run out of this town," Rose whispered to him.

"Okay, but once we get back to our room, it's back to singing."

"You're really pushing your luck with my mum; you know that, don't you?"

"Yeah, but I live for the thrill of a possible beating. Keeps me on my toes."

Rose laughed. She smiled and opened her mouth when Alan took a bit of his polsa and put it in her mouth. The two of them ate the rest of their meal in a companionable silence and when they were done, headed out into the twilight for a short walk.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Alan and Rose strolled along the pavement, hand in hand, watching while people hurried home or went about their business. As they walked, Alan glanced over at Rose and was once again awestruck by her beauty.

_You are a fool, Doctor,_ he thought. _The most precious, beautiful, loving thing in all creation and you willingly gave her over to me. Ah well, finders, keepers_.

"This is a lovely little town," Rose said.

"Yeah, once you get past the rickety old inn with the Vashta Nerada on the ceiling, it's quite charming."

Rose giggled.

"You think that Vashta Nerada is still there?" she said.

"Not sure. Hopefully, it's attached itself to your mum by now and picked her skeleton clean."

"What is this Vashta Nerada? I've never heard of it before."

"They're the shadows that melt the flesh. Creatures that live in forests on every planet that contains fleshly beings."

"Except for Earth."

"Oh no, they live on Earth too."

Rose frowned.

"How come I've never seen them then?"

"You have. They're the dust particles in sunbeams."

Rose's eyes widened.

"And they eat people?"

"Weeell, here on Earth they mainly live off road kill, but occasionally if there is a big enough swarm of them they might attack a human."

"So, I could walk through a sunbeam and die then?"

He put his arm around her.

"No, in that form, they're too little to be a threat. Trust me; you have more chance of dying in a car wreck than you do being eaten by the Vashta Nerada."

He looked over at a large hill just outside town.

"Let's go over there, climb up and get away from all the people."

Rose grinned.

"Oh, so we are gonna climb a fjord then?"

He smiled.

"Well, I think that's more a hill than a fjord, but you know, I'm not claiming to be an expert or anything."

Rose giggled.

"You mean you're not the lord of fjords?"

Alan laughed.

"No, I'm definitely not a fjord lord."

He paused.

"Fjordlord. Hey, that's kinda catchy. Maybe I should use that as a last name. What'd ya think?"

"Alonzo Fjordlord? Um…well, it does have a nice ring to it, but I don't know, I mean it's your name, you know. It's up to you."

Alan considered it while they two of them headed for the hill.

"Nah, I'll stick with Timelord. The Time Lords are a part of my heritage and I want to honor that since I'm dropping the Doctor part of my persona."

He groaned as they started up the hill.

"Ugh, one heart, as my double once said, how do you people cope?"

"You're gonna have to get in shape now."

"I suppose so. Blimey, it's gonna be rough when I really start feeling my age. But, I'll manage."

They climbed up the hill as they sun finally set and the moon started to rise in the sky. Rose fell silent, lost in her thoughts. Alan looked at her.

"You've gone quiet."

She nodded.

"I'm just thinking that maybe since you gave me a new pet name. I should give you one."

"What about Doctor? I said you could use that if you wanted to."

"Yeah, but ever since you told me you are trying to develop your own personality, it doesn't feel right calling you that. If I call you Doctor, then it implies that I still want you to be like him and I don't. I want you to be Alan and I just would rather not use that name. You're insecure enough right now without me adding to it."

"It's up to you, but I don't mind you using it. I know that when you say it, you'll use it respectfully and with love. There's no pressure to pick something else."

"Just the same, I'd rather find another name. I also want to start distancing myself from the Doctor. I can't spend the rest of my life thinking of him. I have you now and Donna's right, you are a wonderful gift to me and I don't want you to ever feel like you are second best because you're not."

Alan smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"So, I'm assuming that you also are steering away from love, sweetheart and darling?" he asked.

"Yeah, I also want something that no one else will use."

Halfway up the hill, they found a large boulder and sat down on it. Alan put his arm around her while they watched the lights come on in the town below.

"Any ideas for a pet name yet?" Alan asked.

"Not yet, but I'm still working on it," she replied.

Alan looked at the moon. He took a deep breath.

"Ah, this is lovely. I want to stay out here all night long. I dread going back into that stuffy inn and that cramped room."

"And the Vashta Nerada on the ceiling?" Rose said, winking.

He grinned.

"Yes, I don't feel like getting eaten this soon after birth," he replied.

Rose leaned her head on his shoulder. Suddenly, her eyes widened.

"Vashta Nerada!" she said.

Alan frowned.

"What about them?"

"That's what I'll call you, my little Vashta Nerada!"

Alan stared at her.

"I'm your little shadows that melt the flesh?" he said.

"Yes, you are."

"Okay, explain that logic to me."

She smiled.

"Well, you are always with me just like a shadow and…"

She leaned in close to his face.

"Every time I see your handsome, gorgeous face, I just melt," she said in a husky voice.

Alan's eyes widened.

"Rose Tyler, I love the way your mind works. I would never have thought up that connection in a million years. And since you put it that way, by all means, call me Vashta Nerada till you're blue in the face. I definitely don't mind."

"Okay, I will, my Vashta Nerada."

He hugged her to him as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"So, let's see, I have a new name, we both have new pet names for each other, we have a new favorite food…"

"We have the fjord song."

Alan laughed.

"Yes and the private joke about the Vashta Nerada. So, one night together and we've accomplished that much, I think we're doing really well."

"So, do I. I think we're off to a good start."

He smiled.

"Yes, this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship."

Rose smiled at him.

_Oh God,_ she thought as she stared at his face._ I can't believe it's possible, but I've actually fallen completely in love with Alan. He's everything I've ever wanted the Doctor to be and more. I just wish with all my heart that there was some way he could be a full Time Lord. I love him and I'm so happy I can grow old with him, but this universe needs a protector and after he dies, there will be no one to save us if the darkness or anything else threatens this world. He's so special; he deserves to be more than just a half human, he needs to be the man he was meant to be. I wouldn't even mind if he did become a complete Time Lord because I know he loves me and he will always keep me near him until the day I die. Oh Doctor, I wish there was some way you could have made him into a Time Lord before you left us. I hate that he thinks of himself as a freak. He's not and he never will be. He has just as much right to life as the Doctor has. And now, he'll always be my Alan, no matter what happens to us in the future. _

"Rose?"

She looked at him.

"Yes."

"I've been thinking. Let's go away now."

"Go where?"

He took hold of her hands.

"All over. Let's you and me forget going back to London and just…wander. Roam the Earth and see the sights together, alone, just the two of us. I don't wanna go back with Jackie and Pete. The thought of being stuck with them on the drive back to London terrifies me. Why go back there when we have an entire Earth to explore. Please, amo'tiri, say yes."

Rose was conflicted. She wanted to see Pete and her little brother again, but she had to admit she also dreaded going back to London, back to her boring life working a nine to five job at Torchwood. She wasn't ready to face all that yet, not when she was trying to establish a relationship with Alan. And, the thought of them being alone, sharing time together was tempting. She stroked her face.

"I want to, Alan. But, what about mum?"

"What about her? She can go back with Pete and Tony. We'll be alright, Rose. We're both intelligent, resourceful people. We can survive without them. Please, I'm sick of the fact that the majority of my memories are from another man. I want to start making memories of my own with you. Sod your mum and stepdad. Sod going back to Torchwood. Come and see the world with me."

He pulled her close and stroked his face, his eyes pleading with her to go along with his idea. Rose smiled.

"I would like nothing better than to roam the world with you," she said.

Her heart soared when she saw his eyes mist over.

"Then, let's go now," he said.

Rose shook her head.

"No, not yet, please. I at least want to see my baby brother and tell mum and Pete that I'm going to go with you. I don't want them to worry about us and wonder where we've gotten to. Can we wait until they come?"

Alan nodded.

"I'll wait forever and a day if that's what you want," he said.

Rose put his arms around him and held him tight while Alan rained gentle kisses on her scalp. His hand started to go up under her shirt, but he quickly caught himself and put it down by his side.

_No,_ he thought. _I better not get too intimate. At least not until Rose has become more comfortable being around me. I don't want to do anything to jeopardize what we have now. I'll let her make the first move when she's ready._

He smiled as he laid his face against her head.

_Oh, amo'tiri, _he thought._ I can't wait until you and I are alone together. Away from your mum, dad and responsibilities. Just the two of us wandering around, taking the time to truly get to know each other while we take in the sights of planet Earth. And I pray that someday soon you will accept me completely just as you accepted him. All we can do now is take it one day and one step at a time and with a little time and luck, our love will grow and deepen. But, no matter what happens, I vow I will never abandon you and I will protect and defend you and if that means losing my one and only life, then so be it. Rose Tyler, my amo'tiri, you are my starlight and wherever your light shines, I will follow it blindly._

"Alan?"

Alan raised his head and looked at her.

"I think we better get back to the inn before mum wonders where we went."

She stroked the back of his neck when he let out a sigh of resignation and nodded.

"Okay, but come morning, we are going to tell her that we're parting company once Pete and Tony get here and you've said your hellos to them."

"It's a deal."

They rose, took each other's hands and walked back down the hill towards the town.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Alan couldn't sleep.

It had been four hours since they returned to the inn and crawled into bed. Being half human, he could no longer go for weeks on end without sleep like the Doctor could, but despite his best efforts, he couldn't get his mind quieted down enough to drift off. Too many thoughts were racing through his head and so, after awhile, he gently pulled away from Rose and let her sleep while he stood at the window and gazed quietly out at the moonlit sky.

So far, Rose had not asked for further details on the Valeyard, which he considered a blessing. He was hoping she might forget it, at least for the moment. The thought of telling her that the man she loved might surrender to the darkness within him and turn evil filled him with dread. Even though there was no love lost between him and his twin, he still didn't want to do anything that would cause Rose suffering.

_But, she must know,_ he thought as he put his hands behind his back. _She must be prepared_ _if God forbid, he ever does give in to his baser nature and tries to threaten all of creation. I know him and I know if he becomes the Valeyard and tried to conquer the universe, he'll come after his half human counterpart first, especially since he knows we're both more than capable of fighting back and have our own TARDIS. Rose saw what was happening in this universe before it happened there. He knows if he threatens his own reality, we will see it first and try to put a stop to him. We're far too dangerous to be left alive if he ever does succumb to the darkness in him._

He glanced back at Rose who was sleeping peacefully.

_He fought the Valeyard before, _he thought as he stared at her._ And his companions were always a target. Poor Rose will be especially vulnerable given her deep emotional connection to him, and now to me, and I know the evil, twisted bastard would like nothing more than to see me suffer before I died and torturing her would certainly do that. _

He shook his head.

_Of course, none of this may come to pass or we'll both be dead long before the Valeyard comes. But, I can't help thinking that everything that has happened to him will speed up the Valeyard's creation. After the Time War, he was headed that way before amo'tiri interceded and pulled him back towards the light. But then, she was taken from him and that caused him to go right back to the brink again. Then Martha left him and he watched Astrid and River die in front of him and now, he must deal with the knowledge that someday he will meet River and be forced to take her along as a companion, knowing that someday he will send her to her death. At least Donna is with him, but for how long? She has my Time Lord mind now and I seriously doubt she can keep functioning normally without dying. He has to do something to save her and if he can't…then he loses another dear friend and on and on it goes, each new tragedy added on to the old ones until one day, he snaps and then...heaven help us all. _

He brought his right hand back around and stared at it.

_Who knew that when he lost this hand all those years ago that it would set all these events into motion? I was born from this hand, but was there a greater purpose birthed with me? In the grand scheme of things, this hand played a significant part in saving the universe. Will that be true of me also? I could have died that day on the Crucible and yet, I didn't. Why did I live? Why did the Doctor bring me here with Rose? Could it be that one day I will have to fight the Valeyard and save this universe from destruction? Fate orchestrated events that led to my being born. Is fate still playing with our lives? My abandonment here, him asking Rose to be with me, the gift of the coral, is all of this leading somewhere? And will the culmination of all these separate events lead to our separation or even death?_

"Doctor?"

Alan turned around when he heard Rose's voice. He walked over, leaned in and noticed she was still asleep. His heart tore in two when he saw the anguish on her sleeping face.

"Doctor!" she said in her sleep. "No! Don't leave me! Please don't go! I love you, I'll do anything you say, just let me be with you. No, don't go, please I'm begging you, don't leave me!"

Alan balled up his fist, rage clouding his mind as he listened to Rose pleading with the dream Doctor to take her with him.

_I'm so glad he isn't here,_ he thought. _Because I want nothing more than to ring his skinny neck right now!"_

"No!" Rose moaned. "No, don't go! I love you! I love you, Doctor! Please love me back! Tell me you love me! Please! No!"

Alan swallowed hard when he saw her begin to thrash about in her sleep. He quickly sat down beside her and began to shake her gently.

"Rose! Rose, wake up! Wake up, Rose!" he said in her ear.

There was a gasp and Rose's eyes flew open. She blinked in confusion and then saw Alan.

"Doctor?" she said, confused.

Alan fought back the tears as he shook his head. Rose gasped and rose up on her elbow.

"Alan, oh God, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to call you--"

He held up his hand.

"It's alright, Rose. I understand why you did."

Rose sat up and embraced him tightly. Alan returned it and stroked the back of her hair.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to call you by his name," she whispered in his ear.

"It's alright, amo'tiri, I understand, really," he replied.

She leaned back and stroked his cheek.

"I didn't mean to wake you," she said.

"You didn't. I couldn't sleep, too much on my mind."

"Like what?"

"I…I don't wanna discuss it at three in the morning, but I promise I will tell you."

"Is…is it me? Are you still afraid that I don't love you?"

Alan wanted to say no, but a part of him was still unsure, especially since she had just called out to the Doctor in her dream, so he kept silent.

"I love you, Alan. I do, I swear I do," Rose said, stroking his cheek.

Alan nodded.

"Do you believe that?"

Alan stared at her. He didn't want to do what the Doctor did, lie and conceal his true feelings while he pretended that everything was just fine.

"I don't know," he finally admitted. "I want to believe, but…you and him, you have a history together. I feel like I'm the third corner in a love triangle."

He let out a mirthless laugh.

"I'm in my own real life soap opera, how 'bout that?" he said.

_And if things keep getting worse for the Doctor,_ he thought. _Pretty soon the soap opera will even have the stereotypical evil twin. _

He shook his head.

"How can I compete with him?" he murmured.

"You don't," Rose said, emphatically.

"Yes, but…you love him. You wanted to go with him in the TARDIS. You only kissed me because I was willing to tell you what he meant to say that day. I'm always gonna be second best and--"

"No!"

Rose put her hand over his mouth.

"No," she said in a choked voice. "Alan, please, please understand. Yes, I do love him and it hurt when he left me here. It's going to take time to get over that, but this whole day has been so incredible and I've found myself falling in love with you because I've seen how wonderful you are. I mean, my God, I would be daft to reject someone like you and I want to spend the rest of my life here by your side. But, I can't pretend that the Doctor's leaving me didn't affect me, just like you can't pretend that his dumping you here didn't make you angry. It's gonna take time for both of us to get past what happened yesterday. But, please, don't take what I said in a dream as proof that I don't care about you, because I do. I want you with me, now and forever."

Alan's eyes misted over and he smiled at her.

"I want the same," he said, softly.

"Then, please, stop worrying every two seconds that I'm gonna leave you, because I'm not. I love you."

Before he could say another word, she leaned in and kissed him forcefully on the mouth. Alan sighed softly and returned the kiss, thankful that she still wanted him.

_That's it,_ he thought_. This confirms it. Once Pete and Tony get here and she sees them, we are leaving and going off on our own. We need to sort all this out before it ruins our relationship. Once everyone has said hello, we're gonna say our goodbyes. _

They finished the kiss.

"Why don't you lie down and try to go back to sleep?" Rose said. "If you're here holding me then maybe I won't have bad dreams."

Alan nodded. He and Rose pulled back the covers, slid in and with arms around each other slowly drifted off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Alan slowly opened his eyes and noticed that Rose was already awake and staring at him quietly.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning. Did…you sleep last night?"

"Yeah, I did. Woke up about twenty minutes ago and I was just enjoying the view."

She kissed him.

"Besides," she whispered. "I can't move, your namesake is still on the ceiling."

Alan chuckled and glanced up at the spot.

"Damn it, those things just don't know when to quit," he said.

He pointed to the spot.

"I have my eye on you, don't think for a second you're gonna eat us," he said as Rose giggled.

He smiled at her.

"Speaking of eating, I'm hungry. Up for some more polsa?"

"Sounds good…although, I'm sure mum will want to come with us."

Alan groaned.

"Ugh, I'm not looking forward to telling her we're leaving," he said.

"Just let me handle it. I think she'll listen to me more than she will you."

"It's up to you, just as long as we get it over with."

He sighed and sat up.

"Guess there isn't much to do to get ready since we don't have a change of clothes."

He frowned as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Don't have a hairbrush either. Guess we should have thought of going into a shop and getting one last night."

"Now I know you're different from the Doctor, he would have jammed his sonic screwdriver in his eye before he passed up going into a little shop."

Alan laughed.

"Well, I was busy enjoying that lovely meal and moonlit talk with you. Good job my hair's kinda tousled to begin with, so I can get away with it looking all askew."

"Hmmm, yeah," Rose said as she put her fingers in his hair.

Alan stared at the lustful look on her face.

"Um…what are you doing?"

"Just…admiring your cute, sexy hair. It's your best feature, you know."

"It…is?"

"Mmmm-hm."

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Um…are you going to be able to control yourself in public? Because if I have to wear a bald cap to stop you from pouncing on my back and licking my scalp as I walk down the street, I will."

Rose considered that.

"No, I'll restraint myself. Wouldn't want ya hiding your hair from me."

"Hmmm, neither me nor him never would have guessed that was the feature you liked the best. Wow, learn something new every day. I guess I know now not to cut my hair off."

"You better not, by God," she said, wagging her finger in his face.

"Right, no touching the tousle, gotcha," he said when she giggled.

He stood up.

"So, my little compatriot, I guess all we can do is wash our faces and be on our way then. So, I'll be a gentleman and let you go to the bathroom first."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan stood behind Rose, his hands in his pockets while she knocked on Jackie's door. She opened it and gave them a wary look.

"Yeah?" she said.

"Um…Alan and I want to know if you want to go eat breakfast with us," Rose said.

Jackie eyed him.

"Is he gonna behave himself?" she said, pointing.

"No, Jackie, I intend to strip naked and dance the Macarena on the table while I ask everyone to throw money at me and rate my performance on a scale of one to ten."

"You know, Doctor, I'm getting tired of…"

"For the last bloody time, I am not the Doctor. My name is either Alonzo or Alan!" he said, angrily.

"What the hell is the deal with you wantin' to be known as Alan?" Jackie shot back.

"I want to be known as Alonzo or Alan because I am not the Doctor. I look like the Doctor, I sound like him, but I am a completely separate person and I don't want to spend the rest of my life being known as the Doctor's clone."

"Well, where in the hell did you get Alonzo from?"

Alan looked at Rose.

"Rose, correct me if I'm wrong, but the first time he used the phrase alons-y, he talked about someday meeting an Alonzo so he could say, Alons-y Alonzo to him, am I right?"

"Yes."

"And that day was the day he was working on the containment device to trap the so-called ghost, right?"

"Yes."

"And when he said it, did you not give him an odd look and when he inquired why, you said and I quote, my mum's still on board."

"Yup."

He looked at Jackie.

"You were there. You don't get the connection?"

"No, because half the time I can't follow the way your daft little mind works," Jackie said. "I was more concerned that you were gonna take me to Mars instead of some silly French phrase that you just thought up."

"Correction, that wasn't me. That was him. Once again, for the benefit of the mentally slow, I am a completely separate person. I have his memories, but that's as far as it goes. I didn't do that, he did. I'm just using his memory to remind you that you were there when he first said he wanted to meet Alonzo, so…"

"All right, all right, I get it. Still doesn't explain why you took the name."

Alan sighed.

"It's…a private joke between me and Rose, alright? Rose suggested I take a human name and she suggested Alonzo as a little joke. I liked the idea and took it and Alan is the shortened version of that."

"And I'm not allowed to call you Doctor anymore."

He sighed.

"I would appreciate it tremendously if you wouldn't," he said.

"Please, mum, he's trying to make a life of his own. This is what he wants, can't you respect that?"

Jackie nodded.

"I s'pose. But, it may take time to get used to calling you Alan since you look like the Doctor, so don't jump down my throat the minute I slip up and say it. Give me time to get used to it."

"It's a deal. And now, do you want to come with me and Rose and have some breakfast? There's something we need to discuss with you."

"Oh my God, you're pregnant already."

Alan's mouth dropped open.

"No, mum, I'm not pregnant. We didn't have sex and besides, even if we did, how would I know if I was pregnant after just one night?"

"I don't know. I don't know how his alien body works. For all I know he lays eggs in your stomach like on that Alien movie."

"I don't believe it," Alan said, staring up at the ceiling. "Why do humans believe aliens do everything they do in the movies? I do not lay eggs in anything or anybody. I'm a male, first off and secondly, I'm half human. I…God, humans can be so thick sometimes."

Rose and Jackie watched as Alan walked over to the wall and banged his head on it while he muttered, "Ten years, ten years, oh God, why do we have to wait ten years?" to himself.

"Alan," Rose said, walking over and stopping him. "Now, quit that, you're gonna get a bruise."

"Actually, I was hoping I'd give myself brain damage, so I wouldn't be slowly driven insane by your mother."

"P'eh, look who's talking," Jackie muttered.

Rose shot her a warning look and Jackie sighed and threw up her hands.

"Fine, fine, I'll belt up now just to keep the peace," she said.

She sighed.

"Alright, fine, I'll go eat breakfast with you, so you can tell me whatever it is you wanna tell me. I s'pose anything's better than you being pregnant."

Rose winced and grabbed Alan's hand when he gave her a look of death.

"Just…go, go downstairs and I'll follow you," Rose said, urging him towards the stairs.

She glanced back at Jackie and gave him a kiss on the lips, silently daring her mother to say something. Alan smiled at that and pinched her cheek. He started down the steps. Suddenly, feeling cheeky, he looked back up at her.

"Coming, Amo'tiri?" he said with a wink.

Rose grinned.

"After you, Vashta Nerada."

He giggled when he heard Jackie mutter, "What?" to herself. He took Rose's hand and both of them headed down the stairs while Jackie shook her head. She started to go downstairs, rolling her eyes at the couple's giggling when suddenly Alan ran back up.

"Oh, I feel I must warn you, Jackie. Stay away from sunbeams, whatever you do."

Jackie frowned.

"What? Why?"

"Oh, nothing, just a friendly warning, that's all. I'll be down here with Rose when you're ready to join us."

He turned, started down and then turned to her with wide eyes.

"Oh, and beware of road kill," he said, ominously.

He flew down the stairs as Rose roared with laughter.

"I don't know about him sometimes," Jackie muttered as she went down the stairs and followed the snickering couple out the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Jackie was lagging behind Alan and Rose trying not to advertise the fact that she was with them since Alan was currently doing a little shuffle and singing a song loudly as Rose and him walked towards the restaurant.

"It's a beautiful day in Norway. I'm with my girl and feeling happy and gay," he sang as Rose bent over laughing. "We heading to the restaurant for a hot dog and afterwards, I'm gonna snog and snog."

By this time, Rose was laughing so hard, she could barely stand. Alan grabbed a hold of her middle and leaned her onto him while she gasped for air.

"You are more musically inclined than the Doctor is, I'll give you that," she finally got out.

"Hey, when I'm with you, I have a song in my heart and it just bursts out of me from time to time."

"Well, make sure you keep your songs to yourself in the restaurant," Jackie said.

"Jackie's being quite a bore, do-dah, do-dah; my singing is making her awfully sore, oh, da-do-da-day!"

Rose giggled insanely while Jackie rolled her eyes.

"Stop it, I'm gonna wet myself!" Rose said, slapping his chest.

"The fjords are aliiiive with the sound of Rose's laaaaaaaughing."

"That's it, if you're gonna act like a little child, I'll find somewhere else to eat," Jackie said.

"Alright, I'll tone it down, somewhat. Blimey, someone's in a nark, huh?" he said to Rose.

"Well, you are a bit too loud. I think you need to use your indoor voice, yeah?"

"Thank you," Jackie replied.

"No one appreciates good music, I guess," Alan said as Rose sniggered. "Alright, if I must conform to you non-musical, show tune hating apes, I will. But, there's no guarantee that I won't take a bite of polsa and be so moved by the succulent flavor that I won't leap up and start serenading the place with Disney tunes. That's just the way I am."

"In that case, I want the old Doctor back," Jackie muttered under her breath. "At least he knew that he might get a knuckle sandwich if he went too far."

Rose squeezed Alan around the middle.

"You're being awfully cheerful," she said.

Alan sighed.

"Yeah, well, I'm trying to bolster myself for what lies ahead."

"Don't worry, mum is not gonna bite your head off. Like I said, let me handle it."

"You're a very brave woman, you know that?"

"So…you've inherited the Doctor's fear of me mum, have you?"

"Who wouldn't be afraid of her? Look at her! I think she's a slab, personally."

"A what?"

"Slab. Slave race. Made entirely of leather, which is what your mum's face resembles, all old and leathery and completely unsettling to look at. I pray to almighty God I don't look that way when I'm ninety years old."

He snickered when Rose slapped him on the chest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose and Alan sat beside each other in the restaurant while the waitress took their order.

"Come on, mum, try the polsa, it's really good," Rose said to her.

Jackie nodded.

"Alright, I'll have what they're having, except I want tea instead of Coke," she said to the waitress.

She nodded, wrote it down on her pad and walked back to the kitchen. Once she was gone, Jackie turned her attention to Alan.

"Alright, out with it. What do you have to tell me?" she said.

Alan sighed and cleared his throat.

"Jackie, we've been talking and we've decided not to go back with you to London."

Jackie gave him a confused look.

"What? Where are you going then?"

"All over, mum," Rose said. "We wanna go off on our own and see the world."

Jackie put her head in her hands.

"I knew it. I knew he wouldn't settle down and act properly for once," she muttered.

"I'm sorry, Jackie, but I don't like being tied down to one place," Alan said, angrily.

"Well, I s'pose since you're half human now, you'll just have to learn, won't you?"

She glanced around; realizing she had said that a bit too loudly and people were staring at her. She looked at Alan who was staring back at her with fire in his eyes.

"How are you gonna live?" she said, avoiding his gaze and focusing on Rose. "You gonna live off the land while you're out there?"

"If we have to, yes."

"I don't believe this. You've gone completely off your trolley," she said, throwing up her hands.

She glared at Alan.

"You…he…both of you have been trouble for my daughter the day the Doctor walked into my flat."

"If it wasn't for your daughter's contribution, the other Earth would have been atoms by now and that was mainly due to the fact that the Doctor showed Rose her true potential. If he had never showed up in her life, it still would have only been a matter of time before she either took off by herself or fell into a deep depression because she is like him and me. We are both free spirits and neither one of us wants to be chained down to one place."

"Well, that's gonna be a problem seeing as how you don't own a TARDIS anymore."

"Oh, au contraire, we do in fact own a TARDIS."

He reached into his pocket and whipped out the coral. Jackie stared at it.

"That…is a TARDIS?" she said, pointing to it.

"Yes, this is the beginnings of a TARDIS. TARDISes are grown and in ten years time, this will be big enough for us to get in and use and then it's off to the stars," he said, putting it back in his pocket.

Jackie slammed her fist on the table.

"You can't keep this up forever, Rose. You are getting too old for this. You need to go back to Torchwood and focus on a career."

"No, I don't want that. I want to be with Alan and go with him in the TARDIS when it's ready for us to use. I don't like working at Torchwood, it bores me. Alan's right, I'm not content with having a domestic life, I want something more."

"And what's Torchwood gonna say when you tell them you'll be off walking around the world?"

"I'm gonna tell them they owe me, mum. I just worked my butt off for them and UNIT saving the bleedin' universe. All universes, in fact. I'm the one who risked my life using the dimension cannon to go and find the Doctor. I have put my life on the line and I need a rest. They got along fine without me before I came there and they can get along fine if I go on a leave of absence. I have worked these past two years without a break because I was trying not to think about the Doctor. Therefore, I have holiday time coming and I'm taking it, whether you like it or not. And…when ten years are up, I'm going with Alan. I'm an adult and if I want to walk off with him to see the world, then I will."

"And what happens when you finally decide to come back?"

"Then, for the moment, I'll go back to work at Torchwood and get us a flat of our own until it's time for us to leave."

Jackie looked at Alan.

"And what about you? What will you do for ten years? Live off my daughter?"

"No, I'll live with you, so you'll have to provide for me and my brood of alien stomach children that I'll be having with Rose."

"Don't sass me or so help me God…"

Rose quickly cut in before Jackie decked Alan.

"He can come to work with me at Torchwood. He can help out as an advisor if he wants."

Alan looked at her.

"Um…wouldn't that be a bad idea considering the Doctor is public enemy number one in Torchwood's eyes."

She shook her head.

"It's not like that here. As far as we can tell, the Doctor doesn't exist here and believe me, I've looked. The reason this Torchwood got started was because of the Roswell spaceship crash in 1945. After that happened, Torchwood was founded in case of alien invasion. It has nothing to do with the Doctor, so there's no danger of you working there. I'm not saying you have to, I'm just saying it's an option until the coral is ready. I mean, it's boring, but from time to time there is some weird stuff that happens or alien encounters and things like that."

"Weird stuff and alien encounters and you're bored with it?" Alan said.

"Yeah, well…nothing beats the TARDIS, let's put it that way," she muttered. "But, he could do that and help out financially while we wait to leave."

"I can't believe you're really going through with this. Bad enough you put your life on the line at Torchwood, but now you're going right back into the TARDIS and heading off again while I wait at home and worry. And not only that, I have to worry if you're gonna be safe while you walk the Earth."

"I will be perfectly safe. I am more than capable of taking care of myself and Alan will be with me."

"Yeah, and according to the Doctor, he's a threat to the universe. Isn't that why he was dumped here?"

Rose flinched when Alan leaned forward with an enraged look on his face.

"Let me set the record straight, Jackie," he said through clenched teeth. "I am no more a threat than he is. In fact, the very thing he's accusing me of, which is committing genocide on the Daleks, he did himself in the Time War. In order to prevent all of creation from being overrun and destroyed, he killed every Dalek and destroyed Gallifrey in the process. I did the exact same thing as he did and he punished me for it. But, not only did he commit genocide on the Daleks and nearly committed genocide on the Gallifreyans, he also committed genocide on the Racnoss. And, when he was first here in this reality, he used a cancellation code on the Cybermen's inhibitor chip, which drove them all insane and ultimately led to their deaths. Then, just before he left in the TARDIS with Rose, he gave the mobile containing the code to Mickey and Jake and told them to go all over the world and kill every Cyberman they could find. That day at Canary Wharf, he opened a void and sucked in all the remaining Cybermen and the Daleks, save the Cult of Skaro. The Void is complete nothingness, which means both sentient species are spending the rest of their lives in a living death. That's just the short list, Jackie, he's also killed many more bad guys and aliens and monsters when it was convenient for him to do so. I've only killed the Daleks so far, so if I were you, I wouldn't be quite so concerned about Rose's safety. I love her with every fiber of my being and I would die before I let something happen to her and seeing as how, unlike my double, I have only one life to give, that is really saying something."

He leaned back up and everyone fell silent when the waitress came over with their food. They waited until she left before Jackie spoke again.

"You gonna wait until Pete and Tony get here before you do this?" she asked.

"Yes, I will wait and see them. But, neither one of us wants to go back to London," Rose said with a sigh.

She took Jackie's hand.

"Mum, we need to be alone. We need to sort out what's happened to us and work on our relationship in private. I want to be with Alan for the rest of my life and right now, we have some things we need to work on. He was born in the shadow of the Doctor and there's still a lot of insecurity within him, especially when it comes to where my loyalties lie. I want to have time to bond with him and he feels the same. I will never be safer in this world than when I'm at his side. He's different from the Doctor in a lot of ways, but he's exactly the same when it comes to his need to protect me. I know you want me to live a normal life, but I can't and neither can he. That's not the way we are and no matter how long I work at Torchwood, I'm never gonna be happy. You heard Donna, the Doctor gave me a great gift when he left me Alan and I fully intend to take advantage of this situation and have a life with him that I could never have with the Doctor. In just one day, I've seen a side of Alan that I've never seen with the Doctor and I love it. I don't want to lose this. I don't want to lose him. So, I want just as badly to go off and have some fun and grow closer to him. Please, mum, please understand and be happy for me that I finally have a chance at true happiness."

Jackie looked at Alan who was observing everything quietly.

"I want you to give me the same promise that the Doctor did. I…"

"Yes, Jackie, I swear upon all of creation that I will protect your daughter, Rose, at every possible turn and defend her life even at the cost of my own."

Jackie nodded.

"Then, you have my permission. However, once Pete gets here and I get some more money, you two will go shopping and get some supplies. I don't want you two just going off without nothing, is that understood?"

Both of them nodded. She sighed and picked up her knife and fork.

"I just hope you know that Pete's probably not gonna like this," she said as she began to cut up her polsa.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

After eating, Jackie went back to the inn while Rose and Alan climbed back up the hill to the boulder.

"Well, that went well," Alan said, dryly.

"Well, I didn't think she would just agree to us leaving without a fight," Rose replied.

"Yeah, but she really has no say in the matter, you're right, you're an adult and it's your decision."

"I know, but she's still my mum and she's just worried about me. And…she'd still be worried even if she didn't think you were a threat to the universe. What we're about to do is a huge risk."

"Martha did it by herself and she managed to survive," Alan said, sitting down on the boulder.

"She did?" Rose said, sitting down beside him. "When was that?"

Alan put his arm around her and told her about the year that never was. Rose's eyes grew wider and wider the longer he went on.

"Oh my God," she said when he finally finished after about an hour. "God, the Doctor…oh God, poor Doctor and Jack and Martha and her family. And after all that, he still wanted the Master to survive, so he wouldn't be alone."

Rose put her head in her hands when she felt the tears start to fall. Alan put his hand on her back and rubbed it.

"Oh God," she moaned into her hands. "I would have given anything to have been there with him."

"No, trust me, this was one time when it was better that you were stuck here. He never would have survived if the Master had done something to you. In fact, through it all, he was glad you weren't there."

Rose sniffed and looked at him.

"Do…do you feel anything when you remember things he did?" she said.

Alan shook his head.

"No, they're not my memories, so I'm not emotionally invested in them. What I just described, all the torture and anguish and heartache is no more upsetting to me than remembering a twenty year old paper cut. It's kinda like narrating someone else's story."

"Then how come you feel love for me?"

He took her hands.

"Because the love you two had for each other goes much deeper than mere memories. You imprinted yourself on his soul and when I was born, that carried over. What I just described doesn't affect me, but when I think about you, my heart beats faster and I feel complete and utter love because you're as much as part of me as my insides are. I'm also glad you weren't imprisoned that year because I would have been the same. If that had been me, I would have been tormented to the core of my being, especially since I was old and feeble and couldn't protect you from the Master. But, you see, there was so much anger at not being able to protect his friends and not being able to fight back against the Master and that is another thing he shoved down inside him once it was over."

"You…you were talking about that and you mentioned a Valeyard? You were going to tell me what that was."

Alan sighed, knowing the moment had finally come. He squeezed her hands.

"Rose, please understand that what I'm about to tell you isn't set in stone yet. The Valeyard is only one of many possible futures that the Doctor has. It tears me up inside to even talk about it, knowing that you love him. But, you have to know the truth, so you can be prepared if this future does come to pass and we're both threatened."

Rose's blood chilled at that, but she forced herself to nod and let Alan speak. Alan took another deep breath and began to tell her about the Valeyard. He let it all out, holding nothing back, being brutally honest about the Doctor's dark side knowing that one day Rose might have to fight his evil incarnation. His heart sank when he saw the mounting fear and disbelief in her eyes, but he kept on talking and telling her the truth of what could possibly be in the Doctor's future. When Rose began to cry, he stopped himself, but she begged him to go on and tell her everything and so, reluctantly, he continued. When he was finished, he fell silent and let her digest it all.

"God," she said, when she finally found her voice. "I…can't believe that he might turn evil after all the times he fought against it."

"He's a good man, Rose. He really is, but he can't let things go. He carries around all this anger and pain and guilt. He takes on burdens that aren't his to bear and it's slowly eating away at him, bit by bit, until he becomes a stranger even to himself. Now like I said, it may not happen. He may be able to fight it and stop the Valeyard from coming. I hope to God that he can. I have no desire to fight him and I don't want to see you fight him either."

"Would…would he…hurt me?"

Alan sighed.

"I don't know. Whenever he's fought him, the Valeyard always targeted his companions in order to make him suffer. But, with you, I don't know if the love he feels for you would be able to prevent you from being tortured and killed. Like I said, I'm in no hurry to find out."

Rose fell silent while Alan stroked her back. He swallowed hard.

"Rose, I'm sorry if I upset you with all this," he said. "I tried to put off telling you because I knew it would be disturbing to hear. Please don't be mad at me for--"

"No, I'm not mad," Rose said, quickly. "I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

."When the Doctor and I were prisoners on the Crucible, Davros was taunting the Doctor and at one point told him that even though he abhors violence and doesn't carry a weapon, he makes us, his companions, into weapons and uses us to fight."

"Do you believe that?"

"I…I don't know. I…never thought of myself as the Doctor's weapon, but…I guess…in a way, I am. At the time he said that, Martha was preparing to blow up the Earth and Jack was going to blow up the Crucible and they were all prepared to die."

"And how did the Doctor react to what Davros said? What did he say?"

Rose shook her head.

"Nothing. He just stood there in shock. And Davros asked him how many had died in his name. He told him that the Doctor keeps running and never looks back out of shame and he had finally shown the Doctor his true self."

"Davros has a point. I mean the man is a nutter, but he's not an idiot. You can't create an entire race and control it without some degree of intelligence. What you just told me fits in exactly with what I told you. The Doctor knows the darkness inside him and he does try to run from it because he doesn't want to face the truth that someday he might become the Valeyard. He masks the anger and pain behind a happy-go-lucky persona; you know that all too well. And, I've actually been thinking some more about what he did with me and you know what I think? I think another reason I was dumped here was because I too showed him a glimpse of his darker side and he did to me exactly what Davros said he does whenever he's faced with the truth. He ditched me and ran away as fast as he could. That's why he couldn't imprison me in the TARDIS somewhere because I would still be there, even if he couldn't see me. Silently reminding him of what he is capable of. Perhaps he even senses that the darkness is drawing near and put you here to protect you, although…the Time Lords had ways of making a safe void crossing, so like I said, no guarantee we'll be safe even if he does turn. But, right now, it's useless to worry about it and live our lives in fear. When it happens, we'll deal with it, but for now, let's concentrate on us and the adventure that lies ahead, eh?"

Rose nodded.

"And now, if you don't mind, I would like to lie on the ground because my bum hurts after sitting on this boulder. Sound good?"

Rose nodded.

Alan stood up, stretched his back and took off his jacket.

"This isn't as long as his coat," he said, laying it on the grass in front of the boulder. "But, at least we can lay our upper bodies on it."

They lay down on it facing one another.

"Ooooh, much better," Alan sighed.

"Yeah, my bum was starting to hurt too."

"You shoulda said something; I would have done this sooner."

"It's alright, I was so busy listening to you talk that I didn't notice my butt was hurting until you stopped."

"I was that spellbinding, eh?"

"Yes, you were, just like him."

Alan considered that.

"Rose, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"If the Doctor asked you to die for him, would you do it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Rose frowned.

"Because…I love him and I would do anything for him."

"Would you do the same thing for Mickey?"

"Die for him?"

"Yes," Alan said.

Rose thought.

"Maybe under certain circumstances," she admitted.

"But, there are some times you might not."

"I s'pose, why?"

Alan took her hand.

"This whole thing about you being a weapon for him, how not only you would die for him, but so would Sarah Jane and Jack and Martha and Donna and so many others whose lives he touched. Are you aware of just how much charisma the man possesses?"

"I know that he can get people to listen to him and do what he wants."

"Exactly. The man has the ability to walk in a room and instantly take control of it, no matter who is in it or what their rank might be. It's one of his greatest strengths and most of the time he's unaware of exactly how much power he wields over people until he sees them willing to die for him. That's why he was so shocked, Rose when he saw Martha and Jack willing to die without a second thought. He's not aware of how charismatic he really is. The other reason that his companions are so loyal to him is because he shows them their true selves. All of you, without fail, were changed into something more than what you were before you met him. He changes the lives of his companions for good and this instills a fierce loyalty that surprises even him at times. Being a copy of him, I have the ability to tell you what he was thinking and feeling and let me say that he was just absolutely gobsmacked when you told him that you were willing to say goodbye to your mum forever just to be with him. He couldn't understand why you risked your life to come back for him on the Gamestation and he couldn't understand why you would abandon the people you love to spend the rest of your life by his side. But, it's because he influenced you. Now, I'm not saying he did it deliberately because you aren't his slave and you aren't mine. But, the man was born to be a leader and people just naturally follow him, even if they aren't totally clear on why they're doing it, does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense."

Alan nodded. He took her hand.

"Now, take everything I just said and apply it to him if he becomes the Valeyard. Think of what he could do with his charismatic personality if he used it for evil instead of good. Imagine the people he could convince to fight and kill for him, the armies he could raise. An army of brainwashed soldiers all ready to conquer the universe at his command."

He nodded when Rose swallowed hard.

"That is why some species fear him, why he could potentially be even more of a threat to the universe than the Daleks ever could. It's not just his mind and his fighting ability that could be used as a weapon; it's also his way with words and his ability to manipulate people and situations. He can either because the greatest force for good the universe has ever known or the greatest terror and it all rests in his hands. Only he can decide what path to take. And don't think for one second that he will definitely choose to remain good. Everything that has happened, every pain and agony and loss is still buried inside him. Every time he watches someone die, every time he loses someone he cares about, every time he defeats a bad guy only to see him resurface somewhere else, his soul dies a tiny bit more. Little by little, the despair and depression and apathy is creeping into his mind and after awhile, there might come a day when he finally decides what's the use of trying to fight the forces of evil when they just keep coming and coming and taking everything he holds dear. He pushes people away because he thinks it'll spare them from sharing his torment, but all that does is make him even more despondent. He's been alone ever since he was small and that mindset has never left him. The curse of the Time Lords, I can never let anyone get too close lest they get killed and I have to watch someone else die again. I can never love because everyone I love either grows old and dies or gets killed or leaves me. I can never feel true happiness because something will come along and take it from me."

He wiped away Rose's tears.

"All of these thoughts dwell in his mind constantly and it's been getting worse and worse since his people were annihilated. The family and friends that he knew were all incinerated. His support system vanished in a ball of flame and he is the last of his kind, all on his own, fighting for what's right even though he is never truly thanked and appreciated for his efforts. Every time he steps outside those TARDIS doors, there might be someone there waiting to capture, torture, persecute and kill him. All this is going on nonstop and there is just so much he can take before he finally snaps and decides, the hell with it and takes the easier, darker path. That's why I'm making a conscious effort not to follow in his footsteps, why I'm willing to be completely open and honest with you, Rose. Because, I don't want any part of that. None. I don't want to live the one and only life I have weighed down with ten tons of burdens. I want a happy, fulfilling, fun life and I want you to have one too. You are not my minder, Rose. You are not Ms. DIY and you have no business trying to fix another individual and his problems. You need to worry about you, that is your job. I will sort out me, alright? I'm perfectly capable of handling my business. Now, I don't mind if you listen to me and in fact, I think both of us could be each other's shoulder to cry on. But, don't spend every second of every day trying to change me. The change will come gradually like it did for him, but let me be the one in charge of the changing, okay?"

Rose nodded. He smiled and kissed her.

"Cor, I'm thirsty now for some odd reason," she said as she giggled. "Fancy getting something to drink at our favorite Norwegian eatery?"

"Sounds great."

"Well, then, let's go so I can wet my whistle."

"Wait." Rose said, grabbing his arm.

"Hmmm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Rose, you can ask me anything and everything. I told you, I want to be completely open and honest. Nothing is out of bounds anymore."

Rose smiled.

"Good, because this has been bugging me ever since I was reunited with the Doctor."

'Yes?"

"Did…you….or he do something to himself while I was gone?"

"Uh…no, not to my knowledge."

"It's just that something is different about you and him and I can't put my finger…"

She lapsed into silence as she stared at him. Suddenly, her eyes widened.

"Oh my God, I got it."

"What?"

"Your hair," she said putting her hand on the back of it. "You got it trimmed short on the back and sides."

Alan feigned terror.

"Oh God, he touched the sacred hair. I'm sorry, please forgive us, we'll grow it back!"

Rose laughed.

"No, actually, I like it like this. It looks good short. Brings out the tousle more."

"What is it with you and my hair?"

"I just like it. It's so cute. It's your best feature."

"So you keep saying. I just would never have picked that. I mean he and I figured it was the bum or the eyes or the mouth that you fancied, but not the hair."

"It's just so cute and I love running my fingers through it. Feels good."

"Well, by all means, run your fingers through it 24/7 if you want, don't mind me."

She looked down at his trousers.

"Also the blue suit. Never knew he owned a blue suit or maroon plimsols."

"Yeah, well, after you were taken from him, he abandoned the brown pinstripes for awhile. He didn't feel right wearing them."

"I like blue on you. It brings out your eyes. And the t-shirt is nice too. Makes you look more laid back and casual, which I guess is what you're going for?"

"Yup."

"I like it, all of it. Every last bit of you is wonderful."

Alan grinned and kissed her.

"Well, then, how about you and wonderful me go get something to drink."

"After you."

They both got up. Alan put his jacket back on, took her hand and they walked down the hill towards the town.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

_Oh God._

_My Doctor. My poor Doctor. Can it really be true? Could he really become a monster himself someday? What Alan told me is horrifying and yet, it makes sense to me. Now that he's told me all about the Valeyard and the Doctor's darkness, I can look back and see the warning signs, but every time I did I overlooked or dismissed them because I couldn't fathom him ever turning evil. But, what if he does? What if he becomes this Valeyard and does decide to attack us? Could I really destroy the man I love in order to save Alan and the rest of the universe? Oh God, please don't let me find out the answer. _

"Rose, I've been thinking."

"Yeah?"

Alan smiled.

"When we begin our grand and glorious worldwide adventure, where do you want to go first? Are we going east through Russia, west towards Spain or down towards Italy?"

"How about we go north and visit the North Pole?"

"No thanks, had my fill of freezing cold for now," Alan said as she giggled.

"Um…I really don't care, any direction is good."

They entered the restaurant and sat down by the door.

"Well, just for your information because I know the Doctor mentioned once he knew five billion languages and obviously a huge chunk of that went with Donna, I can still speak and read Spanish, French, Italian, German and Welsh fluently and I know a smattering of Chinese and Japanese and Latin and that's it. So, just be aware that in certain countries I will be completely gormless when it comes to speaking and reading the language. Which could be fun, but then again could be a total pain in the arse as well. But, just throwing that out, in case you think I'll be able to just communicate with anyone in their native tongue. If I could do that, I would have told you what that farmer said on the telly yesterday."

They looked over and Alan smiled when the waitress came up.

"Well, hello again," he said. "Listen, can I ask you your name since this is the third time you've waited on us?"

"I'm Freya."

"Nice to meet you, Freya, I'm Alan and this is Rose."

"Hi," Rose said, smiling.

"You want polsa again?" Freya asked.

Alan looked at Rose.

"You wanna eat yet?"

"Not yet, I'm not hungry, but if you are…"

"No, I'm not hungry either. Just two Cokes for now, please?"

Freya nodded, wrote it down and walked off.

"So, what d'ya think? Which direction?"

Rose thought.

"Let's go through Russia. I've never been through Asia before and I'd love to see Japan."

"Okay. We'll go through Russia, perhaps see China and India…although….is China communist here?"

'Yes."

"Gotta be careful going through it then, don't wanna end up in jail because they think we're spies. But…perhaps explore India, Japan, Indonesia, go down to Australia, then over to America and then up to Canada and down to South America, then on to Antarctica where we'll finally see the bloody penguins that never showed up."

Rose giggled.

"Then, we'll freeze to death," she said. "And become ice statues..."

"Until global warming melts us and we wake up saying, what the hell happened? Where'd Antarctica go?"

He smiled and thanked Freya when she brought over their Cokes. He turned his attention back to Rose when she left.

"But, finally, we'll end up back in Europe and explore that before finally returning home. And hopefully, that'll be a looooooooooooong way off."

"You really aren't looking forward to going back to London."

"No, why would I be? I have a million different memories of London, courtesy of him, and there's really nothing that exciting about it. Not to mention your mum, the further I stay away from her, the better."

"Alan, I'm sorry for what she said about you being a threat to…"

He held up his hand.

"You don't have to apologize for her. She's not happy because A, the "Doctor" has returned after two years and B; I have your former Doctor's temperament and neither one of them got along very well. Throw my Noble-itis into the mix and you've got a situation that's just ripe with tension. I believe at the moment, distance is the best solution."

He took a swig of his Coke and sighed.

"Ah, hits the spot. But, anyway, is there anything on your mind, anything you want to pick my brain about now that you can be privy to the Doctor's innermost secrets."

"You really don't mind talking about him?"

"No, I mean he's not me and it's not like he can listen in and hear me talking about him, so go ahead. Any burning questions?"

Rose spun the straw around in her Coke while she thought.

"What was he doing with Reinette when he was supposedly off partying with the French?"

"He was dancing with her."

"That all?"

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy, Miss Tyler?"

Rose looked away as he grinned.

"He actually did suspect that you were envious of the time he spent with her, but I can assure you that he did nothing sexual with her. He just danced."

"Why was he dancing?"

"Because…Reinette saw into his mind, saw how lonely he was and got it into his head that a knees up was just the thing for him."

"When did she see into his mind?"

"Just after you and Mickey left, he scanned her brain to try to find out what the clockwork robots wanted with her and she accidentally saw into his mind and learned who he was."

"And thought he needed to dance?"

"There comes a time, Time Lord, when every lonely little boy must learn how to dance, her exact words."

"And it never occurred to him that while he was dancing and living it up, we might be in trouble?"

"Well…he did try to leave several times, but Reinette kept introducing him to more of her friends and he didn't want to be rude, so he'd say hello and then they'd want to chat with him and he'd drink a few banana daiquiris and then more people would come over and on and on it went until he looked up at the clock and realized how much time had passed, so that time he put his foot down, apologized to Reinette, hurried back and got there just as the clockwork robots were menacing you and Mickey. He still had an empty glass in his hand that he hadn't bothered to set down when he ran off, so he pulled out a bottle of multi-grain anti-oil from his pocket, poured it in the glass, pulled the tie up to his head, pulled out a pair of shades and voila, instant drunk. The rest you know."

"So, he wasn't really drunk, it was just an act."

Alan nodded.

"Yeah, Time Lords don't get drunk unless they want to."

"So…he could drink ten barrels of whiskey and still be sober if he wanted to be."

"Yup. And no, I seriously doubt if I can still do that and I don't want to try. I enjoy having a clear head. Anything else?"

"What happened after he got back to the TARDIS? He went to see Reinette and he came back depressed. What happened?"

"The "magic door" shifted time again and when he returned to take her along with you guys as a companion, six years had passed and she had just died."

"Oh God…Okay, that makes much more sense than the, "I'm always alright" line he gave us."

"She also left a letter for him. He read it the moment you and Mickey left."

"Oh yeah? What did she say?"

He quoted it word for word.

"My love? She called him my love?"

Alan shrugged.

"Like I told you before, Rose. Charisma. You fell in love with him, Reinette fell in love, Jack fell in love, Martha fell in love, Sarah Jane fell in love, the only one who didn't fall in love was Donna, but then Donna's an oddball anyway," he said, winking. "And even Arthur the horse fell in love and followed him around the ship. He's irresistible to people and animals alike."

"Well, I can understand that," Rose said as he chuckled. "So…only 43 when she died? Blimey, so young."

"Yeah, the king told him she worked herself to death and I think personally she was probably heartsick after the Doctor left, especially since he promised to take her with him."

"Poor woman. I mean, yeah, I can completely understand why she fell in love with the Doctor. Because…who wouldn't fall in love."

Alan's eyes widened when she stroked his face. He glanced around.

"Are we about to be arrested for indecent exposure now?" he teased.

"Mmmm, I don't know, up to you."

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Um…you know, that charisma thing can be a blessing, but then again, it can backfire and get you arrested as well," he said. "Apparently, I have inherited his gift for putting people under his spell."

"Mmmm-hm, you have."

Alan thought a moment.

"I command you to take your shirt off and fondle yourself in public."

He grabbed the hem of her shirt when Rose started to raise it up and smacked her hand as she giggled insanely.

"Gotta be careful with you. You actually do have the guts to take on a dare," he said.

"Yup, I do."

"So, now your fears about Reinette and him can finally be put to rest after three long, agonizing years, eh?" he said, winking.

"I know, I know, it's just that…I was angry that we almost got killed while he was off partying and it's just always been in the back of my mind that she and him…"

"Rose," Alan said, taking her hand. "Let me just tell you this. Even though he didn't show it, he felt incredibly guilty about what he'd done. Especially since if he had delayed leaving the party another few minutes, you two would have ended up dead. He came within a hair's breath of losing you and it tore him up inside. He resolved never to do anything like that again. And…And in the five and a half hours that he was trapped in France, they didn't do anything either. They just sipped wine and talked. He was never unfaithful to you. Now…were you unfaithful to him? Did you and Mickey do some spooning while he was gone?"

He poked her arm and grinned.

"No, Mickey and I didn't do anything except wonder where the hell he was and how he was gonna get back. By that time, I really didn't care for Mickey in that way."

"Yeah, you weren't too happy when Mickey-boy asked to travel with you guys."

"Because I got used to being alone with him and Mickey is a nice guy, but he's just so…clingy. It's annoying."

"And yet, I'm allowed to just tag along wherever you go and you just hang off me and fondle my lovely hair. Isn't that clingy?"

"Well…I don't mind you doing it because I love ya."

"Oh, good, I was beginning to think I'd have to walk several feet behind you now, so I wouldn't invade your personal space and invite a beating."

"No, you're perfectly fine."

"Gotcha. So…now that your fears of Reinette have been extinguished, anything else you wanna know?"

Rose took a swig of Coke while she thought.

"What happened right after the gap closed?" she said.

"He met Donna."

Her eyes widened.

"Right after?"

"Yeah, he had about a minute to mourn your loss and suddenly, he looked over and Donna was standing in the TARDIS in a wedding dress."

"What? How?"

Alan smiled and related the story to her. Rose listened with fascination as he told her all about the Doctor saving her from the Racnoss queen. She shook her head when he finally finished.

"Blimey, I missed out on a lot being here," she said. "And the Racnoss…that's one of the species the Doctor killed off?"

"Yes."

"And they are…were…giant spiders?"

"Yes, they had been around since the dark times and the Time Lords fought them for eons and it was thought that they had been eliminated completely until the Doctor found the nest."

"Giant alien spiders," she muttered, shaking her head. "You know, before I met the Doctor I never would have believed in any of this stuff. It boggles my mind the kinds of things that exist in the universe."

"Yes and it boggles my mind that some humans think that life on Earth is the only life out there. First off, it's an extremely arrogant way of thinking and secondly, just the sheer number of planets and galaxies and star systems out there and Earth is the only one capable of supporting any life? Okay…then you would have to think why Earth? What makes Earth so special that it's the only planet in the universe that has life on it? It makes no sense when you think about it."

"Yeah, you're right, but I guess if you've never seen giant alien spiders, then the whole thing seems kind of fanciful."

"You've never seen the wind, but does that mean it's a fanciful thing? Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it exists."

Rose nodded.

"I just wish everyone could have the same chance to explore the universe as I did. It's something everyone should do."

"Yes, but not everyone is fit for a life of traveling the stars. Some people wouldn't be able to cope with the danger, some people would be closed minded about everything or want to go off and kill every alien they saw, no matter if they were good or bad and then…there are some out there who shall remain nameless who are willing to betray others for their own gain."

Rose giggled when Alan coughed and said, "Adam!" in the middle of it.

"Okay, yes, I admit Adam was a fluke," Rose said.

"Oh, he was more than just a fluke. Your boyfriend nearly got you and the Doctor killed."

"He wasn't my boyfriend. He was just a friend."

"Really? The Doctor didn't seem to think so."

"Well, apparently, the Doctor is prone to fits of jealousy just like I am. And on that note, are you going to be jealous if I go talk to another man?"

"Would ripping the other man's head off and using it like a basketball qualify as being jealous?"

"Oh, come off it, you wouldn't do that."

"No, I wouldn't."

He gave her an evil grin.

"Or…would I?" he said in an ominous voice.

He sniggered when Rose gave him a playful slap on the side of the head. He glanced down at their empty glasses.

"Well, since we already paid for our beverages awhile back, shall we sally forth and find something else to do?" he said.

"I'm ready when you are."

She checked her pocket.

"Do you wanna try to find a shop, so we can buy a comb?"

"Oh!"

Rose looked at the ecstatic look on his face.

"What?"

"Oh, Rose, we're gonna share a comb together?" he said in a high-pitched voice. "Oh, I can't believe I'm gonna be sharing a comb with my best girl. How romantic is that? Can we share each other's lice as well?"

"All right, smart ass,"

"Sorry, dearest, Noble-itis again. Creeps up on me and then sarcastic things just come out my gob without warning. Kind like Tourettes. Damn that Noble for touching me when I was regenerating. Now I have this urge to go be a temp and file something. Help me, Rose, save me before the uncontrollable urge to go fetch coffee for people overpowers and controls me!"

He giggled when Rose put her head in her hands and shook it.

"Yup, I have a feeling our worldwide adventure will never get boring," she said, standing up. "Come on then, let's go get our comb."

"Yipppeee!" Alan squealed, bursting out of his seat.

He gave her an evil grin when everyone in the restaurant turned to look at them. Rose, who was now red from head to toe, grabbed the giggling half human's hand and quickly pulled him out the door.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

After making some inquires from the people in the street, Alan and Rose were able to find a little shop that sold a variety of things. They were about to go inside when Rose tugged at Alan's sleeve.

"Behave yourself in here," she said.

"What? I can't go orgasmic when we locate the nit comb?"

"No."

"Ah, nuts, you're no fun sometimes."

He took her hand and they entered the store.

"So, just one comb, eh?" he said.

"I think so. I don't have that much money on me and I would like to save some so we can eat again. I don't wanna keep asking mum to give us more money."

"Why not? That's what mums are for, right?"

"Uh, no, not at my age."

"Well, you know me; I never had a mum…or a dad. Just a jar and a plucky ginger gal. Yup, that's all I had at my birth."

"Well, then I'll overlook your not knowing that mums aren't walking, talking banks."

They finally found the combs and brushes. Rose looked through them and picked out a small plastic one. She held it up and giggled when Alan took it and stared at it reverently.

"Mark this day, Amo'tiri," he said. "This is the first item we will share in our life together. One day we will progress to more important things like taking a shower together or sharing our farts while we lie in our shared bed, but this little plastic comb is our very first communal object."

Rose flinched and glanced around when he let out a loud gasp.

"Please, let me use it first?" he said, clutching it to his chest.

"Why? So, I can get your lice first?"

"Nah, I don't have any lice…except…I was around Davros and if anyone's got cooties, it'd be him. And Harkness…I'm sure the captain has tons of nits from all his bed hopping. On second thought, maybe you better use it first."

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Come along, let's go get this rung up so we can start sharing our cooties," she said, grabbing him by the hand.

"That's it? No more?"

"Not unless you wanna eat later. You know, I'm not the Doctor with an unlimited credit stick. We do have to save some money, so we can go back to the restaurant eventually. Unless, you wanna go back to the inn and stare up at the Vashta Nerada."

"No thanks, I'll curb my impulse to shop. That cramped room is the last place I wanna be."

"That's what I thought, now come with me and I'll show you how to buy something with money."

"Yes, mum."

She went up to the counter. As she paid for the comb, she tried not to look at Alan who had his head on her shoulder while he watched everything intently. She smiled when the man behind the counter gave him an odd look.

"Don't mind him, he thinks he's being funny," she said, sheepishly.

"I'm not being funny, I'm observing human behavior. You told me to watch you."

"Yes, well, we can go now, comb's paid for. Come along."

"Yes, mummy."

Rose tried not to laugh as Alan followed on her heels, breathing heavily on the back of her head. She quickly hurried out of the shop with him in tow.

"Wow, that was extremely fascinating," he said as she bent over laughing. "To think, I now know how to pay for a comb. What's next, teacher? You gonna show me how to run it through my hair?"

"Come with me," Rose said, leading him into a nearby alley.

"What's this, kinky time in Norway?"

"No, it's combing your hair time in Norway," Rose replied.

She took the comb out of the package, threw the rubbish in a nearby bin and walked over to Alan.

"Hold still," she said.

She began to comb his hair. She ran it through the top of his hair laying the tousle down.

"Are you arranging my hair to your liking?" he said.

"Yup."

"What if I don't like the results?"

"Tough. I'm combing it and you'll like it."

"Fine. I get to do yours next."

Rose paused and looked him in the eyes while he gave her an innocent look. She finished combing his hair and stepped back.

"There, you look presentable now."

"And…I wasn't presentable a few minutes ago?"

"Well, your hair was kinda going in all these crazy directions and now it's back to looking nice."

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"And…are you getting off on it now?"

She giggled.

"Not yet, give me time," she said, winking.

Alan shook his head.

"Dunno about you and this hair fetish you got goin'" he muttered, taking the comb from her hand.

Rose noticed the impish grin on his face.

"You will comb my hair and make it look the way it usually does. You will not go crazy and do something outrageous."

"What? I can't grab a rubber band and make a mini palm tree on top of your head?"

"No!"

"Damn, I was hoping I could get creative with this. Ah well, if you want your hair all straight and blah looking, then your wish is my command."

He ran the comb through her hair. Rose winced when he pulled through some tangles.

"Am I hurting you?"

Rose melted inside at the concerned tone in Alan's voice.

"No, you're fine. Just keep going," she said.

After a couple of minutes, Alan finally got all the tangles out and she relaxed as he combed her hair straight. Her eyes widened when she felt him run his free hand down the left side of her hair while he combed the right. Then, she felt his lips kiss the part in the middle. Rose closed her eyes and moaned as he stopped brushing and concentrated on stroking and kissing her hair.

"Oh Rose," he murmured softly. "I'm so happy he gave you to me. I wouldn't have survived if he'd left me here and taken you back with him. You are everything to me."

"Alan," Rose whispered as she leaned back into him.

"Mmmm, I can suddenly see why you have an enormous hair fetish. I think I'm getting one too," he moaned.

Rose's breath caught in her throat when Alan began to rub the area underneath her chin. His kisses moved from her scalp to the side of her head. With each lingering kiss, Rose felt herself becoming more and more aroused. She wanted him in the worst way now. She wanted to feel him inside her, wanted to experience the ecstasy of lovemaking, something that was denied her when she traveled with the Doctor. She turned her head and found his mouth. Alan stopped combing and opened his mouth when she licked at his lips. She eagerly opened her mouth in return and the two of them embraced while they snogged passionately in the alley. They kissed one another for about five minutes and then suddenly, Rose leaned her head back and looked at him with unbridled lust.

"Follow me," she said.

Alan raised his eyebrow, but said nothing. He shoved the comb in his trouser pocket and took her hand while she led him through the town back towards the hill.

"Going back to our boulder?" he asked.

"Higher. Into the trees."

Alan's eyes widened.

"Uh, Rose, are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

Rose looked at him.

"Do you have a problem with it?"

"Uh, no, no problem whatsoever. I just hope I'm thinking the same thing as you."

"I want you, Alonzo Timelord, in the worst way."

"Yup…I'm spot on then."

As Rose led him up the hill, Alan could scarcely believe it was happening. Secretly he pinched his thigh hard just in case it was all a dream. To his relief, he found he was wide awake. She led him up past the boulder and with each step, Alan felt himself getting more and more aroused.

_Heh, what I wouldn't give to see the look on my double's face right now,_ he thought. _I just can't believe she's actually going to have sex with me. Me, not him. Oh, Alan, you have just hit the bleedin' jackpot. I just hope I can satisfy her._

His heart raced when they finally stepped through the trees and found a cool, shaded place where they could lie down.

"Rose, are you sure you wanna do this?" Alan asked. "I mean, if you don't, there's no pressure. I mean, we've only known one another for one and a half days and…"

"Shhh," Rose said, putting her finger on his lips. "Don't speak. I want to do this, right now, with you. And when I'm finished, all these insecurities you have will be no more."

He stood in silent awe, watching as she unbuttoned his jacket and laid it down in the clearing.

"So, are you still teaching me?" Alan said, as she undid his trousers. "Because so far I've learned that buying a comb leads to sex."

Rose giggled.

"Oh, you are gonna learn so much more than that," she purred as she pulled down his pants.

Alan felt himself getting hard when she slowly ran her hands back up his legs to his knickers. His heart was nearly beating out of his chest and he swallowed hard trying to moisten his dry mouth. The fact that Rose was so close to his genitals now was nearly driving him over the edge. Without waiting for her, he quickly pulled off his t-shirt and threw it on a nearby log. Rose stopped a moment to admire the view and then with a grin, pulled his knickers to his ankles.

"Oooo, so that's what it looks like," she said. "Very nice. Very nice indeed."

She stood up and helped Alan strip her clothes off. She giggled at the gobsmacked look on his face, knowing he couldn't believe that they were doing this.

Finally, they were both naked. They stood there examining each other for a moment, admiring each other's body. Alan grinned, knowing that this was more than the Doctor ever saw before and loving every moment of it.

"Ready?" Rose said, taking his hand.

Alan nodded and they lowered themselves onto the jacket. Even though he had some memories of the Doctor making love to his wife centuries ago, he was still unsure about what to do. Rose, sensing this, patiently instructed him and after a few moments, Alan was in position and to his delight, making love to her. At first, Alan was still unsure of what he was doing, fearful that he wouldn't be able to live up to Rose's expectations, but that was soon dispelled by Rose's ecstatic moaning and groaning and her cries of love for him. As he made love, he watched her face, thinking to himself how beautiful she looked and how lucky he was to be here at this very moment. He was enjoying every single second of it and he hoped that this would be the first of a long life of lovemaking with the woman he cherished more than anything. And when he finally did climax along with her, he felt like he was the king of the universe. Both of their cries echoed in his ears and once more, he thanked God that Rose was in his life. When they had finished, they lay down beside each other and stared at one another, no longer caring about where they were or if they would get caught. As Alan rubbed her back, there was no longer any doubt in his mind who she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. That knowledge filled him with indescribable joy and he lowered his head to the top of hers and began to caress her scalp with soft kisses. Rose clung to him and kissed his chest, running her hands all over his body, reveling in the joy of being naked with the man she loved.

Then, exhaustion finally caught up with her and with a yawn, she snuggled close to Alan as he held her protectively against him. Alan, who was too excited to sleep, sighed softly while he stared down at the sleeping goddess in his arms and vowed that no matter what happened to them, he would never, ever leave her.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

_Where am I? What is this place? How did I get here and…where's Alan? _

Rose looked around at the darkened room. The walls and floors were made of steel and the only light came from a small light fixture next to a heavy steel door. She looked around again, but there was no furniture, no windows, nothing to clue her in to where she was.

"Hey!" Rose yelled. "Help! Get me out of here! Please!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs hoping someone would hear her.

"Alan? Where are you? Are you out there?" she cried.

Finally, after a few minutes of yelling, the heavy door slid back and Rose breathed a sigh of relief when she saw a familiar face standing there.

"Oh, Alan, thank God," she said with a sigh. "I thought you…"

She trailed off when she saw what he was wearing. He was dressed in a long black robe with white trim on the sleeves, a black collar, black boots, black gloves and a black skullcap.

"Alan? Why are you dressed like that?"

"Alan?" he said, with an evil grin. "Is that what cloney-boy is calling himself?"

"Alan, is that you?"

"No."

"Doctor?"

The grin grew wider.

"No."

Rose's blood turned to ice.

"V…Valeyard?"

"Bingo," he said, gleefully.

"No, no it can't be," Rose said.

"No, no it can't be," Valeyard said, mockingly. "He can't be evil, not my beloved Doctor, not him! Oh, whatever shall I do?"

He let out a sinister laugh.

"Hello, my Rose," he said. "Long time, no see as I said to you once."

"Where's Alan?"

"Alan? Who's that?" the Valeyard said, innocently. "Oooooh, the clone…of course. The little reject me that I sent to keep you company in your exile."

"Where is he?"

"Why do you wanna know? After all, why would you want him when you have me? Come on, angel, aren't you happy to see me? Aren't we gonna do the whole running into each other's arms thing again? Aren't you gonna fall to your knees in front of me and beg me to take you back?"

"Where is Alan?"

He laughed again.

"Rose, I'm here. Look, it's me. The original. You surely haven't forgotten all about me now, have you? After all, I was your whole existence. I was your reason for living. I was the reason you risked your life and came back to your original universe. You begged me to take you with me when I was leaving you behind. Aren't you gonna beg now?"

"I want Alan! Where is he?"

His eyes narrowed.

"So, you did forget, didn't you? You forgot all about me and fell in love with that…thing."

"Alan isn't a thing."

"Oh, on the contrary, he is. He's just a pale copy that I tossed away, so I would never have to look at the freak again. And you, you fell in love with him!"

"You wanted me to."

"No, I wanted you to keep an eye on him lest he become too powerful and threaten me. I figured you would never get over me and it would be an added punishment for him to watch as you rejected him and pined away for me for the rest of your life. But it didn't work that way, did it? No, you decided that the waste of space was actually better than I was, didn't you? You filthy little whore, you betrayed me!"

"No," Rose moaned as tears streamed down her face. "I did what you wanted me to do; I fell in love with Alan and made a life with him."

"And how does it feel? Knowing you had to settle for shagging a duplicate instead of the real thing? Did you know that sex with me is a thousand times greater than bonking that monstrosity? But then again, you just settle for any warm body that happens to look your way, don't you? Me, Mickey, cloney-boy, we're all the same. A piece of meat to fill the aching little hole in your crotch, right?"

"No!" Rose screamed at him.

She gasped when the Valeyard lunged forward and seized her by the throat.

"I came back for you after finally becoming who I was always destined to be and what do I find? I find you in bed with him! Is this how you repay me for taking your misfit self onto my TARDIS? Is this the thanks I get for showing you the universe?" he screamed at her. "You are nothing but a cheap little slut! How long did it take before you jumped on him? A minute? An hour? I'm betting it wasn't more than a day, was it? WAS IT?"

"Please, stop," Rose wailed.

"Stop what? Stop telling you what a tart you are? Hey, if the truth hurts, bitch."

"I hate you!"

Tears flowed down her face when the Valeyard roared with laughter.

"I don't give a shit if you hate me or not, you wanna know why? Because you are mine now to do with as I please. I own you now, body and soul, and after I get done brainwashing you, you'll be my slave forever!"

"No!"

"No!" the Valeyard said, mockingly before letting out another laugh.

She grunted when he threw her to the floor.

"Fine, you wanna see cloney-boy," he said, walking back to the door. "Then, here he is!"

He reached for something just outside the door. Rose gasped when he pulled a bound and gagged Alan into the room by his t-shirt.

"Alan!" Rose said, crawling to him.

She stopped when the Valeyard whipped out a dagger from a sheath on his belt, grabbed Alan by the hair and pressed it against his throat. Tears flowed down Rose's face when she saw the cuts and bruises on his face and neck. He stared quietly at Rose while the Valeyard eyed him with contempt.

"Look at the little freak," he said. "He isn't a match for me. He didn't even last a minute. All I had to do was threaten your life and the little abomination gave up."

Rose gasped when he spit in Alan's face.

"You aren't fit to have my hand on your body," he snarled at him. "So, why don't I do what I should have done the moment I saw you and cut it off?"

"No!" Rose said.

"You're nothing," he said to Alan. "You're nothing but a freakish little thief. You stole my hand, you stole my clothes and you stole my girl. And you know what happens to thieves? They get executed!"

"No, please, I'll do anything you say, just leave him alone!" Rose begged.

"Sorry, Rose, I've never handled competition very well," he said with a sneer.

He loosened the gag and took it off.

"Any last words, reject?" he said to him.

"You won't get away with this. Rose will find a way to stop you!"

"Yeah, yeah, you just keep on thinking that and maybe you'll see it come true when you're up in Heaven."

Alan looked at Rose who was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Amo'tiri, I love you with all of my heart. I will never stop loving you and I will always be with…"

Rose screamed when the Valeyard sliced open his throat.

"Ooops, did I interrupt you in the middle of your goodbye? Sorry, I never was very patient either," he said.

Rose let out a heart-wrenching scream as blood cascaded from the wound down Alan's chest and he stared at her with wide-eyed shock. The Valeyard laughed while Alan gurgled and gasped.

"Alan, I love you! I'll always love you!" she screamed at him.

The Valeyard threw him to the floor and Rose let out an anguished cry when the light faded from his eyes and he breathed his last. She cried and moaned his name as the Valeyard kicked his head and chuckled.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish," he said, gleefully.

He smirked at her.

"And now that that's out of the way, it's time for you to be…re-educated," he said.

Rose screamed, leapt to her feet and tried to run past him, but he knocked her to the floor with an uppercut to the jaw. She gasped when the Valeyard jerked her to her feet, grabbed her by the back of the neck and forced her to her knees in front of Alan's body.

"Go on, Rose, give your beloved a goodbye kiss," he said, forcing her head to his cheek.

Rose wept as she gave him a tender kiss.

"I love you," she whispered.

She grunted when the Valeyard seized her by her hair and dragged her to her feet again.

"Okay, that's quite enough of that!" he said, forcing her out the door.

Rose looked back at Alan's dead body and screamed his name while the Valeyard shoved her out the door. She screamed out her love for him and bellowed his name one final time before…

Rose's eyes flew open and she gasped as she looked around in confusion.

"Rose? What is it? Are you alright?" Alan said to her.

Rose stared up at him for a moment in confusion before she finally realized that it had all been a horrible dream. Relief washed over her and she sobbed uncontrollably as Alan held her close to his body and rained kisses down on her head.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Sorry if the last chapter disturbed anyone, but just a friendly warning to everyone who's reading this. The Doctor will eventually turn into the Valeyard, either in this story or another one in the series, so just be warned that Rose and Alan are going to eventually face him sometime in the future, which is why I keep bringing it up in the story. It's what I think will eventually happen in the series anyway since tragedy after tragedy keeps happening to him and supposedly he's meant to turn into the Valeyard sometime between his twelve and thirteenth lives. But, anyway, just a head's up and now on with the story…

Chapter Fourteen

Alan lay with Rose stroking and soothing her while the sobs slowly subsided.

_What happened,_ he thought, _did she have another dream about him rejecting her?_

A knot formed in his stomach.

_Or was she dreaming about the Valeyard? Oh God, I never should have said anything, now I've given her nightmares for the rest of her life and over something that might not even come to pass. I am so thick sometimes, it's unbelievable. _

"Alan?"

He looked down at Rose.

"Hey, you, are you alright?"

Rose nodded.

"You wanna talk about it?"

Rose considered that. She hated not telling him the truth especially since he had been so open with her, but the thought of discussing what she had just dreamed filled her with revulsion and she wanted nothing more than to just forget about it.

"No, I'm sorry. I…"

She bit her lip.

"It's alright, really. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Rose hugged him.

"Thank you," she said.

"Just remember that I'm always here if you need to talk."

"I know and I'm grateful for that. But…I'd rather just forget it and go on; I promise I won't be traumatized. It's not the first time I've had nightmares since I started traveling with the Doctor."

Alan's heart lurched at that. He held her tightly wanting nothing more than to chase away all nightmares from her mind. They lay there for a few minutes comforting each other before Alan smiled at her.

"Um, you mind if I get dressed? My bum is starting to freeze," he said.

She laughed.

"Actually, I was just about to say the same thing."

"Great, let's get our clothes back on before we freeze to death or someone sees us."

They got up and dressed. Alan chuckled; staring at Rose's mussed hair.

"I guess it's a good thing we bought the comb then."

"Yeah, it is."

He handed her the comb and shook the bugs off his jacket while she straightened her hair.

"Okay, little buggers, off the jacket," he said. "Time for you to build a nest somewhere else."

He examined it and then put it back on.

"Ah, that's better, warmth," he said as he took the comb from Rose.

Rose picked up her jacket and put it back on. As she watched Alan combing his hair, she suddenly got an image of his dead body lying on the floor with the dead emotionless eyes staring through her and shuddered. Alan noticed the shudder and frowned.

"You alright?"

"Yeah…just a bit of a chill," she said.

She could tell that Alan wasn't buying that, but he said nothing and nodded. Guilt flooded her mind knowing that she was now doing to Alan what the Doctor did to her. Pretending everything was alright when it wasn't. But, she couldn't bring herself to describe what the Valeyard had done to him in the dream. Just the thought of it made her feel like puking. Not to mention the taunts about her being a slut.

_Why did I even imagine him saying that,_ she thought. _Is it some kind of guilt that I had sex with Alan and not the Doctor? The Doctor would never have sex with me anyway. That's why he left Alan here with me, so I could do those kinds of things with him. It's just my imagination. The Doctor would be thrilled that I've bonded with Alan like this. It's what he wants. He wants me to live a fulfilling life and find happiness with Alan. I have to stop these feelings that I'm somehow betraying him by having a relationship. He's never coming back and that's that. And his turning into the Valeyard is a load of rubbish. He would never let himself get to a point where he would choose evil over good, so that's that._

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize that Alan had stopped combing his hair and was staring at her.

"You sure you're alright?" he asked.

Rose smiled.

"I'm fine, really," she said, putting a hand on his chest.

"Well, I just wanna be sure. You were staring off into space there for a moment."

Rose hugged him tightly.

"I'm fine. You're here, you love me and everything is right with the world."

Alan's heart did flip-flops at that and he gave her another lingering kiss on the top of her head.

"What time is it?" he said, pointing to her watch.

She looked at it.

"Um…1.23."

Alan made a face.

"That's all? Ugh, time goes by too slowly here."

"Too bad we don't have a TARDIS to speed things up."

"I know. Too bad we can't summon the Doctor, put the coral on the ground, have him take us ahead ten years and then just go. Ugh, God, the wait. Even waiting on your step dad is agonizing. Why can't he have rockets on the back of his lorry?"

Rose giggled.

"Maybe I'll have him talk to Torchwood and get them to do that," she said.

"Yeah, but that won't do us any good now," he replied.

He looked around.

"You know what? Why don't we go further up the hill and see if we can find anything interesting," he said. "Have a little adventure…or try to."

"Lead on," Rose said, taking his hand.

They walked through the trees. Rose smiled, enjoying the quiet and the solitude. It was so peaceful, she felt like she could just stay here forever.

"I wonder why no one comes up here?" Alan mused.

She looked at him.

"Too busy going about their lives?" she said.

"Maybe…or…"

His eyes widened.

"This hill is cursed," he said in a melodramatic whisper.

"Oh boy, here we go. You really are bored, aren't you?"

"Too right I am. Now, let's seeeeeeee…I'm betting there's some Norwegian monster that lives up here that snatches the unwary and eats them for supper. Your thoughts?"

Rose grinned.

"Could be. But what kind of monster?"

"Um…not sure…some kind of ferocious, furry, fjord thing with purple fur and glowing red eyes. Probably named Bob."

Rose snickered.

"Bob?"

"Yeah, Bob the ferocious fjord monster."

He suddenly stopped short and pointed at the ground.

"Look, an opening in the ground," he said, pointing to a small hole. "What do you think it is?"

"A rabbit hole?" Rose said.

She sniggered when Alan's eyes bulged from his sockets.

"Or…" he said in the melodramatic whisper, "Bob's spaceship landed here eons ago and over time, he built this hill over it to hide it and this right here is the only way he can come up into the surface world."

"Oh my, do you think we should move on then before Bob snatches us?"

"Yes, we must flee further up the hill before Bob consumes us."

Rose bent over laughing.

"You are such a nut," she said.

"Well, gotta think up things to do while we're stuck here," he said.

"Then, let's keep going before Bob takes us down to his spaceship," Rose replied.

They walked on. After a few more minutes, they finally reached the top of the hill. They stood together and took in the view. All around them were meadows and forests.

"Where are we? Are we in the void somehow?" Alan said. "Isn't there anything here to do? Isn't there a theme park at least? Even a pair of swings? Blimey, how do the residents live here without going insane from boredom?"

"Well, not everyone is like us, you know."

"Well, thank God we're different. I'm about to tear my hair out…"

He caught himself.

"Whoops, on second thought, I must not touch the hair, I keep forgetting that," he said as Rose bent over laughing. "Okay, I'll poke my eyes out instead."

"No, not your eyes. I love them too."

"Okay, what don't you like about me?"

"Mmmmmmmmmmm…nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nope, there's nothing wrong with any part of ya."

"Damn, there goes my chance at self injury then," he said. "I can't even slap myself lightly on the cheek?"

"Nope, you are not to harm yourself in any way, shape or form."

"Well, I guess that rules out bondage during sex then."

"Um…not necessarily."

She snorted out laughter when Alan looked at her with wide eyes.

"Um, should I be made aware of some things now since we are sexually active? Any kind of kinky perversions and fetishes? Besides the hair, obviously. But, uh, are you like some crazed nymphomaniac that's gonna chain me up in the basement and whip me with a cat o' nine tails until blood is spurting from my body."

Rose flinched when he said that.

"Um, no, at the moment, I think I'll just stick with traditional sex," she said quickly, trying not to think of the dream.

"Well, I guess when we finally get supplies for our little trek into the unknown; I'll have to remember to purchase some condoms. Don't want you having babies on the Great Wall of China while tourists are watching. Not to mention your mum freaking out and thinking I laid eggs in your gut or up your arse or in your ear or in your nose or…"

He grinned when Rose laughed.

"Having babies come out of my nose, there's an image," she said.

"Yup…AAAAAACHOO…hey, it's a boy!"

Rose bent over laughing. Alan quickly grabbed hold of her before she rolled back down the hill.

"You better watch that before you tumble arse over tit back down to the village."

"Yeah and of course, you wouldn't try to help me. You'd just run along behind giggling at me."

"I would not. I would help….after the first ten or fifteen rolls maybe, but I would help eventually."

Rose slapped him on the arm.

"Wait a minute! You just said I couldn't injure myself and here you are injuring me? So am I to understand this relationship will be one sided? The whole do as I say, not as I do thing? I can't grab a coat hanger and jab my eye out, but you can do it whenever you feel like it? Am I correct in thinking that?"

"Um, nah, I won't do that to ya."

"Thank God for that. I had these images of me walking into our flat and you jumping out of the shadows and ramming an ice pick in the back of my neck for shits and giggles."

Rose laughed.

"You have quite an imagination, you know that?"

"Well, yeah, so did he. Trust me, when you don't need sleep for weeks on end, you tend to live inside your head a lot."

"Oh, I see. So, he have any kinky fantasies about me then?"

"Wait a tic. I have to access the stored memories inside my head and look for the pornographic thoughts section. Hmmm…oh!"

"What, what is it?"

She frowned when Alan got a huge grin on his face and began to giggle softly.

"What, what are you seeing?"

"My, my, what a dirty mind he has."

"What? What are you seeing?"

Rose put her hands on her hips when he sniggered.

"For the last time, what did he imagine about me?"

Alan gave her an innocent look.

"Oh, nothing, I was just laughing at an episode of Postman Pat that he saw once."

"Right, Alan, now tell me what you see."

"Postman Pat."

"Uh huh, and what about the whole, what a dirty mind he has comment you just said under your breath."

"Oh, that was about Pat. Pat has a very dirty mind. He should be ashamed of himself."

"Damn it, tell me!" Rose said as Alan giggled.

"Okay, well Postman Pat and Jess are lying in bed naked and…"

He covered his head when Rose began to slap it.

"I mean about me, you smart ass!" she said as Alan bent over laughing.

He embraced her.

"My dearest Rose, I would tell you, but I don't want to corrupt your innocent mind with such perverted fantasies. Especially that whole thing about you being tied to the wall while he climbs inside an empty Dalek shell and uses the plunger to…"

He feigned shock.

"Oh my, I'm sorry, did I utter that aloud? Sorry, dearest, I nearly corrupted you beyond redemption just then. I have to watch what I say in future."

Rose eyed him while he gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"No, you just keep on thinking nice things like butterflies and rainbows and Postman Pat. You don't wanna know what the depraved bastard was imagining in the wee hours of the night. It's far too shocking."

Rose sighed when Alan stared off into space for a moment and sniggered.

"No," he said, looking at her. "You just keep on dreaming about ice cream and candy floss and ballet slippers. Let me suffer the burden of his immoral and extremely detailed and vivid imaginings."

He grabbed Rose's arm.

"Oh my, is that the time?" he said, looking at the watch. "How's about we go back down to the village and check in with your mum? Perhaps get some more money, so we can do a bit more shopping? Maybe that'll take your mind off of wondering what the Doctor dreamed up when your innocent self was fast asleep."

He stared off into space again and let out another giggle before taking her hand and leading her back down the hill.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

"And once more we trudge up the stairs back to the little jail cell," Alan said as he followed Rose up to their room.

"Aw, don't worry, we'll only be here for a moment and then we'll go off somewhere else," Rose replied.

"Where? There's nothing to do."

"Well, we can always go for another walk and talk some more."

She walked over to Jackie's room and knocked on the door.

"Mum, it's me," she said.

There was no answer.

"Maybe the Vashta Nerada got her?" Alan offered.

She grinned.

"Nah, she probably just went to get something to eat. It's nearly 2.30 now."

"Drat, there goes the hope for getting extra money then," Alan sighed.

"There are plenty of things we can do that don't cost money."

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Are you thinking of something in particular?"

"Maybe," she said, coyly.

"Wow, I think I like this new facet of our relationship."

Rose gave his hand a squeeze, walked over to their room and unlocked the door. She opened it and walked inside.

"Well, the spot hasn't left us yet," she said, checking the ceiling.

"No, but we seem to have some mail on the floor."

Rose turned to Alan who was standing in the doorway pointing down at a folded piece of paper on the floor in front of him. Rose walked over, picked it up and a pile of bank notes slid out of it onto the floor.

"Whoever sent this is immediately my best friend for life," Alan said, staring at the money.

"You sure?" Rose said, glancing at the note. "Because mum wrote this."

"Correction. Whoever sent this is not my best friend for life, but I'll accept her monetary offering just the same."

"That's what I figured," Rose replied.

She read the note.

"You wanna know what this says?" she asked him.

"Dear Doctor wannabe, keep your grimy half alien hands off my daughter and do not insert any part of your person into any part of hers or I will unhinge my python-like jaw and swallow you whole, hug and kisses, the warder. Am I close?"

Rose bent over laughing when Alan gave her an impish grin.

"No, but that's pretty good," Rose said when she could finally speak again.

"Okay, let's hear it," Alan said.

"First off, you'll be pleased to know she called you Alan in the opening."

"Well, thank God for small miracles."

Rose cleared her throat.

"Dear Rose and Alan,

I rang Pete this morning and explained what you had in mind. As expected, he was not too thrilled with the two of you just going off on your own, but I managed to convince him that you would be alright and that this was for everyone's benefit, given the fact that Alan has just been thrown into our midst."

"Well, excuse me for being tossed into the middle of your happy, functional family then," Alan said, rolling his eyes.

Rose put her hand on his chest while she continued to read.

"He decided to go ahead and wire you two some money, which is to be spent solely on provisions for your journey and also can be used to eat at the restaurant. This is not money you can just spend wherever you feel like it."

"Oh yes, and there are soooooooo many places in town we can spend it at," Alan replied. "I vote we ignore her and take in a Norwegian burlesque show. I'm sure there are several of those in town."

"Shhhh," Rose said, putting her finger against his lips.

Alan smiled and kissed it.

"I hope that you two are grateful that I took the time to convince Pete to go along with this daft scheme of yours, so he won't come here, find out what you're doing and scream at you in person."

"I will be available this evening in my room for butt kissing and groveling, so you two better show up and worship my majesty," Alan said.

Rose giggled at that. She sobered up and read the rest of the note.

"If you come back and I'm not in my room, I'll probably be eating at the restaurant. You are welcome to join me, if you behave yourselves."

"Selves, plural? Doesn't she mean me?"

"No, because I have a tendency to get a bit out of control when I'm with you, you know."

"Well, I'm so sorry I'm a bad influence on you, my Rose. I suppose if you stay with me long enough, you'll also contract Noble-itis."

"Probably will."

"Is that it, then?"

"Pretty much, just wishing us a good day."

"She is? Are you sure this is your actual mum that wrote this? You sure she doesn't have a clone running around town as well?"

"You know, my mum can be sweet to you when she wants to be. Search that big Doctor database in your head; I think you'll find there were some times when she was actually nice to him."

"Yes, him, not me."

"Well, you have to make an effort as well. Like it or not, you're gonna have to put up with her for the next ten years at least."

'Ugh, don't remind me."

He sighed.

"Okay, okay, I realize that if I do behave myself around her then she'll be friendlier towards me."

"There ya go, another lesson learned. See, being human isn't all that difficult."

"No, it isn't. Be nice to my lover's mummy and she'll be nice to you and buying combs lead to sex. I'm well on my way to assimilating into Earth society."

"Yes, you are," she said, kissing his lips.

She bent down, picked up the money and put it in her pocket.

"So, now that I have some money, we can go on a little shopping spree!"

"Yippeeeee, something to do! Thank God for small mercies."

Rose laughed and tickled him under the chin.

"Alons-y, Alonzo," she said in a deep voice.

"God, I love it when you say it like that," he said as she laughed. "I certainly picked the right name."

She took his hand, shut the door, locked it and headed with him back down the stairs.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So, what shall we get?" Alan asked when they entered the shop.

Rose looked around.

"Well, we're gonna need basic necessities like toothbrushes and toothpaste and shampoo and things like that. So, I'll go get those while you think of other things."

She eyed him.

"Relevant things," she said.

"I will."

She giggled and wandered off as Alan shook his head and studied the shelves. He picked up a pad of paper, put it back down and fiddled with some pencils in a plastic container.

"Found a couple of rucksacks," Rose said walking over to him. "What d'ya think? Are they big enough?"

Alan took one and turned it over in his hands. He looked in all the pockets.

"It's big enough for me, I don't wanna carry all that much. However, I do know that you like to cram yours full, so you might need jumbo size…"

"I'm not gonna cram mine full. I think I can live with this size, I was just getting your opinion."

"Rose, I'm half human now, which means I don't have his stamina anymore. I don't want a great big weight on my back while I'm trudging through the countryside. Despite what you and your mum might think, I'm not gonna be carrying two tons of crap on this journey."

"Okay, then I'll get these then."

She started to walk away, but Alan tapped her on the shoulder.

"Are we going to need paper and pencils for anything?" he said gesturing to the shelf.

Rose frowned.

"Um, we might, you never know when we have to make notes or jot down things. I would get a couple of pads and get some pens, so we won't have to worry about sharpening the pencils."

"Paper and pens, check," Alan said, grabbing them. "Open the rucksacks and we can use them as a shopping trolley until we get up to the register."

"Hold on."

Rose walked around him and picked up a red leather-bound diary from the next shelf. She studied it for a moment and then looked at him.

"I think we should get a couple of these."

"For what purpose?"

"To record our thoughts. You know, we both need a way to write down our feelings and I know that there are some things you want to keep personal from me."

"Rose, I told you…"

"Alan, it's alright. I mean, I love that you're willing to tell me anything, but you don't have to, really. If you need to vent something personal about me or about the Doctor and you don't want me to know, that's okay. There are some things I want to keep personal and it doesn't mean I don't love you, I just need to sort out some stuff on my own, just like you do."

She kissed him.

"I promise I will be open and honest with you, but everyone needs to have private thoughts and feelings, even you."

Alan stared at the diary.

"I guess you're right. I told you it isn't your job to sort me out and writing out my feelings will help me. Plus, he kept a diary as well, so…"

"He did? The Doctor had a diary?"

"Oh yeah, he had a 500 year diary he purchased on Gallifrey. Mind you, he didn't write in it every day, but he did write some stuff down."

"Really? Like what?"

Alan eyed her.

Everyone needs to have private thoughts and feelings, even the Doctor," he teased as he tapped her on the nose.

"Point taken."

She put two of the diaries in the rucksack along with the paper and pens.

"There, now back to the toiletry items," she said, walking away.

Alan walked away from the standing shelves and looked at the shelves mounted on the walls. He fingered various items, picking them up and putting them back.

"Hey!"

Alan turned around. Rose was standing behind him holding out a pair of tortoiseshell reading glasses.

"Look, they have these, now you'll be able to read the menu clearly."

"I don't need them."

Rose frowned.

"Why? Is your eyesight better than his?"

Her frown deepened when Alan let out a snicker. He put his hands on her shoulders.

"Let me tell you a little secret, Amo'tiri. The Doctor doesn't really need those reading glasses of his."

"He doesn't?"

"Nope, his vision is perfectly fine, just like mine."

"Then, why does he wear them?"

"He wears them to impress people like you. He calls his glasses his brainy specs and that's what they are. They are there to make him look extra intelligent so people will be more inclined to listen to him."

Rose sighed.

"That figures," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Sorry, Rose, I appreciate you thinking of me and my eyesight, but I can see everything just fine. If it's any consolation, his fifth self did the same thing, so you're not the only one that got fooled."

"Well, will you wear them anyway?" Rose said.

Alan frowned.

"What for?"

Rose coughed and shifted her foot.

"I think…he looked cute when he wore them and since you're his duplicate, then…"

Alan stared at her doe eyed expression.

"Can I ask you something? Is there anything I don't do or wear or say that isn't cute?"

'Um…no."

"So, I could punch myself in the face, send blood trickling down my chin and you'd go, awwww, how cute!"

"Okay, um…yeah, I guess there are some instances when you wouldn't look cute. But, you do look cute in the glasses, so could you try them on?"

Alan shook his head.

"I don't know about you, Tyler," he said. "It seems like the more I get to know you, the more afraid I am you're gonna pounce on me without warning. First my hair, then my outfit, now these."

He put the glasses on and pretended to cringe.

"Don't hurt me," he said, shaking his body. "I did what you told me to do, don't jump on my head and drool all over my body, please!"

Rose giggled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll restrain myself, pretty boy," she purred.

Alan's mouth dropped open.

"What is it with people thinking both of us are pretty boys?"

"You are. You're very pretty."

She raised her eyebrow when he made a face.

"There is nothing wrong with having a pretty face," she said.

"Oh? Is that why you went for Adam?"

"For the last time, he was not my boyfriend," she said as he sniggered. "God, the whole compound was filling with cement, I wasn't about to leave him there."

"Well, considering what he did afterwards, maybe you should have."

"You don't mean that."

"I don't, but he did. You don't get how furious he was at him, do you?"

"Yes, I have a good idea."

"No, you don't. You see, dropping him off and leaving him at his mum's house wasn't his first choice. Clicking his fingers and ramming his sonic screwdriver into the hole in his head was. That or going into his laboratory, grabbing a vial of sulfuric acid, clicking his fingers and then pouring…"

"Okay, okay, I get it. He was angry. I'm sorry, I made a bad judgment call. When we get our TARDIS, I won't pick up any more pretty boys ever again."

She gasped when he dropped the rucksacks and grabbed her roughly.

"You won't be picking up anyone, full stop. This coral is for us and us alone. No other companions allowed. Got that?"

"Yes, I got it."

"Good. And speaking of the TARDIS being our own private pleasure palace, where is the condom section? Don't want those stomach babies coming out at a moment's notice, you know."

Rose gave him a playful slap on the back as he waggled his eyebrows.

"So, are you getting the glasses or not?" Rose asked.

"Oh, I suppose I will just so you can get off on my ultra brainy look. Wouldn't want to deprive you of a chance to drool over me, you know," he said, dropping the glasses in one of the rucksacks.

Rose let out a laugh and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you," she said.

"Just know that I'll wear them for you and only you."

"Good."

Alan gave her a kiss on the cheek. They grabbed the rucksacks and held each other's hands as they continued to look through the shop for provisions.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Part of this chapter is rated M for some playtime in the shower.

Chapter Sixteen

(Meanwhile, in the other universe…)

The TARDIS silently spun through the swirling vortex. It wasn't going to any particular destination, at least not for the moment. The sole occupant was keeping her there, so he wouldn't have to spend any more time on Earth.

Inside the little blue box, the rotor churned up and down rhythmically inside the central column. Its strange wheezing was the only sound in the vast interior of the ancient time ship.

At the back of the roundel covered wall stood a lone figure. He was slumped against it, lost in his thoughts and memories. His rain soaked hair had dried, but was still matted to his head. Tearstains were on his freckled face, evidence of the tears that had long since dried up. He had cried a lot since he left Donna behind, cried and cried until he was too exhausted to cry any more. Then, once the crying stopped, depression sunk in and he found himself wandering the empty corridors silently cursing the universe for forcing him to destroy the life of his best friend and leave her a shell of her former self. He missed her terribly, missed her laughter, her teasing, her blunt way of speaking that was irritating, but at the same time refreshing. When he had first met her he didn't realize just how dear a friend she would become to him and how powerful an ally. The fact that she was ripped away from him before they had even seen a tenth of what he had wanted to show her filled him with uncontrollable rage and when he wasn't crying, he was pounding the walls with his fists screaming out all the frustration and anger he had bottled up inside that once more, he was forced to be alone. The TARDIS, his one constant in all of this turmoil, ached with him and he could sense her attempts to soothe his mind and give him some peace. He knew she meant well, but he didn't want to feel better at the moment and so, after the third attempt at invading his mind, he screamed at her to back off and she retreated from his mind, leaving him by himself.

He leaned up, not wanting to hear the rotor any longer since it reminded him of all the places he could have taken her and shuffled slowly out of the room. As he walked, he felt like both his hearts were dragging the floor, weighing him down with immeasurable sorrow.

He wandered aimlessly along, not really seeing or caring where he was going. All he could think about was what he had done to the two most faithful companions he had ever had. The images of Donna and Rose begging and pleading with him tore at his hearts. Both women had loved him in their own way, both had sworn to be with him forever and both had paid a steep price for their undying loyalty. The Doctor bit back a sob when he saw their faces in his mind. The horrified looks on both their faces when they found out what was going to happen to them. Their pleas that fell on deaf ears because he had to do the right thing. Once again, he had to ignore his own selfish desires and do what had to be done, no matter how much it hurt him. He mourned both their losses. His poor Donna who became half a Time Lord, saved them all and had to have her memories erased, so she could keep on living and Rose, his Rose, who had risked death and possible entrapment in the void to come find him, he had dumped her back in the other universe with a carbon copy of himself that never should have known life.

Thinking of Rose standing on that beach with the anguished look on her face made his hearts fill like they were in a vise and he felt his eyes well up with unshed tears.

"My angel, I'm so sorry, please forgive me," he said aloud. "I never meant to hurt you. I didn't want to do this, but…it's better this way. You can have a life now; you can have everything you've ever wanted with my double. Everything I could never give you, you can now have with him."

But even as he spoke, he knew that they were just hollow, empty words. Because he still wanted Rose more than anything in the universe. When he lay there in the street near death, her face comforted him and when they hugged after he was healed, he felt like he had won the lottery. He had borne the heartache of watching his TARDIS burning in the center core of the Crucible because Rose was there holding his hand. The fact that she was beside him in the vault gave him the strength he needed to stand against Davros. He had been so proud of her. Not once had she whimpered or cried or begged for mercy. She had stood there bravely, never flinching or showing any fear. One of his most deadliest enemies and she didn't even bat an eyelid at him. His Rose, his courageous angel, how could he have just dumped her off and walked away without a backward glance? What was wrong with him?

"She was right. She was right all along. I just dropped her off and left her behind," he said softly. "Just like I did all the others."

Rage began to take hold of his mind.

"And I left her with that…clone," he snarled. "I'm not good enough to be with Rose Tyler, but a clone is?"

He shook his head.

"No, I did the right thing. He's half human. She can grow old with him now."

He shook his head.

"But, she could have grown old with me too. She wouldn't have minded one bit if I had never aged. Just as long as we were together, that's all that mattered to her."

He leaned up against the wall and slid down to the floor.

"The universe offers me a rare chance to take back what I lost and I blew it. Because of me, she's now stuck forever with that…abnormality that looks like me, but isn't me. You are a bloody fool, Doctor. A sodding idiot!"

He lowered his head to his hands.

"Oh God, I would give anything to be with her right now," he moaned. "I just hope I did the right thing because I'm going to be paying for this for the rest of my lives."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(The other universe…)

"Ah!" Alan said, coming through the door of their room with two filled rucksacks. "A good day's shopping, I think."

"Yeah, but we still need to get some kit," Rose said coming in the door behind him. "We'll have to ask and see if there are any clothing shops around."

"Doesn't matter to me at the moment. I'm just glad we got shampoo. I'm feeling scummy and I want a shower before we go eat."

He carried the rucksacks into the bathroom and sorted through them pulling out the toiletries. He laid them on the sink counter and set the rucksacks back outside the door.

"See you in a bit," he said. "Unless…"

"Unless what?"

He waggled his eyebrows.

"Unless you want a shower too?" he said hopefully.

Rose grinned.

"Gee, now that you mention it, I do feel like showering at the moment."

Alan grinned.

"Well, no sense in wasting water then. Conservation and all, gotta do our part for the planet," he said, taking her hand.

"Well, wait a minute; shouldn't we get the condoms out then?"

Alan thought.

"Do you want to go that far?"

"Not really, I'd rather just snog and save the condoms for tonight. That way we'll have something to do while we're lying in bed."

Alan nodded.

"Good idea. Plus, it's getting late and I'm getting a bit hungry. Not to mention seeing if we can rustle up some kit for our journey. So little time and so much to do, so we'll save the heavy stuff for when we complete our day's errands."

Rose nodded. She walked with him into the bathroom and he closed the door. They stood there slowly undressing each other, making sure to caress one another's skin in the process. Then, when they were completely naked, Alan walked over, turned the tap on and turned on the shower. He arranged the toiletries on the rim around the bathtub and when he was done, he turned and extended his hand to Rose.

"Come," he said with a come-hither look on his face.

"Ooo, how can I resist?"

They stepped into the bathtub and Alan pulled back the shower curtain. He stood for a moment taking in the sight of a warm, wet Rose Tyler before he lowered his lips to her neck and began to gently suck on it. He felt himself get hard when Rose let out a gasp and embraced him tightly. He concentrated on her neck while Rose caressed his back and ran her fingernails up and down it. He leaned up and caught her lips as the water cascaded down their bodies. Both of them snogged each other passionately, running their hands all over each other's wet bodies. After a few minutes, Alan broke off the kiss and leaned over to get the shampoo. He put a dab in his hand and waggled his eyebrows as he rubbed it around in his palm. She moaned softly when he began to lather into her hair making sure to massage her scalp in the process. He watched her with love in his eyes when she closed her eyes and let her mouth drop open.

"Oh God…Alan," she moaned. "That feels so good."

Alan leaned forward and kissed her nose. He looked at the remaining lather on his hands and with a grin, ran it over her bare breasts, his heart leaping when he heard the ecstatic gasp that came from her mouth. He put his hands on her hips and guided her under the water. Once she was there he ran his fingers through her hair watching as the lather ran down the strands onto her shoulders and then down onto her arms and body. His hands followed the lather trail and he rubbed his hands up and down her body making her moan and groan in the process. He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"My turn now," he whispered in her ear. "And don't get too excited at washing my hair and rip the follicles out by the roots."

Rose giggled at that. Alan stepped to the back of the tub while she grabbed the shampoo and did the same thing he did with the dab in her hands. She hesitated a moment, taking pleasure in the eager look on his face before she began to lather his hair. Alan's eyes rolled back in his head and he shut his lids reveling in the myriad of sensations that were coursing through his body. His breath caught in his throat when Rose leaned in and nipped the side of his neck. Then, he felt her run her hand down his chest and his heart beat faster when she kept on going towards his genitals.

"Yes, lower, lower," he moaned.

Rose giggled and stopped her finger just above his penis. Alan opened his eyes halfway and noticed the impish grin on her face.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you were a little tease?" he asked.

"Mmm, maybe."

Her finger went a fraction of an inch lower.

"Why? Are you expecting me to do something?" she asked innocently.

"Well, it would be nice if you finished what you started."

"And what would you like me to finish?" Rose asked sweetly.

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Do I need to say it?"

"Mm-hmm, because you know I'm just a silly ape that doesn't understand ya half the time, so you have to be very clear with me exactly what you want. So, what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to take that roaming finger of yours and run it down my penis."

"Oh really? Because I was under the impression we weren't gonna do stuff like this right now. Because we were pressed for time what with clothes shopping and all. Plus, you still got shampoo in your hair and…"

She gasped when Alan grabbed her hand and put it on his penis.

"Less gab, more grab," he said.

"Well, if you insist…"

Alan almost lost his mind when Rose began to stroke him. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall thinking to himself how much of a lucky bastard he was. He gasped when Rose took his balls with her free hand and began to fondle both areas. She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"Do you like that?" she purred.

Alan made a sound somewhere between a groan and a grunt.

"What? I didn't quite get that. I said, do you like that?"

"Gah-huh," Alan managed to get out.

Rose chuckled, kissed his cheek and nuzzled it.

"You are everything to me," she said.

"Rose, oh Roooooose," Alan moaned. "More, please."

Rose released his balls and concentrated on his penis. She rubbed it faster and faster while Alan moaned and writhed in front of her.

"Oh God…" he moaned. "Amo'tiri, my love, oh yes…"

He trailed off when the sensations overpowered his mind. He felt himself nearing climax and he managed a thought about how time travel was shite compared to this before he finally came and screamed out the name of the woman he loved. Once he was finished, he slumped over and grasped Rose as she gently kissed his cheek.

"Oh God, that was incredible," he moaned. "If that was a starter, I can't wait for the main course…"

He was cut short when he heard someone pounding on the front door.

"Rose? Alan? What's going on in there?" they heard Jackie saying as she pounded. "What the hell are you two doing?"

Alan looked at Rose.

"Um…oops, yelled a bit too loudly, I guess," he said as Rose giggled. "Didn't realize Leatherface was back. I hope she doesn't come in here with a chainsaw and castrate me for this."

"Rose! What's going on?"

"NOTHING MUM, WE'RE JUST HAVING A SHOWER!"

There was a short pause.

"OH, HELL, HE BETTER HAVE SOME PROTECTION ON, YOUNG LADY!" they heard her scream.

"That's it, Jackie, advertise to all of Norway that we're shagging in the shower," Alan moaned.

"HE DOES, MUM."

Alan looked at her.

"Well, I want her to go away just as much as you do," she said.

They waited a moment, but heard nothing further from Jackie.

"I guess she left," Rose said.

"Yes and now I'll never hear the end of it. Just do me a favor, find a clothing shop, so I can buy some socks that I can stuff in my mouth tonight. I really don't want the harpy banging on the door right when I'm coming."

Rose giggled and kissed his cheek.

"Buy a pair of socks for my extremely loud screamer, got it," she said.

Alan looked at the shower.

"Listen, as much as I'd love to stand here and scream some more, I'd really rather get this shower over with and get the hell away from here before she finds us and starts asking questions. So, if you could just rinse my hair off and finish up, that'd be just great."

Rose nodded. She stepped back and held Alan's hands while he rinsed the lather off his hair.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Alan opened the front door and peeked out. He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed Jackie's door was closed.

"Come on, come on, come on," he whispered to her.

Both of them crept out and silently shut the door behind them. They quickly hurried down the stairs.

"Hold it right there, buster!"

Alan flinched and looked back at Jackie who was standing at the top of the stairs.

"Run!" he said to Rose.

"You run and I'll follow you all around the town."

"Um…on second thought Rose, don't run," he said.

They turned and looked at her.

"I want a word with you both," she said.

"Jackie, we are both consenting adults," Alan said, coming up the stairs.

"I'm well aware of that. That's not why I want to talk to you," she said. "I want to talk to you about screaming like a banshee when you come."

She rolled her eyes when both of them blushed.

"Oh, come off it, like I don't know what goes on during sex," she said. "I want to warn you about doing that. I know you haven't been alive for very long, but apparently you have the Doctor's memories, so I'm assuming you know that both me and my daughter have been frequently menaced by monsters over the years, which means that when I hear someone yelling I automatically assume someone is getting attacked, which is what I thought was happening to you, which is why I came over and banged on your door."

"Mum, I'm sorry; we didn't mean to frighten you. We weren't going to go that far at first, it just happened."

"I don't wanna know the details," Jackie said, holding up her hand. "I just want you two to either learn to control the volume or go somewhere where you can scream all ya want."

She glared at Alan.

"And I mean it about using protection. I don't mind if you and she have a child eventually, but if you're going out on your own, I don't want my grandchild being toted along with the rucksacks, you got that?"

"That's why I bought some condoms just now, Jackie," Alan said. "I don't want to be a father either, at least not at this moment. Rose and I already thought that scenario through, so quit worrying."

Jackie nodded.

"Well, just wanted to be sure you knew on both counts. Now, go and do whatever it is you were gonna do and I'll see you later."

She turned to go back in her room.

"Jackie."

She turned back.

"Um…thanks…for the money," Alan said.

Jackie smiled.

"You're welcome, Alan," she said. "Now, go on and get outta here."

She turned and went back in her room. Alan looked over when Rose put her hand on his shoulder.

"I am so proud of you for doing that," she said.

Alan felt like his heart burst from his body when he saw the pleased look on her face.

"Well, you know, I can be polite when I want to be," he said.

He melted when Rose gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Alons-y Alonzo," she said, tickling him under the chin.

"Yes, ma'am…wait….wait a tic, I'll be right back."

Rose watched while he unlocked the door and sprinted into the room. Her eyes widened when he emerged a few minutes later wearing the reading glasses.

"Almost forgot the brainy specs, thought I would wear them, so you can just ogle at my face for the rest of the night," he said, locking the door.

"Thank you from the very bottom of my heart," Rose replied.

He turned and frowned.

"Hold on," he said.

He took the glasses off, popped the lenses out and put them in his pocket.

"There," he said, putting the glasses back on, "that's better. My vision was kinda blurry and I don't want to have to wear these things for real. Although…given that I'm going to be aging now, I'm sure I will need them eventually. Anyway, cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, to supper?"

"To supper," Rose said, taking his hand.

They hurried down the stairs and walked outside.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan and Rose sat across from each other in the restaurant. Both of them had tired of polsa and opted to try several other things on the menu and found that everything was delicious. They had finished eating and were sipping beers while Alan told her more about what the Doctor had been doing in her absence. Rose listened, enraptured, as he told her all about his meeting with Martha and their adventures. They sat there, the hours passing by, as Alan talked.

She shook her head.

"A human Dalek, I would have given anything to have seen that," she said.

"Um, actually it was pretty hideous. Basically a man with a squid's head."

"And the Doctor wanted to help him? After what they did to those humans, he wanted to help make more human Daleks?"

"Well, he figured that perhaps since Dalek Sec had become somewhat human, that maybe the humanity would allow him to do some good in the universe. As for the humans, there was nothing he could do for them, their memories had all been wiped and he couldn't restore them, so he decided to help and see if perhaps these new Dalek humans would become a better race and supercede the originals. But, then the Cult of Skaro turned against their leader and wanted to make them full Daleks, so the Doctor was forced to barbecue himself, so Time Lord DNA would get mixed in."

"Oh God, Doctor, thank God that didn't kill or regenerate him."

She shook her head.

"From what you've said, it sounds like he became more reckless after I left."

"Yeah, well, you were his whole world, basically. I mean, you healed his spirit and showed him that there could still be some joy in his life and he came to rely on you more than any other companion he ever had. Being torn away from him shattered his soul and for awhile, he had a death wish, sorry to say."

Rose put her head in her hands.

"And now it's happened again. Oh God, I hope he's alright."

"I think he is, Rose. He has Donna and she also was a big influence on his personality. She also brought some joy into his life and I think he'll be alright as long as she's with him."

"I hope she stays with him a long time then. I hate to think of him on his own. The poor man, I mean, I've never known anyone so strong and yet so fragile at the same time. He's just the kind of person you wanna throw your arms around and give a big, long hug. I mean, he acts like he's so independent and tough and strong, but deep down there's this innocence there that I love."

She smiled.

"You have it too. That's why I fell so hard and so fast for you both. You are both the most remarkable men I have ever known."

"And you…are the most remarkable woman that both of us have ever known…so I guess it's meant to be, eh?"

Rose smiled and took his hand.

"Yes, it is," she said.

She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.

"I just wish…"

Alan frowned when she trailed off.

"You wish, what?"

Rose squeezed his hand.

"Please don't take this the wrong way because I love you so much and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. But, I just wish…you weren't half human."

"Why?" he said, intrigued.

"Because…you're needed. Just like the Doctor is needed. I mean, he protects the other universe and you should do it as well for us. It's not fair that you only get one life and that's it. What if something threatens the universe and you're not here to save us? I mean, I don't know if this reality has a Sarah Jane or a Jack or anything like that and Torchwood can only do so much. It's not fair that someone as wonderful as you has to grow old and die."

Alan wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm crying. But, you are more than just a human. You're a Time Lord and you deserve to be one. I don't care if I die before you, I just want you to be the man you were destined to be, not some ordinary guy raising a family and going to a nine to five job. Oh, Alan, I wish there was some way we could change you."

Alan held her hand, his heart aching. Secretly, he had wished for the same thing but had been afraid to vocalize it in case Rose got upset. Knowing that she wanted what he wanted made him feel more comfortable in discussing the idea that had been floating around in his head for the past day.

"There…might be a way," he said, hesitantly.

Rose stared at him.

"Yes?" she said.

"Every TARDIS comes equipped with a device called a chameleon arch. It…rewrites a Time Lord's biology and changes them into any species they want. It can make a Time Lord into a human or…"

"A human into a Time Lord," Rose whispered.

Alan nodded. He proceeded to tell her the story of the Doctor becoming a human being. Rose listened in disbelief. When he finished, she shook her head.

"I can't believe the Doctor was human for awhile and his memories were in a fob watch. Is that what 'll happen to you?"

"No, I can program the arch to change my biology without altering my memories. In fact, once it happens, I'll regain my Time Lord mind and my knowledge of time and space and the time lines, so we could actually change history when we need to without fear of messing with established events."

"And…he remembered me even when he was John Smith?"

Alan chuckled.

"I told you, you're imprinted on both our souls. That's why he fell in love with Joan. She reminded him of you."

Rose's heart ached and for the thousandth time she wished she had never gotten herself trapped. The more Alan talked, the more she realized how devastating her loss had been to him.

"There's…something else I should tell you."

Rose turned her full attention back to Alan.

"This is just speculation. It's a theory he came up with, but I think it's plausible," he said. "The Doctor thinks that when you took the vortex into your body, it altered your body chemistry and slowed down your aging process. Which means that when you are fifty, you'll look like you do today. If that's true, then you could live a very long time and by that I mean, 120, 150, maybe even 200 years. Now, I estimate I'm approximately 36 or 37 years old, which means in ten years time I'll be 47, which gives me about 30, 35 years of TARDIS travel before I die. If the Doctor is right, I will be dead long before you, so bang goes the growing old with you idea. But…if I can use the chameleon arch, I will be able to do just that and it's reversible, so if I want to become human again, I can. And on top of that, the TARDIS med bay has a rejuvenation machine which the Doctor uses to mend his injuries, cure him if he gets ill and keeps his body functioning. I can ask our TARDIS to make one for us and that will also help keep you young, so with that and the slowed down aging, I think you'll be able to live for who knows how long. So, it makes sense for me to undergo the change to be with you and ensure that I'll have the knowledge I need to navigate time and space. So, what do you think?"

"I think the coral is the best thing that ever happened to us," Rose said, wiping away a tear. "But, I don't want you to do it if you don't want to, Alan. It's your body…"

"No, I want to. I'm sick of being a half and half. I want to be one thing or the other, not some in-between being."

He stroked her cheek.

"And if I do this, there will not be any curse of the Time Lords crap where I chuck you out the door the moment you get a gray hair. Right now, to be truthful, I don't even know if I want to go on living without you. I may change back into a human when I notice that you are nearing the end of your life. I told you before; you are the only companion I want in the TARDIS, no other. I'm not interested in doing what he does and pick up random people just so I can ease my loneliness. You will be the only one who ever flies with me. This is our TARDIS. And by God, you are going to learn how to fly it with me. He gave it to both of us and that means you have just as much right to operate it as I do. This is going to be a partnership, Rose, in every sense of the word. I'm not going to be the lone wolf who occasionally has someone along for shits and giggles. Once the TARDIS is big enough to enter, you are getting flying lessons and I'm adjusting the scanners so the readouts are in English. You are worthy enough to know how to fly a TARDIS, so be prepared because you are going to get the TARDIS for dummies crash course in ten years time. How does that sound?"

"Wonderful."

"Good. In the meantime, we can have some fun and you can continue to teach me all about being human because I want to know now if purchasing other things leads to sex."

Rose giggled. Alan looked out the window at the setting sun.

"Blimey, we've been sitting here awhile. I think we better pay our tab and go find a clothing shop before everything closes."

He waved Freya over, requested the tab, paid it when she returned and both he and Rose left to go find a clothing store.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

After asking around, they finally managed to locate a clothing store and purchased some t-shirts, jumpers, trousers and socks and knickers. Once they were done, they carried everything back to their room.

"Okay, another bunch of items we can scratch off the list," Alan said as they set the bags down by their rucksacks. "And yippee, we can actually change clothes now."

He reached into the bag and pulled out the socks.

"And look, handy dandy silencers we can use during sex. Won't your mum be thrilled? Now we can climax and not have to worry about her kicking in the door and bashing our brains in with a baseball bat."

He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Actually, we could take a test run of the sock mufflers right now," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

"You sure?"

"Well, we've shopped, we've eaten, what else is there to do now?" he said, shrugging.

Rose laughed.

"You're gonna be a handful, you are," she said.

Alan grinned.

"But you love every moment of it."

'Yeah, you're right, I do. Okay, seeing as how I can't think of anything better to do now…"

She laughed when Alan began to tear off his clothes at lightning speed.

"Break out the condoms, this time we are going all the way," he said, gleefully.

Rose walked over, reached into the rucksack, pulled out the box and tossed it to him. She turned and began to undress.

"Um…Rose?"

She looked back at Alan.

"Hmmm?"

"Wanna show me how to put this on? I haven't the foggiest idea," he said, holding up a condom packet.

"The Doctor never used protection?"

"No, not to my knowledge. They didn't have stuff like this on Gallifrey because everyone was loomed. So, if you could be a helpful little companion…"

"I'd love to," she said.

She took the packet from him, tore it open and put it on him while she explained step by step what to do. When she was finished, Alan stared down at his latex shrouded penis.

"Human ingenuity," he said, "just continues to amaze me. Slap on a little piece of latex and you don't have to worry about babies. Although…"

He frowned.

"It feels weird."

"It will for awhile till you get used to it," Rose said.

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"You seem to know a lot about this. May I ask who you shagged before me?"

"Why? Are you jealous?"

"No, just curious."

"Jimmy Stone was my first and then Mickey and that's it."

Alan made a face.

"Mickey? Ugh! Ooo, just thinking about you and Mickey…"

She giggled when he shivered. He embraced her.

"Well, they may have gotten to you first, but I'm definitely gonna be the last," he said.

"Yes, you are."

They kissed. They kept on kissing while Alan led her to the bed and laid her down in it. Lying down beside her, he quickly positioned himself and with a contented sigh began to make love to her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan and Rose lay beside one another in the darkened room.

"That was incredible," Rose said.

"Yup and the best part was I managed to keep the volume to a minimum, which must have worked since your mum isn't over here pounding on the door."

Rose gave him a sleepy smile and snuggled up against him.

"She probably knows by now what it means when you do scream," she murmured.

Alan gazed at her.

"Drifting off?"

She nodded.

"I'm exhausted. It's been a long day and my last bit of energy just got spent."

He smiled.

"Then go to sleep," he said.

She looked at him.

"You're not sleepy?"

"A little, but I want to lie here for awhile and take in your beauty."

Rose kissed him.

"Good night, Alan."

"Good night, my love, pleasant dreams."

"I hope so," she murmured.

Alan rubbed her back and watched as she closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose glanced around as she wandered down a darkened corridor. She saw the roundels on the walls and her heart skipped a beat knowing that she was back in the TARDIS.

"Doctor?" she yelled. "Doctor, I'm here! Where are you?"

There was no reply, which unnerved her. She was used to the Doctor's cheerful babbling filling up the vast spaces of the time ship.

"Is he in the console room?" she mused.

She walked down the corridor towards the console room calling out his name every so often. The fact that he wasn't answering her filled her with fear and she picked up the pace, terrified that something had happened to him.

"Doctor? Donna?" she yelled.

She was running now, wanting nothing more than to reach her friends. She finally found the door that led to the console room and bolted into the cavernous space. She stopped short and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the Doctor sitting on the captain's chair.

"There you are," she gasped, putting a hand over her heart. "Why didn't you answer me? I kept yelling your name."

She frowned when there was no response. Fear gripped her mind when the Doctor didn't move or speak or acknowledge her presence. Half afraid of what she would find, she forced herself to move towards the jump seat. When she got to the console, she looked over and noticed with some relief that the Doctor wasn't dead. But his face completely unnerved her. There was no welcoming smile, no warm, loving gaze, just a hollow look in his eyes as he stared blankly ahead at the console. Rose swallowed hard when she noticed his haggard and unshaven face, so pale and lifeless and freakish looking since the only light in the room was coming from the console. Rose crept towards him. With each step she expected him to look her way and smile that old familiar smile, but he didn't seem to notice that she was there.

"Doctor?" Rose said softly.

"You shouldn't be here," the Doctor said in a monotone voice.

"Doctor, please, tell me what's going on," she said, grateful that he was finally speaking to her.

"You shouldn't be here," the Doctor replied, never taking his eyes off the console.

Rose sat down beside him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Doctor, don't do this to me. Please talk to me properly and tell me what's going on. Where is Donna at?"

"Donna is gone. I lost her," he said, still keeping his eyes on the console. "I lost her; just like I lost you and lost River."

Rose frowned. She'd never heard of River.

"Is she…another companion?" she asked hesitantly.

"I never meant to hurt her," he said, dully. "I didn't want to send her to The Library. I didn't want to take her as a companion, but…I had to."

Rose ached, listening to the hopelessness in his voice. She reached out and took his hand, but he didn't hold it.

"Now, she's gone. Dead. And it's all my fault," he continued. "I killed her."

"No, that can't be true," Rose said, softly.

"I tried to love her. I tried to give her a little happiness before she had to die. I tried to have a relationship with her and…I did pull it off, at least, she thought I truly loved her, but I didn't….I couldn't…because she wasn't you."

Rose shook her head. The Doctor was still staring at the console while he talked, never once turning his head and looking into her eyes. His lips were the only thing that was moving on his body and it filled her with terror seeing him in this state.

"I'm here now," she said. "I'm here, my Doctor, and everything will be alright."

"No, it's too late now."

"What do you mean?"

"It's coming now and there's nothing I can do to stop it."

Rose swallowed hard.

"What is?"

Finally, the Doctor turned his head and looked at her. Rose gasped when she saw the sunken eyes that held no light in them.

"The darkness," he said.

Rose's breath quickened as her fear took hold of her mind. Then, out of the corner of her eye she suddenly noticed something. She turned and looked at the room and saw, to her horror, that it had grown darker. But, this darkness was different. It was impenetrable and not even the light from the console could penetrate it. Rose watched with silent anguish as the mass of black nothingness slowly neared the jump seat.

"Go."

Rose looked back at the Doctor when she heard him speak.

"Go, Rose, before it's too late," he said.

"No, I won't leave you."

"You must. It's too late for me now. There's nothing that can stop it from happening."

Rose looked around and saw that the darkness was nearly upon them.

"Doctor, please, come with me. Don't sit here and let it take you," she begged.

"There's nowhere I can run, nowhere I can hide. Save yourself, Rose. Hide yourself before I find and destroy you."

"No, no, I won't leave."

She gasped when the Doctor seized her upper arms and stared at her with a wild look in his eyes.

"Go now! I order you!" he yelled.

Rose looked down and noticed the darkness was right at his feet.

"Go, my love, save yourself," the Doctor said, sadly. "The man that you loved is dead. There is only darkness within me now."

Tears streamed down Rose's face. She forced herself to get up and back away as the darkness slowly oozed up the Doctor's legs like a thick blanket, obscuring his body like a shroud. The Doctor continued to stare at her as it slowly snaked up his body towards his head.

"This is my last act of mercy," he said to her. "I will save you, so you will not suffer the same fate. Now go. Run and never look back. Hide yourself away where I can never find you. Forget me now."

Rose backed away; sobbing as the darkness reached his mouth, forced it open and streamed inside his body. She watched with anguish as his warm brown eyes slowly became jet black and his soft, handsome face hardened and twisted into an insane countenance. As the darkness forced its way into his body, the room lightened and returned to its semi-darkened state, but now the Doctor's very presence chilled the room and made it seem alien to her. She watched in silent horror as the last of the darkness wrapped itself around the Doctor's body, oozing into every pore as it became a cocoon. Then suddenly, the cocoon melted away and the Doctor was wearing the Valeyard's outfit. An evil smile spread across his face as he stood up and he laughed hysterically, filling the room with the sounds of gleeful madness.

"At last," the Valeyard crowed, "that insufferable, emotional fool is dead and now I have risen to take his place. Soon, the universe will tremble at the very mention of my name and millions will bow their heads to the ground in adoration."

He turned his attention to Rose and her heart stopped when she saw the sneer on his face.

"And you, my former lover, will become the first acolyte."

Rose finally found the strength to run and she bolted towards the back door. But, just as she reached it, the TARDIS sealed it up. Panicked, she pounded on the wall where the door had just been, filled with animalistic terror.

"Why so scared, my love? I thought you wanted to be with me?"

Rose's heart pounded furiously when she heard his voice directly behind her. She spun around and her breath quickened when she looked into the Valeyard's eyes and saw the impenetrable blackness there. She gagged when the Valeyard seized her by the throat.

"You should have listened to him when he told you to run," he sneered. "And now your blind love for him will be your undoing."

He leaned in closer and Rose could hardly bear the sight. Her beautiful, handsome Doctor, now an evil caricature of his former self.

"How about a kiss, my faithful companion?" he said.

Before Rose could act, he slammed his mouth down on hers. Rose tried to keep her mouth shut, but she could feel the darkness at her lips, prying them open. She struggled to get away, but the Valeyard pressed her against the wall, the roundels digging into her spine as he held her in an iron grip. Tears fell from her face when she felt her lips being forced apart and the darkness streaming its way into her mouth and down her throat, tainting her soul and twisting her mind, forming her into a female counterpart of the Valeyard. Her struggles ceased and she went rigid as the darkness consumed her soul and turned her eyes into deep ebony. She began to scream inside her mind, scream with the last ounce of humanity she had left. She continued to scream and scream until…

Rose's eyes shot open. She looked up and noticed that Alan was now fast asleep, his arms holding her protectively. Relief washed over her and silent tears fell from her eyes as she snuggled against him, hoping and praying with all of her heart that what she had just witnessed would never come to pass.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Rose couldn't sleep.. She lay awake, her mind filled with the images of her nightmare. She clung tightly to Alan, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and thanking God that he was with her. She stayed that way for most of the night, listening to his heartbeat and staring blankly at the ceiling, until finally her eyes could no longer stay open and she fell into an exhausted, dreamless sleep.

It seemed like she had just nodded off when she felt Alan shifting against her. She opened her eyes slowly and stared at him with a groggy expression on his face.

"Good morning, star shine, the Earth and I both say hello," he said, softly.

He frowned when he noticed how knackered she was.

"You look more tired than you did when you fell asleep last night," he said. "Is something wrong?"

Rose shook her head.

"I just didn't get much sleep last night."

"Why? Bad dreams again?" he asked, stroking her cheek.

Rose nodded.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Rose hesitated. On the one hand, she wanted to just dismiss the dream like she had with the others and pretend that everything was alright. But, she knew that if she continued to keep things bottled up, it would make her sick and depressed. So, after a moment's hesitation, she told Alan the bulk of what she had seen.

As Alan listened, rage welled up within him. Fears of her having nightmares had plagued him ever since he had told her about the Valeyard and this confirmation of that filled him with self-loathing. He hated that it was because of him that now she couldn't sleep at night and he mentally castigated himself for ever uttering a word about the Doctor's dark side. When she finished, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.

"I'm so sorry, Rose. I'm sorry I even said anything about the Valeyard," he said.

"No, it's not your fault."

"It is my fault. I was the one who told you about him turning evil and now you can't close your eyes without seeing the Valeyard's face. I'm so thick, it's unbelievable."

Rose flinched when he slammed his fist against the headboard.

"Damn me to Hell for doing this to you. Maybe I need to take a leaf from the Doctor's book and keep my big gob shut."

"No, Alan, please. Don't say things like that. I don't want you to shut yourself off from me. I want everything to be out in the open, I love when you tell me things that the Doctor would never say. I love you for being honest about the Valeyard. I saw the signs too, Alan, I just never let myself think that his turning evil was a possibility. Please, please, you've done nothing wrong. Don't curse yourself and turn away from me, please."

Alan cupped her face with his hands.

"I just wish I had the ability to enter your mind and take away the images of the Valeyard," he said, sadly. "But, unfortunately, that's another thing that Donna took."

"No, I wouldn't want you doing that even if you could. I promise I'll be alright. I told you before, it's not the first nightmare I've had."

"But it's the first ones you've had about him."

"No, it isn't. I've had nightmares about losing the Doctor almost since I first met him and once I fell in love with him, I had them frequently. It's not a new thing for me. It's something I've learned to live with."

"But that's just it. You shouldn't have to live with it," Alan said, taking hold of her hands. "You shouldn't have nightmares and just shrug them off because they're normal for you."

"But that's part of it," Rose said. "It's a price I had to pay for being with the Doctor and I'm sure every companion he's had went through the same thing. Reinette told me that the Doctor is worth the monsters and I believe that. And when we start to travel and see terrifying things, I'll put up with having more nightmares because you're also worth the monsters. You are my life now and I will go through hell and high water just to be with you. If, God forbid, the Doctor does become this Valeyard and comes after us, then we'll face him together and I will not regret a moment of it. Please don't feel guilty about all this."

Alan sighed. He stared at his right hand cursing the Doctor for being stupid enough to get it cut off in the first place.

_If he had been more careful, I wouldn't be here right now and Rose wouldn't be going through this mess,_ he thought.

Rose noticed him staring at the hand and guessed what was going through his mind. She sighed inwardly wishing that Alan would quit wishing he had never been born. It was beginning to get frustrating. No matter what she did, no matter how much love she showed him, he still thought he wasn't good enough for her. She had no clue what she could do to show him once and for all that she wanted him now. Even though he was getting better, she still saw flashes of the ninth Doctor from time to time. Still, she vowed she would never leave him, never give up on him. She would make him understand that he was the only one she wanted to be with.

_Part of the problem is we're both goin' crazy from being stuck here,_ she thought. _If only there was some way we could go off together, even just for a night._

She glanced over at the rucksacks.

_Well, why can't we, _she thought._ We have supplies now and we wouldn't go very far. Just somewhere where we can spend the night under the stars and be alone. Maybe that'll help to cheer Alan up and let him know that he is loved._

She took his right hand.

"Alan, I've just had an idea. Let's go out of town for tonight."

"Where?"

"Just walk until we find a nice spot. We can take these blankets, lay them down and spend a night under the stars just as a preview of what's to come."

An enormous grin spread over Alan's face.

"And then, we can just keep on going."

Rose chuckled.

"No, sorry, we can't. I promised mum, you know."

His face fell.

"Why did he have to drop her off with us? Why couldn't he have dropped her off on Raxacoricofallipatorius or even Klom? I'm sure the Absorbaloff would have gotten on just fine with her."

"Alan, remember, if you are nice to her, she'll be nice to you."

"True, but she's not in the room and behind closed doors, I feel I have the right to say whatever I want about her. I'm sorry, I realize she's your mum, but thank God you don't act like her."

"Well, if you're gonna be in my life, you have to get used to her being around."

"Only for ten years and then it's awaaaaaaaaay we gooooooooooo!"

Rose laughed.

"Come on; let's go tell her my plan."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want her to worry. She does worry about me."

She put her finger on his lip when he started to open his mouth.

"And I don't mean she's worrying about me because you're here, I mean she worries the way a mother worries about their child."

"Yes, I understand, Rose. But are you going to be talking to her constantly on the mobile while we're out seeing the world and flying in the TARDIS and telling her every little thing we're doing?"

"No, I didn't do that when I traveled with the Doctor."

"Yes, my point exactly. She got along all right without you filling her in on every detail. If we go off for a night by ourselves, it's not gonna kill her. I hate to say this because sometimes Jackie isn't playing with a full deck, but she is bright enough to know that if we aren't in our room, then we must be somewhere else."

"Yeah and then she'll assume we just scarpered off without waiting and come looking for us. Do you want her to find us starkers in the middle of the woods?"

"No."

"Well, until Pete shows up, we have to check in with her every so often. I'm sorry, but that's the way it's gotta be. Once Pete and Tony get here and we say goodbye, then I promise I won't update her on our whereabouts unless it's a dire emergency. I'll do the talking; all you have to do is stand there and look pretty."

"I'm sorry, I stand there and do what?" he said as she giggled.

He shook his head.

"That's what River said to him too. Why does everyone think we're pretty boys?"

Rose flinched. She didn't mention River to him when she told him the dream since she didn't know if River was a real person or just some companion name she thought up. But now his mentioning her stirred her curiosity.

"Who is she?" she said to him.

"Who is who?"

"River. In my dream, the Doctor did mention a River. He said he was forced to take her as a companion and it was his fault she was dead and he killed her."

Alan stared at her.

"Rose? Are you sure this was a dream? Because I never mentioned River before now. Do…you ever get…visions from time to time?"

Rose thought.

"When mum was pregnant, she didn't want to know the sex of her baby because she wanted it to be a surprise, but I remember one night I dreamt it was going to be a boy and I even heard the name Tony kinda echo in my head when I saw the baby."

"I think the vortex did more than just slow your aging, I think you gained some psychic abilities as well. Otherwise, how would you know about River? And let's face it; River is not a common name."

Rose's blood chilled. If what she saw wasn't a dream, but a vision of the future…

"There's something else I left out," she said. "He said that Donna wasn't with him anymore. He said he lost her."

Alan swallowed hard. He had wondered what having the time lord mind might do to her and if Rose really did see the future, then what did the Doctor mean by "lost"?

"She can't be dead, can she? Donna can't be dead," Rose said.

Alan shook his head.

"I don't know, Rose. A human can't have all that knowledge crammed inside her head without it killing her. That's why the Doctor had to draw the vortex out of you; it's the exact same thing. The infinite knowledge you possessed would have fried your mind if he hadn't acted. Now "lost" doesn't necessarily mean she died, it could mean the Doctor did something to her to save her life, but for some reason she couldn't continue to travel with him. It could mean any number of things…"

"But, it means the Doctor is alone again," Rose said, sorrowfully.

"It might…"

He sighed.

"I guess it won't hurt to fill you in on River, at least, what I know of her. She didn't really reveal that much to the Doctor when he met her, but…there are several interesting things she did tell him and when she died…"

Alan smiled.

"Listen, why don't we go ahead and go tell your mum that we wanna go camping tonight, get that out of the way and I'll fill you in on what little I know, okay?"

Rose nodded.

"I'll go and tell her and you fill up one of the rucksacks and grab the blankets, okay? That way you don't have to deal with her," she said.

"Fair enough."

She gave him a kiss on the lips. He watched while she walked over to the door and left the room.

"Damn it, Doctor," he muttered to himself. "I swear if Rose's vision becomes a reality and she has to go through the pain of seeing you become the Valeyard, I'm gonna find another jar and so help me God, I'll cram every last inch of your body into it."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

After telling Jackie what they were doing, Rose came back in, helped him pack a rucksack and gathered the blankets into a tight bundle before they left the room for the night.

"You know," he said as they walked out the front door. "We could always go back to Bad Wolf Bay and spend the night on the beach. At least we know that's close."

Rose looked at him.

"Do you wanna do that? I mean, it's kinda cold there."

"Well, I'm sure it's gonna be cold everywhere we go. Beach is as good as any other place and…"

He cupped her chin.

"Besides, after all that's happened there, wouldn't you like to have a good memory about the place?" he asked.

Rose nodded.

"Okay, if you wanna walk back there, that's fine with me."

"Great, shall we stop at our favorite eatery in the meantime?"

"Lead on."

Alan started to walk towards the restaurant and then looked at the blankets.

"Um…I wonder if they'll think we'll be moving in now since we've eaten there so often," he said while Rose laughed.

He took another step and stopped.

"Also, what's the maid gonna think when we leave and she finds sand on the blankets?"

Rose grinned.

"It'll just have to be a mystery that'll never get solved," she said.

"Yup, I guess so. But, let's get going before the guy at the front desk sees us nicking the linen."

Rose grabbed his free hand and they walked to the restaurant.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once more, the two of them ate breakfast while Alan told her everything he knew about the Doctor's meeting with River. While he spoke, Rose couldn't help the old jealous feelings creeping into her mind.

_He could tell this woman his real name, but he couldn't tell me_, she thought.

She mentally chastised herself.

_Stop that. There must have been a reason for his revealing his name to her. You're a grown woman now, not a jealous, immature kid,_ she thought.

Still, she couldn't help asking him if he had a theory on why the Doctor told River his name. Alan shrugged.

"If you ask me, I think it was because he knew that was going to be the way that she gained his past version's trust, so in order to keep the time lines correct, he went ahead and told her anyway. Same with giving her the modified screwdriver, that was the way he could save her consciousness and put her into CAL, so he gave her one. Whether or not there is any more significance behind these two events than that, I couldn't tell you because he only knows what River told him, which like I said wasn't all that much since she was afraid of…

He made quote marks with his fingers.

"Spoilers," he said, "which frustrated the hell outta the Doctor since here was this woman who not only knew him, but seemed to know him intimately. And then she's flipping through this diary trying to figure out if it was her version of the Doctor and he's standing there listening to all these places they supposedly went and getting even more frustrated and then, on top of it, she wouldn't let him take a peek."

"And then he had to watch her die," Rose said.

Alan nodded.

"And now he lives with the knowledge that one day he will meet her and will have to take her as a companion, so he doesn't create a paradox," he said.

"So, he's trapped."

Alan nodded.

"He has to force himself to send her to the library because if he doesn't, the paradox it creates will destroy the universe. With you, he saw your being trapped here that day at Canary Wharf, but that was in flux, one possibility out of many. This event though is fixed, River must go to The Library, there is no altering of that and knowing that is another thing that's tearing him up inside."

Rose put her head in her hands.

"And when I saw him, it must have just happened. His sending him to her death," she said. "Oh God, that's what triggers the change?"

Alan sighed.

"Rose, it's been this way since he was a small child. One thing after another after another, there's only so much he can take before he snaps. It's not just him, everyone has a limit to how much they can bear and some people after awhile can't handle the stress anymore. That's why there's such a thing as nervous breakdowns. But there aren't many people who have had to deal with nine hundred years of pain and anguish like he has. I'm surprised the man has lasted this long, frankly. If he hadn't met the Valeyard in his sixth life and seen a glimpse of what he might become, I really do think he would have turned years ago. He's not a Dalek that can just function on pure rage and hate. When you dam everything up inside you, sooner or later the dam's gonna burst and the flood pours out. Just because he's a good man doesn't mean he can't be consumed and controlled by his demons and become a cruel person. I could cite thousands of examples from history, literature and the movies of people who start out good and through a series of personal tragedies turn to the darkness. It takes a lot of inner strength to turn the other cheek and keep going rather than get revenge on everyone and everything that has ever wronged you. The Doctor can do that and he has on most occasions, but the problem is he has trouble forgiving himself and letting go and that's what will be his undoing. He's sick, Rose. He's mentally ill. He's depressed, he's bitter, he's filled with silent rage, he needs help frankly and you were able to provide that, but you can only do so much and now you're not there, which means he's back to the way he was before he met you. And unless there is some way someone can help him, then I'm afraid your vision will come to pass. That's why he made a huge mistake leaving you here. You calmed and soothed him and gave him hope. If you're gone and Donna's gone, then he's alone in that TARDIS with only his inner demons to keep him company."

He squeezed her hand.

"That's why I hope to God if this does happen, we will have the TARDIS and I will have access to the chameleon arch, because the last thing I wanna do is face him and not have a level playing field. If I have my full Time Lord physiology, then I'll be able to take a hell of a lot more punishment than if I go up against him as a half human."

He smiled at her.

"But, there is a tiny ray of hope in this scenario. The Valeyard, like I told you, isn't completely mortal. He's isn't a full living being because the Doctor's future is in flux. At the moment, he's like a living thought that's made up of all thirteen of the Doctor's dark sides. That's how powerful the Doctor's demons are, Rose, it gave birth to that thing. And since he's made up of nothing but pure evil, there is no reasoning with him, no begging for mercy, no turning him to the light. But…if the Doctor turns, there will still be that goodness left in him somewhere and that is something we can use to save him. I hate to think of it because it's not fair to you, but if this does happen, you might be the only hope he has of becoming good again because you are the only one that can bring out the light in his soul. This time, Rose, you may be the most important person in all of creation."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

For the rest of the meal both of them were silent. Rose ate her breakfast, lost in her own thoughts.

_There must be something I can do,_ she thought. _Some way I can prepare myself if this does happen. _

She mulled that over while Alan paid for their meals and gathered their things together.

"You've gone quiet," he said as they left. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"You need to have a whole bunch of pennies for all the thoughts I'm thinking," she replied.

"Rose, like I said, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Yes, but…isn't there some way we can prepare ourselves. Maybe take self-defense classes. You know, there's this place that teaches you karate and taekwondo near Torchwood and I've always thought about taking lessons, but I was so busy that I never found time to do it. But, I mean, stuff like that…wouldn't that help?"

"I think that's an excellent idea," Alan said. "Not just for fighting the Valeyard, but just self-defense in general. It never hurts to have fighting techniques at your disposal whether it's for fighting aliens or human muggers. I say find the time and take the classes when we get back to London."

"And you could take them with me," Rose said.

Alan smiled.

"I don't need to take karate, I already know Venusian aikido, or rather he does, but I can imitate his moves."

"Can you teach me?"

Alan looked at her.

"You wanna learn Venusian aikido?"

"Yes, if that's what the Doctor knows, then I wanna know it too, so I can be a match for him."

"Okay, but I have to warn you, it's extremely difficult. Venusians have six arms and it's very hard for a two armed person to master it, but…"

He sniffed.

"I did it," he said in a pompous tone of voice.

He giggled when Rose smacked him upside the head.

"Anyway, I would love to teach you, but you'll have to keep up with me."

"Bring it on, grandpa; I'll turn your ass into mulch."

"Oh, is that so, little ape? Well, we'll soon see about that, won't we?"

"You're just asking for a beatin', aren't you?"

"No, I think you are, but you backward apes always turn things around, problem with dyslexia I guess?"

He ducked when Rose took another swipe at his head.

He smiled.

"I am glad you thought of this though. There are so many things I can teach you besides the aikido. I can also teach you things like how to endure torture and how to shield your mind from psychic attack and how to resist mind control. I can teach you everything that the Doctor knows."

"Then do it. If I'm prepared, then I won't be so worried if we do meet the Valeyard."

"Then, how does this sound? We start today with a few simple moves that you can work on and every morning we'll come out to the beach for as long as we're here and I'll train you. The sand will be ideal for sparring since you won't get hurt when I repeatedly slam your tiny body into the ground."

"P'eh, I think you'll also be hitting the ground a few times, buster. I have a few tricks of my own I picked up since working at Torchwood."

"Yeah, anyway…" he said, waving his hand dismissively.

He giggled and ducked when Rose tried to smack his head again.

"And once we're allowed to leave for good, we can also keep up the training and get our bodies in tip-top shape. I know I need to get this half human body up to par and if we're starting with Russia, that means we'll have lots of countryside for running and hiking and plenty of room to continue training. In fact, by the time we leave Russia, I'm betting we'll both have Arnold Schwarzenegger-like bodies. Sound good?"

"Very good."

"Well then, let's get ourselves to the beach, so we can begin."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty One

After about an hour, they reached Bad Wolf Bay.

"Now all we have to do is find a good spot and we'll begin our workout," he said.

As they walked, he looked over at the waves crashing onto the sand. He looked at Rose.

"Another thing we need to do is build up our endurance," he said. "So, how about this? Many cultures on Earth and other planets train their warriors by teaching them to endure extremes in temperature so they'll toughen up. I propose stripping naked, going in the water and letting the cold waves wash over us and slowly build up endurance that way. What'd you say?"

Rose looked at the crashing waves.

"For how long?"

"As long as we can bear it and hopefully, each time we do it, we'll be able to stay in a bit longer. If we're gonna fight the Valeyard, we need to have strong bodies as well as strong minds because he'll use torture in one form or another, trust me."

"And you're going in there with me or are you just gonna send me in and stand on the beach and laugh?"

Alan grinned.

"Well, the thought of making fun of you while you freeze your ass off is tempting, but I can't afford that luxury. I also have to build up this body and get it in shape and I need to go through endurance training just as much as you do."

They found a level area, laid the blanket out on the sand and put the rucksack down on top of it.

"So, what'll it be? You wanna start off with a few aikido moves or you wanna take a nice, soothing Norwegian bath?"

Rose looked at the water and sighed.

"Let's get it over with," she said. "Especially since I know you were just waiting for an excuse to see me without my kit."

"Yeah, but remember this whole training thing was your idea and if you want to be as good as the Doctor, you're gonna have to jump in to this with both feet."

They took their clothes off and laid them on the blanket.

"In future, we'll have to remember to bring the towels from the bathroom, but no matter, we can train naked like the Greeks did and the cold air on our bare flesh will add to our endurance training."

"And help you get off."

"That too," he said as she swatted his arm. "But for now, surf's up, my companion. Last one in the water snogs a Dalek!"

He took off towards the ocean with Rose following close behind him. He sprinted in without any hesitation, but the moment the ice cold water touched Rose's ankles, she let out a shriek and ran back out while Alan bent over laughing.

"Gee, that's not a very encouraging sign if you give up the moment a bit of cold water hits your legs," he called to her.

"It's bleedin' cold in there!"

"Yes, my love, that's the idea. I told you this was endurance training. It's easy to endure water when it's at room temperature, not get your scaredy-cat ass in here right now!"

"Eeeee, "Rose squealed, inching towards the water as Alan held his sides and laughed hysterically.

"Come on, I'm standing here ankle high in freezing cold water, I'd like to get this over with before my legs petrify and break off my body. Come on, bite the bullet and get in here."

Rose took a deep breath and ran towards Alan, squealing as the water sent chills up her spine. He grabbed her and laughed while she screamed and squealed.

"My God, you are the biggest baby I've ever seen!" he said, laughing. "And you wanna learn Venusian aikido? You won't even make it past lesson one with that attitude."

"Just shut up, so we can get this over with," Rose yelled.

She forced herself to walk out further into the water while Alan held her around the middle.

"Don't worry, amo'tiri, I won't let the big, bad water hurt you," he said, soothingly.

"Shut up, ya git!" she said as he laughed. "Oh God, this better be worth it in the end because I'm freezing my ass off already!"

"Well, I hope in the future, you learn to control yourself so you aren't thrashing in my arms and screaming in my ear. I would like to live out the rest of this life with my hearing intact and my body free of long fingernail scars."

They waded out until the water was halfway up their legs.

"And now, we sit."

"Oh God, no."

"Oh hell, yes!" Alan crowed. "Sit down and get yourself immersed in good ol' arctic water."

He laughed when Rose let out another squeal and they slowly lowered themselves into the water.

"Oh God, oh God, oh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" she screamed as Alan snorted out laughter.

They held onto each other and laughed as the water rippled around their bodies. Shivering uncontrollably, she wrapped her arms around Alan's neck and held on for dear life.

"Gah, could you let me breathe?" he gasped. "I don't have a respiratory bypass system like some people."

She loosened her hold slightly.

"Thank you," he said.

He shivered along with Rose as they icy water numbed their bodies.

"Can we get out now?" Rose said.

"What? We just got in here."

"I don't care!" she said as Alan laughed. "This is enough for today. I wanna get out."

"Ah, Rose, so inexperienced. You have so much to learn."

"Just shut up and go!"

Snickering, he and Rose stood up and ran out of the surf. Alan fell to his knees in the sand, howling with laughter, as Rose bolted towards the blanket, threw the rucksack off, flung herself down on the edge and rolled herself up in it.

"Aaaaah, Rose, Rose, Rose, that was the best laugh I've had since I was born," Alan said walking over to the quaking burrito. "Personally, I don't know why you're making such a fuss. My wedding tackle has practically retreated up into my body now."

"I'm cooooooold."

"Well, so am I, but I'm not bundled up, whining and moaning about a little chilly water on my body."

He sat down beside her and chuckled as he embraced his cocooned lover.

"So, bang goes the entire training course then?" he asked.

"No," Rose said in a shaky voice. "I will go through with this. I just need to get used to some things."

"Liiiiiike, learning how to sit in ice cold water until your tits freeze off?"

"Yes, like that."

He chuckled and kissed her cold, wet cheek.

"Have no fear, my quivering little snail; you'll get used to the cold water and a lot more besides when I get through with you."

"Good, I certainly hope so."

"So, are you going to come out of your shell, my turtle, and learn some aikido moves?"

"I vote we just snuggle up in here and lie on the beach the rest of the day."

"How is that training your body?"

"It's training my body to get warm again," Rose said as he laughed.

"That's no way to talk, private! Where's that British pluck, that stiff upper lip?"

"It's right here," Rose said, pointing to her face. "My lip is as stiff as a board right now."

She gasped when Alan grabbed the edge of the blanket and rolled her out of it.

"Come along, my pupil, daylight's a' burnin'" he said, tossing the blanket away.

Rose gasped as the cold air hit her damp skin. Shivering, she forced herself to get up and face Alan.

"Wow, your breasts are harder than a Terok's back," he said.

"And how hard is a Terok's back?"

"Bulletproof."

Rose flung her arms over her breasts when Alan ogled them.

"Oh yes, we've had sex three times and now she gets all shy and prudish," Alan said, rolling his eyes.

"What if someone's watching us, Timelord?"

"Do you see anyone around, Tyler? Have you ever seen anyone around? The place is deserted!"

"What if someone happens to come along though?"

Alan rolled his eyes.

"Then, we scream out, LOOK AT US, WE'RE NAKED, and do a complicated dance for them that ends with us shagging each other's brains out. I'm sure that will give the intruder quite a show and give them something to talk about back at the village pub."

He sighed.

"But, if you are that scared of being seen, then I'll wait till you get your clothes back on."

"What about you?"

"I don't care who sees me. For one thing, I don't want to get my clothes all sopping wet and for another, I'm trying to build up my endurance. You do realize that if we fall into the Valeyard's hands, it's not going to be a picnic and our prison cell won't be some five star penthouse suite. You wanna survive him or any other alien threat, you're gonna have to make a few sacrifices here."

"Okay, okay, but if we get arrested for indecent exposure…"

"Then, I'll teach you how to endure interrogation and how to pick a lock, now are we going to start or not?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

For the next couple of hours, the two of them stood together on the beach practicing some basic punches and blocks. The longer the day went on, the more Rose got used to the cold air on her skin until she no longer felt it. Alan patiently taught her the moves, helping her with her stance and the position of her hands and arms. He smiled when he realized just how quickly she picked up on everything.

_Yup, there's no denying it, Rose is brilliant. I'm so glad she thought of this,_ he thought. _This will not only get her in shape, but it'll ease her fears about facing the Valeyard if she has to. Plus, I get to see amo'tiri naked and sweaty, which is a definite plus._

They kept on training for another hour and then stopped for lunch. Alan spread out the blanket and they munched on some crisps and biscuits and drank cans of Coke.

"I vote after we eat, we take one more dip in the water and then we call it a day. How's that sound?" Alan asked.

Rose made a face as she looked out at the ocean, but after a moment's hesitation, she nodded.

"Yeah, sounds good."

"You sure? I mean, I don't want you getting a heart attack the minute the cold water hits your big toe," he teased.

"I can handle whatever you can handle," Rose said.

He leaned forward and stared into her eyes.

"We shall see, Grasshopper, we shall see."

Rose swatted his arm as he sniggered.

"Yuk, yuk, yuk," she said.

Alan's eyes bulged out causing Rose to nearly gag on the Coke in her mouth.

"A Jedi's power flows from the force," he said, imitating Yoda. "Learn much, you will. Naked, you will be. Stiff and aroused, am I. Kick the Valeyard's ass, we will. Talk like Yoda, difficult it is. Sounding strange, am I. Why anyone want to talk like this, beyond me. Stop now, I will."

Rose sniggered.

"Ah, that's better. Now I don't sound like I learned English from a staticky TV."

He slapped his hands together.

"So, one more quick dip in the pool before we come back and have a bit of a cuddle?" he said.

"After you. And this time I will try to stay in for longer than two seconds."

Alan's eyes bulged out.

"No, can or can not, do or do not, there is no try," he said in his Yoda voice.

"Stop channeling Yoda and get in there, you little maniac," Rose said, pointing to the ocean.

Alan grinned, took her hand and helped her to her feet. She laughed when he squatted down like a runner waiting for the starting gun. Rose imitated him and Alan looked at her.

"On your mark…get set…GO!"

Both of them sprinted towards the ocean, trying to outrace each other. Rose reached the water first and Alan howled with laughter when Rose let out another shriek, but his heart swelled with pride when she didn't turn back and kept going out further into the ocean. He followed her and when they got to the same place they had before, the both squatted down and kissed one another as the water lapped at their heads. This time they were able to stay in for ten minutes before both called it quits. Getting out, they ran back to the blanket, rolled their shivering bodies up in it and spent the rest of the day holding, kissing, caressing and making love to each other.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Okay, I'm speeding this up a bit because its chapter twenty two and Alan and Rose are still stuck in the town and if I keep going like this, they aren't gonna leave it until chapter fifty, so in the interest of moving things along and getting on with their journey, I'm going to put on my Time Lord hat, do a quick summary of events and move forward into the future.

Chapter Twenty Two

After a night of lying out under the stars snuggled in their blanket, Alan and Rose got up, took another dip in the ocean and did more training until mid-day. Then, they packed their things, shook the sand out of the blanket and headed back to town.

Over the next few days, Alan and Rose came back to the beach to train and build up their endurance in the icy water. By the end of three days, they were able to sit there for twenty minutes without getting out, which filled Rose with pride. Then on the fourth day, much to everyone's relief, Pete and Tony finally showed up. There was some tension between Alan and Pete when they finally met each other, the bulk of the tension coming from the fact that Rose was about to go off into the unknown with what was to them a strange man.

"Are you sure you wanna do this, Rose?" Pete asked.

"Yes."

He looked at Alan.

"And you'll protect her."

"With my life."

"And that includes protecting her if some maniac tries to abduct you while you're walking along the side of some road somewhere?"

"I can handle myself, dad. Alan's been teaching me Venusian aikido."

Pete frowned.

"What's that?" he asked Alan. "Some kind of Italian martial arts?"

Alan sighed.

"Not Venetian, Venusian as in the planet Venus. The Venusians there developed this fighting technique and I'm teaching it to her."

"There is no life on Venus."

"Yes, there is," Alan said, feeling like he was talking to a small child. "The Venusians live under the surface of the planet in giant subterranean cities. That's why the probes haven't picked up any…"

"Never mind, I don't care…" Pete said, holding up his hand. "Just promise me at the end of all this, she is brought back alive and unharmed."

"I swear she will be brought back alive and unharmed and if she isn't, you can chop me up and make me into cottage pie."

After that, Pete hugged Rose and she hugged Tony tightly and told her brother that he couldn't come with them while he cried and clung tightly to her leg. Then, to her surprise, Pete handed her purse to her.

"I thought you might need this," he said. "Your cash machine card, your credit cards and your passport are all inside."

He looked at Alan.

"What about you, you have a passport?"

"Uh, no, I didn't even consider getting one."

Pete sighed.

"You know, you might find it useful if you're crossing from country to country especially if someone finds you and wonders what you're doing wandering around with no apparent purpose. It may come as a shock to you to learn that some countries frown upon people just walking around inside their borders without any identification. 9/11 did happen here too and there are countries that are on the lookout for suspicious people who may or may not be terrorists. Now unless you want to end up in matching cells at Guantanamo Bay, I suggest you let me take you somewhere where you can get a passport or at the very least an ID card that will identify you to people."

He sighed.

"Course, now we have to lie to the government since you aren't a British citizen and if you were born full-grown, then we have to make up a birthday for you and that also means getting you a national insurance number, so you'll have it when you come back to London and try to find some work while you wait for this TARDIS of yours to grow and then we need to come up with a way to forge a birth certificate for you and…"

"Dad, just…calm down. Just don't worry about his passport right now."

"But, what are you gonna do if you get caught?"

"We won't. We'll both be very careful and if we do get caught, I'll use my passport."

"What about him? They aren't gonna let him go if you flash them your passport. You sure you don't wanna come back to London with us? At least, stay there long enough for him to get a passport and then you can leave. I don't like the idea of you possibly getting picked up and detained in some God-forsaken prison somewhere because he's not carrying identification. If you go back to London with me, then I promise I will pay for an airline ticket to wherever you guys want to start your journey. It won't kill him to ride back with us and spend a few days in London. I promise I won't bite his head off and neither will Jackie. Besides, I think you owe it to your little brother to spend some time with him, seeing as how you won't be seeing him for a year or more. Not to mention you could go shopping in London and get some more things you'll need. Just be reasonable, both of you, and think this whole thing through properly."

Rose looked at Alan. She could tell he didn't want to do it, but he nodded his head.

"Alright," he said. "You're right. I can't and I won't risk Rose's safety. I'll come back with you guys to London and get what I need, so we can travel safely."

"Thank you…um…Alan, right?"

He nodded. Pete put a hand on his shoulder.

"Look, I know it's not what you want to do. According to Jacks, you have all the Doctor's memories and you're his…twin and I know how much of a wanderlust the Doctor had and Jackie told me how much he despises the domestic life, but we're Rose's family and we have just as much right to see her as you do, alright? Especially her little brother. Now you may find this difficult to believe, but we want you to be a part of our family. I respect the Doctor, I always have, and I would love nothing more than for you to join our clan and have you as a friend. But, you have to do your part too, which is not be so hostile towards my wife and me because you think we're standing in the way of you going off with Rose on this worldwide trek and being alone with her. So, right now, can we just agree to be mates and get along?"

Alan smiled and nodded. He shook hands with Pete.

"Great," Pete said. "Welcome to the family then."

"Thank you."

Pete glanced back at Rose who was playing with Tony.

"And," he said, leaning in to Alan. "I don't know what your plans are about marrying her, but if you are considering doing that, then I will pay for the wedding and walk Rose down the aisle, alright?"

Alan nodded.

"And if babies are also in your future, that's okay too, but I agree with Jacks, use protection for the moment."

He held up his hand when Alan sighed.

"I'm just saying, as a friend, to use your head. Don't get all defensive, alright? I'm technically not her father but in the two years she's been here, I've grown to love her like my own and I don't want my grandchild coming into this world accidentally, alright?"

"Yes."

"Good, now let's get going. I'd really like to get back to London. I had to reschedule several meetings and take some personal days off to come up here and get you guys and I'm anxious to leave Norway and get back home."

He patted Alan on the back.

"But, once again, welcome to the family."

"Thank you."

"Oh, and Alan, just one more bit of advice. On this trip home, you can choose to sit in the back and sulk or you can choose to have fun and make the trip an exciting one, but it's your choice. Same with spending time in London. You can choose to have fun with Rose while you're there or you can sit around and gripe about how you're stuck somewhere you don't wanna be and bring everyone down with your sour mood, alright?"

He nodded.

Pete smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Right, let's get this show on the road then," he said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_7 July_

_This is the first entry I'm making in my diary. Alan is lying beside me in the back of the lorry and while he's sleeping, I thought I would jot down a few thoughts. It's kinda bumpy, so excuse my penmanship. It's been a couple of days since we left Norway and thankfully it's been extremely peaceful and harmonious between Alan and my family. I don't know what dad told him, but he's behaving beautifully and he's even bonded with Tony. He's so childlike that he can just play with Tony for hours on end and not get bored and now Tony loves him to death. In fact, I think he wants to spend more time with him than with me. I hate to think how upset he'll be when Alan and I finally do leave._

_The past couple of nights we've spent in hotel rooms, we've been continuing to work on the aikido, although we don't get as rough as we did on the beach, just a few basic kicks and punches. I actually think I'm getting better at it. Alan wasn't kidding when he said it was difficult to learn and yes, the little wanker teases me constantly about how he's so superior to me and how he'll whoop my ass using just his pinkie, but I look into his eyes and see pride there, the same pride that the Doctor always had in his eyes and it fills me with joy knowing that I'm living up to his expectations. _

_Oh Alan, I look at him now and see him sleeping beside me and my heart just fills to the brim with love. He looks so beautiful when he's asleep and it's hard to believe that he's mine. I never thought when the Doctor left me on the beach that he could ever take his place, but now he has. He has become my whole reason for living and I wouldn't trade him for anything, not even if the Doctor did find a way back to us. Even in his sleep, he still has his hand on my leg, whether that's symbolic of his need to protect me or his fear of losing me, I can't say. Perhaps I'm just reading too much into it, but whatever the reason he has it there, it feels good and it comforts me_

_The other thing I love is that Alan is becoming calmer and more peaceful now and I think a large part of it is our training sessions. I think sparring with me allows Alan to work out a lot of the anger and frustration he has left from being dumped here. This makes me even more thrilled that I came up with the idea. While he's helping me, I'm helping him in return and which each passing day we are bonding more and more and hopefully, that means that these doubts about my love for him are finally going away. _

_Oh, crap, we just hit something in the road and now Alan is waking up. I have to go now before he sees this, so until next time, this is me signing off._


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty Three

After several more days, they finally made it back to London. Alan sat in between Rose and Tony and watched the scenery pass by while they drove back to the mansion. While Jackie drove, Pete turned around and looked at them.

"Before you guys take off somewhere, I want you both to come with me to Torchwood. I made a couple of calls to Jake and not only has he convinced the higher-ups to give you the time off for this journey, he's also going to forge all the necessary documents for Alan as well, including the passport. And Torchwood will enter everything into the government database, so Alan actually exists. But you need to go in so Jake can take a photo and finish up the passport and also you need to pick out a birthday and give him your full name if you have one."

"I have one. It's Alonzo Arthur Timelord," he said, proudly.

Pete raised his eyebrow.

"Alonzo? You picked Alonzo?"

"That's what I said," Jackie said, glancing at him.

"It's…a long story, but most of the time I go by Alan," he replied.

"Well, I might also slip up and call you Doctor for awhile, so don't take offense, alright?"

Alan nodded.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to get you out of here in a day or two. Torchwood can forge the papers on the spot, so there's no wait. In the meantime, go to any shop you want and get whatever you're lacking and put it all on my credit card. I don't want Rose spending her money until you're out on your own."

"Are you sure, dad? I have tons of money saved up since I never really went out anywhere and I have credit cards."

"And you'll need them. Don't worry about using my card. Jacks bleeds me dry, so you might as well too."

"Oi!" Jackie said as he winked at them.

"Just go and get the things you'll need to get along out there," he said, handing her his card.

"Thanks dad," Rose said, putting it in her purse.

"Thank you for being sensible enough to come back here and get what you need, both of you. Now…may I ask where you were planning to go if you didn't come with us?"

Alan and Rose glanced at each other.

"Well, we were going to go through Russia towards Japan," Rose said.

"And that's where you wanna start? Because I will get you plane tickets to Moscow or Kiev," Pete replied.

Rose opened her mouth.

"Weeeeeeell…" Alan said.

Rose looked at him.

"You don't wanna do that?" she asked.

"Weeeell, I mean, Russia is a big country and it'll take awhile to get through it. I'd rather save something like that for more towards the end, wouldn't you?"

"It's up to you, Alan. I can go wherever you wanna go," she replied.

"Well, see, I've been thinking. If Pete is offering to pay, why not start over in America? Fly to New York, roam the country and then…"

His eyes lit up.

"We can end up going to D-I-S-N-E-Y-W-O-R-L-D," he spelled out since Tony was listening in. "And then, S-E-A-W-O-R-L-D and U-N-I-V…"

"I get it, I get it, you wanna go to Florida and go to all the theme parks," Rose said as he laughed.

"Well, how 'bout it? America is a big ol' country and I'm sure we're gonna need a few days rest after getting through it and I've always wanted to meet M-I-C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E."

Pete stared at him and looked at Rose.

"Is this how the other Doctor acted?"

"Sadly, yes."

She laughed when Alan swatted her arm.

"Okay, fine, America's okay by me. I've never been there either."

"Yippee!"

Pete stared at him as he suddenly burst into song, much to the delight of Tony and the embarrassment of Rose.

"WE'RE COMIN' TO AMERICAAAAAAA. WE'RE COMIN' TO AMERICAAAAAAAA. WE'RE COMIN' TO AMERICA, TODAY!"

He paused and sang…

"WELL, MAYBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE WE'RE NOT COMIN' TODAY AT THIS VERY MOMEEEEEENT, BUT VERY, VERY SOON, YES INDEEEEEEEEDY!"

"Oh, Lord, will you please shut him up, Rose?" Jackie said, glancing back in the rearview mirror at the snickering couple.

"What? Tony likes my singing, don't you?" he said, smiling at the giggling tyke beside him.

"You funny!" he squealed.

Rose's heart leaped when Tony reached out for him from the confines of his car seat and Alan lowered his head, so he could give him a hug.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After a half hour, they reached the mansion and after taking a quick bathroom break, Pete, Rose and Alan piled into the car while Jackie got herself situated and fixed Tony some dinner. They drove to Torchwood and after meeting Jake, Alan gave him his name and his actual date of birth.

"I was born that day, so I might as well use it," he said to Rose.

Then after getting his photo taken, Jake went off to finish making the documents while Rose showed him her office.

"Posh," he said, looking around the spacious room.

He wandered over and stared out the plate glass window at the London Eye a couple of miles away.

"Not bad, Tyler, you've done really well for yourself. Although, I never imagined you as the sit all day in the corner office doing office things type."

"Yeah, well, that's why I don't fancy working here," she replied, sitting down in the leather chair behind her wooden desk.

"You must have had some excitement though," Alan replied, turning to her. "I mean, it just occurred to me that I've been talking about the Doctor's adventures and you've never really said anything about working here."

She swiveled around and faced him.

"Because there's not much to tell. Up until a few months ago when the darkness started to threaten us, I basically did paperwork and gave advice on alien cultures and technology. I didn't even really travel anywhere until they built the dimension cannon and then that was just to find the Doctor and get in contact with him. I mean, it really isn't like traveling in the TARDIS. It's pretty boring here, which is why I'm so glad you decided to come up with this trip of ours. I've hated working here for two years and I'm not looking forward to another eight and a half or nine years after we get back. And, I would hate for you to work here with me. Seriously, you would find more fulfillment flipping burgers at McDonalds than you would being an advisor here, which I'm sure is what they would want you to do. I mean, Torchwood is great for times like this when you do need documents forged that would be almost impossible to get legally, but other than that, I can do without it. They're not as bad as the other Torchwood, but there are some practices and technology I find questionable and I'm sure you will too. I just wish there was some way we could speed up the growth of that lump in your pocket."

"Sorry, Amo'tiri…"

He paused.

"Unless…Torchwood…"

"No!" Rose said, holding up her hand. "Don't even think of it. Their motto here is if it's alien, it's ours, same as the other one, and don't doubt for one second that they will, at the very least, try to get you to use the TARDIS to do things for them if they don't seize it outright. No, I am not letting Torchwood or UNIT or anyone else get their hands on our coral. No way. I'll wait the ten years before I let that happen. Don't breathe a word to anyone that we have it, got that?"

"Got it."

They looked over when Pete and Jake entered the room. He handed several items to Rose.

"All set, passport, birth certificate, national insurance card, driving license and his medical records as well as your own. He's officially a British citizen now and you carry those with you at all times on your journey. Your mum has your birth certificate back at home, so make sure to get it from her before you leave."

"Why does she have your birth certificate?" Alan asked. "Did she have it on her the day you were at Canary Wharf?"

"No, my stuff is forged too and so were Mickey and mum's documents. Torchwood entered all of us into the database, so we existed here. Like I said, Torchwood is great for some things, but for others…"

Alan nodded.

"Now, now, missy, don't bite the hand that feeds ya," Jake said. "You shouldn't talk bad about your lords and masters here."

He chuckled when Rose flipped him off.

Alan took the cards, passport and manila folder from Rose. He grimaced when he inspected his passport photo.

"Ugh, I gave them a big smile and it looks like I'm completely soused," he said.

Rose giggled.

"You oughta see my passport photo. I look stoned."

She held up her hand when she saw the eager look on his face.

"You can see it later, for now; I wanna get outta here and go shopping or something."

She got up from her chair, took Alan's hand and all of them walked out of her office.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After spending the day shopping, Alan and Rose phoned for Pete to pick them up and after a hearty supper, they went upstairs to Rose's room to add their latest acquisitions to the rucksacks.

"So, now we have a couple of bed rolls for those nights we don't wanna be cooped up in a building and a hunting knife and Swiss army knife and some more snacks and a little radio and that oughta do it for the moment."

"Yup, hopefully the rucksacks won't be too heavy," she said, settling down on the edge of the bed.

"Nah, build up endurance. Besides, we can handle it. We're both tough fighters who took on the Daleks, we can handle anything."

"Too right!" she said, giving him a high five.

They looked over when the door creaked open and Tony wandered into the room.

"Hey, there's your buddy," Rose said, pointing.

"What are you doing in here?" he said, waggling his fingers at the giggling toddler. "You can't come in here unannounced. I need to give you a ticklin' for that."

Tony squealed and ran towards Rose as Alan got off the floor and went to him with fingers wagging.

"Sissy, help!" he yelled as he scrambled onto the bed.

"Run, Tony, run! He's coming after you!" Rose said as Alan spun around and followed him.

"Oooo, come here, ya little pollywog and get what's comin' to ya!" Alan said, putting his knee on the bed and grabbing for him.

Rose smiled as she watched Alan tickling Tony mercilessly.

"Disturb us, will ye?" he said in a pirate voice. "Aarrrr, I'll tickle ye to within' an inch of ya life, ya landlubber!"

"Nooooooo!" Tony shrieked as he tried to get away.

Finally, Alan let up and Tony ran squealing out the door. With a sigh, he sat down beside Rose.

"You know, I really will miss that little guy once we're gone," he said.

"Now see, I told you, if you will just be friendly and get along with my family, they'll be a family to you in return. You were so frightened about coming back here and dealing with them and now you're gonna miss my brother when we're gone."

"Yeah, I know. Well, I have the Doctor's genes running through me and all I can say is, old habits die hard."

"Well, now this is one more way you can set yourself apart from him," Rose said.

"Yup, I most certainly can."

He gave Tony a stern look when he saw his little head peeking around the door again.

"Are you back again, you little pest?" he said as Rose giggled. "Geez, I thought I just taught you to respect our privacy, but apparently you have as hard a head as your sister."

"Oi!" Rose said, slapping his back.

With a sly grin, Tony snuck around the door and inched into the room.

"Hey, you get outta here this instant," he said, wagging his finger with mock sternness. "I mean it. Get your little bum outta this room before I'm forced to tickle you again. Don't you come close to me, you're gonna get it! I swear. I swear you're gonna get it if you take one more step….alright….your funeral!"

Rose laughed as he leapt off the bed and Tony sped back out the door. He sat back down and his eyes bulged from his head when Tony peeked around the door again.

"You just don't learn, do ya?" he said, as Rose snorted out laughter. "I think I'm speaking English, in fact I'm sure of it. I…don' t you come over here…I'm warning you, I will tickle you, I swear…Tony…quit walking over here, I mean it. You are a glutton for punishment, aren't you? I mean, you must have some death wish since you just keep coming into the room. I…"

Suddenly, his eyes bulged from his head and he slammed his hands over his heart.

"Gah, I'm having a heart attack! I'm dying! Goodbye, Rose!"

He flopped back on the bed and laid there with arms sprawled out. Rose giggled when Tony paused at the foot of the bed and stared at him quietly.

"What happened, sweetie, your best mate keel over?" she asked him.

Rose watched as Tony crawled up onto the bed, crawled over to Alan's head and laid down near it. Alan bit his lip while Tony examined his face and squeezed his nose.

"Awan?" he said. "Awan, you sweepin'?"

"No," Alan said in a deep voice as he kept his eyes shut. "I'm dead."

Tony slapped him a couple of times on the chest.

"You wake up, Awan!" he yelled.

Alan kept still as Rose giggled and watched them play. Alan made loud snoring sounds while Tony giggled and squeezed his nose shut.

"Get your grubby peanut butter and jelly stained hands off my honker!" Alan said in a nasally voice.

"Why you no wake up, Awan?" Tony said in his ear.

"I don't wanna wake up because I'm slowly luring you into my tickle trap."

His eyes snapped open.

"Like this!" he said, grabbing him.

Tony howled with laughter when Alan jerked him onto his chest and tickled him furiously. He let go after a couple of minutes and sighed contentedly when Tony scrambled off him and ran out the door giggling.

"Yup, definitely will miss the little pollywog," he said as Rose lay down next to him. "We'll have to try to get him cloned, so we can have a Tony of our own on the TARDIS."

Rose's eyebrow rose.

"I thought the TARDIS was going to be for us and us alone," she said with a grin.

"Eh, I can make some…exceptions to that rule."

His eyes flicked over to her and he took in her amused grin.

"But, that doesn't mean your mum and dad can come in there. Just Tony because Tony's brill…like you are…although…he apparently still has trouble listening because there he is again!"

Rose laughed and leaned up on her elbow watching as Alan ran after Tony yelling at the top of his lungs.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty Four

The next morning Alan and Rose stood in the doorway saying their goodbyes as Pete brought the car around so he could drive them to the airport.

"Nooooo, wanna go with sissy and Awan!" Tony screamed as Jackie tried to pry him off Alan's leg.

"No, you gotta stay here, Tony, and look after your mummy," Alan said, gently trying to help Jackie. "You have to be a big boy for us."

"Nooooooooo, wanna gooooooooooooooo!"

"Oh boy, uh…now I see the advantages in the Doctor's swanning off without a goodbye," Alan said.

He leaned over and tapped the screaming tot on the top of the head. Tony reached up and let go to grab for his neck. Jackie seized the opportunity and snatched him up in her arms while Tony yelled and screamed and tried to get out of her grasp.

"WAAAAAAAAAAANNAAAAAAAAAAAAA GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Hey, pssst…pssst…hey, Tony," Alan said, waving his arms. "Hey, shhhhhhh…listen."

Tony stopped howling and with tear-filled eyes looked at his new best friend. He reached out for him with one hand while snot ran from his nose.

"Wanna go, Awan," he said, mournfully.

"I know you do, buddy, but you're only knee high to a grasshopper and we'll lose you in the grass out there. But, I'll tell you what I'm gonna do. We'll call every so often and talk to you and say hello and on top of that, when we go to…um…D-I-S-N-E-Y-W-O-R-L-D, we'll get you a greeeeeeeeeat biiiiiiiiig stuffed Mickey Mouse."

"And how we gonna carry it?" Rose said.

Alan turned to her.

"We'll tie it to your back and you'll carry it like a mule," he said as Rose swatted his arm.

He turned back to Tony.

"Okay, maybe not a huge Mickey Mouse, but we'll get you one just the same. But…you have to be a good boy and not cry and rip your mum's arms off her body when we go out this door, okay?"

Tony hesitated a moment and then nodded.

"I mean that, I'm holding you to this, alright? You have to be good because Mickey Mouse is depending on us to take him out of hot and sunny Florida, so he can live with you in rainy, foggy London."

Alan looked at Rose.

"That didn't sound too appealing, come to think of it. I think I'd rather be where the sun is," he said as she giggled. "But, anyway…is that a deal, little pollywog?"

"I wanna gooooooo," Tony said, reaching for him.

Jackie sighed.

"You might as well just go because nothing you say is gonna make this any better for him. Although I do appreciate you tryin'. Now go and I'll keep a hold of him until you leave."

"Noooooooooooooooo!"

Tony began to thrash in Jackie's arms as Alan and Rose waved, blew him a kiss and walked out the door.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Alan and Rose both flinched when Jackie slammed the door, muffling his anguished screams. They grabbed the rucksacks that were resting beside it and headed towards Pete's SUV. As they passed by the living room window, they heard someone banging on it and turned to see Tony's chubby face pressed against the glass, snot running from his nose while he howled at them.

"Yup, I can definitely see why the Doctor hates saying goodbye to people," he said as he forced himself to turn with Rose and head to the car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Three hours later, they were airborne and on their way to New York City. Alan sat by the window peering out at the clouds while Rose sat beside him.

"Well, we're finally up and away from London," Rose said to him. "How does it feel?"

"Wonderful," he said, looking at her. "Just wonderful."

He stared at her jean pocket.

"You think if we rang Tony, he'd still be howling?" he asked her.

Rose chuckled.

"Nah, all mum has to do is turn on CBeebies and he's in a world of his own. He's calmed down now, trust me."

"Ah, yes, CBeebies. The Doctor whiled away many a lonely hour watching the antics of the Teletubbies and Bob the Builder."

Rose stared at him.

"You're joking, right?"

"No, he was quite fond of those two shows. Oh, and LazyTown and Barnaby Bear…oh and Pengu. Yes, there were many things he did to pass the time while you were sleeping."

"He was watching children's programs while I was sleeping?"

"Oh yeah, sat there in his knickers shoving crisps down his throat watching Postman Pat. Course he got dressed and got back to the console room before you got up. But just think, if you had stayed up all night and watched for him like Father Christmas, you would have seen a nearly nude Doctor."

"Been there, done that."

Alan frowned.

"When?" he said.

"Who d'ya think dressed in the pajamas after he regenerated?"

"Oh, so it was you then. He always wondered and hoped and prayed to God it wasn't your mother."

Rose giggled.

"No, it was me."

"Sooooo, did you…"

Rose frowned.

"Did I, what?"

"Take a peek?"

He pointed to his crotch.

"No."

Alan gave her a "yeah, right," look.

"I didn't look at it," she insisted.

"Okay, then what did Cassandra mean when she said to you, "You've been looking, you like it." He remembers that coming out of his mouth when Cassandra possessed him and he always wondered what it meant. Soooooooooo…what does it mean? Because I'm thinking it means you were naughty and took a gander at the goods without his permission."

He snickered when Rose didn't say anything.

"Hmmmmmmmmmm?" he said, sweetly.

"What does it matter to you?"

"Just satisfying my curiosity. Sooooo, did ya?"

Rose looked down.

"Yes, but only for a second," she muttered under her breath.

"That's it?"

"Yes," she said, emphatically. "That's the only time I saw it."

"You sure, because that statement seems to imply you were looking at other times, say…in the shower?"

"I…"

She trailed off.

"Hmmmmmmmm?" Alan said, amused.

Rose looked him square in the eyes.

"There were a couple of times when I passed by the bathroom and the door was open a crack and I looked in and saw him getting dressed. Happy, now?"

"Mmmm-hm, you just confirmed the Doctor's suspicions. Because you might have thought you were being sneaky, but both of us have very good hearing, far better than humans and he thought he heard you breathing outside the door. Well, he heard you when you couldn't hold your breath any longer and had to let it out. But, he heard you. But, answer me this, Rose. You honestly didn't think he left that door ajar on accident, now did you?"

He grinned at the shocked look on her face.

"What? You really didn't think he was dim enough to leave the door unlocked with a female companion in the TARDIS, did you? Unless…he wanted you to take a look because you see, after he got out of the shower, he made damn sure he took his time getting ready. And you fell for it, hook, line and sinker. And it was longer than a few seconds, Rose. It was more than just a casual glance; you stood there and watched him."

"Okay, I did, I admit it. So, if he knew I was doing it, then why did you have to ask me?"

"Because I want to hear the truth from your own lips. You see, he would have never confronted you about it, nor would he have told you what he was up to. And truth be told, there were times he wasn't sure if you were really there or he was just imagining it, but he wasn't about to turn and look right at you, so that's also why I asked."

"But, why do you care so much? He isn't you, remember?"

"Yes, but I have his memories and uh…remember when you asked about his fantasizing and I joked that it would corrupt you. Ah, Rose, so little you really know about your traveling companion and the hold you had on his mind. He wanted you, Rose, in the worst way. But, he was trying to keep you at arm's length, at least at first, because he had this unspoken policy of not getting romantically involved with his companions and that worked, up to a point, but like I keep saying, you became close in a way no other companion had and well…he couldn't help but think of what might happen if this, that or the other happened between you. I mean, you're not the first he had feelings for. He did love Sarah Jane and a few others, but once they were gone, he could let go of them and move on with his life, hence the whole never mentioning her to you thing, but you were different. You…how shall I say it…permeated his whole being until he couldn't stop thinking about you. But…"

He paused when the flight attendant came by with their meals. They put their tray tables down, thanked her when she gave them the food and waited until she had moved further down the aisle before Alan resumed his train of thought.

"Anyway, as I was saying," he said, cutting into his roast beef. "he himself would never be that forward and ask you outright for a relationship, especially since there was that curse of the Time Lords crap to consider. So, he began the little hand holding and hugs and stolen glances and occasionally, a quick peck on the cheek or forehead when he was feeling especially bold. But, that's as far as the overt contact went, which is why he had to resort to subterfuge to…satisfy his inner urges, shall we say. And, he was hoping you were getting off on it too, which apparently you were."

He took a bite of the roast beef and made a face.

"Gah, tastes like bloody cardboard," he muttered to her. "We should have just brought the rucksacks on board and got the snacks out…ugh."

He took a bite of the mashed potatoes.

"Now this isn't that bad," he said. "But the roast beef…urgh!"

"So…that's why the Doctor couldn't tell me he loved me?" Rose asked.

Alan nodded with a bit of mashed potato in his mouth. He swallowed it.

"Yes, that's why, because after everything that had happened. He still couldn't bring himself to say what he really felt. And I was just standing there staring at him, thinking what an idiot he was and I really was hoping he'd say it since you wanted him to so badly. But, no he couldn't and when you asked me, I decided to whisper it to you, in part to spare him the added agony of hearing me tell you what he always wanted to say. Though why in the world I did that is beyond me since we weren't exactly best mates. I guess in the end I just felt sorry for the bastard. However wrong his actions were, he had his hearts in the right place and was only doing what he'd been doing for centuries, cutting and running when it became too much for him to bear. He never meant to hurt you by doing that, Rose, I'm sure of it. But, the Doctor is a creature of habit and it's always worked for him in the past, or so he thinks, so why change? Bollocks, I'm done with the potatoes and I have a feeling the green beans will be shite…eh, I'll try the cake, I guess. But, anyway, to make a very long winded explanation short, yes, that's exactly the reason why he didn't tell you he loved you."

"Then, if the gap hadn't closed before, the first time I got stranded, would he have said it then?"

Alan chewed on his chocolate cake as he thought.

"Good question. He wanted to, but once the gap closed, that was that and then Donna just showed up out of the blue, so he just went on with his life. Whether or not he would have if the gap hadn't interrupted him, I really don't know. I would hope he would have, but like I said, it's hard for him to say those kinds of things to people. He actually tried to tell Ida Scott to tell you he loved you when he thought he might die at the bottom of that pit on Krop Tor, but even then, when you weren't even listening, he couldn't bring himself to say it and just told her that you knew, which I'm sure confused the hell outta Ida. And you do know that he loves you, but that's not the point. Have you tried the cake, by the way? It's not too bad."

Rose nodded.

"The green beans really aren't that bad either, but I agree with you about the roast beef."

"Yeah, in future, let's stay away from it if we get on another plane."

"What about Martha? Did he have feelings for her?"

He shook his head.

"Not like that. He cared for her, but she must have taken that as proof he loved her because she became jealous of you for some reason, which puzzled him, since first off, she didn't know you and secondly, she told him when she first got in the TARDIS that she wasn't interested in him. But, like I said before, charisma."

"Martha was jealous of me? She seemed so nice when I met her."

"Well, she finally kinda wised up and realized that it was hopeless to try to start up a relationship with the Doctor when he wasn't interested in her, so she went and found that Tom Milligan that she worked with during the year that never was and they got engaged, so by the time you came along, there were no jealous feelings left."

He finished with his cake, tried the green beans and made a face.

"Nope, sorry, mine are waxy and dry. I'm done," he said, picking up his cup of coffee.

"Did the Doctor ever catch her being jealous?"

"Once. It was when they were on Malcasairo and he was walking in front of Jack and Martha and Jack was talking about being left behind on the Gamestation and she said something like, is that what happens then? You just leave us behind and Jack said, not if you're blonde and suddenly the Doctor just hears her saying in this snotty voice, oh, she was blonde! Oh, what a surprise!"

Rose's mouth dropped open.

"No, wait, wait, third trip out, he took her to New, New York and when she found out he had taken you there she said something like, you're taking me to all the places you took her? Other than that, there were all these little looks that she threw his way, which Mister Gormy totally missed. He's not really…adept at picking up signals from flirters, let's put it that way. Being half human, I'm more in tune with that kind of stuff than he is, so I can see it looking back on his memories. To me, the flirting was as obvious as being hit in the head with a sledgehammer, but to him with his Time Lord mind and lack of intimacy with women, nope…went over his head repeatedly."

"What did he say on Malcasairo after Martha said that?"

"He spun around, they stopped and he said something to the effect that they were here at the end of the universe, at the end of knowledge itself and they were busy blogging. Then, he turned back around and went on his way."

"Nothing to Martha about her being mean to me?"

"Rose, I told you, he doesn't confront people in that way. He wouldn't have called Martha on her behavior because that would have confirmed that he had feelings for you that went deeper than platonic love. When he first told Martha about you, he blurted out that you and he were together and then he just quickly zoomed past it and changed the subject. I'm sorry, Rose, I really am, but that's how he thinks and as painful as it is, it's probably always gonna be that way. I'm half human, which means I know how to express myself better than he does and I've made a conscious choice not to do what he did to you, which is why you knew without a doubt from the start that I love you. But, he's an alien and on Gallifrey they just didn't do the things they did on Earth because there was no such thing as physical reproduction and there was certainly no sex because of the looming and because Gallifreyans saw themselves above carnal matters like that. You know, on that planet it was all about the brain and how you used it, not how big a…penis you had and how many people you shagged. That's the culture he came from, so you know, you have to excuse him for that as well. He did love you, Rose, more than anything and he tried the very best way he knew how to show you that. It fell short by human standards, but actually on Gallifrey his behavior would have caused a scandal since normal Gallifreyans never held hands or hugged and they certainly didn't kiss each other. In his mind, he was going beyond normal Time Lord behavior and what was considered acceptable among his people to show you that he cared and that's why he was so stunned when you pressed him to say I love you. He sincerely thought you knew that without him vocalizing it."

"I did know it, but…"

Rose nodded.

"I get your point though. It's me, Alan. I kept on forgetting he's not human because he looks like one. Just like, I can't see…you know, the half of you that isn't."

They smiled when the flight attendant picked up their food trays and went on.

"But, I guess I expected him to act more human when he wasn't. Especially because he did know so much about human culture. I guess I assumed that he had the same way of expressing emotions that I did and I made the mistake of demanding too much from him."

"It's not all your fault, Rose. Another part of it is his depression and his insistence on pushing people away who get too close. Like I said, saying it confirms it for him and he won't do it because he's terrified of facing the fact that one day you'll die and leave him. So, another thing he does is he just purposely ignores signs or overlooks the flirting behavior or changes the subject when things get too intimate because it's out of sight, out of mind then. The Doctor is like a complex tapestry and all you've ever seen of that is a few strands. I doubt if even he could unravel ever fiber that makes up his psyche now. I think that's another attraction for you and everyone else, yes? The urge to find out all you can about him?"

He nodded with Rose.

"Yes, there is that mystique about him that is very seductive to everyone who comes in contact with him and especially to his companions. Every companion he's had has wondered about him the same as you have…well, except Ian and Barbara, I think they were too busy trying to get into each other's trousers to care about him on that level…and Susan too, but she was his granddaughter and that would have been creepy, plus illegal on Earth and several other planets, but other than that…everyone else has been in the same position you've been in when it comes to wondering who the man really is."

He noticed the interested look on her face.

"See, now you wanna know who Ian, Barbara and Susan are. Omega's orifice, I'll never get a chance to catch my breath, especially since you won't talk about boring old Torchwood in return. I'm gonna be guzzlin' water from mornin' till night just to keep my mouth goin'."

He rolled his eyes as she giggled.

"And of course there's over twelve hundred years of his life to tell you about. I'm gonna be running my gob nonstop."

"Twelve hundred years? He's only nine hundred and four."

Alan took her hands.

"Love, let's not beat around the bush any longer. I have a giganto secret for you. He's been telling people he's nine hundred years old for about two centuries now and before that he was seven hundred and something years old for a couple of centuries and before that four hundred and something. The man…is…vain. He's like those people who keep saying they're thirty nine, you know, the Jack Benny age, even when they're a hundred and two? Well, the Jack Benny age for him is nine hundred. I promise in several decades when there's no one around to contradict him, he'll go back to saying he's nine hundred. Not to mention the fact he's telling people his age in human years when in Gallifreyan years, he's a hell of a lot older. He tells everyone that so often now that the nine hundred is ingrained in his mind, at least for the moment. Gallifreyans can read each other's minds, which is why the Master mentioned that he would look nine hundred when he turned him into Papa Smurf. Yet another thing the man keeps hidden, but I've revealed it here and now to you. And of course, he regenerates and never ages, so it's not like you could call him on his age when he lies. Nope, he's just a big ol' fibber when it comes to his age."

He put his hands behind his head.

"You're just learning all you ever wanted to know about the Doctor, huh?"

"Too right I am."

He chuckled.

"Yup, I'm definitely a threat to the universe because I can just gab on and on about every personal, private detail of his life and I can tell you every juicy, sordid little secret if I so desire. He could have wiped my memory and left me a blank slate, but too late now, he's gone and I'm here with his former girlfriend and I'm just gonna give her the lowdown on every little thing he does."

Rose giggled when he rubbed his hands together and let out a sinister laugh.

"But, for now, I think I'll just drink my coffee and decide what salacious tidbit I'll utter next. Not to mention that I want to rest up before we reach New York. You know, it's the first New York since the original. That makes it…New York. Wow, that was easy, at least I didn't have to count out the word new in my head."

He giggled when Rose rolled her eyes. She snuggled against him and he kissed her cheek before he picked up his plastic mug and took a sip.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty Five

For the rest of the flight, Alan and Rose quietly rested. Alan stared out the window, watching the clouds while Rose worked a crossword puzzle in a puzzle book she bought in a gift shop in Heathrow. There were so many other questions Rose had for Alan about the Doctor, but she let him rest.

_We have a whole year or so,_ she thought. _There's plenty of time for talking._

Finally, when they were nearing the end of their flight, the captain came on the intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking; we are descending towards JFK International Airport and will be on the ground momentarily."

Rose felt Alan poking her side. She looked at him and saw the mischievous grin on his face.

"You hear that? They're only gonna be on the ground momentarily, I guess as soon as the wheels touch the runaway, we barge out the door before the plane goes up again."

Rose snickered.

"We like to thank you for flying United Airlines. We hope you enjoy your stay in New York."

"Now everyone run to the door because the plane's gonna be on the ground momentarily," Alan said.

Rose snorted out laughter.

"I don't think that's what the Americans mean when they say momentarily," she said. "I think he means we're going to be landing in a minute, not landing for a moment."

"Well then they need to get a British person out here to translate for the yank impaired. I don't speak Americanese. Are they trying to start an international incident or something?"

"Shut up," Rose said, laughing.

"Go on, dare me to go up to the cockpit, knock on the door and when they open it, I'll say, "I say, old chap, what the bloody hell do you colonials mean by momentarily? Dash it all, I don't speak the local lingo and I might jolly well throw myself out the door and break every bone in my bally body. I can't Adam and Eve what you are telling people, old bean. You septics need to watch your bally tongue, otherwise I might have to find a bobby and have them drag you off to prison where you will be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure. Pip pip! And then I'll run back here and let them figure out what I just said. How 'bout it?"

"No, I think you better just sit here and ignore the American's way of saying things," Rose said.

"Damn, I could have had a lot of fun with that. Ah well, it's a big country, plenty of time to confuse the locals. For now, I'll just be content to sit back in my seat and watch while the plane lands momentarily and goes back up again."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After getting off the airplane, they headed inside the terminal and collected their rucksacks from the baggage carousel.

"Okay, so now where do we go?" Alan asked as they walked along.

"Well, let's think," Rose said, as they stopped in the middle of the terminal. "We need to think how we're going to do this and where we should go first. Do you wanna go down towards Florida or do you wanna wait and go west and you know, there are a couple of states above this one. Do you wanna go up to Maine and back down or what?"

"Um…well…"

He looked around and noticed a gift shop nearby. He stared at it for a moment and then slapped himself on the forehead.

"You know what we forget to get in London, Amo'tiri? An atlas. How are we gonna plan things if we don't have a map?"

"Yeah, you're right. Come on then," she said, taking his hand and walking towards the shop.

"Ah, here we go, an atlas," he said, pulling one off the book rack and taking it over to her.

They opened it to the map of the US.

"Okay, so like I was saying before, what direction are we going to go?" Rose asked. "You wanna go right down to Florida?"

"Um…eh….well, not yet, I mean I'd really like to save that for last if we can," Alan said. "Damn, we should have landed in Maine and went down."

"Well, we don't have to go to every state," Rose replied. "We can just follow a certain path and cover certain states; nothing says we have to go to every single square inch of the country."

"Well, the way I see it we can do one of two things. We can either go west to California and then come back east and go down towards Florida or we can go down to Florida, up to Michigan, down to Louisiana, back up to Minnesota and go up and down and up and down until we reach California."

Rose stared at him.

"Surely, you can't be serious."

"What? It's just as doable as going west and then going east, isn't it? I figure if we use the loop-de-loop method, we'll get a broad spectrum of American culture and we won't spend months in the hot south or the colder north, we get both."

"Okay, but wait, what about Canada and Alaska, are we going there eventually? Because if we end up in Florida, we might as well go south to the Bahamas or go back to Europe and if we go to California, then we should go on to Japan or Hawaii or down through Mexico into South America."

Alan sighed.

"Yeah, you're right. Blimey, we should have started in Alaska then. But Canada's like Russia, it's huge."

"And the US isn't? Alan, dear, these little outlines that divide the states will mean nothing to us. When we're out there walking, the only way we're gonna know if we are in another state is the welcome to this state sign or goodbye, you're leaving our state sign. There aren't gonna be big black lines on the ground showing us the borders, which means this is just one big bloody landmass to cross, just like Canada and Russia. The only reason you wanted to come here was because this is the country of Disneyworld. So, what is the difference between this and Canada?"

"Because Canada and Russia are sparsely populated in places and I was thinking we would leave them for last because some spots would get boring and monotonous. America, at least, is jammed packed with people and cities and things to do. That's why I thought it'd be a good idea to come here first."

"Well, like I said, just because we're doing this doesn't mean we have to cover every square inch of the Earth. If you don't wanna go through Canada or Russia, that's fine with me. I don't care where we go as long as you're with me, alright? There's gonna be plenty to see on this journey even if we do skip those two countries."

"Hey, buddy!"

Alan looked over at the man behind the counter. He was glaring at both of them.

"Ya gonna pay for that? This ain't no library, ya know," he said in a heavy Brooklyn accent.

Alan resisted the urge to say something sarcastic in return.

"Yes, we're planning to get it. Can we look around and get a few other things as well?"

"Suit yourself, I just don't want ya standin' there blockin' traffic and readin' things ya ain't paid for yet."

Alan looked around and noticed they were the only ones in the shop besides him. Rose guessed what he was doing and what he might say and tugged on his arm.

"Let's just pay for the atlas and go, alright?" she said.

Alan nodded. He glanced over, grabbed a map of New York off the rack and carried them both to the counter. Rose quickly paid for them with the credit card and they hurried out of the shop and over to a leather couch. Alan glanced up at CNN playing on the TV mounted in the wall above them and then looked back at the atlas when Rose opened it back up to the US.

"Okay," Rose said. "As I was saying, what d'ya think? Where do you wanna go?"

Alan put his arm around Rose while he mulled that over.

"Okay, how about this," he finally said. "We've had quite enough of parky weather, yeah? We go down south and see Disneyworld and after that we kinda just angle back up north a bit and just gradually work out way up and down until we get to California where we can go to Disneyland."

He gave her a look of innocence when Rose eyed him.

"No?"

She grinned.

"And what about the theme parks in between those two points?"

"Oh, we'll visit them all. Just a whirlwind tour of the US and its theme parks."

"And I'm the one picking up the tab for it."

Alan gave her a patronizing look.

"Pete agreed to pay the credit card bills while we're out here. I don't think you have to worry about going over your credit limit."

"Yes, but I don't want him to pay a bazillion dollars every month because you now have an urge to ride every roller coaster in sight."

"Yes, but why not experience the full monty while we're here and do everything fun that we possibly can? You deserve it, my star light, you said yourself you've been slaving away for Torchwood for two years, not to mention you just risked your life finding the Doctor and taking down the Daleks. I mean, I'm not talking about breakin' the bank and putting your stepdad in stook. Aren't you the least bit chuffed about the possibility that you now have a chance to explore and have a bit of fun with your partner in crime without worrying about filling out reports and kissing the arses of your bosses?"

"Of course I am. But, we have to be sensible as well. And yes, I know I'm talking to the twin of the Doctor who didn't know the meaning of the word sensible. But, you're different from him, aren't you?"

She giggled when Alan raised his eyebrow.

"You're using my whole philosophy against me, aren't you?"

"Yup."

She patted his cheek.

"Don't worry, I won't be an old maid and sit in the corner and never let you have any fun. But just don't go ballistic because I happen to have credit cards, alright?"

"Alright," he said, pretending to pout.

Rose laughed.

"So, next question is, do we stay in New York and see some sights or do we just move on?"

Alan raised his eyebrows.

"Why would we land in New York and not see anything?" he said.

Rose nodded.

"My thoughts exactly. I think that whenever we reach a major city, we ougtha rent a hotel room and spend a night or two so we can see the museums or the landmarks or the shows or whatever. Sound good?"

"Sounds very good. So, we find a hotel in Manhattan and celebrate our first night on this journey with dinner and….perhaps a Broadway show?"

Rose smiled.

"That sounds wonderful."

She looked back at the gift shop.

"We need a newspaper, so we can see what's going on," she said.

"Oh God, you're not actually thinking of going back in there with Mister Manners, are ya?"

"I'll get it; you just sit here and look pretty."

She giggled when he shot her a look.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you aren't a pretty boy. I keep forgetting that," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

She got up, slipped her rucksack off and laid it on the ground beside Alan.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Just had a thought. How about getting a memento from each city we visit?"

"Alan, the rucksacks…"

"I'm not talking about something huge, like a postcard or something. Start a postcard collection."

He pointed to his pin striped trousers.

"If it makes you feel any better, these are specially made pants. The pockets are bigger on the inside, so I'll carry the postcards if you want."

"Wait a minute, if your pockets are bigger on the inside, why did we get bleedin' rucksacks?"

"Because for one thing, I can't stuff everything into it that we have, especially the larger stuff, and another, even these pockets have a limit and once they get too full, I do feel the weight. You're not a pack mule and neither am I. I figured it'd be only fair to share the load, but for souvenirs, I can use my pockets, so we aren't carrying around two tons of junk on our backs."

Rose nodded.

"Well, in that case, I'll get a postcard. Any specific thing you want?"

"Um….Statue of Liberty?"

Rose nodded.

"Gotcha, you wait here and I'll be right back."

"No problem

Alan leaned back and watched while Rose walked towards the gift shop.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty Six

"Okay, "Rose said walking up to him with a copy of the New York Times and a postcard. "Now we're all set to leave."

He handed the items to Alan. Alan gazed at the picture of the postcard while Rose slipped the rucksack back on.

"Is that alright?" she asked.

"Yes, it is. I love it," he said, standing up and slipping the postcard into his pocket. "So, what do we do now? Take a taxi into Manhattan?"

"Well, if New York is anything like London, we can take a zeppelin into Manhattan."

"We can?"

"Oh yeah, a couple of mates and I used to go up to Heathrow and ride the zeppelins all the time. The ones in London offer scenic tours of the city and I'm betting they have that here too. I figure there's no better way to kick off our journey than an aerial tour of the city, eh?"

"Sounds brilliant! Except…"

"Yeah?"

"Just gotta know, did the Hindenburg disaster happen in this reality?"

"It happened the same year it did in the other universe and rather than abandon zeppelin travel, people here studied it and found ways to make them safer and I can assure you, there's never been another disaster since. They're perfectly safe, Alan. I've been in them dozens of times. Now come on, let's go check it out."

"Okey-dokey."

He stood up, took her hand and they walked off in search of an information desk. Finding none, they went up to a man and a woman manning an Avis car rental booth and asked them instead.

"Oh yes," the woman said, smiling. "We have that. It's twelve dollars apiece and you head down this corridor and you'll see the signs pointing you to the tarmac."

"Thank you," Rose replied.

"Well, nice to know there are pleasant people in America," Alan said as they walked away.

They found the sign and followed them to double doors that led outside. Next to it was the admissions booth. Rose used her credit card to pay for their admission.

"Have a pleasant trip," the man said when she was finished.

Rose nodded and they walked outside. Alan whistled when he saw the silver colored blimp tethered to the tarmac several feet away.

"Hey," he said, poking her in the side.

"Huh?"

"You ever see Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?"

"Um…long time ago, why?"

"Remember that scene where Indy and his father tried to escape the Nazis in a zeppelin?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's time to play, let's pretend…come on, before Hitler spots us!"

Rose laughed as Alan sprinted towards the zeppelin.

"Hurry, Rose, before the SS catches us!" he yelled back.

"You are out of your tree, you are!" she called back.

"Come on!"

He began singing the Indiana Jones theme song while Rose ran to catch up with him. Rose blushed when she saw several people looking through the zeppelin windows at Alan, staring at him as if he were an escaped mental patient.

"Alan, quit it, you're scaring everyone inside," she said, catching up to him as he reached the stairs.

"Good, then they won't squeal to the Furher that we're onboard."

"Is this more of the Noble-itis at work?" Rose asked as they climbed the metal stairs into the gondola.

"Yup."

Once they were inside though, Alan stopped the antics and looked around the interior. There were several tables and booths directly by the big Plexiglas windows on either side of them. Scattered around the gondola were several people, a family, an elderly couple and four teenagers who were sitting in one of the booths giggling amongst themselves. Alan and Rose shrugged their rucksacks off their back, laid them under the table and sat down opposite each other in one of the booths near the front.

"Made it. Now, if we can just get out of Berlin before the storm troopers find us…"

Rose snorted out laughter.

"I can already tell this whole trek will not be dull for one instant," she said.

She laid the newspaper on the table, found the entertainment section and looked through it while Alan studied the atlas.

"Dear heart," he muttered as he studied the world.

"Hmmm?"

"Olympics in Beijing in this reality?"

"Mmm-hm."

He glanced at her.

"Wanna go?"

"Um, wait until I find out how much it is and then I'll let you know. But, I do wanna go through China even if we don't see the Olympics. Besides, I think the Olympics are in August. Unless you don't wanna walk everywhere, I doubt if we'll finish up the US in a month," she said, keeping her eyes on the paper.

She put her hand under his chin and raised his head to get his attention.

"Okay, here are the shows playing on Broadway. Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys, Phantom of the Opera, Spamalot and…"

She looked him dead in the eye.

"The Lion King."

"Oooo!"

Rose giggled.

"Yup, figured you would go for that one."

"If you don't wanna see that, then whatever you want to see is okay with me," Alan said.

She put her hand on top of his.

"Well, here's option two. Ringling Brothers Circus is at Madison Square Garden tonight."

Alan's eyes nearly popped from their sockets. Rose smiled when she saw the childlike grin on his face.

"See," she said, innocently. "I thought that might be better since I'm sure it's impossible to get tickets for the Broadway shows on the spot, but if you really have your heart set on seeing The Lion King.."

"Elephants. Wanna see elephants and lions and tigers and clowns! Sod The Lion King."

Rose giggled.

"You sure 'bout that?"

"Is my face considered pretty by all who gaze upon it?" he said.

"Mmmm, I would consider that a yes."

"Then make the call or do whatever you have to do to get us tickets."

He hesitated a moment.

"That is, if you wanna go…" he said in a voice that made Rose's heart melt.

She squeezed his hand.

"I keep telling you, I don't care where we go as long as I'm with you. If you wanna go to the circus, that's fine," she said.

His grin split his face.

"Brilliant, my first circus and…yours?"

"Nah, my mum took me to one when I was five, so…this will be my first one in eighteen years."

"Yay, we're gonna have so much fun. And, gotta get the little pollywog something as well."

He looked out the window when the airship lifted off the ground.

"Yup," he said to himself. "You and me are gonna have a blast."

Rose squeezed his hand and held it as the airship headed towards Manhattan.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard The LaGuardia. We are currently on our way towards Liberty Island for a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty and then we will be circling back towards Manhattan for the rest of our tour. So, just sit back, relax and have a wonderful flight."

"Can I get you something to drink?"

They turned their heads and saw a lady standing by their table gesturing to a well-stocked trolley.

"What do you have?" Rose asked.

"We have milk, coffee, iced tea and Pepsi."

"I'll have a coffee with a cream and two sugars," Rose said.

"I'll have the same," Alan added.

She reached into the trolley, brought out two plastic mugs and poured out coffee from the dispenser on top; she set them down in front of Alan and Rose and gave them their cream, sugars and stirrers.

"Have a wonderful flight," she said, smiling warmly.

They nodded and fixed their coffees while she went to the next booth.

"So, if we are going to China, I guess we're going to follow the loop de loop scenario?" Alan asked.

"Well, not like you describe it. But, just kinda make our way towards California," Rose said. "But if we're doing that, I don't think we'll make it to the Olympics in time."

"Eh, it'd be crowded anyway," Alan said, shrugging. "I'd rather not try to see the sights while I'm elbow to elbow with tourists."

"Same here."

"And you already saw the London Olympics with him, so it's not like you've never been."

Rose smiled sadly at the memory. It was the last fun thing she and the Doctor did before Canary Wharf. How naïve she'd been then, thinking that the good times would last forever.

"Not to mention we'd have to go through Japan anyway," Alan said, snapping her out of her reverie. "Unless we hopped over that, there's no way we could make it and I really don't wanna miss Japan. It's a beautiful country."

"It is, we went to Kyoto," Rose said.

"Oh yeah, that's right. You went there right before the transmat beam pulled you into the Gamestation."

Rose shook her head. First, she had been reminded of Canary Wharf when she lost the Doctor and now she was being reminded of the Gamestation where she lost her other Doctor. Her eyes shifted to Alan who was smiling, lost in his own memories.

"Yeah, Kyoto looked like fun," he said. "Except for that tengu demon you guys fought. I could have done without that."

He sighed as he gazed out the window.

"Aaaah, finally, I get to make memories of my own without having to rely on his secondhand ones."

"Must be hard living with memories that aren't yours."

"Nah, not really. Bit crowded though. I try to think of an original thought and one of his memories comes barging in. Bit annoying when it does that. Still, I'm just a bit over a fortnight old now, in time my memories will supersede his."

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you look out the right side, you'll see Lady Liberty herself."

They looked out at the Statue of Liberty while several people got up from their seats and walked over to have a look. Rose quickly reached into the front pocket of her rucksack, grabbed her digital camera and took a couple of pictures while they flew around it on their way back to Manhattan.

"Beautiful," she said.

The zeppelin finished turning and everyone went back to their seats as the blimp headed towards the city. Alan stared out the window at several other zeppelins in the distance.

"Hey, how come we didn't see any zeppelins until we got to London?" he asked. "I didn't see any in Norway."

"Well, right now only the richer countries have them. It's kinda considered a luxury," she said.

"Ah, I see."

"Yeah, we have them; the US, Germany, Japan, China, Australia, France, Spain, Italy, Egypt, Saudi Arabia…and I think India is just beginning to get some if I'm not mistaken. But…that's it, I think."

He smiled as she mentally went through the list in her head.

"Oh! And I think Canada and Mexico might have them too," she said. "I think. I'm not entirely sure though…"

Alan laughed.

"It's alright, I believe you. You don't have to burn your brain out ticking off the entire list of zeppelin-owning countries."

He wagged his finger at her.

"But if we get to India and there's nary a zeppelin to be seen, I will throw your butt in the Ganges."

"You do and I'll use those aikido moves on ya."

Alan snorted.

"Please, you couldn't kick the broad side of a barn that had a kick me sign on it."

"You want hot coffee in your face?"

"You wanna risk ruining my reputation as a pretty boy?"

"Good point. Okay, I won't throw the coffee there, but I will throw it another place."

"And I'll be rendered impotent and then where will you be?" he muttered to her.

"How'd ya know I meant there?"

She giggled when Alan gave her a patronizing look.

"Gee, I believe I told you on the plane that I'm half human, which means I'm not as thick as some people when it comes to figuring out veiled threats aimed at my reproductive organs."

"And on your right, you'll see the Empire State Building," the captain said.

The people all got up and walked back towards them while Rose snapped a few pictures. Alan pressed his hands up against the windows and stared intently at it.

"I don't see him," he muttered.

Rose frowned.

"See who?"

"King Kong."

She rolled her eyes.

"He's over on the Chrysler Building taking a break. Protecting his girl from dive-bombing planes wears him out," she said.

"Well, where's Godzilla then and the Ninja Turtles and the Men in Black and the Ghostbusters and the X-Men and Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four and the great big Independence Day spaceship and the killer ice from The Day After Tomorrow and…"

"Hon?"

"Hmmm?"

"Everyone's looking at you now."

Alan looked away from the window and noticed all the tourists were huddled around, giving him odd looks.

"Sorry, I'm British and I come to New York expecting all those films about your state to be real. It's kinda like the immigrants coming here expecting the streets to be paved with gold and finding out they're not. You New York people need to work on finding a solution to your lack of fictitious characters because I was hoping to meet Spider-Man and get his autograph."

Rose put her head down on the table when the tourists looked at each other and quickly moved away from him.

"I can't believe you just said that out loud to a bunch of strangers," she said. "Between that and the Indiana Jones thing, I'll be surprised if they don't open the door and throw you out before we land."

"Well, according to the films, New Yorkers are used to bizarre people and things, so I'm sure I'm just one more oddball to be avoided and ignored."

He smiled.

"Come on, I figured you'd be used to it by now, traveling with the Doctor."

"Yeah, you're right, I should be. But, don't go running through Madison Square Garden tonight squealing at the top of your lungs that you're going to see the elephants, please? I don't want to live out the rest of my days visiting you in a New York loony bin."

"I'll be good as gold tonight, I promise."

Rose's eyebrow nearly went up to her hairline.

"I'll believe it when I see it," she said, picking up her cup of coffee.

Alan chuckled, took her hand and they settled back and enjoyed the rest of the tour.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty Seven

After a couple more minutes, the zeppelin finally landed on top of a building near the Empire State Building. The door opened and the people debarked while the flight attendant thanked them for flying. Everyone walked over to a small building on the other side of the roof that was being held open by a man dressed in black pants, white shirt and a blue vest. He smiled and thanked them as they entered and went down the stairs towards ground level. Rose smiled as Alan walked behind, crooning Billy Joel to her.

"Some folks like to get away, take a holiday from the neighborhood.  
Hop a flight to Miami Beach or to Hollywood.  
But I'm taking a Greyhound on the Hudson River Line  
I'm in a New York state of mind."

"Very nice," Rose said.

"Thank you."

He smiled and continued to sing as they descended.

"I don't take coffee I take tea, my dear.  
I like my toast done on one side.  
And you can hear it in my accent when I talk; I'm an Englishman in New York."

Rose giggled.

See me walking down Fifth Avenue, a walking cane here at my side.  
I take it everywhere I walk.  
I'm an Englishman in New York."

He quickened his pace, caught up to her and gave her a pointed look.

I'm an alien I'm a legal alien.  
I'm an Englishman in New York.  
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien.  
I'm an Englishman in New York.

"Yeah, it's true. You are legal and you are an alien," she said.

"Yup, the song fits me to a tee…except the walking cane."

He took a few more steps and then stopped.

"I just had a thought."

"Yeah?"

"I'm a British citizen now."

"Yeah, and?"

He grinned.

"I'm officially a British citizen, which means England is my home, which means I'm officially a citizen of Earth, which means…I have a home world that's intact."

Rose's heart soared when he smiled proudly.

"I, Alonzo Arthur Timelord, am a citizen of the Earth. I officially belong somewhere."

He spread his arms open.

"Give me your poor, your tired, your alien/human hybrid clones yearning to breathe free."

He took Rose's hands.

"Well, come on, my fellow Earthling. Let's go and explore this vast and varied home world of ours."

He whistled, 'I'm an Englishman in New York' as he and Rose headed downstairs. They reached a landing and Alan noticed a heavy metal door beside them. Grinning, he grabbed Rose's arm and when she stopped, he cleared his throat.

"Once upon a time," he said. "There was a half ape named Curious George. Curious George's best friend was The Girl With The Yellow Hair. One day Curious George and The Girl With The Yellow Hair took a trip to New York. After a wonderful zeppelin ride, they stopped on top of a building and started to go down to the street. But, halfway down the stairs, Curious George noticed a mysterious metal door. What could be behind that door, Curious George wondered. Could there be a secret spy network, a ninja training base, the hideout of some diabolical genius? Curious George, being insatiably curious, just had to see where the door led to."

With an impish grin, he put his hand on the door handle. He tried it and frowned when the door wouldn't open. Rose giggled when he jiggled it a few more times.

"Damn it, said Curious George," he said as she laughed harder. "The incensed half ape stared at the door, extremely perturbed that he wouldn't be able to see what was behind it."

"Well, what'd you expect, Alan?" Rose said. "Despite what you think, this is probably just an office building and the last thing the workers want is tourists roaming the halls and poking into things. If it's like any other office building in the world, it'll be boring. Now come along, we need to find a hotel and get ready for the circus."

"Okay," Alan said, pouting.

Rose took his hand and they resumed their downward pace.

"Rose, what if a fire starts in the stairwell and we can't get out, what then?"

"Um…I guess we find the nearest door and bang on it, yelling and screaming, until they open it.

"What if they don't? What if we burn alive in the stairwell? Don't they think of things like that? That locked door equals a potential lawsuit!"

"Maybe so, but I really seriously doubt that we'll burn alive in here. Now come on or you'll miss the elephants."

"Lock me out of your building, will ya?" he said, as Rose giggled. "You just wait until I make my first sonic screwdriver and then nothing you have will be safe from me!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Rose made inquiries, they finally decided to stay at the Holiday Inn. They checked in and went up to their double room on the fifth floor. Alan smiled when they stepped inside and looked at the clean and cheerful interior.

"Ah, much better than Norway."

He looked up.

"And no Vashta Nerada on the ceiling, so we can sleep easy tonight."

"You sure you wanna sleep?"

"Correction, we will sleep easy after we get through with the wild tear the room apart sex we'll be engaging in."

"That's what I thought."

She looked at the bathroom.

"You wanna take a shower first while I make arrangements for tonight?"

"Gee, I don't know, I mean sharing a bed with a prostitute sounds kinky, but is it sanitary….oh, oh; you mean arranging to buy the tickets for the circus? Sorry, my mind was a million miles away just then."

He sprinted into the bathroom, followed by Rose who was hitting him repeatedly on the back.

"You are a complete pest," Rose said as she walked out of the bathroom.

"I'm just saying, if you wanna experiment with weird sexual perversions, I'm all for that," he said, leaning back out the door.

Rose grabbed his rucksack and tossed it to him.

"Take a nice long shower, preferably cold, while I get the tickets," she said.

Alan waggled his eyebrows and with a grin, shut the door. Rose smiled and shook her head while she reached into her pocket for her mobile. She carried the newspaper and the phone over to the little table and chairs by the window and settled herself down. She opened the entertainment section, found the number for Ticketmaster and dialed it.

"Yeah, hi, um…I was interested in purchasing two tickets for the eight o'clock show of the Ringling Brothers Circus," she said. "Do you have any left?"

She smiled.

"Great and how close can we get to the bottom?"

"Yummy, yummy, yummy, I got love in my tummy, and I feel like a-lovin' you."

Rose bit her lip when she heard Alan's off-key singing.

"Yeah, that would be fine, how much is that?" she said, trying not to laugh.

"Love, you're such a sweet thing, good enough to eat thing and that's just a-what I'm gonna do. Ooh love, to hold ya, ooh love, to kiss ya, ooh love, I love it so."

Rose plugged up her free ear with her finger, trying to keep from hearing him.

"Yeah, that's excellent. Okay, I'm putting it on my credit card. It's Visa and the number is…"

"Yummy, yummy, yummy, I got love in my tummy, and as silly as it may seem;  
The lovin' that you re giving, is what keeps me livin' and your love is like peaches and cream."

Rose was nearly on the verge of losing it.

"Yes, thank you, and we can pick those up at the box office tonight? Okay, great, thanks so much. Yes, you have a good day too. Goodbye."

She pushed the end button.

"Damn it, Alan!" she yelled.

The singing stopped and for a moment, there was only the sound of the shower running.

"What? What'd I do?" he finally yelled.

"I'm out here trying to get the tickets and you're in there bellowing out Yummy, Yummy, Yummy."

"What? It's a good song. I'm not allowed to sing in the shower?"

"Just…sing something else, alright? I'm gonna try to make reservations at a restaurant now."

"Um…okay, I'll sing something else then."

"Thank you."

She looked through the restaurant listings trying to find something that was close to Madison Square Garden that they would both enjoy.

"Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war.  
Waterloo - promise to love you for ever more.  
Waterloo - couldn't escape if I wanted to.  
Waterloo - knowing my fate is to be with you."

Rose lowered her head to the table and banged it repeatedly.

"Why, oh why, did I tell him he could still sing while I'm trying to do this?" she muttered.

Ignoring Alan's rendition of 'Waterloo', she dialed the number for Nick & Stef's Restaurant .

"Yeah, hi, I want to make reservations for six o' clock this evening. Is that doable? Great!"

To her immense relief, Alan stopped singing and she heard the shower stop. She gave the woman on the other end of the line her name and when she was done, she thanked her, hung up and walked over to the bathroom door. She banged on it.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeees?" Alan said. "What? Is my singing disturbing you again?"

"No, I got us reservations to Nick and Stef's Restaurant. It's a steakhouse near Madison Square Garden. I made the reservation for six and that'll give us two hours before the circus starts, okay?"

"Sounds fantabulous."

He opened the door and stuck his head out.

"Sounds abso-bloody-lutely fantabulous," he said, giving her an Eskimo kiss. "So, are you next for the shower?"

"Yeah, just let me get my rucksack and…"

She trailed off when he stepped outside the door with his rucksack. He was dressed in a white polo shirt, khaki shorts and his maroon plimsols. He noticed the odd look on her face and frowned.

"What? Am I not coordinated or something?"

"No, you're fine. Just…not used to seeing "the Doctor" in shorts," she said, making quote signs with her fingers.

"Well, unlike him, I don't wanna stay in one outfit 24/7," he said. "Besides I'm an Earthling now, might as well dress like the rest of the humans. Is this alright for the steakhouse?"

"I think so. If it's not, we'll go somewhere else," she said. "You be good while I take my shower."

"Yes, nanny."

He giggled when she flipped him off and went into the bathroom. He looked around when she shut the door trying to find something to do.

"Guess I could see what's on the telly," he muttered as he heard the shower start.

He walked over to the TV and picked up a laminated card resting on top of it. He studied the channel guide, but none of the channels sounded interesting. Then he noticed a little card beside the TV. He picked it up and looked at it.

Movies on demand.

Superman Returns.

Casino Royale.

Happy Feet.

"He's seen all three, therefore so have I," he muttered.

He looked down at the bottom of the card.

Adult Movies.

Body Heat 3.

Alien Virgins From Outer Space.

Alan's interest perked at that one. He read the directions, turned on the remote and turned the channel to the right station. Pleased with himself for figuring it out on his own, he flopped down on the bed and started watching Alien Virgins From Outer Space.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose sighed as she finished getting dressed. After the long plane ride, the hot water felt like heaven on her skin. She finished putting on her plum t-shirt and dungaree skirt and smoothed it down. She looked at herself one more time in the mirror before opening the door.

"Okay, my little Vashta Nera…"

She trailed off when she heard moaning and groaning coming from the TV. She noticed Alan lounging on the bed with a huge grin on his face and what looked like an enormous erection. Her eyes widened when she heard a woman on the TV saying…

"Oh yes, give me your seed, Earth man!"

"What the hell are you watching?" she said, walking around to the front.

Her mouth dropped open when she noticed a man coming all over a woman's breasts.

"Alan, what the hell is this?" she said, spinning around.

"Um…Alien Virgins From Outer Space?"

"Alan, those movies cost extra!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that. I thought it came with the room."

"No, the regular cable and the HBO comes with the room. The pay-per-view stuff costs extra and what the hell are you watching this for, anyway?"

"Well, the three movies up at the top I've already seen through him and Body Heat 3 sounded boring, but I was curious about Alien Virgins From Outer Space. It's not too bad. This race of sexy blonde alien women come to Earth because men died out on their planet and the only way they can have babies is to procreate with human men and they apparently absorb the semen through their skin, so there's been lots of ejaculation right on the woman's breasts, which I've never heard any alien species doing before, but hey, score one for human ingenuity."

"I'm surprised you actually cared about the plot judging from the huge boner in your pants."

"Well, uh, one of the blondes kinda resembles you, so…but not this woman here. She's…blimey, that's awfully messy there, if we did that, we'd have to lay plastic all over the bed, but anyway, I was saying that the one that did resemble you was on a bit earlier and that's when the little man came to attention."

He held up his hands.

"I was just curious. You know, little Curious George?"

"Well, in future, Curious George better lay off the porn if he knows what's good for him and if you see specific movies listed on a card, don't watch them unless you ask me, please? I'm the one paying for this room."

Alan got up and walked over to her.

"I will and I'm sincerely sorry. If I knew they cost extra, I never would have turned the movie on and this is just purely curiosity. I'd never seen a porno before and I won't be seeing one again."

"Well…nothing wrong with watching a porno now and again, but I'd rather we watch it together and…"

She had a thought.

"The Doctor never watched any porn?" she asked.

Alan grinned.

"Why? You think he was up there spanking the monkey at the console while you weren't looking?"

"Well, he was apparently watching CBeebies when I wasn't looking, so yeah, did he ever…"

"Um…weeeeeeeeeeell, he did a couple of times, but never when you traveled with him because you were the one he fantasized about, but the ones he did see, he didn't find interesting enough to watch all the way through. It was just curiosity about human behavior, same as me."

"Ah, okay, well now that you know what a porno looks like, in future wait until I'm with you before you see any more, alright?"

"Okey-dokey."

She turned off the TV.

"Now, do you want to go out and explore before we go eat?"

"Yup."

"Okay, let me get my purse then and…"

She trailed off. Alan noticed her admiring his erection for a moment with a slight smile on her face before she went to get her purse off the table. Grinning, he took her hand and led her out the door before closing it behind them.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty Eight

Finally, after a couple of weeks of drifting aimlessly, the TARDIS finally got through to the Doctor and convinced him to go somewhere, anywhere where he could take his mind off of losing Rose and Donna. He chose Lavinallia, a harmless enough planet. At the moment, he had no interest in fighting monsters or doing anything strenuous. Just a quick hike through the red leafed forests of the planet, enough to satisfy the TARDIS, and then back again into the vortex.

_Hopefully, she'll leave me alone after that,_ he thought.

The TARDIS landed and powered down while the Doctor stared at the front door, dreading his first step outside. As he walked over to the ramp, he paused a moment. He swore he could sense for a brief second the TARDIS's anguish in his mind. Although why she was upset, he had no clue. After all, he was doing what she wanted, wasn't he?

_Who knows what the TARDIS is thinking at any given moment_, he thought_. She's probably still just grieving for Rose and Donna and sympathizing with my loss._

Gathering his strength, he opened the door and stepped outside onto a grassy plain. The wind was blowing lightly causing the long blades of green grass to dance at his feet. To his right was a vast forest and to his left were several rolling hills. Other than the TARDIS and himself, there seemed to be no other signs of life.

_Good,_ he thought. _I'm not in the mood to…_

He glanced off towards the hills when he heard someone shouting at someone else to be careful. Groaning, he turned and started to go back inside, but something compelled him to see who it was. Whether it was sheer curiosity about whom the owner of the voice was or whether something deep within him was directing his steps, he wasn't sure, but he suddenly had an overwhelming desire to see what was going on. Closing the door, he stuck his hands in his pockets and sauntered over towards the hills.

He reached the top of the first hill and noticed a dig site below him. Several people were working on unearthing a huge dinosaur-like creature, completely oblivious to his presence. Fascinated, the Doctor stood on the hill, staring at the bones while he tried to work out what the thing had been. Beyond the dig site stood several large canvas tents and occasionally someone would stop working and rush over to the largest one, go inside for a few moments and then rush back out. This continued for several minutes before he heard a voice that chilled him to the very marrow of his bones.

"Alright, guys, let's break for lunch!"

The Doctor's blood ran cold when the owner of the voice emerged from the tent. He recognized her immediately and watched mesmerized as her long, brown curly hair bounced in the breeze while she walked towards the dig site. His throat went dry and his hearts began to race like mad inside his chest until he felt like they were racing one another. Suddenly, he understood why the TARDIS had been so upset when she brought him here. Rooted to the spot, he could only stare at the woman who was soon to become entangled in his life.

_She hasn't seen me,_ he thought frantically. _She hasn't seen me yet, so I could go back to the TARDIS and come back another day. I'll come back and get her another day, just not today, it's too soon and…_

"Oi! You on the hill!"

His thoughts froze along with his body when she finally spotted him. The other diggers stopped what they were doing and turned to look while she headed towards him.

"Stop right there!" she barked as she hurried towards the hill. "This dig site is restricted! You might damage the find!"

_Good, then I'll leave and come back in several more years…or maybe never,_ the Doctor thought.

He finally found the strength to move and turned around to head back to the TARDIS.

"I said, halt, pretty boy!"

The Doctor groaned at her use of the nauseating epithet. He slowly turned back and forced himself to look her in the face. Bile rose in his throat when the image of her dying in front of him flashed into his mind and he had to fight to keep from vomiting on her plimsols. She wasn't wearing a space suit this time, just khaki shorts and a red t-shirt, which made her look odd to him. More images of her flooded into his mind while she stood in front of him with her hands on her hips.

"Okay, who are you exactly?" she said. "This section of the planet isn't known for being a tourist haven, so why are you here? Are you spying on us, hoping to claim our find for your own?"

The Doctor swallowed hard and shook his head.

"Okay, well who are you then and why are you here?"

Terror gripped the Doctor. He had half a mind to tell the pushy brunette to piss off and run back to the TARDIS. He wanted so much to run away, never look back and never think of her again, much less take her on board. But…he realized with sinking spirits that he couldn't do that. She was a part of his personal time line and if he denied her the spot on his TARDIS, she would never meet his younger self and help save The Library from the Vashta Nerada and the paradox would destroy all of creation. Anger swelled up within him at the feeling of powerlessness he had over the situation. He didn't want to do this, didn't want to ruin this young woman's life, but he had no choice. For the good of the universe, he had to play his part in the wider cosmic drama. Wishing fervently that he had stayed with his Rose and given his clone the keys to the TARDIS, he swallowed hard, forced an "everything is peachy" look on his face and by sheer force of will made the words escape his lips.

"I'm….the Doctor," he said, loathing the name as it left his mouth.

"Doctor who?"

_Doctor I Wanna Get The Hell Outta Here,_ he thought.

He swallowed again, trying to lubricate his throat.

"Just…the Doctor," he said, wearily.

She extended her hand.

"Okay, Just The Doctor, I'm Professor River Song," she said.

Automatically, the Doctor grasped her hand and pumped it up and down repeatedly.

"Now, since you aren't telling me your full name, I'm assuming you're a spy, is that cor…um…you can stop shaking my hand now."

The Doctor glanced down and noticed that he was still pumping her hand up and down without even realizing it. He quickly jerked his hand away with a muttered apology. River nodded.

"Apology accepted. Now, who are you?"

The Doctor sighed.

"I'm just…a traveler," he said, tired of repeating the same snatch of dialogue over and over to countless people.

_Pretty soon I'll have to show her the TARDIS and then it'll be the whole walking around it, going in, bigger on the inside jazz, _he thought, bitterly.

River regarded the man quietly when she noticed he seemed lost in his thoughts. He was tall, thin and gangly with tousled hair. A bit too thin for her liking but he had a pretty baby face that was pleasant to look at and more than made up for it. But the most striking feature about him was his eyes. Even though he was a young man, his eyes looked ancient to her, almost alien. And so sad. He looked like he had just lost his best friend a thousand times over. There was a weariness to them that bespoke of countless tragedies that she could only begin to guess at. Even though he had a neutral expression on his face, his eyes held sorrow within them that went far beyond his years. Staring into them, she felt the anger she had inside replaced by sympathy and her demeanor instantly changed. Somehow, she sensed, this man was telling her the truth.

"Okay," she said, more gently. "So, you're a traveler. Why come here then? I mean this isn't exactly on the beaten path. The nearest city is a hundred miles away."

"I…"

The Doctor floundered around for an explanation.

"I just wanna be alone," he said, finally settling for the truth.

River felt her heart ache. The way he had said that, it was like a little lost boy that needed to be comforted by his mummy and it made her want to hold him and ease whatever heartache he was going through.

"Well, look, I don't know why, but I trust you and if you are a traveler, then you're welcome to come into my tent and have a cup of tea and rest, alright?"

She noticed him stiffen his body before he finally nodded.

"Look, just follow me and I'll get you something to drink," she said, taking his hand.

Again, she noticed the slight stiffening of the body before he followed her around the dig site towards the tent. On the way, she pointed down to the dinosaur.

"I don't know how familiar you are with this planet, but that's an Ososaurus. Lived two million years ago and it's extremely rare to find a skeleton intact, which is why we're on the lookout for spies from rival camps. There are several digs going on besides ours and any one of them would be chomping at the bit to get this. Worth a lot of money and prestige once we get it back to the museum."

The Doctor nodded, only half listening. Reaching the tent, River pulled back the flap and let him inside. There was a wooden table with chairs on one side and a small cot on the other. On top of the table were several maps and diagrams and a metal lantern, currently unlit.

"Please sit," she said.

Again the moment of hesitation before the Doctor sunk into the nearest chair. River walked over to a small refrigerator that had a hotplate on top and picked up a teapot that was resting on it. She grabbed a mug from a basket beside the refrigerator and poured him some tea.

"Anything with it? Sugar, cream, lemon juice?"

"No thanks, I'll take it black," the Doctor said.

River set the mug down in front of him and settled herself into the seat opposite from his.

"So, you travel. Where have you traveled to?"

"All over," the Doctor said, dully.

River frowned, the curiosity finally getting the better of her.

"Listen, I don't mean to pry, but are you alright? You look like you just lost your best friend."

She noticed the pained look for a moment before the poker face quickly reasserted itself. He stared at her and River sensed he was debating whether or not to tell her the truth. Finally, he nodded.

"I lost two best friends," he said.

River leaned forward, thankful that they were finally getting somewhere.

"How?" she said. "If you don't mind me asking."

She recoiled when just for an instant, anger flashed in his eyes and then, just as quickly, the weariness came back.

"It's a long story," he said. "A very long story."

River smiled.

"Well, that skeleton outside is gonna take awhile to uncover and I'm not going anywhere if you wanna talk about it."

"No!"

River was taken aback. With that one spat out word, she sensed a flood of bottled up hostility that lay beneath the passive persona. She watched as he blinked and cleared his throat.

"I mean, no, I really don't wanna talk about it," he said in a much gentler tone of voice.

River nodded, not wanting to press the issue. She hoped he would say what was wrong eventually, she hadn't known him for long, but the man was fascinating to her. She could sense there was more to him than met the eye and she was anxious to keep him talking in the hope he would reveal more of himself to her.

Unfortunately, she never got that chance because at the very moment, they heard terrified screams from the other diggers. Both of them leaped to their feet and bolted towards the opening. The Doctor reached it first, shoved back the flap and stood there awestruck as he watched the Ososaurus skeleton come to life and rise up out of the packed Earth it had laid in for untold eons. River stood behind him, hardly daring to believe her eyes as her fellow diggers threw their sack lunches up in the air and scattered in all directions.

"What the hell?" River said. "It can't do that. That's impossible!"

The Doctor felt his hearts sink to the ground.

_And so it begins,_ he thought as he whipped out his screwdriver and ran towards the rampaging bone beast.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty Nine

Rose was feeling like she was on top of the world. She and Alan had spent the day walking around Manhattan, seeing the sights and although it would have been hard for her to believe a fortnight ago, she was having the time of her life and was happier than she had been in a long time. Alan, ever the clown, was keeping her entertained with songs and teasing and general goofiness. They had just left the New York Public Library, which was like Mecca to him and she thrilled to the fact that he seemed to be in seventh heaven as he wandered around looking at the dusty bookshelves with his jaw nearly to the floor. They had visited the Empire State Building, which prompted Alan to ask if King Kong was back and remind her that the Doctor had been to the parallel one with Martha when they battled the Cult of Skaro. He had teased her about hoping for a thunderstorm so he could visually demonstrate how the Doctor survived his barbecuing and laughed when Rose declined.

Looking at him, Rose could see that there was a distinct change from the man who stood with her on the beach not too long ago. The fact that they were free and roaming the country, the sparring they had been engaging in and Rose's influence all helped to lighten his mood and turn him into the version of the Doctor she knew and loved. In fact, she felt he was an improvement over the Doctor. He had such a bubbly personality coupled with a witty way of speaking that he guessed came in part from his contact with Donna. His insistence on not being controlled by the Doctor's demons also helped to lighten his mood and Rose guessed that Alan was what the Doctor would be like if he wasn't weighed down by the universe. Even though she loved the Doctor and enjoyed traveling with him, the dour moods he had from time to time had gotten to her at times and there were days when she wished he would either lighten up or stay back in the TARDIS while she went off on her own. But, so far, she hadn't had those feelings with Alan. He was the perfect traveling companion, filled with knowledge but at the same time willing to be the butt of the joke just to hear her laugh, which she figured was the main point of all the clowning around. In fact, she sensed a lot of the goofiness was for her benefit, to keep her spirits up and help her get past mourning the Doctor. Whatever the reason, she was enjoying every moment of it and was more than willing to pay for things that would help keep the pleasant mood going.

The other thing she loved was his childlike way of looking at the world. While they walked along, Alan's head was almost always looking skyward at the huge skyscrapers and he was making numerous comments about the beauty of them. He was doing this so much that Rose frequently had to tug on his arm and get him to look where he was going before he ran into other people. At one point, she had decided to go to an ATM and get some cash out just in case they needed some and this prompted an entire lesson about how to use an ATM card with Alan as interested pupil. She smiled as he stood by her side soaking up everything she said and did like a sponge. She even let him try it out and beamed at the delighted expression on his face when the door opened and the money came out. This prompted more enthusiastic ramblings about how brilliant humans were and endeared him to Rose that much more.

Finally, it was nearing six and Rose pulled out the written directions to the steakhouse and walked with him there. Once they were inside, she gave them her name and was relieved when they didn't say anything about their casual attire. The hostess led them to a table near the back and once they were settled in, the waitress came over, took their orders for two coffees and a plate of cheese sticks and left them on their own. Alan looked around at the elegant décor, took Rose's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"This was an amazing day," he said as they picked up their menus.

"Yes, it was."

Alan gazed at her over the top of his menu.

"You look so beautiful."

"So do you."

She giggled at the incensed look on his face.

"Sorry, I keep forgetting you're not a pretty boy," she said as he grinned.

Alan sighed.

"I can't wait to see the circus."

"Neither can I."

"He met PT Barnum once, you know. PT tried to convince him the Fiji Mermaid was real, but he was having none of that, which made PT angry. Plus, he got even angrier when he insisted on trying to ride Jumbo and kept asking him for a ladder, so he could climb up and then after that, he went with Tom Thumb and his wife to a cast party and danced the night away."

"I'm sorry, but I just gotta ask. All those times he name dropped, were all those real or was he making some of it up?"

Alan smiled.

"Bit of both. He did meet famous people as did you, but sometimes he just couldn't help trying to pull the wool over people's eyes and tell people he did things with famous people that he really had no hand in."

"That's what I thought," Rose said as he giggled. "I kept on thinking all these stories about helping Shakespeare with his sonnets or Beethoven with his symphonies was too good to be true. But, this story you're telling me, is this true?"

"Oh yeah, it's true, trust me," he said, winking. "The Doctor wouldn't be the Doctor without a tall tale now and again."

They looked over when the waitress set a plate of cheese sticks and sauce between them. They thanked her and she walked away. Alan picked up a cheese stick and scrutinized it.

"Hmmm, he never had these," he said.

Rose was gobsmacked.

"He never had cheese sticks?"

Alan shook his head.

"No, the whole idea of melted cheese encased in batter didn't appeal to him. But what the hell, I'll take a chance."

He bit down and chewed while Rose watched him. She snickered when a delighted look came over his face.

"And he was stupid git for passing these up," he said. "My God, this is brilliant. Almost as ingenious as the edible ball bearings. Cheesy, gooey goodness that melts in your mouth."

He popped the remainder in his mouth and sighed contentedly while he chewed.

"Thank you for getting these," he said with a mouthful of food.

"You're welcome," Rose said, smiling.

They both dug into them, Rose giggling when she reached for one and Alan smacked her hand and pulled the plate towards him.

"Oi, now I'm the one who's paying for these," she said. "Give me some as well."

She feigned anger when Alan picked up her hand and placed a crumb in her palm.

"There you go, enjoy," he said.

He sniggered as Rose grabbed the plate and put it back in the middle of the table. Grinning, he picked one up, pulled off a bit of it and placed it in her open mouth. He popped the rest of it in his mouth while he resumed his perusal of the menu.

"I think I'll get a steak dinner with the baked potato," he said. "How about you?"

"I'm leaning more towards chicken," Rose said, reaching for another cheese stick. "Not really in the mood for steak right now."

"Is steak good?"

Rose glanced at him.

"I mean, I only have his memories and it's hard to judge from that. Is steak and baked potato good?"

"Oh yeah, very good. Get the sirloin. That's my favorite."

"Okey-dokey, my little food expert. Sirloin, it is."

He glanced up when he noticed Rose shifting in her seat while she made a pained face.

"Amo'tiri, what's wrong?" he said, alarmed.

"My back hurts, I'm not used to lugging around rucksacks, not to mention the walking kinda wore me out."

"Yeah, I know how you feel. My back is aching a bit too."

Rose grabbed her purse, reached inside and bought out a tiny bottle of aspirin. She opened it, shook two tablets out on her palm and held it out to Alan.

"Aspirin? Might help the ache in your…"

She was taken aback when Alan recoiled as if it were a poisonous snake.

"Alan? What's wrong?"

"Don't ever offer me aspirin," he said.

Rose frowned.

"Why?"

"It's fatal for me."

"Oh, come on, Alan."

"No," he said, looking her dead in the eye. "I'm not joking this time. Aspirin can kill Gallifreyans. I may be only half, but I'm not about to take that chance. Anything else is fine, but no aspirin ever, do you understand me?"

Rose nodded, dumbstruck.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. I mean, the Doctor never told me this."

"I know he didn't and it's because he had other pain remedies on the TARDIS that he could take if he needed to, but just be aware that I can't take that stuff, please."

Rose nodded. He relaxed when she put the aspirin in her mouth, took a sip of water and put the bottle back in her purse. She quickly rubbed the residue off on a napkin.

"It's hard to believe that a little pill could kill you like that," she said. "It's kinda like War of the Worlds when the aliens ended up being destroyed by human viruses."

Alan nodded.

"Yeah, It's odd that such a little thing could kill him especially after all the battles he's been through, but then again, humans can die from beestings or shellfish or a host of other things. It's just a part of my physiology."

"Well, in future, I'll be sure to get you a bottle of ibuprofen or paracetamol."

"If you do, let me carry it, so you don't accidentally get the two mixed up."

Rose nodded. They looked over when the waitress came back. Alan ordered the steak dinner while Rose ordered broasted chicken with French fries. The waitress topped off their coffees and left.

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After dinner, they headed towards Madison Square Garden. On the way there, they stopped into a little shop and Rose got Alan some ibuprofen and bottled water so he would be comfortable for the rest of the night. Alan took two of the tablets and put the bottle in his pocket.

It was a short walk to the arena and after locating the box office, Rose picked up the tickets and they went inside. There was already a ton of people and both of them held hands as they navigated through the throng. There was a miasma of smells from the food and countless souvenir stands lined the corridor. They stopped and got a small stuffed elephant for Tony and a program for them and headed towards their seats. Along the way, Rose stopped at a concession stand.

"You want something to eat?" she said.

Alan studied the menu on the wall behind the vendor.

"Candy floss sounds good," he said.

"Me too and some popcorn as well," she said.

Alan got into line. He stood slightly ahead of her in the line while Rose looked through her purse.

"Hey there, baby."

Alan's ears perked when he heard a man's voice behind him. He turned and noticed a big, burly man was chatting up Rose while she sighed angrily.

"You here on your own?" he purred.

"No, actually, she's with me."

The man's eyes darted to him and he blushed when he saw the angry look on his face.

"Sorry, Mac, I didn't know she was your girl," he said, holding up his hands.

"Yup, she is," he said as Rose smiled gratefully.

After a few more minutes, they finally reached the front of the line. Rose paid for their food and they hurried on, anxious to find their seats before the show started.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Alan and Rose finally located their seats a few rows away from the floor of the arena and settled down. Rose was on the aisle while Alan set next to her. Alan put the stuffed elephant in his lap, opened the program and stared at the pictures while Rose readied her digital camera.

"Hey," she said to Alan.

He looked up and saw her aiming the camera at him.

"Why are you taking a picture of me?"

'Because I want to."

Alan shrugged. He turned the program around and showed the camera an enormous picture of a parade while he grinned. Rose took the picture and he went back to reading the program. While he was reading, he became aware that someone was looking at the program with him. He looked over and saw a four year old girl sitting beside him with little blonde curly hair.

"Hi," she said to him.

Alan smiled.

"Hello there. You excited about the circus?"

"Uh-huh."

"What's your name?"

"Rachel."

"Hi, I'm Alan. It's nice to meet you."

"What you doin'?"

"I'm looking at this program. You wanna look with me?"

"Uh-huh."

Rose smiled as the little girl leaned her head onto Alan's arm and looked at the program with him. She looked over towards the aisle when she noticed someone walking down the stairs carrying a load of souvenirs. She stared at the glow sticks for a moment before stopping him.

"Could I get two glow sticks please?" she said as Alan turned his head and watched her.

She paid for them and showed them off to a perplexed Alan.

"You don't know what these are?"

Alan shook his head.

"Watch."

She took one and snapped it. Alan's eyes lit up when the long plastic cord began to glow green.

"They're glow sticks. They glow in the dark, see?"

She handed the other one to Alan. He snapped it and smiled when it began to glow.

"Brilliant!" he said. "Once more, human ingenuity."

His eyes shifted to Rachel and his smile widened when he saw the fascinated look on her face.

"Neat, huh?" he asked her.

"Uh-huh."

He saw green flashes out of the corner of his eye and turned his head. Rose was holding on to the end of the glow stick and was spinning it around in front of her. Alan repeated the movement and smiled when he heard Rachel laughing. He noticed her staring at the stuffed elephant intently and he picked it up and made it dance on her head while she giggled hysterically. Her mother, who was on the other side of Rachel, smiled at that.

"You make a new friend, hon?" she asked.

Rachel nodded.

"He's funny, mommy."

Alan smiled at the woman.

"Nice to meet you," he said.

"You too, I'm Jessica."

"I'm Alan and this is Rose," he said as Rose waved at them.

"You're British?" Jessica asked.

Alan nodded.

"My husband's parents are British. They live in Sheffield. I've been with him to see them a couple of times. I love England. It's a beautiful country."

"Yes, it is."

"So, where are you from?"

"We're from London."

"Oh, I haven't visited London yet. Is it nice?"

"It's okay. It's a big, bustling city like New York," Alan said.

"Why you talk funny?" Rachel asked.

"Honey, that's not very nice."

"Nah, it's okay," Alan said.

He smiled at her.

"I come from England. That's why I talk differently."

"Where's that?"

"Oh, it's waaaaaaaaaay over there across the ocean. It's an island."

"You talk funny."

Alan feigned anger.

"I do not. You talk funny."

"No, I don't. you do!"

"No, you do."

"No, you do!" Rachel said, giggling.

He smiled and tickled under her arm before he went back to his program.

"You know what?" Rose said.

He looked at her.

"What?"

"I think you oughta become a grammar school teacher. You're just brilliant with children," she said.

"I love children. They're so innocent and they're not afraid to be themselves and have fun. It's too bad they can't stay like that."

"You still talkin' funny."

Rose giggled when Alan snapped his head around and gave her a wide-eyed look. He smiled when Rachel laughed at him.

"See, I told ya, you oughta be a teacher," Rose said. "I think you'd be much happier doing that than working at Torchwood."

"Yeah, you're right; I might look in to that or do something with kids. I…"

He turned his head around when Rachel took the elephant from his lap.

"Rachel Anne, you put that back this instant," Jessica said.

"Ah, it's alright, she can play with it as long as she gives it back," he said.

He turned his attention back to Rose while Rachel quietly played with the elephant.

"What time is it?"

"Five minutes to eight."

"Could you pass me my candy floss then?"

Rose reached down between her legs and grabbed the plastic bag of pink candy floss.

"Thank ya muchly," Alan said, taking it from her.

Rose grabbed the popcorn and ate some while Alan tore open the plastic bag. He grabbed a wad of candy floss and was about to put it in his mouth when he felt something on his arm. He looked down and noticed Rachel had her head on his arm while she was eyeing the pink confection.

"Problem?" Alan said as Rose sniggered.

"I want." Rachel said, reaching for it.

Jessica sighed.

"Rachel, leave the man alone, will ya?" she said exasperated.

"It's alright, really, I don't mind sharing," he said, handing her the bit of candy floss.

"What do you say?" Jessica prompted.

"Thank yooooooou," Rachel said.

"You're welcome."

He reached into the bag and pulled off another piece. He munched on it contentedly as the lights began to dim and calliope music began to play.

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Between the two of them, Alan and Rachel quickly finished off the bag of candy floss. Rose glanced over at them and smiled when she saw Rachel leaning her head on Alan's arm while they both watched the show. She noticed that Alan was just as transfixed as Rachel was and knew it was a good idea picking the circus instead of a Broadway show.

They were watching a scantily clad woman riding bareback on some white horses when Alan suddenly leaned over to Rose.

"Dear, can you finagle your way backstage and steal a few of those Vegas showgirl costumes they're wearing, so you can ride me bareback?" he whispered in her ear.

He snickered when Rose shot him a look.

"Down boy," she whispered as Alan laughed harder.

They watched as the woman stood up on the horse and rode him around the ring.

"I can do that, you know. I just choose not to," Alan whispered to Rose.

She snorted.

The woman did a flip and landed on her feet on the back of the horse.

"And that, I can do that too."

"Yeah, right, pull the other one."

"I can."

She noticed a concession vendor walking by them. She got a couple bags of peanuts and dropped one in Alan's lap.

"Here, feed your elephant," she said.

Alan stared at her. Then he reached in, grabbed a peanut and chucked it at her cheek.

"Oi!" she said as Alan laughed. "I'll take that back if you don't behave."

Alan clasped the peanut bag to his chest with a frightened look on his face. He smiled when Rose laughed and popped the peanuts in his mouth while he turned his attention back to the show.

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"I can do that too, I just choose not to."

Rose sighed when he said that for the trillionth time.

"I am gonna throw you in that cage and let the lions and tigers have you if you don't shut your gob," she said, pointing at the lion tamer.

"I'm just telling you that I can do everything they're doing. I just don't want to upstage and embarrass you."

"Fine, you know how to lion tame, get down there and do it."

"Okay, you come in there with me so I have someone to rescue."

"I'm not a damsel in distress, thank you."

Rose's mouth dropped open when she heard him cough and say "The Wire!" in the middle of it.

"Oh, sorry, peanut got lodged in my throat for a moment," he said, thumping his chest with his fist.

He flinched when Rose gave him a look of death.

"I'm just saying, dear, you were the one with your face in the telly."

He began to cough again.

cough cough Cassandra! cough cough Gamestation! cough cough

He thumped his chest again.

"Blimey, those peanuts are rough on my trachea," he said as Rose eyed him. "I guess I need to be more careful in future."

"N'yuk, N'yuk," she said.

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Finally, they reached the finale, a man getting shot out of a cannon.

"Better cover your ears," Rose hissed to Alan. "When the cannon goes off, it's loud."

Alan nodded. He leaned over to Rachel.

"Hey, cover your ears, the cannon's loud," he whispered.

Rachel gave him a confused look.

"Like this," he said, slapping his hands over his ears.

He nodded when Rachel imitated him and settled back to watch the finale.

"Here we go! Everybody count down!" the ringmaster yelled.

"10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1!"

There was a loud bang and Rachel wailed as the man sailed out of the cannon into a net on the other side of the arena.

"Mommy!" Rachel said, hugging her around the waist.

Alan and Rose stared at her sadly while Jessica tried to comfort her daughter. She smiled at them.

"Don't worry, she'll be alright," she said to Alan. "Thanks so much for sharing your things with her."

"You're welcome and here, she can have this. I think it'll make her feel better," Alan said, handing her the glow stick.

"Thank you, here's your elephant back," Jessica said taking it from Rachel's lap.

The lights came up and people began to file out.

"Bye, Rachel, it was nice meeting you," Alan said.

"Say bye," Jessica said.

Rachel turned and reached out for him. Alan leaned over and gave her a big hug.

"Bye bye," she said in her ear.

"Bye, sweetie, thanks for watching the circus with me."

He leaned back up and Rachel and Rose waved at each other before they grabbed their things and stood back up. Rose took Alan's hand and when there was an opening in the crowd, they eased in and walked back up the stairs towards the exit.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty One

"Aaaah, that was just fantastic," Alan said as he and Rose walked back towards their hotel.

"Yes it was. I loved it. It was great seeing the circus again after all these years."

"Well, that was my first time and hopefully, not my last."

"Did the Doctor ever go to the circus?"

"Um…yeah, he went to this Psychic Circus with Ace in his seventh life, but as usual he was called upon to save the circus, rather than watch it."

"That figures," Rose said, rolling her eyes, "and he calls me a trouble magnet."

Alan nodded. They passed by a McDonalds and Alan grabbed her arm.

"You're hungry again? You just ate all those snacks."

"No, it's not that. I need to use the toilet badly. I'm about to burst and I figure McDonalds has a restroom. Can you wait while I go pee? I'll only be a moment."

Rose nodded.

"Thanks."

He sprinted inside while Rose stepped back towards the alley beside it and waited for him. She shivered as she wrapped her arms around her body.

"Cor, it's freezing out here."

Suddenly, she felt someone seize her around the middle and drag her into the darkness. She started to scream when a man wearing a ski mask shoved a switchblade in her face.

"Hello there, beautiful. You're cold? Well, I'll warm you right up.

Rose grunted when he shoved his body up against hers and her back hit the brick wall. He stared at her lustfully while he slipped her purse off her shoulder.

"That's it, you just cooperate with me and I'll be over and done before you know it. So you just be a good little girl and keep quiet and I won't kill you when I'm done."

He ran the side of the blade down her cheek.

"Yeah, you're a beautiful British babe. I bet you've never done an American, have ya? Well, you're about to get your chance and…"

He trailed off when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He looked around and saw Alan standing behind him with murder in his eyes.

"If I were you," he said between gritted teeth. "I would step away from her, give her back her purse and be on your way before I do something you won't like."

The mugger snorted.

"Who're you, her boyfriend? Listen here, I've got a blade on your girl's neck and if you don't leave me alone, I'll slit her fuckin' throat and I'm better you won't like that, will ya?"

Rose saw him ball up his fists.

"You better listen to him," she said to the mugger. "Trust me; you don't wanna get him mad."

"Shut the fuck up, bitch!" he snarled at her. "Before I stab you in the heart and let you bleed to death in front of him. I…"

He grunted when Alan did a roundhouse kick and hit him in the head. The mugger sprawled out on the pavement.

"We British aren't as timid as you might think," he said, grabbing him and jerking him to his feet. "And my girl is right, if there's one thing I hate, it's people who threaten to rape and kill the woman I love. I was willing to let you go, but if I do, I'm sure you'll just threaten more innocent people. So, nighty night…mate!"

The man grunted when Alan slammed his fist into his face. He let go and the man dropped to the ground and lay unconscious at his feet. Rose looked at him and saw the look on Alan's face and for one heart stopping moment she thought he was going to pounce on him and beat him to death. But, then he let out a sigh, relaxed his muscles and turned to embrace her.

"Rose, are you alright?" he said.

"Yes, he didn't hurt me. I'm okay."

"Oh God, I'm such an idiot. Why did I leave you out here alone? Why didn't I just wait till we got back to the hotel room? You could have been raped or killed."

"Alan, don't do this. It wasn't your fault. You didn't know this was going to happen and it wasn't like you were going to be gone for hours. I don't blame you one bit for this, so just don't spend the rest of the night beating yourself up. I'm fine, really. You saved me before he could do anything and that's what's important."

He held her tighter and laid his head on her shoulder.

"I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you," he said, softly. "I think I would go out of my mind with grief and never recover."

Rose felt tears come to her eyes.

"I feel the same way," she said, rubbing the nape of his neck.

Alan leaned up. He cupped her face with his hands and gave her a long kiss on the lips. Once he was finished, he looked down at the unconscious mugger with disdain.

"Come on, Amo'tiri, there were a couple of cops eating supper when I went to the restroom. Let's hurry and see if we can catch them, so this prick goes to jail where he belongs."

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The cops were still inside finishing up their meal and after they alerted them to the mugger. One went outside to make the arrest while the other bought them a couple of Cokes and filled out a police report.

"Once we finish up here, I can drive you two back to your hotel, so you don't have to walk anymore tonight," he said.

"Thank you, officer, we'd appreciate it," Alan said.

He smiled.

"It's no problem, I'm just glad you're alright. Now, if you both hold tight for a moment, I'm going outside and tell my partner I'll be taking you home and radio a car to come and get this joker."

They nodded and sipped their Cokes while the officer went outside.

"Guess we won't be doing that anymore," Alan said. "At least, not in a big city like this."

He sighed.

"I really am very sorry I left you," he said.

"Alan, it's alright, really. This kind of thing can happen anywhere, even in broad daylight. Frankly, I was just about to knee him in the groin before you showed up. I've dealt with a lot worse than a mugger, you know that."

Alan nodded.

"I'm just glad you didn't go ballistic and kill him."

He looked at her.

"Why? Did you think I would?"

"For a moment, yeah. You had this wild look in your eyes."

"Believe me; the thought did occur to me. But then I figured I would end up in jail alongside him and I really didn't wanna do that, so I backed off and let the proper authorities handle him."

"Well, I'm proud of you for doing that."

"Why? You think I'm still a threat to the universe?"

"No, I'm just saying that you could have very easily let your emotions take over and you didn't. You aren't a threat to anyone, Alan. Watching you with Rachel told me that much. The Doctor would have done the same thing as you if my life was threatened."

Alan nodded.

"I'm gonna step up my efforts to teach you the aikido and the other survival techniques I know just in case, God forbid, something like this happens to you again."

They looked over when the cop returned to their table.

"Okay, everything's ready whenever you want to leave," he said, sitting back down.

"It's nice of you to drop us off at our hotel," Rose said.

"Eh, think nothing of it. I'd rather see you guys safely there than risk another attack. New York isn't as dangerous as it used to be, but it's still not a good idea for a couple of tourists to be out on the streets at eleven at night. I'm more than happy to give you guys a lift."

"Well, I think we're ready to go then, right?" Alan said as Rose nodded. "You have a job to do and we're both tired and I think we're ready to go to sleep."

"Just follow me and I'll take you to the squad car, then," he said as they stood up.

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_Journal Entry—Alan Timelord._

_This is my first entry in this diary and it still feels odd using it since I feel as though I'm keeping things from Rose, but she's asleep now and I can't sleep after what happened to her, so I decided to sit here at the table and write while she sleeps._

_I can't believe that our wonderful night was nearly ruined by a mugger. I know I shouldn't blame myself for what happened, but I'm still upset that I decided to run inside and just leave her standing there in the middle of downtown New York at eleven at night. How stupid could I be? I know, I know, Rose was right. It could have easily happened in broad daylight, but at least there would have been more people around and the bastard wouldn't have been able to stay in the shadows where he could ambush her. She's sleeping so peacefully now and I hope it stays that way. She has enough nightmares without this on top of it. _

_Come to think of it, she hasn't had many nightmares lately, which is a good sign. Perhaps her dreams of the Valeyard are fading now that she's being trained in the aikido. If that's the case, then I'm glad because I want her to be confident both asleep and awake. It just infuriates me sometimes that I can't protect her from her dreams like I can in the waking world. I know Rose is a modern woman and can take care of herself if she has to. God knows she proved that by using the dimension cannon and fighting Davros and the Daleks, but still there's a part of me like there is a part of the Doctor that has a need to shelter her and keep her safe from danger and all the evils of the universe. She is my special treasure and I would put a gun to my head and blow my brains out if it meant her life was spared_. _The thought that a common criminal almost took her life tonight makes me sick to my stomach. I always imagined that if, God forbid, she did die in a manner other than old age, it would be bravely defending the Earth against an onslaught of Daleks or Cybermen or some other nightmarish horror, not having her throat slit and bleeding to death in an alley because a brutish, animalistic thug wanted her purse and her vagina. It'll take some time to recover and I know for awhile I'll be looking in every alleyway for something to pop out, which I know will annoy the crap out of Rose, but I can't help it. I love her and I made a promise to her mum just as the Doctor did to keep her safe and by God, I'm keeping it. _

_And if things aren't bad enough, my stomach is rumbling now. I know now I inherited the Doctor's bottomless pit of a stomach along with everything else. So…suspending my train of thought while I make a quick run to the rucksack for a snack…_

_There…got a bag of crisps and a Coke. Ah, much better, now where was I? Blimey, it's tough to write things down. The Doctor wasn't much better at it than I was at keeping a diary, but I feel better now in writing all this down. I don't want to worry my Amo'tiri and I know she would get exasperated if she knew I was still blaming myself for the attack._

_We're staying here at least one more day and then we'll head towards Florida. We have so much ground to cover that tomorrow we're just going to see all the bigger attractions and then the morning after that, we'll be on our way. We're following M95 down to M4 into Orlando. We figured if we follow the motorways, we'll be able to not only stay in the right direction, but also be able to keep near the restaurants and hotels along the way if we need them. However, I told her that even though we're following the motorway, I still want to keep a reasonable distance from it since we're walking and I don't want some loon to stop his car and kidnap us. I've never been to the US, but I have a feeling that unlike Britain and Europe, walking tours of the country are kinda frowned upon, so to be on the safe side we're gonna try as much as we can to go across fields and meadows rather than walk directly along the side of the motorway. We also made an agreement that if this gets to be too much for us or we get too tired of walking, that we'll rent a car or take a bus and see the country that way. Martha may have walked the Earth, but she had no other choice and she was on a mission for the Doctor. We have loads of time to do this and I'd rather we cheat a little than die of heatstroke and be discovered half decayed in a ditch somewhere. It's nearing the middle of July now and unlike England, it's gonna be bloody boiling on some days, especially when we get further south. Add to that our rucksacks and both of us are gonna be sweating like Niagara Falls. So, we also agreed that we would try to do most of our walking during the dark if we're not in an urban area like this where a situation like tonight could occur. That would also help to obscure our bodies from any would-be kidnappers on the motorway, not to mention the police who might want to pick us up as well. During the day we would take it easy and if it got too hot, we'd find somewhere to rest, either in a building or a hotel or a shady spot. Thankfully, Rose agreed, which is a blessing because I don't want to see her keel over and die in front of me nor do I want to die in front of her. Both of us are gonna have to start out slow and build up endurance, so at the beginning we aren't going to be able to cover too much ground, but hopefully by the time this is through, we'll both be in great shape and ready for anything that comes our way. _

_But, truth be told, I can't wait to start our journey. There's so much out there to see, so many things to do and so many people to meet. There's a whole wide world out there and it's just waiting for us to discover. I'm just so glad that I have a lovely woman to share the experience with me. _

_Ah, well, I'm finished eating my crisps and drinking my Coke and I think I'll call it a night since thinking and writing have kinda worn me out. So, until next time, this is Alan Timelord signing off. _

_(I guess that's how you end a diary. I really don't know much about writing in one. It feels weird saying hello and goodbye to a piece of paper. Actually, it feels weird writing down what I'm thinking on a piece of paper, but I'm sure I'll get used to that in time. One thing's for sure, I definitely inherited the Doctor's gift of rambling on and on. Like now when I'm just writing down things because I don't know how to end my entry. So, I'm just gonna end it right now and take a kip.)_


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty Two

The next morning, Alan was wakened by a soft sensation on his cheek. He opened his eyes and saw Rose kissing him and giving him a soft smile.

"Mmmm, this is how everyone should wake up every single morning," he purred.

She giggled and kissed his cheek once more.

"Hungry?"

"Unfortunately for you and the bulging rucksack you have to carry in my behalf, yes, I'm always hungry," he teased.

"Holiday Inn has a continental breakfast for its guests, interested?"

"And a continental breakfast would be…"

"Um, doughnuts, coffee and fruit."

"That's it? No eggs, no rashers, no ham, no nothing?"

"Well, they're a hotel, dear. They don't have a breakfast buffet."

"Well, they should for the exorbitant price you paid for this room. Thanks for spending two hundred dollars for our fine room. Here, have a stale doughnut, it's on the house."

"So, I suppose you want to go out for breakfast then?"

"Well, unless you want doughnuts and fruit."

"It doesn't matter to me; I'm not really that hungry. I was just asking you."

"Yes, well, here's another tidbit about the Doctor, my dear," he said, holding her around the middle. "Not only was the man known as the Oncoming Storm, he was also known as the Oncoming Stomach. The man could wolf down a platter of food in two seconds flat and ask for more. I, being his duplicate, have inherited this quirk and I'm sorry, Rose, but two doughnuts and a banana aren't just gonna cut it this morning. I'm a manly man with a manly smell and I need a manly meal for my manly body."

She giggled.

"Egg McMuffin?" she said, sweetly.

"Ah, now you're speaking my language," he said as she laughed. "Yes, something with actual protein in it. Something that used to be a small animal that was killed and drained of all of its blood and fried up in a ton of oil to a blackened, burnt crisp. That's the kind of food I'm looking for!"

"And then what do we do after you get done eating the small burnt animal?" she asked.

"I was thinking perhaps we could get a bit of culture and improve our minds at the Metropolitan Museum of Art?"

"Sounds good," Rose said. "And after that?"

"Coney Island or the Bronx Zoo?"

"Might be doable. Anything else?"

"Go up to the top of the Empire State Building, take off our clothes and jump to our deaths in a kind of lover's suicide pact?"

"Eh, not in this heat, too much effort," Rose said, waving her hand dismissively while Alan laughed.

"Okay, take off our clothes and run through the subway cars screaming like a couple of banshees until they take us away to the funny farm."

"Nah, doesn't sound daring enough for me."

"Okay, how about this? You go out on that balcony over there at say, ooooooh, midnight tonight and I'll stand out there singing 'Maria' at the top of my lungs in a kind of 'West Side Story' tribute."

Rose pretended to consider that.

"Might be fun," she said. "But what do we do in the meantime?"

"Get naked and streak through Central Park?"

"What is it with you and going starkers? You've become awfully randy these past few weeks."

He clasped her around the middle.

"My dear, I have discovered something the Doctor didn't know about and that's how good sex feels," he said as she laughed. "I have never in my life felt anything so wonderful as an orgasm and by God, I'm not making the mistake the Doctor did and live my life as some celibate space monk. In fact, I venture to say if the Doctor had actually shagged you instead of just fantasizing and playing peep show, he might not have all the stress he has now. Same for all the uptight, pompous nobs on Gallifrey. Knowing what I know now, I believe I'm correct when I put forth the theory that Gallifrey could have benefited from mass orgies. So, you'll just have to forgive me if I'm a little oversexed at the moment. That's also another side effect of me being half human; I can see now why most music videos feature scantily clad women shaking their bums at the camera."

"And why you enjoyed Alien Virgins so much?"

He smiled.

"Yeah, but it would have been better if you'd been beside me," he said with a wink.

He gave her a kiss.

"But, first things first, my randy little body demands sustenance and you, my little servant girl with the wondrous credit card must satisfy me lest I go berserk and throw you in a vat of boiling oil instead."

"Well, seeing as how you're an Earthling now, that would be cannibalism, which is very wrong. Besides if you eat me, then where will you be? Stuck!"

"Oho, but you taught me how to use your ATM card and I remember your code number thingy for it, so I'll just snatch that away and use them myself."

"Damn, I knew there was a downside to teaching you that," she said as he laughed.

He kissed her.

"Well, daylight is burning and my stomach is churning, to breakfast, my loyal companion!"

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After breakfast at McDonalds, they headed over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She paid the entrance fee and wandered around as they looked at the various works of art. Rose walked hand in hand with Alan, slowly taking in all the beautiful artwork. The collection was vast and varied, showcasing everything from Ancient Egyptian art to Medieval Europe. They were currently going through the Egyptian exhibit and paused at a coffin belonging to Henettawy. Rose marveled at the intricate designs and artwork on the mummy case.

"Very, very cool," she said. "I wonder who she was?"

Alan bent over and read a small plaque nearby.

"According to this, she was a mistress of the house and chantress of Amun-Re, whatever that means," he said.

"Like a priestess?"

Alan shrugged.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Probably some village tart that wandered in off the street in a drunken stupor and immediately grabbed the high priest and said, "Oi, ya wanker, give me a job!" and in order to get away from her garlic and beer breath, he did. And rather than give her a proper title like High Priestess of Isis, he called her the mistress of the house and chantress of Amun-Re."

Rose giggled.

"That so?"

"Yeah, I'm sure that's the most likely explanation. I'm sure that's it. I'm a time traveler, you know."

"_You_ are a time traveler?" she said.

"Well, technically, yes. At least I have a time traveler's memories and I have it on good authority that my explanation is in fact, true."

"Why do I not believe you then?"

"Because…you're weird and not yet in awe of my omniscient majesty?"

He laughed when Rose swatted his head and moved on to the next artifact.

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After looking at the Egyptian artifacts, they moved on to the Greek and Roman room. They stood in front of a bust of a Greek goddess, which according to the plaque was either thought to be Persephone or Hygeia.

"I love Greek and Roman statues. They're so detailed," Rose said.

Alan nodded.

"Yup, have to admire the skill that the sculptor had."

He grinned and leaned into her ear.

"And of course, we can't forget the sculptor who sculpted you, my little Fortuna."

Rose giggled.

"Can you do that too? I mean, sculpt using his memories?"

"Why? You want a statue of yourself to carry on your back?"

"No, but I was just thinking, you know. Once we get the TARDIS, you could sculpt one for our room."

"Why? Are you that vain?" he said as she giggled. "Are you so in love with yourself that you have to have a Greek statue right at the foot of the bed? Cause if you are, I'll sculpt you as a female Narcissus."

"Nah, never mind. It'd be too big and bulky. You can just paint a portrait of me."

"How about I draw you nude with a huge blue diamond on your boobies like in Titanic?"

"If you're good, I might let you," she said, patting his head.

"How about this? We wait until we get the TARDIS and then go to the Titanic and I'll rent a stateroom and then I'll draw you there for added authenticity."

"No, thanks, I think our bedroom will do just fine. At least I know in the vortex there's no danger of us hitting an iceberg."

They admired the statue for a moment more and then went on.

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By the time they were finished, a couple of hours had passed and the temperature was almost 90 degrees.

"Ugh, I think your idea about walking at night is a good one. I don't think I would be able to stand this for very long," she said.

She looked at Alan.

"So, Coney Island or Bronx Zoo?" she said.

Ummmm, let's go to the Bronx Zoo. I wanna see the elephants again."

"You like elephants, doncha?"

"Yes, they're cute and gentle and intelligent and they're very family oriented. And the babies are adorable."

"Okay then, let's go find the underground and find out what number train we have to take to get there," she said.

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A half hour later, they were inside the zoo. They quickly found the elephants and stood side by side staring at them while they slowly moved around inside the enclosure. Rose smiled as a little baby followed its mother around. She reached into her purse, grabbed her camera and took a picture.

"Are you taking a picture of the baby?"

"Yup."

"He's cute…or she, whichever it is."

He sighed sadly.

"Only bad part is all these animals are in cages and enclosures. It's sad to see them trapped like this."

Rose took his hand.

"Yeah, I know the Doctor didn't want to come to zoos because of that reason," she said. "I never used to think about it until I noticed it bothered him so much. Do you wanna leave?"

"No, I'm fine. I just gotta get over the urge to open all the cage doors, is all."

He smiled when the baby looked his way.

"Hey there, little guy," he said to it. "Hot day, isn't it?"

He smiled when the baby began to play hide and seek with its mother. They laughed when the baby swatted at the mother with its trunk and quickly hid behind her legs.

"See, very intelligent creatures. They act just like little human kids," Alan said. "That's why I love them so much. So much personality in them."

"Yup. I like the polar bears though and the lions and tigers, they're my favorites."

"Well, let's go find your favorites then," he said.

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"Now this, this is what we've gotta beware of if we go through Africa," he said when they came to the ostrich enclosure. "These things will kick your bloody head off if you don't watch it."

"I've never liked them. They look so mean and those big eyes make them look creepy," Rose said.

She backed up when a couple of the ostriches came near the fence.

"Hey, you quit creeping out my girl, you hear?" Alan said, wagging his finger in one of the ostrich's faces.

He gasped when the ostrich tried to snap at it.

"Right, enough ostrich viewing for today!" he said, running away while Rose bent over laughing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, maybe we'll have better luck with this," he said as they came up to the giraffe enclosure.

They stood in front of the fence watching while the giraffes walked by.

"Hey!" Alan said, waving his arms. "Come here a moment, my girl wants to snap a photo of you."

He glared as the giraffes went by without stopping.

"Bloody giraffes, they never listen, do they?" he said to Rose. "They think they're so superior with those big stork legs and neck. Well, you just wait till we get out to the savannah, I'll be wrestling them down to the ground with my bare hands and that'll teach them proper manners."

Rose giggled as he looked around. He noticed a patch of grass near the fence and grabbed a handful.

"Yoo-hoo," Alan said, waving the grass in front of him. "Hey, stork legs, I'm talking to you! Get over here and give my girl a thrill!"

His eyes widened when one slowly lumbered over.

"Now, this is more like it! Come here and get your grub, Jeffy Giraffe!" he said as Rose laughed.

The giraffe stopped at the fence and looked down at Alan. Alan craned his neck up and waved the grass around.

"Well, come on, take it!" he said.

The giraffe stared at him for a moment and then walked away.

"No!" Alan said, jumping up and down as Rose leaned on the fence roaring with laughter. "Get back here! I wanna pet your head, damn it!"

He glowered at the giraffe as it sauntered towards the trees and began to strip the leaves from the branches with its tongue.

"That's it, once I get to Africa, your cousins are dead meat!" he said, throwing down the grass. "I am gonna open up a can of jungle whoop ass on your friends back home!"

"Aw, poor Alan, I appreciate you trying to get the giraffe to come down here so we could pet it," she said.

"Yeah, well, apparently the long neck causes the thing to get clouds in his ears and he can't hear properly!" he said as Rose giggled. "Silly stork legged creature. God was having an off day when he designed you!"

He smiled at Rose.

"Well, now that I'm done abusing the giraffes, let's go mock the monkeys, shall we?"

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Rose and Alan stood in front of the orangutan cage. Alan was snickering as he watched one scratch his ass.

"What?" Rose finally said.

"Oh, nothing, just thinking how this ass scratcher over here is a distant cousin of yours. I can actually see the resemblance to your mum, come to think of it."

"I wouldn't be talking if I were you, mister half an ape," Rose said.

"Ah yes, but unlike you that will be remedied once I get hold of the chameleon arch and then I'll install a chimp cage on board the TARDIS so I can just stand there and laugh at the chimps knowing you're related to them."

He pointed at one.

"Lookie, dearest, that one is throwing poo, aren't you proud to be a fellow ape?"

He giggled and ran as Rose slapped his back.

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Alan and Rose stood in front of a cage looking up at a three toed sloth that was hanging upside down from a tree by its arms and legs. They had been standing there for five minutes and the sloth hadn't moved an inch.

"Booooooooooooring!" Alan said while Rose laughed. "Hey, you got company! Move! We didn't pay a whole bunch of money so we could stand here and watch you sleep all day! I've never seen such slothful behavior before. At least swing around the tree branch so we know you're alive!"

He grinned when Rose held onto his back and laughed hysterically.

"God, I'm so glad no one is nearby right now," she gasped out.

"The reason no one is around is because this thing won't bloody move! I'm surprised it hasn't gone extinct yet. If it had a heart attack, would we know it?"

Rose leaned on his back and put his arms around his neck.

"There!" she said, pointing. "It just blinked, it's alive."

"Yeah, only just," Alan said, rolling his eyes as she laughed.

He looked around for a moment.

"Fire!" he screamed at it. "Timbeeeeeer! Look out, whatever eats you and your lot is climbing up the tree, which is probably most of the animal kingdom since you don't bloody move. Run!"

Rose was barely able to get a breath as Alan put his hands on his hips and glared at the creature. He let out a sigh and turned to Rose.

"Come; let's go find something faster than this thing like a snail or a sea slug or a dead carcass."

He and Rose walked a few steps and then he turned and looked back at the sloth.

"Ten quid says that as soon as we're out of sight, the sloth drops from the tree and break dances," he said as Rose snickered.

"And then when someone else is coming, he jumps back up and hangs there?"

"Exactly, I don't trust that thing. It's quiet, too quiet. I have to tell you about the Weeping Angels, I have a feeling this thing is exactly the same as they are, they don't move while you're watching, but when you blink, you're dead!"

He took one more step, jerked his head back around quickly and then with a grin at Rose walked on to the next animal.

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"Ugh, I hate snakes, "Rose said as they walked up to a python in a glass enclosure. "Another creepy animal."

She frowned when she heard Alan humming a tune under his breath. It sounded vaguely familiar and it took her a moment before she finally got it. She rolled her eyes.

"You can stop humming the Monty Python theme song any time now," she said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't aware I was doing that. My brain's been frozen since I saw the sloth. The sneaky bastard probably hypnotized me without me knowing it. I'll be quiet and let you stare at the huge reptile in peace."

They watched while it slowly slithered across the floor of its cage.

"Dinsdale!"

Rose glanced up at Alan who was feigning shock.

"I'm sorry, did I say that? That was silly of me."

She rolled her eyes when a moment later he said, "My brain hurts!" in a deep voice. Rose grinned and nudged him.

"Albatross," she said.

Alan snickered.

"I've always wanted to be…a lumberjack!" he said as she giggled.

He smiled at her.

"Shall I sing the song?"

"No, I think I can get along fine without hearing 'The Lumberjack Song', thanks," she said.

Shall we stop the Monty Python references and move on?"

"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea."

He took her hand and they walked on.

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Alan and Rose stood in a cool underground building and watched as dolphins swam under the water in front of them.

"I can speak dolphin, you know."

Rose looked at him.

"Uh-huh."

"I can, it's one of the many languages the Doctor knows."

"I thought you said that most of the languages went into Donna's head."

"Well, they did, but I forgot about eek eek."

"Eek eek?"

"Yeah, the official name of the dolphin language. Watch."

Rose looked around checking to see if they were alone when Alan suddenly went "Eek! Eek eek!" at the top of his lungs. He smiled when a dolphin swam up to the glass.

"Ah, my fellow aquatic brother has heard my call! Greetings finned one, my your blow hole stay clean!"

He waved as the dolphin swam away.

"See, you just never believe me when I tell you anything, do you?"

"Oh yes, I know now without any doubt that you speak dolphin, especially since the dolphin answered you back."

"Oh, he did, he just used the secret sonic language that human ears can't perceive. He was telling me what a hot babe you were."

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Come on, ya loon, before others come in here and see you making an arse of yourself," she said, grabbing his hand.

"What? Is it suddenly a crime to speak eek eek to my fellow ocean dwellers?" he said as they walked back up the stairs.

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Alan sighed as they opened the door to their hotel room and walked inside the air-conditioned interior.

"Blimey," he said laying the stuffed tiger and zebra on the bed. "It's a good thing they have air-conditioning in this time period. I hate to think what people did before it was invented."

With a little "Phew", he sank down onto the bed and took off his shoes. Rose walked over and kissed the top of his head.

"You wanna eat out at a restaurant tonight or just go to a fast food place?"

Alan thought.

"You know what? I think I'd rather just go to a fast food place. I'm tired and I really don't fancy waiting a half hour to get something to eat."

Rose nodded.

"Yeah, me too. I'm kinda knackered from the heat. I'd really like a little kip before we go."

"Go ahead; I'll lay here with you while you sleep."

Rose smiled and kissed his cheek. She set down and he rubbed her side while she took off her shoes and set them beside Alan's. Then the two of them stood up, walked around the bed and snuggled under the covers. Alan gently took Rose in his arms and kissed her, soothing her with his lips until she fell asleep.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty Three

Rose walked down a darkened, narrow corridor as she wondered where she was. It took a moment to work out she was in an ancient dungeon. The pungent odor of feces, urine and mold made her want to retch and she had to hold her hand over her mouth to block out the smell.

"Where am I?" she said to herself.

"Rose."

She jerked her head around when she heard her name and noticed a dirt stained hand reaching out of the bars of a cell just behind her. She walked back and gasped when she saw the occupant.

"Alan?" she said, kneeling down.

She saw the confused look on his face and guessed it wasn't him.

"Doctor?"

He gave her a tiny smile and nodded. She looked up at a flaming torch mounted on the wall beside the cell, stood up, grabbed it and knelt back down. She gasped when she saw the Doctor's face. It was bruised and bloodied and his bottom lip was split.

"Oh no, Doctor," she said, touching the side of his face with her free hand. "What's happened to you?"

"The Valeyard did this. Because I wouldn't obey."

"What…did he want you to do?"

"He wanted me to find you and my double so he could enslave us all. I refused and he beat the crap outta me."

"Oh God…"

"He has a way of crossing the void and finding you, but he wants me to do it because he wants me to betray you both and accept the darkness."

He took her hand.

"I won't do it though, I'll never do it, I'd rather die," he said.

"Don't worry, Doctor, I'll get you outta here and then you can come with me and Alan. We'll keep you safe."

"No, it's too late, he's coming. You have to get outta here. Forget about me, Rose."

In the past, Rose had always been the victim in these dreams, helpless to stop the Valeyard from attacking her, but now, something had changed and there was a determination in her eyes as she clasped the Doctor's hand.

"No, I'm not goin'. I'm not afraid of him and if he comes here, I'll protect you from him."

"So brave, this one."

Rose turned her head when she heard a deep voice. She watched as the Valeyard emerged from the shadows as if he were a part of them. Only this time it wasn't the Doctor dressed in the Valeyard's robes. This was a much older man, someone in his early fifties. Rose got to her feet as he sneered at her.

"I won't let you have him," she said without any trace of fear in her voice.

The Valeyard laughed as he slowly advanced on her.

"You cannot stop me, little whelp, no one can. The Doctor is mine now, to do what I want with him. You are no match for me."

Rose held the torch out while she got into an aikido stance.

"Come on and fight me…unless you're afraid."

"Rose, no," the Doctor said. "Don't do this. You don't know what you're up against. He's pure evil. He'll stop at nothing to destroy you."

"Yeah, well, he's never gone up against the Bad Wolf before," Rose said.

The Valeyard let out another laugh as he crept towards Rose.

"So very brave and so very foolish. You should listen to your beloved Doctor when he tells you to run, but since you wish to fight, I will certainly…oblige you!"

He lunged at her. Rose timed his movement and sidestepped him at the last moment; she kicked out and caught him in the back of the head sending him crashing to the floor.

"I know Venusian aikido now. The Doctor's twin, Alan, taught me."

The Valeyard snorted as he leapt to his feet.

"Your little martial arts maneuvers cannot protect you or him; I will make the Doctor watch as I torture you into enslavement."

Without warning, Rose let out a yell and lunged at him with the torch, shoving it directly in his face. The Valeyard let out a scream and managed to grab at the unlit portion, jerking it from her hand. He gritted his teeth and rubbed his singed face as Rose stepped back and resumed her aikido stance.

That…was a foolish move on your part," he snarled.

He lunged at her. Rose tried to sidestep him again, but this time he was ready for him and she grunted as he decked her in the face. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and slammed her against the cells of the Doctor's prison, knocking the wind out of her.

"Nice try, my dear, but not good enough," he said, sneering.

"No!" the Doctor said, getting to his feet behind her. "Leave her alone, do what you want with me, but let her go."

"Sorry, Doctor, I might have considered that before she decided to fight me. Now, she will pay the price for her defiance. Watch, Doctor, as I snap the neck of your beloved and she dies at your feet."

"No!" the Doctor screamed, jerking his hand out of the bars and grabbing his arm.

"I love you, Doctor, I tried to save you," Rose said as she felt the pressure of the Valeyard's hand increase on her neck.

She closed her eyes, readying herself for the snap while the Doctor tried to pry his hand away from her throat. Then, as she stood there, she suddenly felt warmth near her heart. As she kept her eyes closed, she felt the warmth spreading all over and her body heated up, but it wasn't unpleasant and she felt a wave of love wash over her.

_Maybe this is what dying feels like,_ she thought.

Then she noticed that everyone had gone quiet. She opened her eyes and was shocked to see that her entire body was glowing with a brilliant white light. She looked at the Valeyard and saw utter terror in his eyes as he stared, transfixed, at the light. As the warmth increased, she watched as the light became brighter until it was almost blinding. Panic gripped her heart.

"Doctor, what's going on? Why am I glowing?" she cried out.

She felt him stroke her hair.

"It's alright, Angel. There's nothing to be afraid of," she heard him say. "It's the light. Your inner light and love and goodness, it's rising up to fight the Valeyard's darkness."

Rose was emboldened by that and she began to think of all the people she loved and cared for. The Doctor, Alan, her mum, her dad, Tony, Donna, Martha, Sarah Jane, Jack, Mickey, Ianto, Gwen, Wilf and Sylvia. Images of all the people she had known and had met during her fight with the Daleks flooded into her mind, filling her heart with love and making the light burn even stronger until she could no longer see anything and had to close her eyes. She heard the Valeyard begin to scream, a mixture of fear and anger and frustration that a mere girl was defeating him. She concentrated all her energy on the light, barely feeling the Doctor's hands as they rubbed her arms in a comforting gesture. Then, there was one more agonized scream and everything became silent once more.

"You did it, Rose. You defeated him," she heard the Doctor say.

She opened her eyes and noticed that the Valeyard's clothes and skullcap were lying at her feet, devoid of their owner. She turned and saw the Doctor staring at her with unmasked pride in his eyes.

"You did it," he said, stroking her cheek. "You won. You saved me."

Tears came to Rose's eyes as the Doctor gazed at her lovingly.

"Where's your screwdriver?" she asked.

"In his robes."

Rose bent down, felt through his robes and found the screwdriver. She used it on the lock and breathed a sigh of relief when she heard it unlock and the Doctor opened the door. Rose fell into his arms and the Doctor leaned his head down onto her shoulder as he held her tight.

"I knew you could do it, I've always had faith that you would rescue me," he said. "And now that I'm free, I'll take you back to Alan now."

She looked into his eyes and saw the sadness there.

"Doctor, wait, come with me. Come with me to the other universe and we can all travel together, you, me and Alan. We could make a great team and you wouldn't have to be alone anymore."

He frowned.

"But this universe needs protection as well," he said.

"Then, let Alan and me stay with you."

He considered that.

"What about your mum and Tony?"

Rose raised her eyebrow.

"I know, you made your choice a long time ago, yada, yada, yada," he said as Rose nodded and smiled.

"So, how about it? Can we stay with you?" Rose asked.

The Doctor grinned.

"Rose Tyler, I would be de…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose gasped and her eyes snapped open.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Amo'tiri, I went to the toilet and I tried to get back in bed without waking you up. I guess I failed."

He noticed the huge grin on her face.

"What's the big grin for?" he asked.

Rose told him about the dream. Alan's heart swelled with pride knowing that she was no longer the victim in her dreams about the Valeyard. When she finished, he took her hands and gave her a kiss.

"I'm very proud of your dream self for kicking that scum's arse," he said. "I always knew you could protect yourself from him and now you're realizing it too. It's all that training you've been doing; it's built up your confidence."

"Then thank you for teaching me."

He grinned.

"My pleasure. And the next time it better be me you're saving since the Doctor already had a go."

"The part though about staying with the Doctor. About the Valeyard being able to cross the void. If he has that knowledge, then wouldn't the Doctor know as well?"

"And I would know through the Doctor?"

Rose nodded.

"There is such a thing as a void crosser, as I told you before…or was…the knowledge was lost when Gallifrey burned. The Time Lords did cross over the voids, but travel was kept to a minimum and only among the higher ups like the high council. They told the other time lords it was because they wanted to ensure the safety of the universes, but the theory was the council kept it for themselves as a status symbol of sorts. The Doctor was considered a renegade, so he was never privy to the knowledge and the books that held the information was kept locked away in the council's private library where no other Time Lords could get to them."

"So, you don't have a clue how to build one."

He shook his head.

"Well, if the Valeyard is supposed to be a future version of the Doctor, how does he know or…am I just throwing that into the dream because you told me about it?"

Alan fingered the edge of the bedspread as he thought.

"There might have been a way he could have gotten a hold of the information," he finally said, looking at Rose. "When the sixth Doctor was put on trial, the Valeyard was working with certain unscrupulous members of the high council in order to convict the Doctor and steal his body so he could become a whole person. There may have been a chance he could have sweet talked someone into showing him one of the books while he was there and his photographic memory retained the information for later use. Being evil, he would want that information in order to cross the void and subdue other universes, so it's not out of character for him to ask to see the private libraries. Whether he did or whether you're just intuiting that from what I've told you, I can't say. The last the Doctor saw of him that day was when he was imprisoned with the Master in the matrix, but somehow both of them escaped it. Who knows where he's gone to or what he's done between the times the Doctor has fought him. For all we know, he could have brought about the end of the universe sooner than expected and that's why everything was dying when the Doctor ended up on Malcasaro. On the other hand, it could have been the universe's set time to die, so we can't be sure. All I know is that as long as he exists, the universe, any universe can never be truly safe."

"But… if this is all true. If he is out there and he has the void crossing device and if we defeat him, can we use it or the Doctor use it? Would it be wrong to use it because I was thinking that if we or he had that in the TARDIS then we could cross over and see each other whenever we wanted and the Doctor wouldn't have to be alone and then there wouldn't be a danger of him becoming like the Valeyard. I mean, I think I'm the biggest part of the problem, yeah? He's depressed because he can't be with me, but if there was a way he could, even just for visits…"

She trailed off, lost in her thoughts. Alan rubbed her back.

"I don't know if that would keep the darkness away permanently, Rose. Yes, your being here is a big part of it, but there's a lot more to it than that. However, and this is pure speculation since we don't have a void crossing device or even a TARDIS right now, I think it would help knowing that if he wanted to see you, he could. Mind you, he had the chance to be with you and he didn't take it, so who knows if he would agree to having a void crossing device in his TARDIS."

"Yes, but I would want it because even if the Doctor didn't want to see me, I want to see Mickey and Jack and Sarah Jane and all my friends in the other universe. And I'm sure they'd want to see you too. I would want this void crosser just for that because I miss everyone."

Alan nodded.

"Yeah, I'd love for you to see everyone too. That's another reason why it wasn't fair for the Doctor to dump you over here. It wasn't just him you were finally able to see, it was also everyone else that you missed and cared about. Me, I only know you and your family. I just kinda met the others and then the rest of my association with them is through the Doctor's memories, so it doesn't mean as much to me at the moment to go back and see them as it does to you. But, this is all a moot point at the moment since we don't have any way to build a void crosser or have a working TARDIS."

Rose gripped his arm.

"But this universe, it's parallel, yeah? So, maybe it has a Gallifrey that hasn't been destroyed. If you become a full Time Lord, we could try to find it and…"

Alan held up his hand.

"Before you get your hopes up about that, I have to tell you something. Supposedly when Rassilon created the Time Lords, he only created them to exist in one universe and that's the one the Doctor's in. if that's true, there's no Gallifrey here. It's part of the Rassilonian legend, so I don't know if it's true, but that's what it says. That Time Lords only existed in one universe because they were supposedly the highest beings in all of creation. Now, we can look, but just keep that in mind so your hopes aren't dashed when there's no sign of Gallifrey here, okay?"

Rose nodded.

"But, at the same time, don't give up all hope completely. Like I said, no one knew for sure if that was true or it was part of the Time Lord's egocentric view of themselves. I don't know for sure and neither does the Doctor. But, I will look once we get the TARDIS because I want more than anything for you to have contact with your friends and loved ones in the other universe."

"Thank you."

"Besides, might be fun hopping over into the other universes and taking a peek. I'm kinda curious to see what some others are like. Only ever seen this one and the other one and you apparently saw some others including the one that formed up around Donna. Blimey, a whole universe centered on Donna. There's a scary thought."

He grinned when Rose giggled at that.

"Hey, Donna's nice," she said.

"Yes, she is. She's very nice, although she was kinda rude when I was naked. Alive two seconds and I have someone gawking at me and acting like I was a leper."

"Wait a moment, Donna saw you naked?"

Alan stared at her in disbelief.

"Yes, dear. You do remember she was in the TARDIS when I was born and unfortunately, the hand wasn't wearing a tiny suit when it was in the jar, so I came into this universe starkers. Trust me; she wanted no part of me, whatsoever."

"What'd she say?"

Alan rolled his eyes.

"You're naked," he said, imitating her.

"What'd you say?"

He grinned.

"I said, "Oh, yes!"

"That figures," Rose said.

Then once we got away from the crucible, we both quickly learned that I'd contracted Noble-itis when I started talking exactly like her. She was less than thrilled and so was I, frankly. Of all the people to touch me, it had to be the Chiswick temp."

Rose giggled and he rubbed noses with her.

"Couldn't have been you that the timelines converged on. No, you weren't good enough to touch my jar, but "You're not mating with me, sunshine!" was. Cor, this is the real curse of the Time Lords. One side of me is a big, brainy know-it-all and the other side is a mouthy, caustic temp. I'm doomed, Rose, doomed as doomed can be."

Rose snickered.

"No, you're not, because I'm here to save you."

He raised his eyebrow.

"The light inside you gonna burn away Miss Big Mouth, is it?"

"No, the chameleon arch will take care of that."

She frowned.

"Although, if you become all Time Lord, will you lose your humanity?"

He shook his head.

"Nah, because it's a part of my personality. I'm not changing that if I do this; I'm only changing the physical aspects of myself and regaining my Time Lord mind. Now, I might sound more like the Doctor in that I'll go back to being all knowledgeable, but as far as my personality goes, that's what I've been working on these past couple of weeks and that's how I'll act. Same with the Doctor, he forged a new personality when he was born into his current life and that stays with him until he regenerates and forms a new one. Besides, you are teaching me to be human and that'll stay with me as well. Don't worry, Rose, I'm not gonna become distant the moment I change. I will stay the same as I am because that's who I am now."

She smiled as he rubbed her cheek.

"So, having said that, I'm afraid you're stuck with the Noble-itis since that's also a part of my personality."

"Ah, that's alright. I love your sense of humor. I really would hate to see it go," she said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, that's another thing you could do, be a stand-up comic. You're hilarious; at least I think you are."

"Hmmm, that might be a good job too. Heh, and then when we get the TARDIS, I could go on intergalactic comedy tours and earn money for us and I could heal the universe through the power of laughter."

"Yeah, you could."

He sighed and smiled at her while she rubbed his back.

"So, you wanna go back to sleep or do you wanna eat or just relax here or what?"

Rose looked at her watch.

"It's nearly six, how about we go eat and perhaps watch a film?"

"Here or at the cinema?"

"Well, I'd have to check the paper again, but if you wanna go to the cinema, we can."

"Sounds good to me, although get an early movie. Nothing past eleven."

Rose smiled and rubbed his cheek.

"I will, I promise. It won't be a repeat of last night, that's for sure."

"Good, I'll just go use the toilet and get my shoes on and get ready to go."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty Four

After checking the newspaper, they decided to go see 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. Rose finished getting ready and after asking directions to the movie theater at the front desk, they were out the door and on their way. They reached the theater after twenty minutes of walking and after paying admission and getting two large Cokes and a tub of popcorn found a couple seats halfway up the back of the theater. They settled down into the seats and began to munch on the popcorn while they waited for the movie to start.

"So, when we check out tomorrow," Alan said to her. "Are we gonna leave right away or do something else and leave later on?"

"Not sure, it depends on how hot it'll be. I'll check the weather channel just before we check out and we'll decide then."

"I've been thinking, if we're heading down the east coast, perhaps we should look at the map when we get back to the hotel room and plan what we wanna do when we reach the major cities. I mean we're going down through Washington D.C. and if we're gonna see the Smithsonian, that'll take at least a couple of days to get through, plus there's all the monuments and the White House if we wanna tour that."

Alan grinned.

"We could go on that tour and meet old Bushie!" he said.

"Bush isn't the president in this reality."

"Really? Who is?"

"Arnold Schwarzenegger."

"He is? I thought only people born in the US could become president."

"Yeah, well, he didn't stay governor of California for very long. He ended up running for the senate and won and once he got that, he proposed this amendment to the constitution that cancelled out that rule and it went through. As soon as it did, he ran for president in 2000 and won."

"So, he's basically taken Bush's place all these years."

"Yup."

"So, did they have the whole Florida debacle on election night with the loose chads and everything?"

Rose snorted.

"No, because from what I heard, it wasn't even a close election like it was in the other universe. I mean, come on, Al Gore versus Arnold Schwarzenegger? Who would you vote for? He won by a landslide."

"So, the Iraq war never happened?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, it happened. He's a republican just like Bush was and we're talking about the guy who played the Terminator, you know. Only difference is he's a lot more popular than Bush ever was, so he doesn't get all this flak like he did. But, I…"

She trailed off when she suddenly looked straight ahead. Alan, who had kept his eyes on her while she was talking, got a confused look on his face. She saw the disgust on her face and turned his head to see where she was looking. His mouth dropped open when he saw a lady in low rider jeans a few rows down making her way down the aisle. The jeans were so low most of her butt crack was exposed giving everyone in the seats above her a bird's eye view. Alan noticed that the people she was passing by in her row were jerking their heads backwards since her butt crack was at eye level.

"That's disgusting," Rose muttered.

"Yes, I pity the poor people who are sitting right there," he muttered back.

They breathed a sigh of relief when she finally sat down. All around them they could hear snickering and loud whispers and they knew it was directed at her.

"Dear," Alan said, leaning in. "I love you more than anything and I think your body is perfect, but please, please, please do not ever wear jeans that are so low I can see every inch of your ass crack, okay?"

"Yup."

"Thank you," he said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I don't understand humans who think that looks good, than and the ones that wear their jeans down around their knees. How people can walk when they're down that low is something I'll never figure out as long as I live."

"She had a nice tattoo though. I like the whole rose and leaves thing on her lower back. It accents the ass crack perfectly," she said.

Alan and Rose both snickered.

"That's another thing that fascinates me. Humans who are willing to get their skin permanently inked with some little picture or words or something."

"I don't know, that's not so bad. I've always wanted to get a tattoo."

Alan stared at her with wide eyes.

"Come again? Did I just hear the words I want a tattoo come out of your mouth just now?"

"Well, yeah, I mean it's not like I've been thinking about it just recently. I've always wanted one ever since I was a teenager, but mum wouldn't let me get one. But…ever since we came to New York…"

"Whoa. You want a tattoo now?"

Rose giggled. She gave him a defiant look.

"It's my body and I can do what I want with it," she said in a haughty voice.

"Rose, dear, not that I don't agree with the whole it's your body thing, but have you considered that you'll still have the thing when you turn eighty?"

"Yes, that's why I'm not getting anything fancy. Just something simple like that woman had."

"You want a rose directly above your ass crack?"

"No," she laughed. "But something pretty like that on my arm or my ankle or something."

She grinned.

"And, if I'm gonna do it, you should as well."

"Excuse me? You want me to get a tattoo ? Just how long have you been thinking about this?"

"The past couple of days."

"You want me to go get a picture of something permanently placed on my body?"

"What? You keep saying you wanna be different from the Doctor."

His mouth dropped open as she giggled.

"I can be different from him without getting colored ink pressed into my pores. Okay, wait, first off what would you be getting since I'm the one who has to look at the thing for the rest of my life?"

"I don't know. I was thinking a rose in honor of my name or a unicorn or something like that. Or…"

Alan raised his eyebrow when she didn't elaborate.

"Or, what?" he said.

"Or I was thinking you could write out Amo'tiri in Gallifreyan and I could get that put on my arm."

"You want a bunch of concentric circles on your arm for the rest of your life?"

"Yeah, I mean, I love your pet name for me and I love the way Gallifreyans write things and I think it would be neat to put on my arm."

"What are you gonna say if people ask what it is?"

She shrugged.

"Just a design. See and that way you'd be the only one who knew what it was."

She snickered when Alan gave her a long, hard stare.

"You're serious about this," he said.

Rose nodded.

"And you want me to go along with it?"

Rose grinned and nodded.

"What would I get?"

Rose shrugged. She giggled.

"Have them put a little black dot on your arm and then write Vashta Nerada above it with an arrow pointing down."

"Hell, no," he said as Rose put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing too loudly.

"Okay, get "I'm not the Doctor, damn it!" in big bold letters across your chest.

"Yes, I'll run right out and do that," he said, rolling his eyes.

She grinned.

"Get, pretty boy across your forehead."

She sniggered when Alan glanced skyward.

"No!" he said as she laughed.

"Okay, okay, something for you…um…"

"Oh, this oughta be good," Alan muttered. "I can't wait to hear what you come up with next."

"Okay," she said after a moment's thought. "I'm guessing the Doctor's TARDIS is right out."

"You guessed correctly."

"Okay, um… how about an alien of some kind on your arm?"

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Oh you mean like putting one of those stereotypical big, ugly, white alien heads on my arm and under it have the phrase, this is me, tee hee or something like that?"

"No, not that alien. That's ugly."

"Good because that's actually not what the alien looks like anyway. It's an Andromedan and when they visit here, they can't breathe the atmosphere very well and the supposed white skin is their space suit and helmet and the big black eyes are the lenses."

"Oh really? What do they really look like?"

"Like humans except they have bigger noses."

"Oh, so the Doctor was Andromedan when I first met him."

"Mwah ha ha," the Doctor said while she giggled. "Yeah, that's hi-larious, alright."

"Okay, okay, not E.T. because that doesn't suit you either."

"Thank you because I would have voted that down immediately. I don't wanna spend the rest of my life with that ostrich necked weirdo on my body."

"What about the 'Alien' alien?"

Alan made a face.

"The Predator?"

"No."

She snickered.

"Alf."

"Hell, no."

Rose leaned against him and munched on popcorn while she thought.

"I can't believe I'm actually entertaining this idea," Alan said as he picked up his Coke. "I can't believe I would actually be willing to go along with the idea of getting a tattoo. It must be love because anyone else who suggested this idea would be laughed at immediately."

Just then the lights dimmed.

"I'll keep thinking about it and get back to ya," she whispered as the previews started.

"I'll be on pins and needles then just waiting for your next brainstorm," he said as she snickered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They were about forty five minutes into the movie when Alan leaned over to Rose.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?" she whispered back.

"You just notice that Indiana Jones survived a nuclear blast by hiding in a refrigerator?"

"Yeah?"

"Um, is Indiana Jones Superman in disguise or something?"

She giggled.

"It's a film, dear."

"Yes, but even in films I, at the very least, expect someone to just go through a nuclear blast with at least one scratch on his body. I did tell you that the Doctor had to expel radiation from his body after frying that Slab, so even he wasn't unaffected by it. And what is a lead lined refrigerator doing out there anyway? Was it there so the scientists could have milk and sandwiches while the explosion was happening?"

"It's a film, dear. Try not to think too much, it's easier that way."

Alan shook his head as Rose chuckled and leaned her head against his arm.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, that was an odd film," Alan said as he and Rose walked out. "Where did they come up with the explanation for the crystal skulls? Crystal skulls look like human skulls and they were designed by aliens to hold information about other civilizations when the time came that the human race was advanced enough to access it. They weren't actual alien skulls. No alien would live long with a crystal skeleton. I think Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are getting a bit daft in their old age."

He sighed as they headed back to the hotel room.

"And speaking of aliens, I suppose you've thought up more odd things I can put on my body."

"I have, actually and I think I've thought of one that fits you perfectly."

"Oh yeah, who? Yoda?"

"No, although that did cross my mind. Nope, Stitch."

He frowned.

"Stitch? The little blue Disney alien?"

"Yeah, you know, 'Lilo and Stitch'."

"Yeah, I know the movie. Why him?"

"Has the Doctor seen the movie?"

"A long time ago."

"Do you know the plot then?"

"Vaguely."

"Well, Stitch was created to be this evil alien who would destroy civilizations and he was captured along with the man who created him and while they were taking him to prison, he escaped and fled to Earth where he met this lonely little girl named Lilo who adopted him and taught him how to act like a human and how to be good and at the end of the film, he became a good little alien because of her. Sound familiar?"

Alan's eyes widened.

"How do you think of these things? Your thought processes just astound me sometimes," she said.

"And…also, Stitch is kinda wacky and fun loving like you, plus he's cute, I think."

Alan considered that.

"I guess having a Stitch tattoo wouldn't be too bad," he conceded. "Especially considering what you just said about him."

"So, you will get a tattoo with me?"

He sighed.

"If I get it, it will not be some huge thing that takes up half my body. I'll get it on my arm above my shirt sleeve and you will be the only one who sees it. Lord knows why I'm agreeing to this though. The human side must be interfering with my thinking or something."

Rose let out a little squeal and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome, I guess," he said.

He shook his head.

"God, Rose, what is this power you have over me and the Doctor that we just instantly become putty in your hands and do whatever you want, no matter how bizarre it may be?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They got back to the hotel room, climbed in the shower together and made love before finally turning in for the night.

The next morning, they woke up early and Rose checked The Weather Channel for the forecast. She made a face and looked at Alan who was in the bathroom shaving.

"It's gonna get up to eighty eight degrees Fahrenheit," she said. "You wanna wait till late afternoon or do you wanna go ahead and take a ferry or zeppelin across the water into New Jersey?"

"I'd rather we do that. Take a zeppelin in and go ahead and look around and then leave by late afternoon. Unless you wanna spend the night in the city?"

"Nah, I wanna get going, we have a lot of ground to cover, you know."

Alan glanced at her.

"What about the whole tattoo scheme?"

She smiled.

"I thought we could do that this morning before we left."

He raised his eyebrow.

"You really are going to go through with this, aren't you?"

"Yup."

"What are your parents gonna think?"

"I don't care what they think. I'm twenty three now and I can do what I want."

"And is the next step getting our bodies pierced and then getting our hair dyed and then getting a large bolt through my penis? Is this where this tattooing thing is leading to?"

"Nah, I just want a tattoo. No piercing in odd places or stuff like that."

"Well, thank God for that because I really was gonna put my foot down the moment you suggested I get an earring in my tongue."

He finished up and slapped shaving lotion on his face. He paused a moment, hitched up his shirt sleeve and stared at his bare arm in the mirror.

"I can't believe in a few hours I'm gonna have a Disney character on here," he said as Rose giggled. "God, I must be insane. The Doctor would find a Sycorax and have his arm cut off before he did anything like this."

"Well, you're doing this because you love me," Rose said, walking over to him.

"The Doctor loves you as well, but there are limits to what he would do for you, trust me."

"Yeah, but you're more adventurous than him," she purred, rubbing his arms.

"I'm something, but I don't think adventurous is the correct word to describe it," he muttering. "More like gullible and easily led around by a woman."

She gave him a peck on the earlobe.

"Come on; just think of it as a new experience. I'll buy you dinner afterwards."

"You've been buying me dinner anyway, so where's the reward?"

She laughed and hugged him around the middle.

"I'm your reward."

Alan turned his head and smiled at her.

"Yes, you are and that's why I'm willing to go along with this crazy scheme of yours."

He kissed her on the lips and let out a sigh.

"Okay, let's get it over with," he said as he gathered up his toiletries.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty Five

Before leaving, Rose had found a tattoo parlor in the phone book and managed to get directions. When they finally found it, she and Alan stood outside and looked at the tiny shop that was gaudily decorated and had TATTOO YOU written above the door in big, bold red letters. Alternative music blared from the open door and inside Alan could see a big, burly tattooed man working on a guy's arm.

"Oh yeah, isn't this wizard? This whole setup just screams out professionalism."

"Come on, Alan, it'll be fine."

"Are you sure? Because you can pick up diseases from dirty instruments."

"I know for a fact that in most places tattoo artists have to be registered and follow guidelines before they let them set up shop. This place is no different than a hundred other tattoo places in London. Just come inside and trust me."

Alan looked down at his feet as he followed Rose inside.

"I can't believe my body parts are cooperating and actually taking me inside," he said to himself.

The tattoo artist looked over at them.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah, we both wanna get tattoos," Rose said.

"Go ahead and pick out what you want, I'll be with you in a moment," he said.

He turned his attention back to the man he was working on while Rose walked over to a wall filled with pictures of artwork. Alan followed behind, shaking his head.

"I can't believe I'm doing this voluntarily. What's wrong with me?" he said.

"Nothing is wrong with you. Most people have a tattoo nowadays, just relax and find a Stitch if he has one."

"What if he doesn't? What am I supposed to do, get a flaming skull?" he said, pointing to a drawing in front of him.

"Um…no, flaming skull would look terrible on ya."

"And Stitch would look delightful?"

She gave him a kiss on the cheek. He sighed and shook his head as he scanned the pictures.

"Eagle," he muttered as he looked. "Skull, panther, bleeding heart, cobra…zombie? Who in the bloody hell would get a corpse tattooed on their body?"

He looked over when Rose tugged on his arm.

"Follow me, the Disney section is over here," she said.

He walked with her to the far end of the display and Rose smiled as she pointed to a picture near the top of the wall. There were two Stitches. One was sitting and the other was standing and playing a huge ukulele.

"There ya go, I found ya Stitch," she said, proudly. "Personally, the one playing the ukulele fits ya better."

"Uh-huh, well gee, Lilo, why don't you get a tattoo of her," he said, pointing to the Lilo tattoo next to the Stitch ones. "Then, we could match."

"Nah, I want Amo'tiri on my arm. Speaking of…you got a piece of paper? I want you to draw what it looks like in Gallifreyan so I can give it to the guy."

"You are barking mad, Rose Tyler," he said as she giggled. "I cannot believe you are getting Gallifreyan writing put on your arm."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. He put the pad against the wall and drew the circles that made up Amo'tiri while Rose watched with interest.

"There, "he said, when he finished. "You sure you want that on your arm?"

Rose studied the intricate pattern of circles.

"Yeah, I do," she said.

"Barking mad, you are. Out of your tree," he said, shaking his head.

They looked over when the man the tattoo artist was working on got up from the chair. The tattoo artist followed him to the cash register and after paying him, the man left. The tattoo artist smiled at Alan and Rose as he headed back to the chair.

"Find what you want?" he asked.

"Yeah, I want you to do this drawing on my upper arm and…"

She looked at Alan. He sighed.

"I want that," he said, pointing to the Stitch with the ukulele, "on my upper arm. And please make it kinda small so it fits under my shirt sleeve, would ya?"

"No problem. Just let me get everything cleaned up and ready for ya. Which one's going first?"

"I'll go first," Rose said.

He nodded as he grabbed a rag from a bucket of disinfectant and wiped down the chair, a little rolling chair that he had been sitting on and a little silver table beside it. Once that was finished, he went over to a sink, washed his hands with soap and water and put on surgical gloves. He then opened up a drawer and pulled out a needle wrapped in a sealed packet and set it on the table. Rose looked at Alan.

"See, it's sterile, nothing to worry about."

"It's a good thing."

"What's the design you want me to put on your arm?" the man said.

Rose handed him the drawing.

"And do it exactly like that, could ya?" she asked.

"No problem. What color you want it to be?"

"Black."

"Which arm?"

"The right one."

"Go ahead and sit down."

Rose set down in the chair while he went and gathered more supplies and poured some fresh ink into a disposable ink cap. Alan walked over to her left side and stood there watching with interest while Rose relaxed. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. The man grabbed a stenciling pencil, set the paper on the table in front of him and looking from it to her arm began to carefully draw out the design. After fifteen minutes, he was finished and sat back.

"Is this how you want it to look?" he asked, holding up a hand mirror.

Rose looked at the design and glanced at Alan.

"Is that correct?"

Alan nodded.

"Yeah, that's how I want it to look," she said.

The man opened the sealed packages in front of her, assembled everything and went to work. Alan watched her face while he etched the design into her skin. He noticed a pained look on her face a couple of times.

"Painful?" he asked.

"Kinda."

The man smiled.

"First tattoo?" he asked Rose.

"Yeah."

"You picked a good spot for a beginning tattoo. Arm is the least painful because it's all muscle. If you get it where there's bone, that's what really hurts."

She looked up when Alan laughed.

"What?" she said.

"Oooooh God, you're mother is gonna kill you and then she's gonna kill me."

The man chuckled.

"Not the first time I've heard that," he said.

After a half hour, he finished and sat back.

"There ya go," he said, wiping away a tiny amount of blood.

He held up the mirror.

"What'd ya think?" he asked.

Rose smiled.

"I love it," she said.

She looked at Alan.

"Barking mad."

"What do you think of the tattoo?" she asked as he laughed.

"The tattoo is fine, but you're mad as a hatter."

Rose smiled at the man.

"I talked him into doing this."

"I can tell."

He wrapped the arm in a fresh bandage.

"Keep this on for at least two hours and don't go swimming or soak in a hot tub for at least two weeks or the ink might fade. Don't bother the scab that'll form over it and try not to expose it to the sun for awhile because both of these things can also cause the tattoo to fade. You need to keep it clean and you can put cocoa butter or lanolin on it to keep the skin moist along with using soap and warm water to keep it free from infection. Got it?"

"Yup."

"Well then, congratulations on your first tattoo. Are both of you on the same bill?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then you can have a seat over there or stand by him. But, it's your turn now."

"Oh joy," Alan muttered as she hopped out of the chair.

He waited until he wiped everything down and disposed of the dirty needles and equipment before he sank into the chair.

"Tell me again why I'm doing this?" he asked.

"Because you love me and because you're doing something different from the Doctor."

"Mmmm, well, you just keep on reminding me of that then," he said as she laughed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Thanks again," Rose said, waving as she and Alan left the tattoo parlor.

"I can't believe I went through with it."

Rose laughed.

"How many times are you gonna say that?"

"Until I get it through my head that I just let a strange tattooed man take a needle and put a Disney character on my arm for the rest of this life."

"I think it's cute, my little Stitch."

"Yeah, well, I'll probably think it's cute too after my arm quits hurtin' like hell," he said.

Rose tousled his hair.

"Come on, I'll take you anywhere you want to eat and that'll make you feel better about all this."

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They walked all around the downtown area. They passed several restaurants, but Alan wasn't interested in any of them. After the fifth one they passed up, Rose finally took hold of Alan's hand and stopped him.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked.

Alan gave her a shocked look.

"Uh…no, why?"

"Because you've passed up a bunch of restaurants and I thought you might be angry at me for making you do this," she said, gesturing to the arm.

He chuckled and took her around the waist.

"If I didn't want to do it, then I would have said no and put my foot down. I did it for you and I'm not mad at you, not in the least. I'm just haven't been thrilled with the restaurants we've passed. I really don't wanna eat at McDonalds or some fancy schmancy restaurant. That's the only reason why I've been walking by them; it has nothing to do with you. So, stop worrying, alright? I promise you if I get angry at you, you will know it."

He took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"In time, I will like my Stitch tattoo….once I can see it, that is. But, this was all for your benefit, which is why I asked him to make it small enough to fit under my shirt sleeve. And I hope to God the Doctor doesn't come back here and see this because he will never let me live it down."

They walked on and turned the corner. As they passed by a Wendy's restaurant, Rose suddenly felt Alan stop and turned to look at him. He was staring at a sign in the restaurant window with a huge grin on his face.

"What?" Rose said. "What is it?"

He started snickering and pointed to the sign. Rose turned and read it.

TRY OUR BIGGIE FRIES, ONLY 99 CENTS.

Rose shrugged.

"What about it?"

Alan stared at her in disbelief.

"Rose, do you see the key word in this sign?"

Rose looked at it again. She read the sign twice before she finally realized why Alan was giggling.

"Oh, for the love of God, grow up, Alan Timelord," she said.

"What? They apparently have fries here that are made out of biggies! Am I reading that right or not?"

Rose tried not to laugh at the puerile joke, but she couldn't help it.

"It doesn't mean that in America, doofus," she said as he bent over laughing. "Kids don't call their poo biggies in America."

"Well, it means that in Britain. New York is a tourist destination; don't they realize that they are advertising poo fries? I wonder if any other Brits have noticed this before."

"If they have, I'm sure they've kept quiet about it."

"Ooooh, I bet not. I bet there's quite a few that go in looking for shite chips. In fact…I suddenly have an urge to see what biggie fries taste like. Come on, my dear, I found a restaurant!"

"Oh Jesus," Rose said, following him inside.

He walked up the counter and the lady behind it smiled at him.

"Welcome to Wendy's. May I take your order?"

"Yes," Alan said, trying to keep a straight face. "I would like a double cheeseburger with everything on it, a large Coke and…biggie fries."

The lady entered that in the cash register. She glanced up and frowned when she heard Alan snickering to himself.

"That'll be 5.75," she said.

Rose stepped forward.

"We're together," she said.

"Okay, what would you like?"

"I'd like a Caesar salad with some chili and a large Coke."

"Biggie fries," Alan said, nudging her back.

"No," Rose hissed as he giggled.

She noticed the woman's confusion.

"I'm sorry," she said. "My boyfriend is laughing like a little kid because in England biggie is what kids call their poo. So, he wanted to come in here and get some biggie fries for a giggle."

"Really? That's what biggie means in England?" the lady said.

They nodded.

"Oh man, I have to tell everyone else. Thinking back on it now, we did actually get a couple of British people in here who did the same thing."

"Told ya," Alan said, nudging Rose.

The lady smiled.

"Well, I can assure you that the fries aren't made of poo."

She laughed with them.

"Um, that comes to 10.75," she said, sobering up.

Rose handed her credit card to her.

"There you go, it'll be just a minute," the lady said, handing the card back to her. "And thanks so much for the laugh, it's been kind of a crappy day today and I needed cheering up."

She went to fill their order while Alan nudged Rose and kissed her temple.

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"Ah, now let's see what biggie fries taste like," Alan said as they found a seat.

Rose snickered.

"Like I said, this whole journey with you will not be dull for one moment," she said.

Alan reached into the yellow cardboard box that had BIGGIE across it in big red letters and grabbed a chip. He waved it in front of Rose's face.

"I dare ya!" he said with an impish grin.

Rose plucked the chip from his hand and shoved it in her mouth. Alan feigned shock.

"That's disgusting. You're eating poo," he said as she snorted out laughter. "How's it taste?"

"Like a very salty chip."

She took a bite of chili while Alan took a bite of a chip. He chewed it thoughtfully for a moment.

"Not bad, I've had better, less shite-filled chips in my day."

She rolled her eyes.

"Aaaaaaaah," Rose sighed. "You are a handful, you are."

He grinned. Opening up the foil surrounding the burger, he took a bite.

"Mmmm, this is really good. Mouth is now filled with greasy, burgery goodness. Here, try."

He tore off a piece of the burger and popped it in her mouth.

"Mmm, yeah, it is good. Here, try the chili."

She dipped her spoon in and slowly leaned over the table. Alan took a bite and licked his lips.

"Delicious. For a restaurant that specializes in turning feces into fries, they sure do have delicious food."

Rose smiled at that and the two of them chatted while they finished the rest of their meal.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After they finished eating, they walked back to the hotel, gathered up their things and checked out.

"Right, on to New Jersey then?" Rose said.

"Lead on, little adventurer."

They caught a taxi and went back to the airport. Rose paid for another flight across the Hudson River into Newark, New Jersey and they hurried towards the dirigible.

"Goodbye, New York, hello New Jersey," Alan said as they boarded the blimp. "And pretty soon, we will be in Florida and then it's the rest of the country and then the rest of the world!"


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty Six

_22 July_

_Well, we've finally made it past Trenton and are on our way across the state as we follow I-95. We've gone about five miles and both of us are resting by the motorway in a forest so I thought I'd just write while Alan has a quick kip. It's hard to believe that we are finally trekking across country just like we planned. Mind you, the day didn't go completely smoothly. Even though we left Trenton about an hour before sunset, we still sweated a lot with these rucksacks on our back and then to top it all off, Alan's foot found a rabbit hole when we were going across a field and he nearly twisted his ankle, which is another reason why we're resting. Alan took a couple of ibuprofen and we're waiting for them to work properly before heading on. _

_Other than Alan almost falling, it's been pretty peaceful out here. The motorway is still visible, but we're far enough away that no one will bother us and we're not in danger of being hit by a car. The sun is going down now. The birds are singing above me and the wind is blowing through the trees, so it's a nice change from our two days in noisy New York. My arm is still aching from the tattoo, but I'm glad I got it. It'll look so beautiful when it heals up and I have something unique and special that comes directly from Alan and every time I look at it, I'll think of him. Mind you, he might not have the same reaction when he looks at Stitch. He'll probably be thinking what a git he was for letting me talk him into it, but secretly I think he likes it, otherwise why would he agree to get it. And he's right; the Doctor would have never, ever done this, which is another reason why I love him so much. He's willing to embrace his human side and all the things that come with it. I'm so glad he'll keep that if he does change into a full Time Lord. Alan wouldn't be Alan to me without his humanity and his "Noble-itis." _

_Oh, Alan's waking up now and he's coming over here. I…_

_I am Alan Timelord. I am being naughty and writing things in Rose's diary. Tee hee._

_Sorry, skinny boy thinks he's being cute by writing in my diary and…_

_I am cute. It's a proven fact. Besides I'm being little Curious George and wondering what sordid things you're writing about me. Oh, you're mentioning me tripping on the rabbit hole, are you? Well, I will enter this into the record. If I find the bunny bastard, I will make hasenpfeffer out of him, that is a promise and that's so sweet that you'll think of me when you look at your tattoo, I'll be looking at it thinking what a nutter you are for putting it there in the first place and yes, I do like Stitch once he stops making my arm ache and I definitely will wonder for the rest of my life or lives why I let you talk me into getting it. Oh, and thanks for loving me as I am. I love me too, tee hee. _

_There, I finally got my pen back from the little maniac. _

_But not for long, I see. Tee hee. Okay, now that I have regained control, I will enter a few deep thoughts for Rose to meditate over. So, here goes…_

_What if God was one of us?_  
_Just a slob like one of us?_  
_Just a stranger on the bus, trying to make his way home._

_Food for thought, Tyler. Or…how about we view this same inspirational verse from the Doctor's perspective._

_What if God was me, me, me?_  
_What a brilliant universe this would be!_  
_Holy crap, it's a monster, alons-y!_  
_Time to haul our asses home._

_Oh good, Rose is bent over laughing and urinating her knickers, so I now have complete control of the diary. Um…okay, some more deep thoughts for Rose once she gets done soiling herself._

_I am a devilishly handsome and clever bastard._  
_I am Rose Tyler's entire universe. The sun rises and sets around me._  
_I am the true Doctor. The man in the blue box is the clone…or is it the other way around? Oooooo-ee-oooooooooo!_

_Well, I finally got my diary back and I've just read his so-called clever musings and I have one thing to say. Where's my rubber so I can erase all this crap he wrote and…_

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"Hey!" Rose said as Alan grabbed the diary from her hands and ran behind some trees. "Give me back my diary, ya git!"

"No, you're not gonna erase my clever musings! I put them there for your benefit," he said, darting among the trees as Rose tried to catch him." Besides, I wanna know what else you've said about me!"

"Fine then, if you do that, I get to read your diary!" she said, running back to the rucksacks.

She reached the rucksacks and began to open Alan's when he suddenly seized her from behind.

"Oooooooh, no you don't," he said, tickling her.

"Well, then give me back my diary then," she gasped out.

"Oh, all right, here's your diary back," Alan said.

He bopped her on the head with it and ran when Rose tried to do the same to him.

"Better run!" she said, opening her rucksack.

"Oh yes," Alan said, sticking his head out from behind a tree. "I'm just soooooooo scared."

"Then why are ya hiding?"

"I'm not. I'm right here. I just feel the need to stand over here until your PMT clears up."

"I don't have PMT right now and if I did, you would know it."

"Eh, I'm not afraid of you. You're just a little wuss who thinks just because she knows a few aikido moves, she can take me."

"Keep talkin' and you're gonna find a foot in your gut."

She flipped him off when he snorted out laughter.

"And on that note, perhaps we should get movin' while it's nice and cool?" he said, rummaging through his rucksack.

He got out his torch and turned it on while Rose did the same.

"Now, don't be afraid, little Rosie. I'll protect you if Jason Voorhees leaps out of the woods with his machete."

Rose snorted.

"I think you're the one that'll need protecting."

"I'm not liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisteniiiiiiiiiing!" Alan said in a high-pitched voice.

Rose rolled her eyes as he chuckled. They slid their rucksacks onto their backs and used the torches to guide themselves through the woods. As they walked, Alan glanced up at the crescent moon high above them.

"Nice night," he said.

"Yes, it is."

Alan glanced at her.

"Do you wanna hear a ghost story while we walk?"

"Sure."

"Well, I have a few I could tell you that are old legends from Gallifrey. When the Doctor was a young boy, he used to live in the mountains of south Gallifrey and there was an old hermit there who used to tell him ghost stories."

Rose's interest was peaked. The Doctor had rarely mentioned Gallifrey, much less his childhood.

"Please, tell me one of the ghost stories," she said.

"Well, you remember when I mentioned the Toclafane during the year that never was?"

"Yes."

"Well, the Master got the name from these old ghosts that supposedly lived in the mountains and snatched away unwary travelers, so I can tell you a story concerning them…that is, if you're not too scared to hear."

"I'm not scared."

"You sure? Because we're going through a dark, scary forest right now. You think you'll be alright?"

"Just…go ahead and tell the story."

"Okay, well long ago there were two brothers who lived with their extended family at the foot of the south Gallifreyan Mountains. The first brother who was named Warrick was a sweet man who always helped out others in need. The other brother who was named Orion was the exact opposite. He was a jealous little toad of a man who hated that everyone loved his brother so much and he secretly planned to kill him so that he would no longer have to listen to how great he was. One day he saw his chance when their mother asked Warrick to go up into the mountains and collect a medicinal herb so she could heal their cousin. Orion volunteered to go with him, giving his mother the excuse that he needed someone to look after him and they would find the herb quicker with both of them searching, but in reality, he was going to murder him and make it look like an accident. Warrick, who had no clue of his brother's intentions, was happy to have him along and both of them set out in search of the herb. They climbed up the steep mountain together, Warrick happily chatting with his brother while all the while Orion looked for an opportunity to strike. Then, when they were almost to the top, they came upon a secluded cave and Orion, seeing his chance, told Warrick that the herb would probably be inside since it needed a cold, dark place in which to grow. Warrick agreed and both of them activated light crystals and went inside. Orion let his brother go first and when he wasn't looking, he picked up a huge rock and readied himself to strike. When they got far enough inside the cave that they could no longer see the entrance, Orion finally acted and he struck Warrick hard on the back of the head with the rock. His brother slumped to the ground and just as Orion raised the bloody rock to finish him off; his brother looked at him and told him that he would soon follow him in death. Ignoring that, Orion pounded on his skull until his brother breathed his last. Then, taking some of the blood, he smeared it on his face and clothes, took the time to find a bit of the herb and quickly ran down the hill to tell his family that his brother had been killed by a Grotus, which is a kind of cave bear. His family believed his lies and once the body, which by then really had been nibbled on by a Grotus, had been recovered, they cremated it with all the necessary funeral rites and Orion smugly believed that he had gotten away with murder."

He glanced at Rose.

"Go on," she said.

He smiled.

"Okay, well several months passed and life carried on as before until one day another family member fell ill. The mother asked Orion to go back up into the hills and he reluctantly agreed, figuring that he would just go to the same place he did before, gather up some of the herb and be back in a few hours. So, he went up the hill and after about a half hour, found the cave again. He was about to go past it when he heard a noise coming from inside. He stopped and listened and a couple of minutes later, he heard it again. It was someone calling his name. He stood there for a moment wondering who was calling to him, after all the only time he'd been up in the mountains was when he was with his brother and the cave had been deserted the last time they'd been there. He heard the voice again and finally decided that someone must be playing a trick on him. I'll soon sort him out; he thought as he turned on his crystal and went inside. He walked and walked following the voice, but no matter how far he walked, it seemed as though the voice never got any louder. By this time he was furious and wanted nothing more than to get his hands on the prankster and strangle him. He was just about to give up when he turned a bend in the cavern and saw something that turned his blood cold. It was his dead brother. Only he was now a Toclafane, a vengeful ghost who had suffered an unjust death in life and was doomed to attack other travelers until he found peace at last. Brother, he said, you have murdered me and now must pay the price. I must have revenge or my ghost will wander these hills forever as one of the Toclafane. You must die, Orion, he said, pointing to him. Orion dropped his crystal and ran, trying to get back to the entrance before his brother caught up with him. But now he was running in the dark and terrified because he could hear Orion right behind him screaming out his name. He ran blindly, not realizing that he had taken a wrong turn and was running down the wrong cavern, which is why he didn't see there was a huge chasm in front of him and with a blood curdling scream, he fell into the hole and fell to his death. With that, his brother was avenged and his soul vanished from Gallifrey into the afterlife and he was at peace forevermore. The end."

"Wow, that was great. That's one of the stories that this hermit told the Doctor?"

"Yup. He was kinda a strange old man, but he did have a fondness for the Doctor since both of them were outcasts from society."

"But, I don't understand. Why was the Doctor an outcast? I mean, I know the Doctor acts a bit odd from time to time, but surely that's not the reason."

"Well, let's sit here for a moment and rest and I'll tell you what I know, course a lot of it is speculation because the Doctor himself wasn't entirely sure why he was ostracized, but there are a few things that he knew people didn't like about him."

They set down on a fallen tree trunk.

"Ah, that's better," Alan said. "Anyway, one definite reason was because unlike most Time Lords, the Doctor believed in interfering in events in order to make a universe a better place, not just observing it and he believed this as far back as he could remember, almost like it was his destiny from the start. But, that really didn't become an issue until he went to the academy and got into disputes with the headmaster and the professors who were teaching noninterference to the students. As for being picked on by the other kids…yes, he did get teased for the way he thought and he was more of a free spirit than the others, but the main thing he got teased for was his physical body."

"What'd ya mean?"

"Okay, when a baby is in the womb, how does it feed and get its nutrients?"

"Through the umbilical cord."

"And what happens to the umbilical cord after the baby is born."

"They cut it off."

"And what does that leave?"

"A navel."

"Precisely. Now on Gallifrey, no one since the time Rassilon seized power from the Pythia had been able to reproduce sexually because the Pythia laid a curse on all Gallifreyans that made them sterile, hence the looms that grew the Doctor and everyone else out of genetic material. Now the babies are grown quickly in the loom, there's no real gestation period, so there's no need to nourish the fetuses, which means what?"

"There's…no umbilical cord?"

"Yup, which means that when the babies were finished…"

"Um…there's no navel?"

"Exactly. But…look at this…"

He stood up, unzipped his trousers and loosened them. He took his torch, pulled up his t-shit and shined the light on himself.

"What do you see?" he said.

Rose's eyebrow rose.

"A navel," she said.

"And if I'm a clone of the Doctor…"

Rose took that in. She looked at Alan.

"But…where did he get a navel from if he was in this loom thing?"

"Exactly. The Doctor was the first and only Gallifreyan born with a navel."

"So, people teased him about it," she said as Alan fastened his trousers and pulled his shirt down.

"Yup, when he was a little kid, people used to call him Wormhole and Snail."

Rose burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry, but that's too funny. Especially Wormhole," she said as he sat back down beside her.

She frowned.

"But, wait, the Doctor kept saying that Time Lords were so high and mighty and brainy. Wouldn't they be above teasing others like that?"

"No, because if you notice here on Earth, the more intelligent a species is, the more it's able to see differences in others and think up ways to single them out and make fun of them. Unfortunately, the more intelligence, the more cruelty a being is capable of. It goes hand in hand. And for all the Doctor's talk about how enlightened the Time Lords were, in many ways they were just as devious and corrupt and base as some humans are. It's just the way a lot of societies are, even the ones who claim to be more sophisticated. The high council on Gallifrey in many ways acted just like politicians here on Earth and there were many times when they screwed the Doctor over, to coin a phrase."

"Then, if everyone treated the Doctor like shit, why does he get so choked up when he starts talking about Gallifrey?" Rose asked.

"You ever notice, Rose, that when someone dies, everyone says nothing but good things about them even if they were a complete bastard in life? It's kinda the same thing, but…it's not really the high council or the people who treated him badly that he gets choked up about, it's the friends and family that really did care about him and loved him. That's who he's missing when he does that. He didn't have very many close friends there, but the ones he did have were loyal to him and treated him with love and respect. Everyone else he doesn't really give a damn about, except for the fact that he ended their lives prematurely when they had just as much right to exist as everyone else. And his home world was beautiful as well. He also misses the beauty of Gallifrey, but that's why he starts getting teary eyed when he or someone else mentions it."

"Oh, well, I can understand that," she said. "I just wish he knew that even if Gallifrey is gone, Earth can still be his adopted home just like it is yours. He has so many people on Earth that love him, I mean; he should have seen that on the Crucible. I know it upset him that everyone was willing to die for him, but that's how much love we have for him."

"Yes, but when you grow up being tormented and picked on by everyone around you, you unconsciously start the whole pushing people away from you, partly out of fear of being rejected and partly because that's what you're used to. I keep telling you, he does love you, he really does but this is how he handles intimacy and people trying to become close to him and it's gotten worse since the Time War. But, he does honestly, truly, with all his hearts love you, Rose even if he couldn't say it vocally. And he will always love you until the moment he draws his last breath. You will be remembered by him long after everyone else has forgotten you, trust me. Just don't take it to heart that he refused to say those three little words aloud because I can guarantee you he was thinking it the whole time he was standing there. Just like I'm thinking it every time I look at your gorgeous, awe-inspiring face."

She smiled and embraced him. He sighed and held her tightly loving the feel of her warm body against his. He kissed her on the forehead and rubbed her cheek.

"Shall we move on?" he asked.

"Yup, ready when you are."

He stood up and took her hand. Turning on the torches, they continued walking through the woods.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter Thirty Seven

They walked until it was almost dawn, crossing a couple more fields and another forest. When they got halfway through the forest, neither one of them could keep their eyes open and they decided to sleep for awhile. They spread their bedrolls out side by side and snuggled down into them.

"First night out under the stars since the beach in Norway," Alan said as he held her close and gazed up at the night sky.

"I just hope we'll be alright out here," Rose said, gazing up at the sky with him.

He took hold of her chin and slowly turned her head so he could look into her eyes.

"I won't let anyone or anything hurt you, Rose. I swear that to you."

Rose smiled and snuggled her head against his chest as he draped his arm around her body.

"Sleep now, my love, you're safe here," he whispered in her ear.

Rose smiled at that and with a contented sigh, closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

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Rose stood in a meadow on some alien world. She looked up in the sky and noticed it was a faint pink color. On one side of the sky was a brightly glowing sun and on the other side was a blue planet with two Saturn-like rings crisscrossing it. She looked over and noticed someone sitting by himself in the distance. She could tell by the blue suit and the tousled hair blowing in the breeze that it was the Doctor. However, he had his back to her and was completely unaware of her presence. She walked towards him, looking all around for any sign of the Valeyard, but he was nowhere to be found. Wary of that, she slowly walked towards the lone Time Lord.

"Doctor?" she said when she got a few feet away.

"Been waiting for you," he said, without turning around.

Rose walked around him, mindful that any moment something bad might happen. However, when she got around to the front, she noticed he was just calmly sitting on his trench coat with his legs stretched out in front of him, enjoying the breezy day. He smiled when he looked up at her.

"Mornin'" he said, cheerfully.

Rose looked all around her. She could see no sign of the Valeyard, but she also didn't see the TARDIS anywhere. She looked at the Doctor who was still smiling up at her.

"Where's the TARDIS?"

"Oh, it's in the vortex with me still inside," he said. "I just decided to astral project here and enjoy the nice, cool day while I waited for you."

Red flags went off in Rose's mind.

"Why are you waiting for me?" she said.

He frowned.

"Why wouldn't I wait for you?" he said.

"How did you know I would be here?"

He smiled.

"Because I called you to me."

Again, the red flags went off.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to see you. This is no ordinary dream you're having, Rose. We're astral projecting our souls onto this planet as a kind of meeting place. I'm asleep right now and I guess you are as well because here you are. Now, would you like to sit down next to me?"

"Nothing's going to happen to me?"

He frowned.

"No, not to my knowledge. Why? Do you think something will happen?"

Rose wondered if she should mention the Valeyard and then decided against it.

"Well, you know, trouble just always seems to follow us everywhere we go," she said as casually as she could.

He chuckled.

"Don't I know it? But, no, we're not in any danger here. This is just the two of us sharing one another's company for awhile. So, please, have a seat."

Rose sat down on the trench coat next to him.

"Will we remember being here when we wake up?" she asked him.

"Dunno, I hope so, but one never knows about these things. Still, we might remember it on a subconscious level even if we can't recall it consciously. But, enough technical talk, what's been going on? How are you getting along with the other me?"

Rose smiled.

"He's brilliant. You'd love him, honestly. He's so sweet and loving to me."

"So, no hating me for leaving you with him?"

"No."

He smiled at that.

"Rose, I'm sorry I left you there with him. It's just that…"

She held up her hand.

"No, you don't have to explain. I understand."

The Doctor relaxed at that.

"I want you to be happy, Rose. That's all I've ever wanted. All you've ever deserved was to be happy."

He sighed.

"I didn't want to leave you with him, but I had no choice. I thought that if I left you there with him then at least you wouldn't be alone; at least you could have a Doctor in your life that would love and cherish you. I just don't want you to hate me for doing that."

"I could never hate you, Doctor, not in a million years."

He smiled and took her hands.

"If you are happy with him, then my fears about doing this will be put to rest."

"I am. I'm happy being with Alan and I thank you for bringing us together."

He frowned.

"Alan?"

"That's his name. His human name. Alonzo Arthur Timelord."

The Doctor grinned.

"Alonzo, gee, where in the world did he get that from?" he said as Rose giggled. "Alan, nice name, well good, I'm glad he's making an effort to adapt to his new life."

"He is. He's just wonderful. He and I are traveling the world now."

"You are?"

"Oh yeah, we're in New Jersey now and eventually we hope to see the world…or most of it."

The Doctor chuckled.

"Yup, just like me, can't stay in one place for very long."

"No, he can't."

She took his hand.

"And thank you so much for the coral. Thank you for letting us have our own TARDIS eventually."

He smiled.

"You're welcome. I don't want you trapped there forever, Rose. I know exactly what it's like to be stuck on Earth, trust me. Alan and you deserve to be out there among the stars. Mind you, normally it takes thousands of years for a TARDIS to mature, but I did a little jiggery-pokery with the coral and decreased the wait time to ten years. I could have shortened it even more, but I wanted to give Alan time to adjust and get over being bitter and angry before you two set off. I want to make sure that the universe isn't being threatened. Plus, he's half human and he needs to learn how to be one. I know ten years might seem like a lifetime, but it'll go by quickly, trust me."

Rose nodded.

"You don't have to worry about Alan, he's better now and every day more and more of the anger is going away."

"Good."

She took his hands.

"But, please don't be angry with him for what he did. He was trying to save the universe and if he hadn't killed the Daleks, they would have killed everyone else."

"But killing them is not the answer."

"But, isn't that what you did in the Time War?" Rose challenged.

The Doctor fell silent.

"If I could have found another way to end the Time War without killing them, I would have," he said. "I had no choice."

"Well, neither did Alan. Doctor, they were going to disintegrate everything in creation. The stars still might have gone out if Alan hadn't stopped them. Because of him, we don't have to worry about that anymore. Can't you understand that?"

"I understand, Rose, I do. But, he needs to learn that he can't solve every problem that way."

"He knows that," Rose said angrily. "He's not a monster, Doctor. He's not a threat. If he was, why would you leave him there with me and my mum? You don't know him."

"I don't know him? Rose, he's my clone."

"No, not anymore. He's different now. He's made himself act differently, so he won't be your clone. He doesn't want to be that. Oh God, I wish you could just come back over the void and see him, talk to him and find out that he's not this big looming danger. I think if you see what he's doing to try to change and improve himself, you'd be so proud of him. I wish you could see that for yourself," she said, lowering her head into her hands.

The Doctor stared at her, sadly, his heart filled with regret for what he did to Alan. He knew she was right. Alan had done no less than he had in the Time War and he judged him unfairly. He hated that Rose was angry at him. He could withstand any torment in the universe except this. The last thing he wanted was for Rose to be angry at him for the rest of her life. With an imploring look on his face, he leaned in and lifted her face to his.

"I'm sorry, Rose. Please forgive me. You're right, it wasn't fair to Alan and I wish I could tell him that face to face and see how much he's improved. But I know he has gotten better because he has you. That's why I wanted you with him. Because I knew that you had the power to take away all the bitterness and anger just like you did with me. I don't want you hating me for the rest of your life because I did this. Please, don't hate me, Rose."

She swallowed hard when she saw the forlorn look on his face. She stroked his cheek.

"I will never hate you, either of you. I love you both so very much and that will never change, no matter what happens."

Her heart soared when she saw the joy and relief on the Doctor's face.

"You make me proud, Rose, every second of every minute of every hour of every day, you make me so proud and I thank all the gods in existence that I met you."

"Same here," Rose said.

She leaned in and hesitated a moment before kissing him on the lips. To her surprise, the Doctor didn't shrink away and kissed her back. They stayed that way for a moment before they leaned back and gazed into each other's eyes.

"Rose, please know that I do love you even if I could never say it in the waking world," he said.

Rose smiled and nodded.

"I know you do and I love you too and I always will."

He smiled and squeezed her hand.

"I think I better get back to my body now. I was just taking a short little kip. So many things have been happening lately. So many stressful things and I finally just let myself rest from it all. That's why I called you here. I needed to see you and talk to you to kinda…cheer me up."

Rose flinched at that.

"Doctor, listen, please listen. You have to be strong now, yeah? You mustn't give in to despair. Please, just go somewhere fun with Donna and…"

"Donna isn't with me anymore," he said, his eyes downcast.

Rose's heart stopped.

"You're…you're alone again?" she said, panicked.

"No, not now."

"Then…who's with you?" she said, dreading the answer.

He sighed.

"Her name is River."

Rose shut her eyes, her worst fears confirmed.

"Oh God, no," she said.

"Rose, what's wrong? Why are you so upset?"

"Doctor," she said, taking his hands. "Please listen, you have to try to remember all this when you wake up. I want you to know that you're not alone. No matter what happens. If…something happens and you need someone to talk to, go find Jack or Sarah Jane or Martha, anybody, just don't face everything alone."

The Doctor studied her face.

"Why are you telling me this?" he said.

She swallowed hard.

"I'm scared for you," she said.

"Scared? Why? I'm alright, Rose, honestly. I'll be alright, just stop worrying and enjoy being with Alan. I'm not upset that you love him, Rose, not in the least. I want you and him to be together and be happy for the rest of your lives."

"And I want the same for you. I want you to be happy, Doctor; I don't want you thinking that everything is hopeless and give up on life. Please, just promise me, if it gets to be too much that you'll go find someone and talk to them before it's too late."

"Too late for what?" the Doctor asked.

Rose hesitated as the Doctor waited for her answer.

"Just…don't give up," she said, not wanting to utter the Valeyard's name. "I love you, you hear me? I love you and I won't give up on you, so don't you give up on yourself, you hear me?"

The Doctor, stunned, silently nodded. Rose flung herself into his arms and held him tightly willing her strength and love and peace into his soul as he held her in his arms.

"Stay strong, my love, stay strong for me," she whispered in his ear.

"I will, Rose, I promise."

Rose clung to him, desperate to believe that he would keep that promise. The Doctor, unsure of why she was so distraught, rubbed her back trying to ease her fears and his own. Seeing her so scared filled him with fear and he wanted nothing more than to fix whatever was wrong and make her happy and peaceful again.

"Rose, I swear on my life that I will be alright, nothing will happen to me, just don't be afraid," he said.

Rose nodded and leaned back up. She cupped his face with her hands.

"I'm here, anytime you need me, come here and call me to you and I will come without a second thought."

The Doctor smiled and nodded. They shared one more kiss and leaned their foreheads against one another.

"I better go, Rose," he said. "Don't worry about me, I'll try my hardest to remember what you said when I wake up and I will talk to someone if I need to. Just go on and have fun going around the world with Alan and don't worry, alright?"

Rose nodded. He rubbed her cheek and nuzzled her nose and then with a smile, he vanished with his coat. Rose sat there for a moment saying a silent prayer that he would remember their conversation before she lifted into the air and quickly flew back to her body.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty Eight

Rose slowly opened her eyes and noticed Alan was up on his side looking down at her.

"Hello there," he said.

"How come you're always up before I am?"

He grinned.

"Because you're so beautiful, I always rush to wake up so I can enjoy your sleeping face for awhile."

She smiled as he stroked her face.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Kick the Valeyard's ass again?"

"No, I…"

She frowned. She tried to remember what she was dreaming about, but for the life of her, she couldn't recall it.

"I can't remember what I dreamed about," she said.

"You can't? That's a first. Usually you can recall right off the bat. But, then again, it must be a good sign since I'm sure if it were a nightmare you'd remember that."

"Yeah, I think I had a good dream actually."

"Well, good, I'm glad to hear that."

He kissed her on the lips.

"So," he said, sitting up. "You want to head off or do you want to rest some more?"

Rose glanced at her watch. It was 8:42 in the morning.

"Why don't we rest here awhile and then practice some aikido, rest some more after that and then see if we can find a restaurant nearby?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," he said, reaching for his rucksack. "I'll read awhile if you don't mind."

"Go ahead. I need to go pee," she said, sliding out of her sleeping bag while Alan took out a paperback copy of Stephen Hawking's 'A Brief History of Time.' Rose glanced at it as she reached into her rucksack for a roll of toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

"Recreational reading?" she said with a grin.

"You like Nora Roberts, I like Stephen Hawking," he said, shrugging.

He smiled when she tousled his hair and walked off in search of a suitable spot to pee. She found a secluded spot, took off her trousers and knickers and squatted down. She wiped herself after she was done, wadded the toilet paper up and buried it in the dirt. She put her clothes back on and used the sanitizer to clean her hands.

On the way back, she paused at a tree when she noticed a green caterpillar going up the trunk. She studied it for a moment before she laid her hand up against the trunk in front of it. She grinned when it walked onto her fingers. She pulled her hand away and walked back to Alan while the caterpillar walked across her palm. Alan was still reading when she saw him. She walked over to him and held her hand in front of his face. Alan smiled when he saw the caterpillar.

"I see someone else is up early," he said.

Laying his book down, he put his hand on Rose's arm and watched while the caterpillar walked onto it. He touched its body and the caterpillar instantly curled its body up and lay still in the palm of his hand.

"Very clever buggers, caterpillars," he said. They didn't have anything like this on Gallifrey."

"You didn't have butterflies?"

"No, unfortunately. Would have been quite a sight seeing them fly among the silver leaves of the trees."

He stared at it for a moment and then carefully laid it on a nearby log. The caterpillar remained in the ball for a moment, then slowly uncurled and went on its way across the log.

"Have a good day, little fella, watch out for birds," he said to it.

He studied it for a moment and then looked at Rose.

"Where'd you find him?"

"Over there on a tree trunk," she said, pointing off to her left.

"I can't help but wonder if the caterpillar picked that tree trunk for a specific reason and now because of us, he has to walk all the way back and now his whole day is ruined."

"Gee, now I feel bad, thanks Alan," she said as he giggled.

She put her things back in the rucksack and got out her crossword puzzle book while Alan went back to reading his paperback. She leaned over and stared at the page he was reading.

"You know, it's rude to read over someone's shoulder. I'm not fully human and even I know that," Alan said, keeping his eyes on the book.

"I was just thinking. Don't you already know all this stuff or did that go into Donna as well?"

"No, I know it. But if I'm gonna read something, I'd rather it was something like this. Stephen Hawking is brilliant. His thinking is more advanced than most humans, so I can read this without getting bored."

Rose nodded and opened her puzzled book. She worked on one for a couple of minutes before looking at Alan.

"Alan?"

"Hmmm?"

"All this knowledge you got through the Doctor, was that part of the looming too?"

"Yes and no."

"What does that mean?"

Alan laid his book down.

"There's a process called brain-buffing. It's a time during childhood when all the information is sorted out that has been downloaded into the brain at birth. Then at the age of eight, everyone enters the academy where they are taught even further. Gallifreyan minds are equipped to handle all the info which is why most of my knowledge went into Donna. People who were loomed to be Time Lords like the Doctor also get extra information that is geared to them like the knowledge of the time lines. And, they also went through special classes at the academy that no one but Time Lords was permitted to take."

"So not everyone on Gallifrey was Time Lords?"

"Nope, Time Lord is the Doctor's profession and title, not his species. No, only a certain number of Gallifreyans could be Time Lords or Ladies at any given time. When they reached the limit proscribed by law, no more could be made until one died. It was a way to keep things under control. So, the Doctor kinda belongs to an elite club, if you will, and that's kinda why he's a bit pompous at times."

"Then what did the people who weren't Time Lords do for a living?"

"Oh, different things, farmers, teachers, workers, same as Earth."

"Did the Doctor do well at academy?"

Alan chuckled.

"Well, up until he got booted out of the academy when he was two hundred, he did fairly well. He was brilliant at some subjects, but he was also a bit of a troublemaker."

"What doesn't that surprise me?"

He laughed.

"Yes, my dear, the Doctor was a bit of a rascal. Mainly because he was bored with his studies and also because of the clashing over ideologies. The Master was his dorm mate, although at that time he was known as Koschei. Both of them were holy terrors. They were always in trouble. They were in the Prydonian chapter of the academy which had something of a reputation. It was kinda like Slytherin House in Harry Potter. A lot of the people who were in the Prydonian chapter turned out to be renegades, rogues and evil nutters."

"The Valeyard," Rose said.

He nodded.

"Yup, even the Doctor could eventually live up to that reputation. But here's the real truth, my dear. The man you fell in love with and gave your heart to is basically the Gallifreyan equivalent of Bart Simpson."

Rose laughed.

"Yeah, that's a good way to describe him."

She leaned back against the log and worked her puzzle, letting Alan read his book. As she worked the puzzle, she thought about what Alan had told her and tried to imagine the Doctor as a lonely kid and rebellious teenager.

"Alan?"

"Yes?"

"What did the Doctor look like when he was young?"

"Well, he had hair about the same color as I do now and it was cut short, kind a cross between this Doctor and the one before him. Short, but not as short as his previous life and he had piercing blue eyes like your other Doctor and a chubby face, but not a chubby body. He was thin, but not as thin as I am now."

Rose smiled, imaging that.

"Do you mind if I ask you something else?"

"Not at all."

"Well, I hate to bother you while you're reading."

"Nah, you're fine," he said, laying the book down. "Ask away."

"I was just wondering, how does the regeneration thing work?"

He frowned.

"I thought you knew that."

"No, I mean, how does the Doctor decide what to look like? I mean, I guess he doesn't have any control over it since he wanted to be ginger."

Alan chuckled at that. He scratched his chin while he thought.

"You don't know?" Rose asked.

"No, I know, I'm just trying to think how best to explain it to you. Um…you see, it all goes back to the looms. When they made the looms, they programmed in several million different…templates, if you will, of different looks, both male and female of thousands of different species. So, when the Doctor regenerates, he is given one of those templates. He has control over sex and species, but not the look of the body, which is why he couldn't be ginger."

"Wait, he can be a woman if he wants to?"

"Or he could even be a different species. But, he chooses to be humanoid because he likes the humanoid form."

"So, if he wanted to, he could be a female Slitheen in his next life?"

He smiled.

"Yeah, but I seriously doubt he would choose that."

"Has he ever been a woman?"

"Nope and he's never had any body type other than humanoid."

And his personality is separate then? He has control over that?"

He nodded.

"When he regenerates, he gets a bit of temporary amnesia because of the shock to his system and it takes awhile to get all his memories back and in that time most of the incarnation's personality is formed. But, by law, they were only limited to twelve regenerations because each time it happens, there is more and more stress on the body and mind. Thirteen lives is the most a Gallifreyan can endure and still function properly, so most choose to end their life after that, although the Master has found ways around that…or did until he made himself die. But, he's died before, so I wouldn't count him out just yet."

"He has a problem with that, with enemies reappearing all the time, I mean."

Alan rolled his eyes.

"Yes, he has that problem quite frequently," he said, dryly. "I suppose my efforts were for naught as well. For all the Doctor's talk about genocide, I'm sure Davros or some of the Daleks survived, things are like bloody cockroaches. Mark my words, Rose, if he doesn't deal with them again, we probably will at some point."

Rose groaned.

"Who would have thought a dustbin would turn out to be such a pain in the ass?"

"You're telling me? Dear heart, you've only dealt with them on three occasions. The Doctor's been fighting them for most of his life along with a host of other baddies, that's why he's beginning to feel that it's futile fighting them. But, just imagine what would happen if he didn't fight them."

"I do know that. In Donna's alternate reality, the Doctor died and everything slowly went to Hell because he wasn't there to stop it. It was terrifying to see and it's why I hope you can become a full Time Lord, so it doesn't happen in this universe."

"Become the man I was loomed to be?" he said, winking.

"Exactly."

Alan leaned back against the log and thought.

"I'll be a universal protector only if you do it with me."

She smiled.

"It's a deal."

"Brilliant, then between the two of us maybe we can keep this whole universe nice and peaceful."

"Too right we will."

He gave her a kiss.

"Now that we're rested, you wanna practice some aikido and then find somewhere to eat dinner?"

"Sounds good."

"Great, then let's get to it," he said.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty Nine

After about an hour of practice, they cooled down and got ready to move out. Alan used the restroom and they were off again. The day wasn't too hot, so the rucksacks didn't feel uncomfortable on their backs. They left the woods and to their relief, noticed an overpass about a half mile away. Reaching it, they climbed up a steep hill and stood by a road looking around at the restaurants and hotels.

"Where do you want to eat?" Rose asked.

"Not sure, what do you feel like eating?"

"I really don't feel like eating a burger right now."

"No, me neither. Truth be told, I feel like fish. How about that Long John Silvers over there?"

"Sounds good to me."

They looked both ways and quickly ran across the highway towards the restaurant.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ah! This hits the spot," Alan said as he dug into his fish and chicken dinner.

Rose had gotten a two-piece fish dinner with fries, hush puppies and Cole slaw. Alan's dinner had two fish, three chicken planks, fries, hush puppies and Cole slaw, plus a large Coke.

"Got enough to eat?" Rose said, winking.

He shot her an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry about this, it's another Gallifreyan quirk."

"What d'ya mean?"

"I know you don't realize this because the Doctor eats quite frequently, but normally a Gallifreyan eats only about once a fortnight and well…because of that, the Doctor eats more than you do at one sitting because his stomach is bigger. Basically, a Gallifreyan eats a bunch of food, stuffing himself and then it slowly digests over two weeks. But, normal Gallifreyans don't run all over the universe like he does, so his metabolic rate is higher and he digests food faster, which means he eats more often. Add to that his love of food and the fact that he doesn't want to be rude and just sit there and stare at you while you eat and he ends up eating a lot more than the average Time Lord. I inherited that, so unfortunately for you and your bank account, my stomach is like a bottomless pit. Add to that my humanity, which means I can't go a fortnight without food even if I wanted to and…well, I'm sorry, Rose."

"It's alright. I don't mind you eating a big meal. I'd rather you did that than starve. You're thin enough as it is anyway. Just eat what you want."

"Well, just letting you know that since I'm sure you've noticed by now I've eaten quite a bit."

"I have, but that's fine. If you have to eat more, than I'll be happy to get you food."

He smiled.

"You are so understanding. I love you for that."

He picked up a chip and fed it to her.

As they ate and talked, Alan heard a rumble of thunder in the distance. He looked out the window beside their booth and noticed a storm was rolling in.

"I guess it's a good job we came in here when we did," he said.

"Yeah. You wanna rent a room for tonight if it doesn't let up?"

"Sounds good. At least wait awhile somewhere since the ground will be wet and muddy now."

"Yeah, you're right. We need to go to the market and get some supplies anyway."

She gasped when a thunderclap rattled the window.

"Um…we may have a long wait," she said as the rain started pouring down.

"Well, at least we're warm and cozy in the meantime."

They ate their dinner, glancing at the window as the rain streamed down the glass. Alan chatted with her, continuing on with the Doctor's adventures and what he did while she was gone. He was telling her about them being stranded on the ship that was headed towards the living sun, a tale that chilled her to the bone especially when he told her about him being possessed.

"I'm so glad the sun left him in the end," she said.

"Yes, so was he."

He then went on to tell her about the Weeping Angels. Rose was dumbfounded.

"Wait, let me get this straight. I walk through a sunbeam, I get eaten. I walk through a cemetery and pass a weeping angel; I could get zapped back to the past? Is there anything else mundane that could hurt me?"

He laughed.

"No, I told you there's nothing to fear from the Vashta Nerada when it's tiny particles and now all weeping angels are alive, they just happen to look like that."

"Then how do you tell the difference?"

His eyes widened.

"You can't, you just have to trust that the statue you're passing isn't alive."

"Gee, that makes me feel so much better," she said as he laughed.

They refilled their Cokes and Alan, having finished describing Martha's adventures began to tell her about meeting his fifth incarnation and then he went on to tell her about meeting Astrid on the Titanic. Rose listened, spellbound. Tears formed in her eyes when he mentioned Astrid sacrificing himself to save his life and the frustration he had at not being able to restore her.

"Poor Astrid," she said when he finished. "Poor Morvin and Foon and Bannakaffalatta. He managed to save London, but not them."

He squeezed her hand.

"Astrid is still alive technically, she's just stardust. She can travel the universe at least."

She nodded.

"And he met Wilf then too."

He nodded.

"I didn't know him long, but he seemed like a nice guy," she said.

Alan smiled.

"He is. Donna's lucky to have him."

"Got a question then about the Doctor meeting the other Doctor, that does happen then?"

"Yes, it's happened several times."

"So, if he wanted to, he could go and visit himself?"

He shook his head.

"Not voluntarily. It's either been accidentally or someone pulled the Doctor's out of their time streams and brought them together."

"So, my other Doctor couldn't visit the current Doctor unless he accidentally did something to make it happen or someone forced the together."

He nodded.

"In fact, the Valeyard did it once; he captured all thirteen Doctors, put them to sleep except for the seventh one and reduced them all to their evil natures so he could power golem slaves to do this dirty work. The seventh Doctor was spared because he locked his conscious mind away in the TARDIS's telepathic circuits for awhile and when he finally regained it, he was able to defeat the Valeyard and restore history to normal."

Rose's eyes bugged out.

"All of them? Even our Doctor?"

"Yes, all Doctors except the seventh one."

"Does he remember being captured and enslaved?"

"Which one are you talking about? All the Doctors were involved."

"Our Doctor."

"You mean what were the circumstances surrounding his capture?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know."

"You don't?"

"No, hasn't happened to him yet and he doesn't remember how he was taken or what his eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth incarnations look like because it's forbidden for him to know his own personal future. I can't tell you what he was doing or any of the Doctors after him. Now, your first Doctor, it happened a few years before he met you. He was minding his own business making repairs when he was suddenly pulled out of the TARDIS by a transmit beam just like you were. He was grabbed by a couple of the golems because other Doctors had already been captured before him. He was dragged to this long, thin glass tube and was shoved inside it. He did see our Doctor beside him, but at the time, that memory was expunged from his mind when he went back. Um, as for eleven and on, they hadn't been captured yet because there was nothing in the tubes beyond our Doctor. Anyway, he was forced into the tube, gas came into the tube and he was knocked out and that's all he remembers. Next thing he knew, he was back in his TARDIS in his own time.

"God," she said, "and that's it? He wasn't hurt? Our Doctor and the other Doctors weren't hurt?"

"No, no one was hurt in a physical way. Mind you, they got reduced to their evil natures so they could power the golems, but none of them remembers that part except the seventh Doctor who never got put in the tubes. He's the reason I know what happened next after they were put to sleep."

Rose shook her head, taking all that in to her mind while she munched on a chip.

"Poor Doctor, now that's in his future as well. I'm just glad he wasn't hurt physically and doesn't remember anything while he was out."

"Yeah, that's all that happened to them that time was the capture and gassing and using them as batteries for the golems while they stood in the tubes. And as for me, I can't see what's in the last three tubes. I can see bodies, but it's all hazy and I can't make out what they looked like."

"So, even if the Doctor doesn't become the Valeyard, he's still gonna appear in his future somewhere."

He sighed.

"Rose, one thing you have to understand is the Valeyard is not tied down to one time stream. He's a living thought who can move about at will. Add to that the Doctor's intelligence within him and the TARDIS that he possesses and he's really just a loose cannon, going where he wants and doing what he wants without regard for the consequences. He basically just barges in and messes up history and it doesn't matter to him if the even he's messing with is fixed or not, all he cares about is his own selfish schemes and in that case, capturing the Doctors and pulling them out of their time streams were just a means to an end. I'm just glad in that instance he was only after the Doctors and not their companions. That's very rare for him to do that because usually his evil schemes involve the suffering of the companions, which is why I'm concerned about you. I don't give a crap if he does something to me, but I don't want you hurt or killed."

He glanced out the window.

"Blimey, this is one hell of a storm. I'm glad we thought of coming in here when we did."

"Yeah, me too."

They got up, got another refill and sat back down while Alan continued on with Donna and the Adipose. Rose giggled when he recreated the first time they saw one another again, mimicking the Doctor and Donna's facial expressions while they mouthed the words to one another. He got to the part where Donna told the Doctor he was going to put the keys in the bin when Rose stopped him.

"Did Donna tell the Doctor what happened when she went to put the keys in the bin?"

"No, she didn't. Why? What happened?"

"She ran into me."

His eyes bugged out.

"You? You were there that night?"

"Yes, it was the fist time the dimension cannon took me to the right universe. I got there in time to see the Adipose and I figured the Doctor was nearby so I stood being a police barrier looking for him and that's when Donna came up to me telling me that Sylvia was gonna come along and get the keys and when she did, I needed to point out the bin to her. But, after she left, I had to leave too because I was only supposed to stay long enough to confirm it was the right universe. I left without giving Sylvia the message. I hope she found the keys."

"I think she did. But, I can't believe it. You were there?"

Rose let out a ruthful laugh.

"Yeah, just think, if I had only followed Donna…"

She sighed.

"I would have been reunited with the Doctor then and there and there and he wouldn't have been distracted by that damn Dalek later on."

Alan took her hand.

"But, if it wasn't for the damn Dalek, I wouldn't have been born and the Time Lord/human metacrisis wouldn't have happened and Donna wouldn't have been able to rescue us. So as painful as it was to see the Doctor shot, there was some good that came out of it."

She smiled.

"Yes, there was," she said, leaning across the table to give him a kiss.

"That's interesting that you were there that night because Donna never mentioned meeting you. Blast that Donna for not telling the Doctor about the sexy blonde she ran into. What's wrong with her? Doesn't she know a goddess when she sees one?"

He grinned when Rose blushed.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Well, after that happened, I told Torchwood I had found the right universe and they saved the coordinates. Then I used those coordinates and tried to get a message to the Doctor. I tried several times and one time I did it, I got the TARDIS monitor."

Alan stared at her, shocked.

"When?"

"I don't know. I didn't see the Doctor, just Donna but her back was turned. I tried to scream out your name hoping she would hear, but I guess the sound was malfunctioning because she didn't hear me. Then something interrupted the transmission and I lost the signal. After that, I doubled my efforts and kept on trying and the second time I found him, I actually saw him, but he had his back to me and I guess the sound still didn't get through because he didn't turn around when I yelled at him and then I lost the signal again. But, here's my question, second time I found him he wasn't in the TARDIS. He looked like he was in some kind of train car because I could see seats all around him and a bunch of people, but I couldn't see any windows, so I don't know what was outside."

Alan's mouth dropped open.

"You reached him when he was on Midnight?"

"I s'pose. What or where's Midnight? What was he doing?"

Alan told her everything that had happened. Rose was in shock.

"He got possessed by that…thing…and those nutters nearly threw him out the door?"

He nodded.

"They couldn't see that Sky woman was tricking them into throwing him out?"

"I think by that point they were so freaked out, they didn't care as long as it stopped."

He frowned.

"But, when did you see him? What was he doing?"

"Standing there talking to the other people."

"So, it wasn't when those video screens were first lowered, since I assume that's where the signal came through. He scratched his chin while he thought.

"He was talking to the other people," he mused. "Well, blimey, he spent most of his time standing there and talking to them since he was trying to calm them down. So when…wait…near the beginning of it all, those screens did lower and…"

His eyes widened.

"Oh my God, all he had to do was turn around?"

"Yup."

"Oh man, I hope he never finds out about this because he'll be kicking himself for the rest of his lives. Now when did you appear on the TARDIS monitor?"

Rose shrugged.

"Donna was just standing there?" he said.

"Yeah and she started to turn around before we lost the signal."

"Did she say anything?"

"Nope."

"Did you hear anything in the background?"

"No, I didn't see or hear anyone or anything else, it was just her."

"When was that, then? Let me think…Donna alone in the console room standing by the monitor and she turned around just as you lost transmission. Lost transmission which means you had interference from something else. Interference that got Donna's attention and made her turn…oh, wait…I think I may know when that was."

"When?"

"When we were battling these aliens called Sontarans. Donna was alone in the TARDIS at one point and the Doctor contacted her via the monitor, that would explain the transmission loss and why Donna was standing there alone and once again, someone just missed seeing you."

'Yup."

"You having a tough time trying to find the Doctor and get his attention, weren't ya?"

Rose snorted.

"Got that right. And I remember hearing about the Sontarans because that was also a part of Donna's reality. I sat with her and we looked up and saw the sky on fire, but because the Doctor was dead, Torchwood ended up doing that and Jack ended up being captured and taken to the Sontaran home world."

Alan was in shock.

"Blimey, things really did screw up, didn't they? Sounds like everyone else had to pick up the slack after he died."

"Well, what really happened then?"

Alan told her.

"So, Martha also got cloned," she said when he finished, "and the Sontarans are clones as well. Blimey, everyone has a clone except me."

He chuckled.

"I wouldn't want a clone of you. There's no substitute for the real thing."

She smiled.

"Now, getting back to trying to find the Doctor, I have a question for you now."

"Yeah?"

"Where were you before you appeared on that street?"

"I was with Wilf and Sylvia."

"The Doctor was trying to find you."

"I know. That whole conference thing on the computer…I watched and listened to all of that."

"Well why didn't you get in there and say something then?"

Rose sighed.

"I couldn't. I was using their laptop and it didn't have a camera on it because according to Wilf, Sylvia thought they were naughty."

"Oh, for the love of God," Alan muttered, rolling his eyes. "Both me and the other Doctor has had the worst luck dealing with companion's mothers."

"I still tried to talk to all of you just in case by some miracle you could hear me. And…I saw Harriet Jones get murdered as well. Also when that Mister Smith computer used everyone's mobile to dial Martha's number, I did the same along with Wilf and Sylvia. As soon as I figured out where the TARDIS landed, I hopped over there and…the rest you know."

"And then the damn Dalek showed up."

"Yes, "Rose said, rolling her eyes.

He tickled her under the chin.

"You didn't want him to change," he said, fondly.

"No, I didn't because I love the way you both look. You're both adorable."

'Really?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Am I cute, cuddly and fun to know?"

"Oh yeah."

"Do I have hair to die for?"

"You better believe it."

He chuckled.

"Well, I hate that you were frightened. But, like I said, if it weren't for all that, you wouldn't have little ol' me."

"Nope, I wouldn't."

He batted his eyelashes.

"So tell me more about me and why you love me so much. Am I the handsomest thing on the face of the Earth?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Do you worship the ground I walk on?"

"Um…not really, no."

She giggled when he feigned anger.

"I believe I wrote in your diary that I am your whole universe."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me, I still gotta erase all that."

She ducked when Alan tried to swat her head.

"Rose, Rose, Rose, I guess I'll just have to work harder at turning you into my fawning slave."

Rose snorted.

"Now there's the Doctor side of ya talkin'."

"Yup, that too comes out of my mouth just like the Noble-itis. I call it Doctor Dropsy."

Rose picked up a cold chip and lobbed it at his head. In response, Alan grabbed a hush puppy and tried to cram it up her nose while Rose tried to stop him.

"You want a food fight right here, right now, Tyler? Fine, I have nothing better to do this afternoon than to shove Cole slaw down your throat and squirt vinegar in your eye."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Quit before they throw us out in the rain."

She glanced over and noticed the rain had stopped.

"Okay, correction, they'll just throw us out, full stop."

"Maybe we better go now. The sky still looks dark and we should take advantage of the lapse in the rain to find some shelter somewhere."

"Well, do you wanna rent a hotel room for the night?"

"I think we better. It'll be too wet to walk anyway."

"Okay, how about this then? We get a couple more meals to go and take them over to the room. There's a Holiday Inn down the road and the last one had a mini refrigerator and microwave, so I'm betting they all do."

"Sounds great."

"We can also go to that Wal-Mart that's behind here and get the supplies and some more snacks and just spend the night in the room relaxing. You need more rest anyway for your ankle."

"Yes, damn bunny," he muttered.

Rose gave him a sympathetic look and patted his head.

"Okay, well, let's get going then," she said.

"Hold on, wait a tic."

"What?"

Alan pointed over her shoulder. She turned and looked.

"Gotta use the necessary room. See the sign there that says necessary room with the arrow pointing to the tiny corridor? It says necessary room."

"Well, get your ass up and go to the necessary room then, ya wanker, before you wet yourself."

He got up and leaned over to her.

"I'll be right back," he said in a loud stage whisper. "I gotta go to the necessary room and powder my nose."

Rose put her head in her hands when she saw Alan prance back to the men's restroom and open the door with a flourish before flouncing inside.

"I don't know about you sometimes, Alan," she muttered to herself.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

By the time they got across the parking lot to the Wal-Mart, it was starting to rain again. Rose grabbed a shopping trolley, laid the two big bags of fast food inside it and they went inside the store. They looked around a moment before Rose headed off towards the grocery section. She got a can of Pringles and a bag of pretzels.

"I'm gonna get some sandwich bags and make up little snack bags for us," she said to Alan.

"Good idea."

They went down another aisle and Rose got a couple of packages of biscuits and some cheddar cheese crackers.

"Think this'll be enough?" she asked.

"It's up to you."

"Well, you're the one with the bigger stomach."

"Yeah, but I don't wanna carry the entire market on my back. I think it'll do for now."

Rose nodded. She found the section with the sandwich bags and got a small box. After that, they left the grocery section and headed towards the other side of the store. Alan followed behind Rose, casually glancing around at the different items. They passed by a domed khaki colored tent set up as a display in front of the camping section.

"Hey, there ya go, we can use that on rainy days," he said.

Rose looked at where he was pointing and looked at him.

"You gonna carry it?" she said, "cause I'm not."

Alan sighed.

"You lot need to learn how to do the whole bigger on the inside thing so we can have stuff like this."

"Don't talk to me, talk to the Earth scientists," she said, moving on.

She headed up towards the toiletries section.

"Rose?"

She stopped the trolley and looked around at Alan who was standing behind her with a disgusted look on his face. In his hands was a small ceramic frog wearing a straw hat and playing a banjo.

"People actually pay money for this crap?" he said.

Rose giggled.

"Yup, sadly, some do."

"Well, what do you do with it?"

She shrugged.

"It's a statue."

"No, Venus Di Milo is a statue. Michelangelo's David is a statue. This is an eyesore."

"Well, don't get it then if you don't like it. That's the beauty of being in a free country. You don't have to buy crap if you don't want it."

"Thank God for that," Alan muttered as he set it down. "It just frightens me that someone out there has this on their porch and is actually proud of it."

"Come along, dear."

"Yes, snookums."

He followed her down the hair care aisle and looked around while Rose picked out some shampoo. She glanced at Alan who was studying a bottle of Suave Mountain Fresh body wash. He took a sniff of it and raised his eyebrow.

"Blimey, mountains smell like that? And here I just thought they were all rocks and dust, well, live and learn, "he muttered to himself.

Rose walked over to him.

"What's your favorite smell?" she asked.

Alan frowned.

"My favorite smell?"

Rose took the body wash, set it back on the shelf and led him over to the shampoos.

"You have to smell my hair, what do you like?" she said, gesturing to the bottles.

Alan glanced at all the bottles, reading the labels.

"You don't have a favorite scent?" he asked.

"I do, but I thought it'd be nice to pick something you like since you have to sleep with me."

"Yeah, but this is your hair. If you like a particular scent, you should get it."

"It's alright; I thought I'd try something different anyway."

Alan's mind boggled when he saw how many different scents there were. He had a thought, laid his nose in Rose's hair and sniffed. He made a face.

"Smells like sweat," he said.

"I know, I've been walking all night and part of the day. I'm gonna wash my hair when we get our room. So pick something."

Alan scratched his chin. He picked up a bottle and stared at it.

"Milk and honey?" he muttered.

He smelled it.

"Mmmm, this isn't bad. I wouldn't mind smelling this all night," he said. "Of course, there's always the danger of you going outside and getting mobbed by bees and cows."

He set the bottle back on the shelf and picked up another one.

"Cucumber melon?"

"I love cucumber melon," Rose said.

Alan sniffed it, his eyes widened with delight and with a smile; he dropped it in the trolley.

"You want that?"

"Yes, it's nice."

Rose grabbed the matching conditioner and dropped it in the trolley. Alan watched as she walked off and followed her. She got to the end of the aisle and pushed the cart up to shelves filled with tampons and maxi pads. Alan stared at them in confusion while Rose studied the tampons.

"What's all this?" he said, gesturing to the boxes.

"Tampons and sanitary napkins."

"And those are…"

"For my period."

Alan's mouth formed an O. He picked up a box of tampons and studied it.

"What's the difference between the two?"

"Um…tampons go up inside the vagina and sanitary napkins go on your knickers."

"And do what?"

Alan raised his eyebrow when she looked at him.

"Dear, you'll have to forgive me, I honestly don't know. Remember, Gallifrey didn't have sexual reproduction, so women didn't get periods."

"Lucky women," Rose muttered.

She pointed to the box in his hands.

"A tampon is a long, thin…kind of like a stiff cotton ball. You insert it up in the vagina and it fills up the space and when the blood flows, it blocks and catches it. Sanitary napkins work the same way except you stick them on the inside of your knickers and it catches the blood that way."

"Blimey, I'm so glad I don't get periods then."

"Yes, consider yourself very lucky."

He looked at the dizzying assortment of boxes.

"How do you know what to get then?" he asked.

"Um…it's kinda trial and error when you first get your period. There's…different strengths and you learn after awhile what works best for you. I use the regular tampons."

She put a box of them in the trolley and moved on. Alan put his box back and followed her. She stopped at the feminine hygiene products and picked up a box of douches. Alan leaned over her shoulder and read the box.

"Douche? As in bag?" he said.

Rose giggled.

"Yup, exactly."

"What do they do?"

"They clean out your vagina."

"Why, does it get that dirty?"

"Um, yeah, some people use it after sex and some people use it to just give it a wash, so it's fresh and clean and pleasant smelling."

"And which category do you fall into?"

"Both."

He watched while she dropped it in the cart. Rose hesitated a moment and saw him looking at the rest of the products on the shelf. She smiled thinking how endearing it was that he was curious about everything. She really couldn't imagine the Doctor following her around wanting to know about douches and tampons, but then again, the Doctor wasn't half human. Looking at him, she suddenly had an urge to teach and she reached for a box of Vagisil.

"Not that I need this right now, but I'll just tell you what it is since you're being Curious George again. This stuff here helps treat yeast infections."

Alan's eyes bugged out.

"Yeast infections? Where?"

"In the vagina."

"How the hell do you get yeast in your vagina? What do you lot do? Shove bread dough up there to plug up the hole when tampons won't work?"

Rose bent over the cart laughing hysterically.

"Well?" Alan said, amused. "Yeast is found in bread, my dear. I assume it has something to do with bread dough then."

"No, it's a bacterial fungus that grows and causes itching and burning and redness and pain when you pee. If you get it, they have creams and medicines that can help treat and cure it."

"Like I said, thank God I'm male."

She put the box back on the shelf and looked around.

"What else can I teach you?" she muttered.

Alan smiled at that.

"Am I the pupil now?"

"Well, you wanted to know about tampons, might as well teach you about other things. Besides, it's a nice change of pace since the Doctor's usually the one in front teaching me about stuff."

"Aha! So now the real reason reveals itself."

"Yup."

She kissed his cheek.

"Follow me."

"Hai, sensei."

"Huh?"

"I said, yes, teacher in Japanese."

"Oh."

He rolled his eyes and pinched her butt as she headed down the aisle containing all the painkillers. Alan tapped her on the shoulder and Rose looked back at him.

"Hmmm?"

"Are humans really in this much pain?" he said, gesturing to the assortment of boxes.

"Um, well, people have…different ailments that require different medicines. Not everything here is for the same kind of pain."

"Yes, but look at all this. Am I gonna get to the point where I can't function unless I pop a pill?"

"Uh, I hope not. I mean, if you become a Time Lord, you won't grow old and you won't need any of this, right?"

"One can only hope."

"Didn't they have pain and sickness on Gallifrey?"

"To an extent, but nothing that required ten tons of medicine. How you people can make decisions with this plethora of medicines and shampoos and tampons and everything else is beyond me. I mean I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"Well, that's why you have me here teaching you."

"Good."

They headed out of the aisle and into the one containing deodorants.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you and everyone else terrified of your own body odor?"

She looked at him.

"No, why?"

"Because I've noticed in my short time on this Earth that you have a million different things to take care of your B.O. You have shampoos in a hundred different scents; you have body washes, deodorant, those douche things, scented candles, air fresheners, perfumes. Are you really that afraid of how you smell?"

Rose frowned.

"I guess I've never thought of it like that. I guess most humans just don't like smelling bad."

"I don't either, but on the other hand, I don't wanna douse myself in scented stuff to the point I smell like a flower trolley hit me and rammed me into a vegetable stand. I mean, I'm sorry, I know this is human culture and I'm basically an outsider commenting on it, but there's nothing wrong with your own personal scent. You shouldn't have to be so afraid of masking it with all this stuff. I do actually believe that less is more. But, like I said, I'm only part human and I'm a clone of a man who came from a whole different culture where people didn't worry about things like this."

"No, I get what you're saying. I just never thought of it like that because people use this stuff their entire lives. It's just something humans do."

She held up her hand.

"Trust me, men don't have the same kinds of scents for their products that women do. You're not gonna smell like a flower trolley rammed you into a vegetable stand. Anyway, people would think you were weird if you did smell like that."

"Well, I'm glad they have manly smells out there then."

They walked on. Rose passed by the magazine racks and stopped.

"You wanna get a magazine or something to read?" she asked.

"Are you?"

She nodded. Alan shrugged and scanned the selections with Rose. He picked up a copy of 'Scientific American' and looked through it.

"Eh, I know all this stuff," he said, putting it back.

He glanced up at the top rack and his eyes widened when he noticed 'Modern Bride.'

"Rose?"

Rose looked over at him.

"Yeah?"

He held up the thick magazine.

"Is there a reason why 'Modern Bride' is a thousand pages? This thing is like a phone book. And is a bride that worried about her wedding day that it would necessitate a one year subscription to this magazine?"

Rose laughed.

"Some people like looking at wedding gowns and things like that," she said.

She walked over, took the magazine from his hands and opened it. She turned a couple of pages and smiled when she found a gown she liked.

"Like this one, this is pretty," she said, pointing it out to him. "I like all the pearls on the gown and the veil is beautiful. That's what a lot of people do with a magazine like this. Just kinda look through it and dream about their perfect wedding."

"And do you do that?"

"Well, I don't buy it personally. But, I have looked at it in the waiting rooms of doctors and dentists on occasion. It's just a…oh…you know, a specialty magazine for people who like that sort of thing."

"Does it have to be this thick? You could give someone brain damage with it."

"Hon, lots of designers make wedding gowns and they wanna show them off in a magazine like this. It's how they make their living."

"Well, as for me, I'll just keep on looking. I just think it's odd that people are into that sort of thing," he said, putting it back.

"Hey, there are some magazines out there that I find strange. Like this one. This 'Guns and Ammo' one, ugh."

Alan took it from her and perused it a moment. He raised his eyebrow and read something to her.

A hollow point, also called a hollow tip, is a bullet that has a pit or hollowed out shape in its tip, generally intended to cause the bullet to expand upon entering a target in order to decrease penetration and disrupt more tissue as it travels through the target. As a side effect, hollow-point bullets can offer improved accuracy by shifting the center of gravity of the bullet rearwards. Jacketed hollow points (JHPs) or plated hollow points are covered in a coating of harder metal to increase bullet strength and to prevent fouling the barrel with lead stripped from the bullet. The term hollow-cavity bullet is used to describe a hollow point where the hollow is unusually large, sometimes dominating the volume of the bullet, and causes extreme expansion or fragmentation on impact.

He looked at her.

"Oh yes, because it's not enough to just kill someone, you need to toss their shredded guts all around their body cavity for maximum effect."

"See, that's what I mean. I would never be caught dead reading trash like that."

"Oh, I don't know. I mean, I'm a threat to the universe; perhaps I should get this and learn how to be an even bigger threat to the universe. Not to mention that it would be fun to shoot Davros and watch his guts turn into shredded wheat. That'd teach the prune-faced bugger not to mess with me!"

Rose rolled her eyes and smiled as he put the magazine back. She went back to the other side of the racks while Alan looked at more magazines. She picked up a copy of 'Cosmopolitan' and read the article headings on the cover. As she read, she felt Alan put his chin on her shoulder.

"20 ways to drive a man wild," she heard him mutter.

Alan turned his head and put his lips to her ear.

"I can save you four or five dollars. Shag me, that's how you drive me wild. See, now you don't have to bother with buying the magazine."

Rose giggled and patted his cheek.

"I want it anyway. I like Cosmo," she said, putting it in the trolley.

"Why? I just told you what would drive me wild."

"Yes, but there's more to it than that. It's also got fashion and tips for women."

"Can I read it when you're done?"

"Um…I guess so."

"Good, because I wanna know what women read, just out of curiosity."

"Are you gonna pick one too or are you just gonna read this one?"

Alan quickly scanned the racks. His eyes settled on 'Smithsonian' magazine, which had a photo of a Greek statue on the cover. He grabbed it and put it in the trolley.

"This one might be interesting," he said.

"Ready, then?"

"Ready when you are."

She headed off towards the checkout counter when she suddenly paused and thought.

"Alan?"

"Yeah?"

"You like games?"

"What kind of games?"

"Uh…stuff like card games. Did the Doctor ever play card games?"

"Um…he was known to partake in a game of Whist from time to time. You play Whist?"

"Uh…no, I haven't the foggiest idea how to play that."

"Well, he was also at a table playing poker next to the one Wild Bill Hickok was sitting at the day he got shot and killed."

"Ah, now that I can play. You wanna get a pack of cards then to help pass the time?"

"Sure."

"Did he play Euchre?"

"Um, no, he never played that."

"Well, I'll teach you how to play."

"Okey-dokey."

They found the board games and Rose located the cards next to them. She pulled a couple of packs off a hook and put them in the trolley. She studied the tiny travel games beside them and found a little travel chess game.

"You play chess?"

"I know how, yes."

"Wanna get a little chess board?"

"Sure."

She put that in the cart.

"How about Draughts?"

"Nah, not interesting enough."

"Connect Four?"

"Nah, I'd just be happy with chess and cards personally. There's no need to get a whole bunch of things."

Rose nodded.

"Okay, then, let's get this stuff paid for so we can head on to the hotel."

"Alons-y, then."

Rose giggled.

"Come along, Alonzo," she said, tickling his chin.

They headed out of the games section and down another aisle towards the checkout counter. As Rose walked, she suddenly heard Alan burst out laughing. She turned around and saw him bent over in hysterics.

"What? What is it?" she said, walking towards him.

Alan reached up and pulled a small green box off the shelf. Giggling he pointed to the brand name.

"Lookie, Amo'tiri, a box of Puffs," he said. "You want a box of Puffs?"

Rose rolled her eyes.

"No, Alan, I don't want a box of bleedin' Puffs. You puff enough as it is without it."

"Ah, come on, might come in handy sometimes. And what do you mean I puff? I never do that."

Rose snorted.

"Oh yeah? Smell underneath the covers when you wake up one morning. I think you'll find you do."

He put his fingers on the flap of cardboard covering the opening in the tissue box and stared at her with wide eyes.

"Dare me to open it?" he said.

"No, Alan, put it back."

"Aw, come on, I wanna hear if it makes a raspberry when you open the box."

"Alonzo…"

His eyes widened.

"Oh blimey, now I know I'm in trouble. You just used my full first name."

"Put…the box back. We're not getting Puffs."

Alan pouted and sighed as he put it back. Rose giggled and shook her head.

"You're no fun sometimes," he said.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to carry around a box of tissue just so you can make fart jokes. My rucksack is gonna be bulging without that, now come on, before the rain gets worse."

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he smiled and strolled happily behind his girl as she headed towards the checkout.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter Forty One

By the time they got outside, the rain had slowed a little, but it was still a steady downpour.

"Ugh!" Rose said as she looked at the Holiday Inn that was down the road from them. "I'm not looking forward to this."

"Aw, come on, it'll be fun. You and me in the rain, what's not to like?"

"Well, just reach into my rucksack and get my umbrella and I'll do the same with yours. That way we don't have to take them off our backs."

"Sure thing."

Alan unzipped her rucksack, reached in and found the tiny umbrella nestled along the side. He zipped it back up and turned so Rose could do the same. She rooted around in his, but couldn't find the umbrella.

"Where is it?"

"I think it's on the bottom somewhere."

Rose sighed.

"Alan, I need to teach you how to pack a rucksack properly. You're almost to the point where you can barely close the zipper. Here, squat down."

He squatted down and Rose dug into his rucksack, laying aside items on the pavement until she finally found the umbrella under his plum t-shirt. She quickly put everything back in, zipped it and grabbed the sack of food and one of the Wal-Mart sacks. She put the handles of the Wal-Mart sack around her wrist and opened the umbrella while Alan grabbed the other bag and opened his. She looked at him.

"All ready?"

"Ready."

They walked across the parking lot. Halfway across, Rose felt Alan tickling her side and then suddenly without warning he began to dance in front of her and twirl his umbrella around in his hand.

"I'M SIIIIIIIIIIINGING IN THE RAIN. JUST SIIIIIIIIIINGING IN THE RAIN! WHAT A GLOOOOOOOOOOOORIOUS FEELING. I'M HAAAAAAAAAAAAPY AGAIN!"

He laughed when Rose turned beet red and sped up, hurrying past him.

"What? What's wrong?" he said, catching up to her.

"I hope to God no one saw you."

"Why? Who cares if people saw me? No one knows me except you."

Rose hazarded a glance back and saw to her relief that no one had seen them. She felt Alan put his hand on her chest and looked at him.

"Wait, you really do care if people saw me singing?" he said. "Why?"

"It's just that…people don't usually burst into song like that."

"Well, I'm not like most people. Perhaps if people sang a little more and griped a little less, there'd be more happiness in the world. Just…relax, dear. I'm not gonna get us arrested; I'm just having some fun. Remember having fun? You know, we're supposed to be enjoying ourselves now; we can be glum when we get back to London and start working for a living. Just lighten up a bit."

Rose nodded. She and Alan resumed their pace. While they walked, Alan looked at her with a frown on his face.

"You never used to be like this," he said.

"Be like what?"

"This uptight. I remember when you traveled with the Doctor, you and him were always teasing one another and just running around like a couple of daft idiots and you never gave a damn what people thought. Is it me? I'm not him, so you don't wanna clown around as much?"

"No, it's not that. It's just that…"

She sighed.

"I kinda lost some of the urge to clown around after Canary Wharf."

"Oh, I see, kinda a loss of innocence thing?"

"A bit, yeah."

"Are you afraid to have fun then because you're afraid something like that might happen again…well, actually something like that did happen again, but are you afraid that it might happen with me?"

"I guess in a way, but it's more like I just barely got over the shock of losing the Doctor and then I had to readjust to life here and then I got the job at Torchwood and then the darkness came and…there's been a lot of unfunny things that have happened to me over the past couple of years, so that old urge to laugh and joke and be outrageous in public kinda left me."

"Oh no, I was afraid of this."

"Afraid of what?"

"Life got to you again and you lost your joie de vivre."

"I s'pose so. Don't get me wrong, I love that you are so lighthearted and goofy…"

"But it embarrasses you if I'm lighthearted and goofy in public," he said.

Rose sighed. Alan put his hand under his chin and lifted her face.

"Rose, I'm sorry that you got trapped over here, I really am and so is the Doctor. If he could have stopped it, he would have, trust me. If he could have tore open a hole in reality and got you back, he would have. You were his whole world and he was devastated and trust me, he wasn't exactly a barrel of laughs, but he did try to lighten up…a bit, but he did try. But the point is, you don't have to let what happened to you affect you for the rest of your life. I'm sorry, your sense of free spirited fun got sucked into the void along with the Daleks and Cybermen, but you can make a choice right here, right now to change all that. So, a few random people see you dancing in the rain in a car park, so what? You don't know them, so who cares. They tell a few people they saw a daft women dancing around, who cares about that too? Shows that they don't have anything better to do or more important to talk about. Truth be told, they're probably envious of you because you're not weighed down by the world and all its problems. So, come on, sing for me and show me you can be spontaneous."

"I can't."

"Rose."

"I can't sing. I'm terrible at it."

"And I'm any better?"

Rose smiled.

"Good point."

"Come on, Rose Tyler, let that blonde hair down and sing for me. I promise if anyone walks over here, points and laughs at you, I will bash their head directly into their body. So, come on, I wanna hear your pretty voice. You must have a pretty singing voice because your regular voice is heavenly. So, sing."

Rose started to look behind her.

"Ah, ah, ah, stop that. Look at me and no one else and sing."

"Sing what?"

"I don't know, sing 'Happy Birthday' if you must, just sing."

Rose cleared her throat.

"Um…happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Alaaaaaaan, happy birthday to you."

She finished singing. The two of them stared at each other for a moment and then Alan pointed his finger in his face.

"You will be singing to me often from now on," he declared. "Why you think you can't sing is beyond me. That was wonderful."

"Really? Because I had a few friends who told me I couldn't sing."

"Then…your friends are idiots, if I may say so. When did you sing for them anyway?"

Rose sighed.

"When I was fifteen, I was thinking about entering a talent show that would pay you five hundred pounds if you won and my friends thought I was daft for wanting to do it and talked me out of it."

"And you listened?" Alan said in disbelief. "Oh God, Rose, I'm so glad the Doctor met you. I'd hate to think where you'd be right now if he hadn't."

"Well, I mean, maybe they were right," Rose protested.

"NO!" Alan said, getting in her face. "They weren't right, Rose. They were jealous; I'm willing to bet the coral on it. They knew you could sing and they were jealous of that, so they talked you out of it and because you had low self esteem from years and years of people telling you all you were good for was a menial job and a meager flat, you believed it. Like I said, it's a good thing the Doctor came along and found you because you were far better off with him than you were with them. You have talent, Rose. I know I'm a bit biased because I love you, but I would also be honest and tell you if you couldn't sing. Oh Rose, Rose, Rose and now you're nearly back to square one, which is why you can't let loose and be happy like you used to be. I am so glad we did this because this is what you needed. You needed to get out of that soul destroying rut you were in and live life again. I realize the last couple of years have been hell on you, I get that. But, I'm here now and we don't have to live life like that anymore, right?"

Rose swallowed hard and nodded.

"I'm not going anywhere. Unlike the Doctor, I'm not gonna up and leave you, so there's no need to live life thinking that if you let yourself go and laugh, then something disastrous will happen to take it all away and kill the joy again. So, come on, let's see that smile the Doctor knew and loved."

She gave him a big grin.

"There ya go, that's right. That's my Rose Tyler, right there. Now…take off your clothes and roll around in the puddle for me."

He giggled when Rose shot him a look.

"You first," she said.

She gasped when Alan dropped the bag and began to pull his shirt up. They both laughed when she grabbed it and pulled it back down. He winked at her and nuzzled her hair.

"Ah, your laughter is music to my ears," he said, picking up the bag. "If we bottled it and sold it to the public, I bet we could make a fortune. People would open the bottle, hear you laugh and get cheered up just like me."

Rose smiled as they went back to walking. They walked a few feet before Alan suddenly bolted away from her.

"Puddle!" he shouted as he jumped into a big watery puddle near the edge of the parking lot.

He jumped back out and walked over to Rose.

"Feel better now that your shoes are all wet?" she asked.

"Nah, they'll dry out soon enough. Now you!"

He went around her and began to push her towards the puddle as Rose half screamed and half laughed. He pushed her in and she laughed as she quickly ran out.

"Hey! Get back in there and splash around!" he said.

He laughed and kissed her cheek.

"If I get pneumonia, you're gonna get it!"

"Oh, right, you're gonna get pneumonia from stepping in a puddle of water for all of two seconds. If you get sick from that, then maybe you need to think about getting a better immune system," he said.

He grinned when she slapped his back.

"See, there's nothing wrong with having fun and being outrageous," he said. "I mean, come on, I can't be the only loon around here, you have to help. And…you didn't even look around to see if someone was watching, I'm impressed. Sod the rest of the world, we'll do what Donna did and create our own. Our own little world where we'll do nothing but sing and jump in puddles and fritter away our time."

He paused.

"That's such a neat word. Fritter. It's fun to say. Fritter, friiiiiiitter. Know what else is fun to say? Babble. Babbling brook. Babble."

"How about Bauble?" Rose offered.

Alan beamed.

"Yes, Bauble! Brilliant. Bauble, babble, fritter. I love it!"

He kissed her.

"See, now you're getting it. Just loosen up and be spontaneous like you used to be. And…don't let anyone talk you out of following your dreams. You wanna enter a talent show and sing, go for it. I'll be right there in the front row supporting you."

He gave her an evil grin.

"Supporting you, as in throwing tomatoes and screaming, "Boo! Get off the stage!" but supporting you, none the less."

He winked at her.

"I'm kidding of course, I'll be the first one to clap and I'll clap the longest and loudest and I'll beat up anyone who doesn't."

"Then you'll go to jail for assault."

"Ah, it'll be worth it if it makes you feel like a million pounds and proves all those naysayer friends of yours wrong."

He sighed sadly.

"You know, up until this moment I never understood why Donna kept thinking she was a worthless lowly temp even after all the wonderful things she had done, but now I see it, she had the same brainwashing as you did from people who probably thought they meant well, but ended up doing more harm than good. It just boggled both the Doctor and my mind that here she was saving the universe and all along she kept on uttering I'm a lowly temp. I saved the Doctor from the Racnoss before he drowned, but I'm a lowly temp. I helped him save Earth from the Adipose, but I'm a lowly temp. I helped free the Ood, but I'm a lowly temp. I helped defeat the Sontarans, but I'm lowly temp. I was the one who figured out what the numbers meant above the doors on Messaline, but I'm a lowly temp. I saved Agatha Christie's life, but I'm a lowly temp. I managed to extract myself from an entire parallel universe built up around me and defeat the Trickster's Brigade, but I'm a lowly temp. I became part Doctor and defeated Davros and the Daleks because all the time lines converged on me, which meant I was the most important person in all creation but never mind that, I'm still a lowly temp! She said that over and over like a Buddhist mantra and the Doctor could never figure out why she couldn't see that she was brilliant when everyone else could. But it's because of people like her mother who thought she was only good enough to be a temp or an office worker or something like that when all along she was one of the most important people who ever lived. If the Doctor is remembered for only one thing, it should be for the fact that he took ordinary people and made them see how extraordinary they really were. Both you and she and Martha and everyone else he took with him were worthy enough to be his companion, if you weren't, he wouldn't have offered the ride. And perhaps this was always part of his destiny, to show people like you that you were more than what society said you were. And you are, I wouldn't say it if it weren't so."

He rubbed the tear off of Rose's cheek.

"And quit that crying. God, now you are making a scene, you want people to stare at us and talk all day? The very nerve!"

He giggled when Rose slapped him on the back.

They reached the highway and stood at the edge watching as the cars zoomed by them.

"Starlight, run out there in the middle of all that, wave your arms and yell, STOP so we can pass."

"And what if I get hit?"

"Eh, it's an acceptable risk to get across the street and into the hotel."

"No, I think you should do it. You're the super smart half alien."

"Exactly, I'm important. Now get out there and stop traffic."

"How about this? How about if I strip naked and stop traffic that way?"

"Love, I told you to stop traffic, not give all the men hard-ons and the women heart attacks, there is a difference. Oops, I guess the traffic's cleared up on its own. Ah well, we'll try the whole throwing you out in the street another time. Come on!"

They ran across the highway and into the parking lot of the Holiday Inn.

"Last one in pays for everything!" he said, running in the door first.

He stopped and grinned when Rose got inside.

"Well, imagine that, you get to pay for everything," he said.

"Gee, I'm completely devastated, how will I pay for everything when I've been doing it all along," she said as Alan sniggered.

The woman behind the front desk smiled at them as they approached.

"May I help you?"

Rose started to speak, but Alan held up his hand.

"Let me try," he said.

Rose nodded and Alan smiled at the lady.

"Hello there, we'd like a double room for the night."

"Certainly, sir, smoking or non-smoking?"

"Non-smoking, please."

The lady checked her computer. Rose giggled as Alan pumped his fist in the air.

"I did it, I'm checking us in," he said.

"I'm so proud of you," Rose said. "Here take the credit card and give it to her."

"Righty-o!"

"Okay, we have a room available for you for tonight. Are you paying by cash or charge?"

"Charge."

He handed her the credit card and pumped his fist in the air again as Rose covered her mouth with her hand trying not to laugh out loud. He quickly sobered up and thanked the woman when she handed him the credit card and card keys.

"You're in room 206," she said. "Do you need assistance with your bags?"

"No, we're fine."

"Then have a pleasant stay."

"Thank you."

They turned away and Rose laughed when Alan threw his hands up in the air and pranced all the way to the lift.

"Yippee, I checked us into a hotel. I'm so proud of myself!" he said when Rose caught up to him.

"I am very, very proud of you," she said, patting his shoulder.

They stepped into the lift and Alan pressed the two button. She smiled at the proud look on his face while they went up. He sighed happily.

"Another human lesson learned, I'm so pleased with myself. Now we need to go rent a car or something, so I can learn that. Or…get on a bus or a plane, so I can pay for a ticket."

Rose smiled. As the lift door opened and they stepped out, she suddenly had a thought.

"Alan," she said as they walked to their room. "When we get inside, I wanna give you something."

His eyes widened.

"A present for me?"

"Um…yeah."

"Brilliant!"

They found their room and Rose let Alan open the door with the card key. He beamed when the door opened on the first try.

"Yay!" he said as he stepped inside.

He immediately dropped the bags and rucksack on the floor and before Rose could get all the way inside, spun around and jerked his arm out towards her.

"Gimme!" he said, waggling his eyebrows and opening his palm.

He snickered when Rose shot him a look.

"Can I put the bags down first and get in my rucksack to get it or are you just gonna mug me now?"

She winced when she saw the pained look on his face.

"I'm sorry," she said, quickly. "Bad choice of words. I'm really sorry; I didn't mean it like that, it just came out without me thinking."

She quickly put her bag on the bed and took off her rucksack, mentally kicking herself for having said that. But when she turned around, she noticed that Alan didn't look upset anymore and breathed a sigh of relief. She opened her rucksack and got out her purse. She reached inside, pulled out two twenty dollar bills and pressed them into his palm.

"What's this for?" Alan asked.

"You're learning how to be a human, so you should learn how to manage money and pay for things. And…I really hate that you have to keep asking me to buy you stuff, you're an adult and if you want to get something, you shouldn't have to come to me like I'm your mummy."

"Rose, you don't have to do this, honestly."

"No, I want to do it. I want you to be a little self-sufficient. I know how it feels to have to rely on someone to pay for everything and you're not a kid."

"I'm not? I'm almost a month old, remember?"

Rose smiled.

"Okay, maybe technically you're a newborn, but you have the intelligence of an adult and you need to have some adult freedoms and that includes being able to buy something without relying on me all the time. This is for whatever you feel like buying and if you need more, I'll give it to you, so don't be afraid if you run out."

She held up her hand when she saw him opening his mouth.

"And before you say it, I don't mind giving you money, I'm paying for everything anyway, so it's not a big deal, just think of it as another lesson on how to be a human, alright?"

He smiled.

"Alright and thank you."

"You're welcome."

"And now that I have this money, I have a question," he said.

"Yeah?"

He gave her an evil grin.

"Do they have forty dollar prostitutes in the US?"

He laughed when Rose swatted his head.

"What? You said I could spend it on anything I want!"

"Okay, you can spend it on anything except forty dollar tarts!"

She swatted his head and back and laughed when he grabbed her and flopped down on his back on the bed. He leaned his head up and kissed her on the cheek.

"Are you happy being here with me?" he asked.

She smiled at him.

"Completely happy and I promise I will be more happy in future. You're right, I can't let what happened in the past run my future and take away my…zest for life."

"And…if something awful does happen, we'll go through it together and we'll have a huge laugh at the end."

"Yes, we will."

"What do you wanna do now?"

"I want a shower and then just relax and enjoy being out of the rain for tonight. Maybe plan our next move and what we wanna do."

He kissed her.

"Then go have a shower and I'll get everything situated and check the atlas, okay?"

"Sounds like a plan…and no porn."

She laughed when his face fell for a moment. He grinned at her.

"Trust me; I learned my lesson about that. No pay per view without asking."

"Good, because I don't wanna come out of the bathroom and see you watching 'Sluts on Parade' or something like that."

"Necessary room."

"Huh?"

"It's called the necessary room."

Rose rolled her eyes as he sniggered.

"Fine, I don't wanna catch ya watchin' porn when I come out of the necessary room, got that?"

"Yup!"

"Good, let me up then so I can use my cucumber melon shampoo."

He gave her one more kiss and rubbed her ribs before letting her get up, get her stuff and take a shower.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter Forty Two

_Journal Entry-Alan Timelord._

_Rose is taking a shower at the moment, so I decided to pull my diary out and get my thoughts down before I forget. What I just witnessed out there in the store car park saddened me to the very core of my being. To think that my Rose could have been so devastated by all that had happened to her that she no longer felt happy inside. I am so glad that the Doctor left me here; I shudder to think what she'd be like now without me. Then again, perhaps he would have taken her with him if I hadn't been around, but who knows. I frequently wonder if I was just the convenient excuse he had for getting rid of her. I hope not. She is a joy and a wonder and deserving of all the happiness the world can offer. But after what I just witnessed, I wonder if I'm not the only one who needs a bit of fixing. _

Alan sighed, closed his diary and put it back in his rucksack. He stared at the forty dollars for a moment and with a smile, pocketed it.

"My Rose, always putting others before herself," he murmured. "All I really want is her companionship and love, that's worth more to me than all the money in the universe. But, if it makes her happy, I'll accept the money. Eh, might be useful sometime. I might get a little trinket or two just to show her I'm spending it."

He suddenly had a thought, retrieved the diary and opened it up.

_I want to add something else to this entry. Lately, I've been thinking about what it would be like to have Rose as my wife. I know that we (as in me and her) haven't known each other that long, but there is no one else I would rather spend my life with. I know she wants me as a friend and lover, but…does she want me as a husband? I want so much to propose, but at the same time I'm terrified she'll say no. I know that she would still love me no matter what, but being married to her would be such an enormous thrill, especially when I get to tell people she's my wife and be proud of every second of it. Perhaps this money might prove useful after all. Perhaps I can find a cheap engagement ring somewhere and try my luck. The worst case scenario is she will say no and then we'll just go on being lovers as before. But…what if she says yes? Oh my God, I would be sailing through the time vortex on my own power then. I've even been thinking about a perfect place to propose. Disneyworld in front of Cinderella Castle. That structure would be the perfect romantic backdrop. Granted, there are other romantic places in the world, but I don't wanna wait a year to reach them. I can't wait, I want to get back to London at the end and marry her to cap it all off. A perfect end to a perfect journey. Then we'll be husband and wife for those nine years and live in married bliss while we wait for our TARDIS to grow. The thought of it just makes me feel warm inside. I hope to God she says yes. _

He heard the shower shut off and quickly closed the diary and put it back in his rucksack. He grabbed the atlas and opened it to New Jersey, pretending to look it over. A moment later, the door opened and he smiled when she stepped out.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"Yes, tons better."

"Come here, so I can smell my purchase."

She smiled, walked over and leaned down. Alan took a whiff of her damp hair.

"Mmmm, smells so good I wanna eat ya up," he said.

"With your stomach, I wouldn't doubt it."

He nuzzled her cheek.

"My turn, I guess?" he asked.

"Yeah, but before you do that, get out the dirty clothes you aren't wearing. I think the hotel has laundry service and both of us need to have our clothes laundered. And I know, I'm being afraid of my own odor by doing this."

"Uh no, actually I agree with you, they need laundered. When I said that, I wasn't meaning the two of us should just sweat onto our clothes and never wash them, I was meaning you don't have to drown yourself in several thousand scents all at once."

He pulled out his blue trousers and plum t-shirt and gave them an experimental sniff.

"These don't smell too bad; I'll wear these for tonight."

"Okay and when you're done changing; give me the polo shirt and shorts and also your socks and Y-fronts. You can go without those for awhile, can't you?"

"Oh, I suppose I can," he said, reaching into his rucksack for them.

He sniffed them and grimaced.

"Ugh, yes, these can definitely do with a wash, phew!" he said, handing them to Rose.

She took them gingerly and put them on the bed. She reached into her rucksack, got out her denim dungaree skirt and a blue t-shirt and laid them on the bed along with her socks and knickers. She turned and gasped. Alan was standing by the table, butt naked, holding the rest of his clothes out to her.

"Alan!"

"What? It's nothing you haven't seen before and I figured I'd better give you these before I went and took a shower, so you don't have to wait."

She took the clothes from him.

"Now go and get your shower."

"Wait a tic; I'm just getting some nice cool air on my womb broom. Little man's been pent up all day long."

"Will you get in the shower with that thing?"

He grinned and slowly strutted towards the bathroom, making sure to go extra slow when he was passing right by her.

"You know there are all these rumors that people install hidden cameras in hotel rooms so they can watch what's going on."

"Is that so? Well then, GET AN EYEFULL OF THIS, MATES!" he screamed as he pointed to his penis.

Rose laughed and collapsed on the bed as Alan looked up at the ceiling and pointed with both his index fingers.

"Bet ya never saw one this big, eh? This right here is an award winner! So get a gander at my best in show, all you voyeurs out there!"

"Get in the bathroom, you pervert!" Rose laughed as she pushed him towards the door.

She got him in the bathroom door before he leaned back out again.

"Oh, and by the way," he said to the ceiling. "If you have a camera installed in here, I hope you enjoyed Rose's breasts, just bear in mind, these puppies are mine!"

"Go! Just go!" Rose said, laughing.

He smiled at her.

"I'll be in here spanking the monkey for the hotel management if you need me," he said.

He closed the door and Rose shook her head as she settled down on the bed.

"Jesus and I thought the Doctor was an enormous show off," she muttered.

She walked over to the TV and grabbed the laminated channel index. She grabbed the remote, turned it on and found The Weather Channel. She sat back down near the head of the bed, picked up the phone and dialed the front desk.

"Hi, do you have laundry service here? Great, I need someone to pick up some clothes in room 206 please. Okay, I'll be listening for the knock then, thank you."

She hung up the phone, walked over to the bathroom door and entered the steamy room. She walked over to the shower curtain and peeked around it. Alan beamed when he saw her head.

"Brilliant, you wanna take another shower with me?" he said.

"No, I'm in here telling you that someone is coming to get our clothes so they can be washed. So, keep the perverted talk to the imaginary camera to a minimum, yeah?"

"You mean I can't loudly narrate my own porn show in here?"

"No, you cannot because if you do, I'll go get that hunting knife in your rucksack and lob off the award winner there."

"Then what will you do?"

"I'll use a dildo and pretend it's you."

"What's a dildo?"

Rose opened her mouth when she suddenly heard a knock at the door.

"Be right back, be a good boy and keep quiet."

She leaned out, walked back to the door and closed it. She opened the door and saw a man standing there with a linen trolley.

"I've come to pick up your laundry," a man said.

Rose walked over, grabbed it and put it inside a clear plastic bag the man was holding. He closed and tied it, marked it with their room number and thanking her, walked away. Rose closed the door, opened the bathroom door and walked back in.

"I repeat, what is a dildo?" he said when she stuck her head back around the shower curtain.

She smiled.

"You've just been wondering that the whole time, haven't ya?"

"Yes, so what is it?"

"It's a…fake rubber penis that you can use to pleasure yourself with. They have some that vibrate as well and you use them to…get off on."

"And you prefer a piece of rubber to me?"

She grinned.

"No…I like the award winner."

"Well, good…and thank you for telling me what a dildo is, I'll file that away in my brain along with the tampons and sanitary napkins."

She smiled and kissed him.

"You do that; I'll be out here checking the weather. You check the atlas?"

"Um…well, I was going to, but I wanted to write something in my diary and by the time I was done, you were out of the shower," he admitted.

"Oh, okay, well I'm glad you're able to use that diary then."

"Yeah, I was kinda skeptical at first, but you're right, sometimes I need to use it to sort out my feelings."

"Good, anything that can help you do that is okay with me. Listen, are you hungry? You want me to warm up a dinner?"

"Yes, that would be nice, did the laundry man come?"

"Yeah, he did and when he's done, he'll bring out clothes back."

"Neat."

"Yeah, it's very handy. So, I'm gonna let you finish up here and I'll be outside getting our food ready and checking the weather."

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you love me?"

Rose's eyes boggled. She sighed.

"Alan, I thought we'd gotten past all this. You mean to tell me you're still insecure about that?"

"I know you love me, but do you love me with all your heart?"

She laid a hand against his cheek.

"Yes, Alan, I love you with all my heart and all my soul. I don't want to be with the Doctor anymore, I want to be with you. Will you please, please stop worrying about this?"

"It's not that I'm being insecure as such. It's just that lately I've had something on my mind and…I just need to know if I'm truly the man you wanna be with for the rest of your life."

He frowned when Rose said nothing and leaned back out of the shower.

"I didn't mean to upset you and make you angry by asking that. I'm not trying to irritate you, Rose. I just need to…"

He trailed off when Rose opened the shower curtain and stepped, naked, into the bathtub. She closed the curtain and put her arms around his neck.

"Do you see this? Do you see me in here with you?" she asked. "I love you, alright? I'm here with you now and I won't leave just like you said you wouldn't leave me. I really wish you would understand that because it breaks my heart to hear you worry about it. I had no idea you were even thinking about it. Like I said, I thought this insecurity was a thing of the past. If the Doctor ever does come back and he ever finds me and he asks me to go with him, I wouldn't do it unless you were with me because I don't love him that way anymore. I love him as a friend, a very dear friend, but at the end of the day I would want to be in bed beside you, alright? Forever, eternity..."

"Until death do us part?"

"Yes. Until death do us part."

She felt him relax and a smile crept over his face.

"Alright, I won't worry about it anymore because you just eased my fear once and for all."

"Thank God," she breathed.

She laid her head against his chest and Alan kissed the side of her head.

"You're all wet again," he said.

"Yeah, I noticed, wasn't plannin' on another shower, but now that I'm here…"

She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly while he grabbed his body wash and gently massaged her body with it. Alan smiled, his fears about proposing to her somewhat eased, although there was still a hint of nervousness in the back of his mind.

_She said until death do us part, though_, he thought. _That's a good sign. I hope it means what I think it means. _

They kissed and caressed one another for awhile before finally getting out and getting dressed. Rose went to warm up the food while Alan set down on the edge of the bed. She rummaged through the rucksacks and cursed loudly.

"What's wrong?"

Rose leaned back up, grabbed her purse and smiled at him as she held out her hand.

"Come with me, I have another human lesson for ya," she said.

He grinned and took her hand. He stood up and Rose led him out the door and down the hall to the lift.

"Just observe what I do because you might need to get change sometime," he said.

"Gotcha."

They went down to the front desk and Rose got out a twenty on purpose and asked the lady for change for the Coke machine. Alan watched quietly while the lady handed Rose three fives and five ones. Rose thanked her and they walked back to the lift.

"I had a thought that you might want to get a can of soda and the machines don't take twenties," she explained as they got into the lift. "I had dollar bills, but I wanted to show you what to do in order to get change."

Alan smiled and nodded. They went back up to the second floor and Rose led him to the vending machines. Rose put a dollar bill in the machine while Alan watched, hit the Coke button and got it and the quarter that dropped out.

"Wanna try?" she said, handing him a dollar bill.

Alan took it and tried to imitate her actions. He had trouble getting the bill straight enough to get in the slot and Rose showed him how to lay it up against the front of the machine and straighten it out with her hand. He tried it again and grinned when it went in with no problem. He pushed the Coke button and grinned when he grabbed the Coke and the quarter.

"Very good," she said.

"You're a very good teacher, you know that?" he said as they walked back to their room.

"Well, if you're gonna be on Earth for ten years, you oughta know these things."

She smiled when he tried to give the quarter back to her.

"Nah, keep it, you earned it."

Alan slipped it in his pocket as she unlocked their door. They went inside just in time to hear the weather report. Alan closed the door and both of them stood in front of the TV watching the forecast. She made a face when the satellite image came up and they saw that the entire state had rain.

"Good job we came in here then," she said to Alan. "Looks like it's gonna rain for the rest of the night."

They listened while the voiceover predicted a 90 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms for the evening, 80 percent for overnight and 30 percent for the morning before becoming partly cloudy with a high of 76 degrees.

"So," Rose said. "I guess we won't be able to move again until late afternoon."

"Sounds like it. I guess we'll just have to figure out ways to keep ourselves occupied."

Rose snorted.

"Like giving the imaginary camera a show?"

He snickered.

"Among other things," he said.

"Eat first, shag later," Rose said, putting his dinner in the microwave.

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After they finished their meals, they practiced the aikido for awhile and then settled down to play cards after the laundry came back and was put into their rucksacks. Rose taught him how to play Euchre and although she was able to beat him for the first few games, he quickly proved he was a fast learner and both of them were delighted when he started to win. They played a game of chess, which Alan won and then both of them grabbed the atlas and talked about what they wanted to do. Alan, by now, wanted the most expedient way possible to Disneyworld, so he subtly suggested keeping to their original plans to follow the motorway.

"I would like to keep on doing that," she said. "But, I would also like to find something to do in New Jersey besides stay in a hotel room. Do you know much about the state?"

"I know it's where Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi came from. I know it's got Atlantic City."

Rose made a face.

"Nah, I don't feel like gambling," she said.

"Well, gee, I guess that means we give Nevada a miss then when we get to it."

She smiled.

"There's more than Las Vegas in Nevada."

"Yeah, there's desert."

He grinned at her when she rolled her eyes.

"Well, there is, Rose. Miles and miles of desert for us to cross."

"Let's just concentrate on the here and now and worry about the deserts when we get to them," she said.

"Well, there is one other thing I know about New Jersey," he said.

Rose raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

He grinned.

"Ever heard of the Jersey Devil?"

Rose shook her head.

"No, what's that?"

"It's a creature that's said to inhabit the woods of southern New Jersey. Supposedly it kinda looks like a horse with bat wings that walks upright."

Rose rolled her eyes.

"I'm talking about actual things in New Jersey, Alan. Not mythical creatures."

"Oho, how do you know it doesn't exist?"

"How do you know it does?"

"I don't, but we can explore and find out."

"You wanna go looking for a horse bat thingy?"

"Sure, might be fun."

"Seriously."

"Why not?"

"Because we might get lost and turned around and end up way off course. You wanna get to Disneyworld, doncha?"

"More than anything."

"Why do you say that? You in a hurry to go ride the rides or something?"

He gave her an enigmatic smile.

"I just want to get there as fast as possible," he said.

"Well, then, let's stick to the motorway and not go looking for bat horses and end up in Canada, yeah?"

"Oh, all right, but just keep your eyes peeled when we get down south of here, you never know when the Jersey Devil might pop up."

"Yeah, well forgive me for not holding my breath waiting for it to appear," she said. "In the meantime, I think our best bet is to ask where a library is and get on the internet and find some stuff to see so we don't just end up walking through a bunch of fields and woods."

"Sounds good to me."

"'Sides I need to check my email and see if mum's written."

"Well, I don't need to do that since I don't have an email account."

"You should get one."

"Who's gonna email me? You?"

"Yeah, I'll show you how to set up one and I'll email you things so you can check them. Another human thing you can do, ya know."

"Brill. In the meantime, what should we do next?"

"Wanna see what's on the telly? Or…we could watch one of the pay per view movies…not the porno, the regular stuff."

"You're just so terrified I'm gonna get back on that porn channel, aren't you?"

"Just…making myself clear here. I'm not in the mood for it."

"Oh, I don't know, I'm sure the nosy people taping us are, AREN'T YOU, YA NOSY WANKERS!"

Rose put her head in her hands.

"Why, oh why, did I tell you that?" she said as he giggled.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter Forty Three

The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief when he and River entered the TARDIS. It had been a long day battling the Zygons in and around Loch Ness in 1957. River had been captured and duplicated by a female Zygon who had infiltrated the TARDIS and tried to destroy it before the Doctor finally figured out what had been going on and put a stop to it. The Zygons had been put out of commission for the most part, but the male leader managed to escape along with the Skarasen. The Doctor closed the door, started up the TARDIS and once it was in the vortex, he walked over to the jump seat collapsing into it with a long sigh. He was exhausted. He had managed to get a few hours dreamless sleep earlier that morning, but even though it had replenished him, for some reason he had awaken with a desire to see Rose. A desire he had tried to suppress ever since he left her in Norway. He had no idea what had brought on the desire. He couldn't remember dreaming about her or anything else for that matter, just that he sorely missed her the moment he opened his eyes. It was a sensation he both hated and loved at the same time. Even though he felt sure he had done the right thing, he still would give anything just to see her again, hold her in his arms and make sure she was alright.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't feel the hand on his shoulder. When he finally did, he looked up and saw River standing beside him.

"Are you alright?" she asked, worried.

"I'm always alright," he said, automatically.

"You look tense."

"I'll be fine, really. I'm just tired and worn out from everything that happened today."

River snorted.

"Yeah, you didn't get a nice long nap like I did," she said. "Reading archaeology at university never prepared me for big, blobby, ugly shape shifting things snatching me away and putting me to sleep in some big machine just so they could clone me. Just think, I actually had a clone for awhile, strange huh?"

"Not as strange as you might think," the Doctor muttered.

"Why? You been cloned before?"

"Yup."

"When?"

"So," the Doctor said, quickly changing the subject, "where to next?"

"Um, I don't know, really. Don't you ever stop and rest awhile?"

"Nah, had a bit of a rest this morning. Whole wide universe out there to see, River. We can't rest on our laurels and let it pass us by. Where's the fun in that?"

"Yeah, but I'm tired."

"Well, go to bed then."

"What about you?"

The Doctor sighed inwardly. River was beginning to get on his nerves.

"I'll be fine," he reiterated. "If you need to sleep, just sleep and I'll see you in the morning."

"Um, okay, good night then."

"Good night," the Doctor said, happy to have the conversation ended.

River stared at him in silence for a moment before walking off towards the back door. He sighed.

"Finally, some time to myself," he muttered.

He leaned back and put his feet up on the rim of the console. He closed his eyes and tried to relax, but he kept seeing the image of Rose standing on the beach pleading with him to stay. Behind her, his double stood there staring at him with disbelief and anger while he broke her heart. And then he ran, just like Davros said, ran to escape the shame of his actions. Ran because he couldn't bear to see Rose's heart torn in two right in front of him.

"Davros is right, I am a monster," he muttered.

"No, you're not."

His eyes snapped open. River was standing in front of him with a concerned look on her face.

"I thought you were in bed," he snapped.

He instantly regretted his tone of voice when he saw the hurt on River's face. Guilt flooded his mind. Why did he end up always hurting people no matter what he did?

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean for that to sound so harsh. It's just that I was deep in thought and you startled me."

"I'm sorry then. I couldn't sleep. I was just thinking about you," she said.

He stiffened when River sat down next to him.

"Why do you think you're a monster?" she said. "I mean, I haven't known you for very long, but out of all the monsters I've seen so far, you're the least likely to be one."

River gazed at him silently when he didn't respond. She hadn't known him for very long, but she sensed there was something he was hiding, a deep loss that he was reluctant to disclose. He seemed to be a man of many contradictions. Strong and weak at the same time, at times callous and cold but at other times compassionate and caring, aloof but sentimental. This mixture intrigued her. The adventures they had so far had been terrifying, but fun, far more exciting than digging up fossils. This man before her seemed to thrive on danger and chaos, even invite it into his midst, but at the same time he had a kind of world weariness that said that even though he liked the danger, there was a part of him that wanted it to cease.

There was another side to him too. At times he seemed flirty, playful, willing to chat her up. Given the fact that the man had good looks, she didn't mind it in the least and usually responded in kind. But sometimes the banter seemed forced and there were times when he'd suddenly back off and retreat into himself especially if she got a bit too playful. But the mood swings never seemed to last very long and he was back to being his flirty self again. This behavior puzzled her. It seemed as though there were times he wasn't interested, yet he kept on hinting at a relationship. But what truly puzzled her were the times when she would say something and he would get a faraway look in his eyes as though he were seeing a memory coming to life somewhere behind her. These daydreams would last for a couple of minutes and then he would snap out of it and go on with what he was doing.

This moment seemed to be one of those times. He had just been sitting there, seemingly lost in his own little world and then she had heard him murmuring something about Davros and being a monster. She hadn't meant to startle him, but she just had to know what he meant by that. Unfortunately for her, this was one of those times when he became tightlipped.

"You just wouldn't understand, River," he said when she asked.

"Doctor, I know I don't know you that well, but I think I can say that you are not a monster."

"You wouldn't say that if you truly knew me," she heard him utter under his breath.

River sighed, at a loss for what to do. She could see he was upset about something and she desperately wanted to help him. She noticed that his body was still tense and rigid and an idea came into her head.

"Turn, so your back is facing me," she said.

The Doctor gave her a confused look.

"Why?"

"Just do it, please."

Sighing, the Doctor did as he was asked. His eyes widened when River began to massage his neck muscles.

"I can see you're tense even if you say you aren't and this will help you. A colleague of mine taught me how to do massage therapy."

The Doctor stayed rigid, not wanting to encourage her, wanting to push her away so she would be safe. He longed to land the TARDIS and make her leave but he knew that was out of the question. The relationship between him and her had to be encouraged, no matter how disgusted it made him feel inside. He loathed himself for leading the poor girl on, playing games with her emotions in order to fulfill his obligations to time and space. They had some kind of a relationship, that much he knew, and so he had to invent one whether he liked it or not. He had to pretend to fall in love with her to keep history on track and prevent a paradox and so he let River perform the massage.

Little by little, he found himself relaxing as the tension ebbed away. His eyes rolled back and he shut his eyelids, letting his mind wander back to Rose. He began to envision her in his mind's eye, pretending that it was her and not River who was giving him the massage. He could picture her there, her warm breath on his neck as she kneaded his muscles. Her soft, pink lips mere inches from his skin. Her warm brown eyes radiating love and compassion and understanding. His Rose, his beloved Rose who knew how to chase the demons away, who knew how to make him better. His Angel who promised to love him and stay by his side for all eternity. This was who was with him now, not River. River was now a trillion miles away, across the void, in the parallel universe and Rose was here in her place, her rightful place in the TARDIS.

When he thought of that, he felt a brief stab of anger at his clone, that damned clone that came to life and forced him to give up Rose so she could look after him, lest he get out of control and kill more creatures. He quickly shook that thought away. The last thing he wanted was to think of his double. He needed to concentrate on Rose and so he focused all his attention solely on her. Ah, yes, there she was again, massaging his muscles. He could see her as plain as day now smiling at him, whispering in his ear her undying love and devotion. His breath caught in his throat while he imagined hearing the words, those three glorious little words that he himself had never spoken to her. He longed to go back and correct that, but it was too late, the universes had sealed shut once more.

_But,_ he thought, _I thought they had sealed shut before and my Rose found a way to cross them. My Rose, my clever Rose, she risked everything, even her life to find me, because she loves me. Oh Rose, I love you too, so very much. _

In his mind's eye, he could see her standing there between him and his clone, only this time he heard himself speak the words and felt her lips on his while his twin watched silently. His breath caught in his throat once more while he became completely submerged in the fantasy. Suddenly, without thinking, he spoke aloud, the words flowing from his lips unbidden.

"Kiss me," he said to the vision. "Please kiss me."

There was a moment when he imagined Rose leaning in and then he felt her lips on his. He kissed them hungrily, his eyes shut and his mind adrift while he snogged the woman he loved. The feel of her lips on his drove him almost to the brink of insanity and he kissed her more forcefully wanting nothing more than to taste every last drop of moisture on and in her mouth. With each passing second he became more and more aroused and he reveled in the sheer ecstasy of being intimate with her at last.

Then, suddenly, he felt her lips leave his and he let out a disappointed groan, wanting nothing more than to taste them again. Then his fantasy world was shattered into pieces and his eyes snapped open when he heard River say his name. He stared at her in shock, his mind lagging a bit behind his physical body as he noticed that she was now setting on the jump seat directly in front of him with her hand on his leg. He suddenly realized why the kiss had felt so real and anger welled up in him, at her but mainly at himself for allowing his mind to go on autopilot and let this happen. Guilt and shame mingled with the anger and he had to fight not to lose control of his emotions and say something he would regret later on.

"Doctor?" River said.

He stiffened when she reached up to stroke his cheek.

"I…need to be alone now, I'm sorry," he said.

Before River could ask any questions, he leapt up and hurried from the room, making sure not to slow his pace until he was safely in his quarters. One inside, he locked the door, sunk down to his bed and lowered his head to his hands, cursing himself for what he had done.


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter Forty Four

The next morning both Alan and Rose woke early and practiced a few more aikido moves before eating the last of the fish dinners. It was still raining when they woke, but by the time they were finished, the rain was gone and it was a bright sunny day.

"Perfect weather," Alan said, looking out the window. "Hopefully, it'll stay that way."

While Rose brushed her teeth, he settled down into one of the chairs and opened the atlas giving it one last glance before they left. He traced I-95 with his finger and raised his eyebrow.

"Rose, if we follow M95, it looks like it's gonna take us out of New Jersey into Philadelphia," he said to her. "Do you wanna do that or do you wanna explore New Jersey a bit more?"

She peeked out of the bathroom and took the toothbrush out of her mouth.

"I think we should keep on following the motorway so we don't get lost," she said. "If it's going out of New Jersey then we should just follow where it's leading."

She went back to brushing her teeth while Alan studied the atlas. She heard him laughing, spat out some saliva and leaned her head back out the door.

"What? What's so funny?" she asked.

"Um…dear, I think we're more lost than you realize," he said.

Rose's mouth dropped open.

"Why? Where are we?" she said, panicked.

He grinned.

"I think we're right outside Croydon now. How did that happen, do you suppose?"

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Funny, really funny, Alan," she said as he snickered.

She leaned back in and finished brushing her teeth.

"Hey," Alan called to her, "and right near Croydon is Bristol. My, my, my we are off track, aren't we?"

Rose giggled. She finished brushing her teeth and wiped her mouth off before speaking.

"I don't know if you realize this, Alan, since you are a newborn, but there are plenty of places around here with British names. I mean we are in New Jersey and the state we just came from is New York and right above New York is New Hampshire. See, long ago before you and I were born this used to belong to England and English people came over here and settled and they gave places English names and those English names remained even though the US broke away from England. I'm sure there are a million different cities and towns with English names up and down the east coast."

"I'll say, there's an Aberdeen, Maryland."

"Well, you see, that's exactly my point. And I'm sure when we get to Aberdeen; you'll be walking around making jokes about how we suddenly ended up in Scotland."

"Nah, Aberdeen's on M40, we won't be able to visit it. That's way off the route we're taking."

"Oh, well, at least we're gonna visit Croydon then."

He chuckled.

"Yup, that one we'll definitely hit on the way."

He began to giggle.

"What?" Rose said, amused, as she opened her rucksack.

"The conversation that Sarah Jane had with the Doctor the night you met her. When the Doctor took her back home, she wanted to go to Croydon and he took her to Aberdeen instead."

"Oh, that figures," Rose said, rolling her eyes.

"I wonder if she meant Aberdeen, Maryland."

"With the Doctor's sense of direction, I wouldn't doubt it."

She zipped up her rucksack and sighed.

"So, you ready to go. Checkout's at eleven."

He nodded.

"Yeah, just let me get everything packed and ready to go."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

About an hour later, they were walking again. The ground was still slightly damp and spongy in places, but it wasn't too bad and the two of them were making good time. Still, in order to avoid any overly muddy places, they decided to walk right by the interstate, much closer than they ever had before. Alan noticed that a few people glanced their way as they zoomed past but no one stopped for them.

Eventually, the wet ground forced them to walk right beside the freeway. Alan walked on the outside nearest the traffic so Rose would be safe. As they walked, he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of the police or anything that looked suspicious. Since they were walking directly beside the interstate, they now had a good view of the road signs and Alan noticed that it wasn't too far to Croydon.

"Think Croydon would have a library?" he asked her. "Or do you wanna just skip checking the internet?"

"No, I still want to do that. Even if we're not going through much of New Jersey, I wanna see what there is in Philadelphia and Maryland and check my email."

He nodded.

"Well, it said we're about ten miles away, so a couple of hours walk, ya think?"

Rose nodded.

"Yeah and once we reach it, we'll eat somewhere before checking for a library."

"Sounds good."

He gasped when someone honked at them and a car filled with laughing teenagers zoomed past.

"Bloody rain. I don't like being this close to the motorway. All these idiots and maniacs," he said. "I think we should brave the mud and get away from here before a drunk driver or an idiot teenager broadsides us."

Rose nodded. They looked along the edge of the road and when they found a patch of grass that was relatively dry headed down and away from the interstate and back into the woods.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After about three hours, the two weary travelers finally reached Croydon.

"Any England jokes for me?" she said as they climbed the steep hill to the highway.

"Nah, too tired to make em," he said.

"We'll eat somewhere and get our wind back," she said. "My back is killing me anyway. But, at least we're getting better at this."

"Yeah, every day we're traveling more and more miles. At least that's something."

They reached the top of the hill and paused to get their breath. By now, the sun had almost dried out all the mud, but it blazed down on them and they were sweating like crazy.

"Phew, I need a rest, Alan. I think we better wait awhile and then continue when it gets near dusk."

"No arguments here. I need some water or something. I'm parched."

She pointed to a McDonalds a few feet away.

"In there?"

"Yes because I don't think I can walk much further than that right now," he said.

They turned and headed for the restaurant.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ugh! Oh blimey, that feels so good," Alan moaned as he sank down into the chair with his tray of food.

He groaned as he slipped the rucksack off and laid it under the table. Rose did the same and rubbed her aching back.

"How Martha managed to do this is beyond me," she said. "This is rigorous to say the least."

"Yeah, well I don't think Martha was carrying half of ton of supplies on her back when she did it," he said. "Blimey, I'm knackered. I think I'll go in the playground area and curl up in the ball thing over there."

"Me first."

Alan ate his Big Mac while Rose dug into her cheeseburger. As he ate, he noticed a beautiful woman sitting a few tables away staring at them while she ate. She was in her early twenties with long ebony hair that went halfway down her back and bronze colored skin. He smiled and nodded and she did the same. He turned his attention back to his meal and chewed on a French fry while he stared out the window. Suddenly, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that the woman was standing beside them and he and Rose looked up at her.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I couldn't help noticing you have backpacks with you," she said.

Alan nodded.

"Forgive me for asking, but are you two traveling?"

"Yeah, we're on our way to Florida and eventually we're gonna travel the world," he said.

Her eyes nearly popped from her head.

"No kidding?" she said, sitting down in a seat beside him. "You two are walking around the world?"

Alan nodded.

"Wow and here I thought I was the only one crazy enough to travel without a car."

"You're walking as well?" Rose asked.

She nodded.

"Yeah, I'm coming from New York. I'm Cherokee and my people live in North Carolina. I went up to New York to work, but I lost my job and I found out my grandmother has cancer and needs to be looked after and I don't have enough money for a bus ride home, so I've been walking and living off the land, so I can save what little money I have. I'm Awinita by the way," she said, extending her hand.

"I'm Rose and this is Alan," she said, as they shook it. "I love your name. It's very pretty."

"Thanks, my grandmother named me. It's Cherokee for fawn."

She looked at Alan.

"So, where did you guys start from? You're not American, I can tell that much."

"Well, we started from New York; same as you and we're slowly following M95 into Florida and then we're gonna go to Disneyworld."

"Oh cool, I've never been there myself. Sounds like a lot of fun. Well, I was just wondering about the backpacks and I won't bother you any more. You two have a safe journey."

"Wait," Rose said, when she started to get up. "Are you on your own?"

"Yeah, I am."

Rose looked at Alan who smiled and nodded.

"You wanna walk with us until you get to your home?" she asked her.

"You mean it?"

"Yeah," Alan said. "I mean, it's not safe for you to be traveling on your own and we wouldn't mind if you joined us. It'll be more fun for all of us that way."

"But, you guys…I don't wanna impose. I just came over here to talk, not to join up with you."

"Yes, but Alan's right, it's safer if you come with us. We're heading that way anyway and if you don't mind us stopping every once in awhile to see the sights or whatever..."

"It doesn't matter to me. It's gonna take awhile to get down there anyway, but…really, guys, this is way too generous of you. I mean, I don't know you or anything."

"Well, we're not rapists or serial killers or anything like that," Alan said.

"I'm not either, believe me," she said, holding up her hands. "I've never done anything like that in my life. The only things I've ever killed were mosquitoes and bugs. I'm sure you guys are the same way, right?"

Alan shifted in his seat.

"That's right," he said as casually as he could. "We're not a threat to anyone, right Rose?"

"Nope. The only danger you'll have is Alan talking your ear off and being goofy till you're completely insane."

She laughed.

"Sounds like my younger brother," she said.

She smiled at them.

"Okay, I'll come with you. It sounds like it might be fun," she said. "And I'll help out as much as I can. My grandfather and father taught me how to live off the land when I was younger, so I can help you guys gather food and things. Like I said, I have a bit of money so I can also help out with supplies."

"Don't worry about it; we'll put you up with us in a room whenever we stop at a hotel. We usually get a double anyway, so if you don't mind sharing…"

"Oh, Rose, that's…too much, I mean, I don't wanna mooch off you."

"You won't be. Like I said, Alan and I get double rooms so we can have some space, as long as you don't mind sharing a room with us, it's perfectly alright."

"Thank you, thank you so much. I appreciate you guys doing this. I had to admit I was kinda scared starting out because I didn't know if I was gonna be okay, but I guess God was smiling on me today."

Alan and Rose smiled and nodded in return. Awinita glanced at their food.

"Um…I guess I better let you guys eat before the food gets cold," she said.

"Bring your food over here and sit with us," Alan said. "If we're gonna travel, we might as well get to know each other."

She nodded.

"I'll be right back then," she said, getting up.

They watched while she walked over to retrieve her things.

"Look at that, Rose," Alan said to her. "We just found our first companion."


	45. Chapter 45

A/N: Much thanks goes to Capemaynuts who is a New Jersey native and has helped me out with a lot of information about her home state! Thanks so much for all your assistance!

Chapter Forty Five

After eating and resting awhile, the three of them decided to head back out to look for a library. They asked one of the women working the cash register and were relieved to hear that the library was only a few blocks away. The three of them donned their rucksacks and headed towards it.

"Hey, guys, no offense or nothing since this is your trip, but isn't traveling I-95 a bit dangerous? I mean, it's a busy interstate and you could get hit or picked up by the cops. Shouldn't you try to find a safer way down to Florida?" Awinita said.

"What do you suggest?"

"Well, when I came to New York, we went by route 1 and route 9. It's over near the coast away from the turnpike. It's got a lot of pretty scenery along the way and I think route 1 goes all the way to Florida."

Alan glanced at Rose.

"What'd ya think?"

"I think it sounds sensible. I hate walking along the motorway and she's right. We need to go somewhere where we're less likely to get nabbed by the police. If route 1 still goes into Florida, then maybe we should follow that instead."

Alan shrugged.

"Just as long as it gets us to where we're going, I don't mind," he said. "It'll be quite a walk to get to it, but hey, we have all the time in the world at the moment."

"Do you guys have road maps or something?"

"We have an atlas we've been checking."

"Oh good, at least you're following that and not just wandering around all over the place," Awinita said.

"Nah, we're nuts, but we're not that nuts. We do want to actually go across the country and not just move around in circles while we scratch our heads."

They found the library and went inside, after getting temporary passes for the computer lab; they sat down next to each other at three separate computers. Rose and Awinita went online while Alan watched Rose's monitor.

"You still want an email account?" Rose asked.

"If you wanna help me, sure."

Rose talked him though it and in no time Alan was registered as Vashta-Nerada on Yahoo. He stared at his empty inbox.

"Now what?" he asked.

She giggled.

"Hold on, I'll send you an email before we leave," she said.

She checked her inbox.

"Yup, I was right, mum emailed me."

Alan leaned in as she clicked on it.

Rose,

Where are you at? I swear to God, this is just like when you traveled with the Doctor. You have a phone and you never use it! When you get this, give me a call. Pete needs to ask you something. I hope you both are alright. Please keep yourselves safe and tell Alan hi.

Love and kisses,

Mum.

Rose switched to Google and looked up info on New Jersey while she called Jackie. The phone picked up on the forth ring.

"Hello?"

"Mum?"

"There you are! At last! I swear, Rose, when are ya gonna start using that mobile of yours?"

Alan, who could hear everything, rolled his eyes.

"We've been busy mum," she said as she clicked on a site about New Jersey.

"Well, your dad's been trying to get a hold of ya. He wants to know if you're still going to go through China."

Rose glanced at Alan.

"Alan, mum said…"

"I heard her and yes, I would like to go through China eventually."

"Yeah, we are," she said as Awinita looked at him and said, "China? Cool!"

"Well, since you worked with UNIT, Pete and Jake can contact the Chinese branch and ask them to speak to the government and get you unrestricted passage through the country. That way you don't have to check in with the government and give them your itinerary so they can keep an eye on you."

"Brilliant!" Alan said as Rose smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, tell dad that I think we'll definitely go through China after we get done with Japan."

"Good, he's been waiting on you to get my email so you'll call."

"I'm sorry, mum, Alan and I have been having a lot of fun and we've just been so tired at the end of the day that none of us felt like doing much of anything, let alone call you."

"Well, I just hope you two stay safe while you're doing this. I still think it's bonkers."

"We're perfectly fine. Nothing has happened to us," she said, deciding not to tell her about the mugging.

"Well, good, you wanna talk to your little brother? He's running around my legs yelling at the top of his lungs."

Rose laughed.

"Yeah, I can hear him, let me talk to him."

There was a pause.

"Sissy?"

"Hey, sweetie, how are you?"

"Where Awan?"

Alan snickered as Rose's mouth dropped open.

"Fine, don't talk to me then, ya little pest," she said as Alan bent over the table laughing.

"I wuv you, Sissy!"

She smiled.

"I love you too, Tony. You wanna talk to Alan?"

"YES!"

Alan laughed as Rose jerked the phone away from her ear.

"Who's that?" Awinita asked.

"My pesky little brother. He's only two," she said, handing Alan the mobile.

"Ugh, lucky you," she said, making a face. "My brother's sixteen and he's a butthole."

"Yup, so's mine," Rose said.

She took the opportunity to surf the net while Alan talked to Tony.

"Awan, where you at? I miss you!"

Rose giggled as she reached into her rucksack for a pad of paper and pen.

"Well, I miss you too."

"When you come back?"

"Never."

He jerked the phone away when Tony screamed, "NOOOOOOOOO!" Rose and Awinita bent over laughing as Alan slowly put the phone back on his ear.

"Don't freak out, Tony. We'll be back soon…sorta, kinda, but we'll be back someday, I promise you."

"I miss you, Awan!"

Alan giggled. He bent over slightly and watched while Rose copied some information off a website. He grabbed the pen from her, wrote I'm a sexy stud at the top of the paper and gave it back to her, waggling his eyebrows when Rose shot him a look.

"Um, I miss you too, my little pollywog, but I promise we'll be back and we'll have presents for ya! Do you wanna talk to your sissy now?"

"What for?"

Alan snickered when Rose gave him a shocked look.

"Because she's your sister," Alan said, trying not to laugh.

"I guess so," Tony said sadly.

He handed the mobile to Rose.

"What do ya mean, what for? I'm your sister, ya git," Rose said as Alan silently laughed.

He smiled at Awinita.

"I haven't been with her family for very long, but apparently her kid brother has already begun to favor me over her," he told her.

He looked over her notes while Rose tried to get Tony to give the phone back to her mother.

"Insectropolis Bug Museum? You wanna go to a bug museum, Rose?" he said, pointing to the information on the paper.

"I was just writing down ideas," Rose muttered to him.

"She wants to go to a bug museum, Awinita."

"Wow, can't wait to see that!" she said, rolling her eyes.

Rose gave them both exasperated looks while they giggled.

"Oh great, now you're gonna side with him," she said to Awinita. "It's just something I found, doesn't mean we have to go to it."

"Oh, come on, Awinita, might be fun spending a day eyeing earwigs and gaping at grasshoppers."

They laughed as Rose sighed.

"They're making fun of me, mum because we're here at the library and I'm on the internet looking for things to do in New Jersey and I found a bug museum."

"They? Is someone else with you?"

"Yeah, we just met a girl named Awinita who's hiking back to her family in North Carolina. We told her she could come with us so she wouldn't have to walk by herself."

"You're picking up strangers now?"

"It's fine, mum. She's not gonna kill us."

Awinita mouthed, "Mother?" to her, Rose nodded.

"How do you know that?" Jackie said.

"I don't, mum…but she's sitting here listening to me and if she had plans of killing us, I'm sure she's gonna abandon them now since we're on to her."

Awinita giggled at that.

"Well, just be careful, would you please? I don't want to turn on the news and hear my daughter got her throat slit by some strange woman."

"She won't and we will, alright? Now we've gotta go, we need to get moving."

"Yeah, because the bug museum is coming up and we can't wait to get to that!" Alan said.

Rose smacked Alan in the head as he and Awinita laughed hysterically.

"Can I talk to him please?" Jackie said.

"Sure, mum."

She held the phone out to Alan. He rolled his eyes and took it from her.

"Jawohl, mein Furher," he said to her.

There was a short silence. Alan gave Rose a look of innocence when she shot him a look.

"Yeah, that's really funny, Alan," Jackie finally said. "What's this I hear about you picking up a strange woman now?"

"We didn't pick her up, she sat down next to us in McDonalds, introduced herself, we talked, exchanged phone numbers and blood and tissue samples and after running her fingerprints through the FBI database, we deemed her worthy of traveling with us."

"Yeah, you're a real comedian, you are," she said, as Rose and Awinita giggled. "Listen, I don't want my daughter ending up dead somewhere because you're playing Doctor and picking up random strangers now."

"She is not a threat, Jackie, alright? We're fine. No one is going to murder anyone as long as I'm around. The only deaths we'll suffer are the ones caused by boredom when we go to the bug museum."

He shielded himself when Rose tried to swat at his head again.

"Just…behave yourself and keep an eye on that woman."

"I am and I will, now can we please hang up? We wanna get going now."

"Just let me talk to Rose one more time."

"Alright, here she is."

He sighed and mimed choking someone as Rose finished up the conversation. After saying her goodbyes, she hung up and grabbed the pad and pen.

"You guys ready?"

"I'm ready if you are," Alan said.

He winked at Awinita.

"How 'bout you, America's most wanted?"

She laughed.

"I'm ready to go."

Rose put her pad and pen back in her rucksack. Suddenly, she had a thought.

"Wait a tic," she said.

She made Alan look the other way, brought up her email account and quickly wrote something to him. She sent it and made him look at her again.

"Check your email, you may have a message," she said.

"Oooo…"

She showed him how to refresh the screen and he smiled when he saw one email in his inbox with the heading, "Wotcha!" in big bold letters. He clicked on it.

Hi there,

This is guess who sending you a little email telling you how much I love you and how happy I am that you're here with me. Now let's go so we don't miss the bug museum ;)

Love always,

Amotiri.

"Spelled that wrong," he said, pointing to her pet name. There's an apostrophe after the O. But other than that, thanks so much for sending me this. I'll treasure it always!"

Rose kissed him. She noticed Awinita's confusion.

"He's just learning the internet," she said. "He's never had an email account before so I just helped him set one up."

"Oh, okay, cool. Welcome to the wonderful world of cyberspace then," she said to him.

"Thanks. And thank you for the email. And now that we've gotten that out of the way, it's time for us to head out into the wilds of New Jersey."


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter Forty Six

After leaving the library, they headed east, traveling towards route 9. Both Alan and Rose kept their pace slow at first in deference to Awinita but they soon learned that she had just as much stamina as they did and they resumed their normal speed. The three of them chatted with one another as they walked. Alan, for obvious reasons, kept his Time Lord identity a secret, at least for the moment and using his brilliant mind quickly came up with a plausible back-story of his life in London. They were pleased to learn that Awinita was carrying a small cooking pot since that meant they were able to eat a hot meal without trying to locate the next restaurant. While they walked through the woods, Awinita also found a few edible mushrooms and gathered some for later, pointing out as she did to Alan and Rose what they were so they would be able to also identify them.

They alternated between walking and resting and managed to make good time. Once they got away from the interstate, the air around them became quieter and they were able to hear the birdsong more easily, which pleased Alan immensely. They stopped to eat some of their snack foods after about twelve miles and took a nap. When they awoke, it was almost dark and all of them pulled out their torches from their rucksacks and turned them on, following each other through the deep woods as the sun slowly sank in the sky.

"How much longer do you wanna go?" Rose asked.

"Probably a couple more miles, then we can rest, at least for awhile," Alan said. "I still think we should do the majority of our walking after dark when it's nice and cool."

"You aren't afraid of walking through the woods after dark?" Awinita asked.

Alan looked back at her.

"No, should I be?"

"It's just that the woods are kinda creepy at night."

"Yes, but I'd rather deal with the creepy woods than sunstroke. We'll be alright, trust me. If Jason jumps out with his machete, we'll throw Rose at him."

"Ha ha," she said. "No, we'll throw you, you're the one with the hunting knife, remember."

"Yes, that reminds me, you better change rucksacks, threat to the universe, remember?"

"Huh?"

Alan winced when he heard Awinita. He said that without thinking of her being behind him.

"I'm…just kidding," he said to her. "She thinks I'm a great big loon and I should be locked up somewhere for my own safety."

"Too right you are," Rose said. "Completely off your trolley. Most of the time he acts like a huge idiot."

"Ah, but who's the bigger idiot? The idiot or the idiot who follows him?" he said.

"The idiot," Awinita said.

He raised his eyebrow and glanced at her while she and Rose giggled.

"I'll pretend you didn't say that," he said, "especially since…"

"What was that?" Rose said, cutting him off.

"Me running my gob," Alan replied.

"No, I heard something. Like something moving," Rose said, flashing her torchlight through the trees.

"Um, Rose, we're all moving, all three of us," Alan said. "Well, we were until you stopped us, but…"

"Shhh…" Rose said, holding up her hand.

Alan glanced at Awinita.

"Did you hear anything other than us?"

"No."

"Rose, I think you're mind is playing tricks…"

"Just shut up a minute," Rose said.

Alan sighed. He put his hands in his pockets and listened along with everyone else. The only sound they heard were crickets chirping around them. Rose relaxed.

"I'm…sorry, I thought I heard something," she said.

"I think you're imagining things," Alan said.

"Yeah, no thanks to you and that Jersey Devil nonsense," she said.

"I was kidding about that, Rose. I didn't mean for you to freak out and think it was out there lying in wait for us."

"Jersey Devil?" Awinita said.

"Yeah, a mythical creature that lives in southern New Jersey. Supposedly it's a demon that's been sighted since the 1700's. It's supposed to look like a horse that walks upright with big bat wings on its back."

"Okay, that's a new one. I never heard of a bat horse before," she said.

"Yes, well, I was kidding Rose about it earlier and apparently she's gotten spooked."

"I never said it was the Jersey Devil, I said I heard something. For all I know, someone could have seen us come in here and is following us," Rose said to him.

Alan sighed.

"Alright then, let's head out of the woods and into the open. That way if there is something following us, we'll be able to see it, alright?"

The two women nodded. They turned to their left and made their way though the trees. Alan slowed his pace and fell behind so he could keep an eye on his friends. As he walked, he kept his hearing tuned to any abnormal sounds, but so far all he heard were crickets and the occasional hooting of an owl in the distance. The further they walked, the more Rose relaxed.

"Maybe it was just my imagination," she said to them.

"Rose, I think you're tired. We've walked a lot of miles today and you're just worn out and your mind isn't fully awake. I think we really should stop and camp for the night, so we can get a good night's sleep. And…I will stay up and keep watch for awhile, just in case this "something" appears. Alright?"

They nodded. They found a clearing after a couple of minutes and shrugged off their rucksacks. Alan lent Awinita his bedroll and she and Rose unrolled them and snuggled inside while Alan slid down the trunk of a tree and sat nearby.

"Just go to sleep and I'll keep watch," he said.

"What about you? You need rest too," Rose said to him.

"Okay, how about this. I'll wake you in three hours time and we can all take turns keeping watch. Fair enough?"

They nodded.

"Wake me then," Rose said, "I'll take second watch."

"Alright, get some sleep in the meantime. Good night to both of you."

"Good night," they said.

Both of them closed their eyes while Alan sighed and set his head back on the tree trunk.

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"Rose?"

Rose grunted and opened her eyes when she felt someone shaking her. She jerked her head up.

"It's me, it's only me, it's been three hours, your turn if you want it," he said, kneeling beside her.

Rose yawned and nodded. She shimmied out of her sleeping bag.

"See anything?"

"Not a thing, didn't see anything, didn't hear anything. If there was something there earlier, it must have scarpered. So, if you wanna do the watch, that's fine, but I doubt if you'll see something now."

"I still wanna do it, just to be on the safe side."

"Okay."

"Take my sleeping bag. I'll take yours when Awinita wakes up."

He nodded and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"Good night, starlight," he said.

"Good night."

He snuggled into the sleeping bag while Rose took his place beside the tree trunk.

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Two hours passed by without incident. Rose sat by the tree, yawning, while she kept her unlit torch in her hand. Two feet in front of her lay her sleeping friends. Rose stared at Alan's moonlit face and smiled. He looked so peaceful lying there. She longed to crawl up beside him and go to sleep. She sighed looking around at the trees. She couldn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary.

"Must have been my imagination," she said. "I think we'll be alright. I really don't wanna stay up any longer, so I might as well pee and go back to bed."

She rose from the ground and flicked the torch on, careful not to let it shine in Alan's face. Using it, she grabbed her rucksack and crept away from them looking for a place to pee. She found a secluded spot several feet away and laid her torch on the ground while she opened the rucksack, searching for her toilet paper and hand sanitizer. She got both items out and was about to take off her pants and knickers when she suddenly heard a rustling behind her. Her heart began to race and she grabbed the torch. Swinging it around, she aimed it at the trees searching for the source of the noise. She stepped away from the trees and saw Alan and Awinita still in the sleeping bags fast asleep.

"Okay, I think I'll just skip peeing and head back to them," she murmured.

She grabbed up the rucksack and froze when she heard a twig snap a few feet away. She breathed heavily and her heart raced in her chest as she switched off the torch light.

"Alan?" she said in a hoarse voice.

It wasn't loud enough to wake him. Rose swallowed hard.

"Alan!" she said, louder.

She saw Alan jerk his head up.

"Rose?" he said, groggily, as Awinita stirred beside him. "Rose, where are you?"

She started to go to him when she suddenly heard something moving through the trees right beside her. Frozen stiff, she watched as Alan rose up on his elbow and looked around in confusion.

"What is it?" she heard Awinita say in a sleepy voice. "Is it my turn to keep watch?"

"Rose is gone," he said.

"Alan!"

His head jerked around and he stared into the darkness.

"Rose? Where are you? What's wrong?" he said, pushing the sleeping bag away from his body. "Sweetheart, where are you?"

Rose's eyes bulged when she heard heavy breathing right beside her. Gathering up her strength, she forced herself to run back to Alan with torch and rucksack in hand. Alan focused on the movement and began to run towards her.

Suddenly, Rose felt something grab her from behind and jerk her off her feet. She let out a terrified scream and began to kick and punch blindly as she was pulled backwards into the woods by her jacket collar.

"Rose!" Alan screamed.

He raced to his open rucksack as Awinita got to her feet. Reaching in, he pulled out the hunting knife and torch and sprinted off into the darkness with Awinita right behind. They paused at her rucksack and torch, now lying ownerless beside the trees. Alan cursed and ran off into the woods, following the terrified screams of his lover while Awinita grabbed Rose's torch and ran in a diagonal direction trying to see if she could get around to the front of the threat. On the way, she noticed a large rock and quickly bent down to pick it up before hurrying on.

Alan gritted his teeth and ran with all his might, following Rose's screams as she was pulled through the woods.

"Rose! I'm coming!" he screamed. "Hold on!"

"Alan! Help me!"

He pushed himself harder, willing every muscle in his half human body to work at full power so he could reach Rose before she died. He noticed some light through the trees to his left. Glancing over, he saw Awinita was running slightly ahead of him now.

"Be careful!" he yelled to her. "No telling what's got her."

"I'm trying to get around it," she said. "Don't worry about me; just get to Rose any way you can!"

He nodded and focused his full attention on Rose.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose grunted and gasped as the creature dragged her along the forest floor. It still had her by her jacket collar and she kept trying to pull herself out, but so far she hadn't been able to get the leverage to do that or anything else. She heard both Alan and Awinita calling her name and saw their torchlight dancing among the trees as the thing carried her further and further away from them. She turned her head and could vaguely make out hooves stomping through the underbrush. Suddenly through all the insanity, a thought popped into her head.

_Oh, lovely,_ she thought. _The Jersey Devil does exist after all. And now it's gonna kill me._

She chased that thought from her head. She wasn't going to die and leave Alan devastated, not after she'd fallen in love with him. Thinking quickly, she scanned her surroundings trying to find something, anything she could use to escape. She glanced over and her heart sank when she noticed that both her friend's torchlight was growing fainter and fainter and she knew that they must be tiring by now. It was all up to her if she wanted to live to see the dawn. She looked around trying to find something to stop the creature. Then…she saw something. A huge tree limb was lying on the ground and the creature was about to run by it. She reached her hand out and let out a yell of triumph when she grabbed it. She glanced up at the beast, wondering if she could hit it on the head and then wondering if that would even affect it since she could now see it was quite large. Then she looked at its legs and got an idea. Twisting her body as much as she could, she readied the long limb and then thrust it in between his legs at an angle. The creature howled as it stumbled over the limb and fell towards the ground. It let go of Rose and she quickly leapt up and ran away from it towards her friends. Her heart raced when she heard the creature snarl and howl in frustration and she increased her speed, willing her aching and injured body to reach Alan before it was too late. She gasped and panted and kept her eyes on Alan's torchlight as it got closer and closer to her.

She was so occupied with reaching him that she didn't realize the creature had caught up with her until it was too late. She felt a sharp, searing pain in her left arm and then let out a grunt as she was shoved to the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of her and she lay there gasping while the creature stood above her, ready to strike.

Then, suddenly, like a knight coming to her rescue, Alan burst from the trees and with a yell of rage lobbed the hunting knife at the beast. Rose twisted her head around and saw the blade embed in its chest. Alan's torchlight shown on it and Rose got a good look for the first time. It did resemble a horse, but there were no bat wings and it had enormous hands rather than the hooves it had down below. The fingers had razor sharp claws and Rose saw blood dripping off his left ones. It was a truly terrifying sight to behold. For a moment, time seemed to stop and the creature stood over her staring at Alan with shock before it finally turned and ran away into the darkness. Alan dropped the torch, fell towards Rose and gathered her into his arms, panting as sweat poured from his brow.

"Amo'tiri, oh God, are you alright?" he panted.

By this time, Awinita had caught up with them and she dropped the rock as she stumbled towards them. Rose breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath along with everyone else. She looked up at Alan and saw his face held a mixture of anguish and relief and concern. He reached out and brushed away strands of her dirt and sweat stained hair. Awinita shined her torchlight on them both and Rose saw his face turn ashen.

"Oh God," he whispered.

She looked over and gasped when she saw her arm. She suddenly realized why blood was dripping from the beast's claws when she saw the slash marks that had ripped through her jacket into her skin. Alan looked at Awinita.

"Help me get this jacket off her," he said to her.

She nodded and Rose groaned as they gently pulled the jacket off. Once it was off, she looked at her arm and saw that three of the claws had raked the side of her arm and the wounds were about an inch deep. Alan laid her on the ground, briefly brushing her soaked hair away from her face before he wrapped the jacket around her arm. Once it was covered and tied off with the sleeves. He gathered her into his arms and carried her while Awinita used both torches to light the way.

"Hold on, Rose, we'll get you out of the woods, find the road and call an ambulance. Just stay with me," Alan pleaded.

"My mobile's in my pocket," Rose murmured.

He nodded.

"I'll get it in a minute; right now I just want to get you away from that thing before it comes back."

Rose saw the worry on his face and managed a smile for him.

"I guess you were right about the Jersey Devil," she quipped.

Alan laughed in spite of himself.

"Yeah, you won't be mocking me again any time soon, will ya?" he said.

He kissed her sweaty forehead.

"Oh God, I almost lost you," he said. "I don't know what I would have done if I found you dead."

Rose's heart ached.

"Just…don't think about that," she said. "I'm not dead, I'm right here and I'll be alright."

He nodded and gave her another kiss on the forehead as he and Awinita made it back to their camp.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After they got back to camp, Alan lay Rose on her sleeping bag and made her comfortable.

"We have to move away from here and find the road," Alan said to her. "I think you'll be alright, but those wounds need stitches."

"Listen, Alan, why don't we do this so Rose doesn't have to be moved. I'll take my cell phone, go and find the road and when the paramedics come, I'll lead them back here to you guys, alright?"

"Are you sure? That thing might still be out there."

"No, I think after you threw the knife in its chest, it gave up. I'll be fine, just stay here and get your breath back and look after Rose. I'll hurry back as fast as I can."

"Okay, be careful. Damn, we don't have a hunting knife now."

"I have pepper spray. I know it probably won't do much against that thing, but at least it's something."

She handed the torches to Alan and grabbed her own and her pepper spray from her rucksack. She took one last look at them before she ran off through the woods in search of the road.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter Forty Seven

Alan sat with Rose while they waited for Awinita to return. Both of them had recovered physically from the ordeal, although Alan kept a close eye on their surroundings figuring that at any second the creature would return. He had no idea if it was the real Jersey Devil or not, but whatever it had been, he was determined to keep Rose from being harmed again.

He continued to scan around for a moment before turning his attention back to Rose who was quietly watching him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, stroking her cheek.

Better. My arm still hurts, but I don't feel dizzy or anything so I don't think I'm losing much blood now."

She made a face when she glanced at her arm.

"My jacket's ruined now."

"We'll get you a new one."

"Yeah, but I loved this jacket ."

She let out a ruthful laugh.

"Thing survived the dimension cannon, Davros and the Daleks and a horse bat finally gets it."

"I didn't see any wings on it, did you?"

She shook her head.

"Maybe they were folded up behind him."

"Nah, I didn't see any when he turned and ran. It's a good job, I guess. If it flew, we never would have caught up to you."

He sighed.

"Rose, I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you said you heard a noise. If I had gone and investigated instead of telling you it was your imagination…"

"Alan, no, don't! Don't start blaming yourself. I wasn't sure I heard the noise either. What's done is done, let's just go and get my arm patched up and move on."

He shook his head.

"Sometimes I wonder if this is really any kind of a life for you, always running for your life, always in danger. You deserve better than this."

"I don't want any other life. You were right. I'm meant to do more than work a crappy job and raise a family. If I have to go through stuff like this to be with you, than I will do it. I'm alright, really. I'm sure the wounds look a lot worse than they really are."

He smiled sadly as he brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"So much for an uneventful trip around the world," he said. "You and me, trouble just follows us like a stray dog. Makes me wonder if we should let Awinita in on our little secret. I betcha after what she just saw, she'd believe I'm half alien now."

He sighed angrily.

"Where is she? How far is it from the road? Bollocks, I knew I should have gone instead of her."

"Alan, you're in no shape to go walking like that, you haven't had much sleep and you just wore yourself out chasing after me. Awinita was the most rested out of any of us. I think it made sense for her to go. Just be patient. I'm not gonna die on ya, I promise."

"I just want you out of these woods."

"Well, I also agree with Awinita when she said she didn't think that thing would come back after you threw the knife into it. I think after you did that, it knew not to mess with ya anymore."

He jerked his head around and tensed his muscles when he heard someone coming towards him. He relaxed when Awinita came through the trees followed by two paramedics.

"That's Rose," she said, pointing to her friend.

"Evening, Rose, I'm George and this is Lou," one of the paramedics said. "Your friend said a bear attacked you."

Alan glanced at Awinita. She shrugged.

"Brilliant," he mouthed to her.

"Um, yeah," Rose said, "we were camping and I got up to pee and a bear came out of the woods and surprised me and took a swipe at my arm."

"Well, you're very lucky," Lou said. "Let's take a look at it."

Alan stood up and moved out of the way while George set a battery powered lantern on the ground beside Rose's arm. He opened up a black case while they took the jacket off and Alan winced when he saw the wounds. George examined them while Lou poured some rubbing alcohol onto some cotton balls.

"Doesn't look too deep, but it definitely need some stitches. Let's get it cleaned off so we can have a better look at it, shall we? Hold still, Rose, this will sting."

Rose and Alan both winced when he put the cotton ball on her arm and started to clean off the dried blood.

"Bleeding's stopped. That's a good sign," George said.

He threw the cotton ball into a plastic zip lock bag and grabbed another.

"Yup, I think your jacket took most of the damage, Rose, you're very lucky."

He finished cleaning her arm and held the lantern up to it.

"Probably need about twenty six stitches with this," he said. "Are you hurting anywhere else?"

"My back hurts a little," she said.

George frowned.

"Did the bear knock you down?"

"Um…yeah and I hit the ground pretty hard," he said, trying to sound convincing.

"Where does it hurt the most?"

"My lower back."

George leaned back behind her and pressed on her spine while Lou wrapped a bandage around the wounds.

"There?" George asked.

Rose winced at the pain and nodded.

"Can you walk?"

She nodded.

"Might have them take an x-ray just as a precaution, but it's more than likely just bruised from the fall. Anywhere else?"

She shook her head.

George looked at Alan and Awinita.

"Are you guys alright?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Alan said. "The bear only went after Rose."

"How'd you get it to leave?" Lou asked.

"I made some noise and scared it off," Alan said.

"Well, like I said, all of you were lucky tonight. Now the ambulance is about two miles away. Can you walk? Because we can radio a helicopter to airlift you out if you need it." Lou said.

"I can carry her if her back is hurting," Alan said.

"You sure?" George asked.

He nodded.

"Okay, well I'm not sure what you have out here, but if you want to take some things with you now's the time to get them."

"I'll carry the backpacks," Awinita said.

"You sure?" Alan asked.

"Yeah, you'll have enough to carry, I'll handle the extra stuff."

"I'll help with the backpacks also," Lou said. "George has the lantern and the medical kit, so I can spare a hand and carry some."

"Thank you," Alan said.

"You're welcome. I'm just glad all of you are alright."

Awinita went to retrieve Rose's rucksack while Alan bent down and scooped her up.

"Alan, are you sure you can do this?" she asked.

He nodded.

"I'm alright, just relax. You've had a long night."

Awinita returned with Rose's rucksack. She slipped hers on her back and gave Alan's rucksack to Lou while she carried the other in her hand.

"Everyone ready?" Lou asked.

They nodded.

"Then follow us."

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Forty five minutes later, they reached the ambulance. George pulled out the stretcher and helped Alan position her on it. They covered her, strapped her down and rolled her inside. Alan and Awinita climbed in beside her while Lou got in on the opposite side. He grabbed a clipboard while George got in the front and started the ignition. As he drove off, Lou took down Rose's information.

"Do you want the Doctor to contact anyway? Any friends or family?" Lou asked when he had gotten all her vital info.

"Uh…no, that's fine, "Rose said.

Lou nodded.

"That's all I need then. Just hold tight and we'll be at the hospital in a few minutes."

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It took about an hour for Rose to get her stitches. Alan stood by her while she laid on the gurney in one of the ER rooms. Awinita slept in a chair beside the door and Alan held her right hand while the surgeon stitched up her wounds.

"How long will she need to have these in?" Alan asked, gesturing to the stitches.

"About three weeks."

"And does she need to come back here to have them out?"

"No necessarily. She can go to her doctor and they can call here to get the information they need, just as long as it's been three weeks."

He finished up and cleaned and dressed the wound.

"Now, if you'll wait a moment, a nurse will take you to get your back x-rayed, "he said.

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A half hour later, the three weary travelers stood near the front doors of the emergency room. Alan and Awinita were carrying their rucksacks on their backs and Awinita carried Rose's while Alan helped Rose to walk. She had been given a Darvocet and was very groggy.

"Now what?"Awinita asked.

"Alan, go over there and ask the receptionist to give you the number for a cab," Rose murmured. "We'll take one to a hotel and check in for the night."

Alan nodded. He helped her to sit and kissed her on the cheek before walking over to the front desk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They found a Day's Inn nearby. Alan paid the fare with the money Rose had given him and helped her inside the building. They checked in for two nights and walked back outside to their ground floor room. Awinita unlocked the door, laid Rose's rucksack just inside the room and led her over to the bed. Rose, who was barely awake, leaned against Alan while Awinita drew back the covers and helped her to sit. They took off her shoes and socks and Rose lay down. Alan covered her with the blanket and kissed her forehead.

"Go to sleep now. You're safe," he said.

"Thank you both for saving me," she murmured.

"You're welcome," they said in unison.

Rose gave them a sleepy smile before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep. Once she was asleep, Alan groaned and looked at Awinita.

"You can have the shower first. I need to rest a moment," he said.

She nodded.

"Alan, what was that thing? That really couldn't have been the Jersey Devil, could it?"

"I don't know," Alan said, truthfully. "I'm just glad Rose is safe."

"Yeah, me too."

She shook her head.

"You know, Native American tribes have stories about this kind of thing. Until tonight, that's all I thought they were, just stories. I don't think anyone will believe me if I tell them I probably saw the Jersey Devil."

"You might be surprise," Alan said. "The universe is a lot stranger than you think."

"You talk like you've had experience dealing with this kind of thing."

He smiled and said nothing. Awinita sighed.

"I suppose if you have, there'll be plenty of time to talk about it in the morning."

She yawned.

"Right now, a hot shower sounds like heaven to me."

She grabbed her rucksack and went into the bathroom. Alan got up and sat back down beside Rose when the water began to run He gently ran his finger down her cheek.

"I made the mistake of not listening to you, Amo'tiri. I won't make that mistake again."

He gently brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her temple.

"My life, my precious Rose," he murmured. "Sweet dreams and don't be afraid. I'm always at your side, guarding you until the day I die."

He kissed her cheek and stared at her quietly while he waited for Awinita to finish her shower.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter Forty Eight

The next morning, Alan awoke early taking care not to disturb Rose beside him. He got out of bed, yawned and stretched.

"Good morning."

He looked at Awinita who was in the other bed smiling at him.

"Did you sleep last night," he said in a loud whisper.

"Oh yeah, I'm an early riser," she whispered back.

She looked at Rose who was fast asleep.

"How is she?"

"I think she's okay. I didn't hear her having any bad dreams."

"That's good. I'm glad you got this room for a couple of days. After all that, she needs to rest."

He nodded.

"Yeah, she needs some time to recover. Actually, when she wakes, I thought we could go find a restaurant and get something to take back here so she doesn't have to move."

"Good idea."

"I really wanna get another hunting knife as well, but that can wait until we head out again."

"Do you really wanna try walking through those woods again?"

He sighed.

"No, I want to see if Rose will agree to renting a car, at least for awhile until her back recovers."

He rubbed his ear.

"I suppose if we wanted to, we could just go ahead and drive it to North Carolina and take you home."

"Actually, I know it sounds crazy, but I'd rather not drive all the way there. I like walking with you guys, at least up until last night, it's been fun. And to honest, I'm really not in that big a hurry to get home. I'd rather have a little bit of fun before I have to take on the burden of my grandmother."

You don't wanna do it?"

She sighed.

"I'm not that thrilled with it, but grandmother helped raise me since I was a baby and I need to return the favor and take care of her now. But, I'd rather not go in a car. It's more fun to see the US on foot. Besides, gas costs an arm and a leg and poor Rose is spending enough as it is. I'm all for driving until her back heals, but not all the way."

Alan nodded.

"Yeah, me too. Not too fond of cars, too cramped for my taste."

"I guessed that. Otherwise, why walk across the world?"

She sighed.

"I wish I could see the world with you."

"Well, why can't you? I mean, don't get me wrong, family ties are important, but if you're unhappy taking care of your grandmother don't you think she'll be upset seeing you miserable like that?"

She sighed and looked at her hands.

"The truth is, no one really asked me to do this. I just felt it was my duty as the eldest grandchild to help my parents care for her. Nobody knows I'm doing this except you guys. I wanted to surprise everyone, especially grandmother. I thought that would cheer her up after all she's been through. But…on the other hand, I feel trapped because sometimes I thin as the eldest everyone expects me to be the responsible one and fulfill my obligations to the family even when I don't want to."

"I know exactly how you feel. I had a…twin brother that was very close to Rose. He was forced to fulfill what he thought were his obligations and carry a heavy burden because he felt like no one else could do it but him. In the end it made him tired and angry and depressed. I really would hate to see that happen to you, Awinita, because you're a nice woman and I can tell you're possessed with wanderlust like Rose and me. Otherwise, why would you turn down a free car ride all the way to your home?"

"Yeah, but I don't have the money to go around the world. How would I survive?"

"You could live off the land most of the time. You said you know how to do that, plus we could all help each other."

"Yeah, but you two are in love. I would think at some point you'd wanna be alone again."

He smiled.

"There are ways we can be alone and still have you with us."

"I don't know, It's tempting, but…"

"Well, just hold off on deciding for the moment and let Rose be a part of this since she's the one with the money. At least we have the pleasure of your company until North Carolina."

She smiled and nodded.

"Now about last night, I asked you if you ever had experience with things like that creature, have you?"

He sighed.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me in a million years."

"Um…I just witnessed a bit, ugly horse thing making off with Rose. I think my mind is pretty much open from here on out."

He nodded.

"If I tell you, you have to swear not to tell anyone else, got that?"

"Got it."

"Promise me."

"I swear I won't tell."

He hesitated a moment.

"I'm…part alien," he said.

Awinita raised her eyebrow.

"Which part? You look all human to me."

"You can't see it and I really have no way of proving it to you, but I am. Rose can vouch for that."

"What is the part alien then? Are you a Martian?"

"No, I'm…well, I'm descended from a planet called Gallifrey and I'm known as a Time Lord."

"A Time Lord…"

He nodded.

"Look, I know I sound like a complete nutter, but it's true."

"It is," Rose murmured, "he's part Time Lord."

Alan turned and noticed she was staring up at him through half-closed lids.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked.

"Just woke up in time to hear you telling her your secret, "she murmured. "She's not on the phone to the funny farm. I guess that's a good sign."

Awinita got up and walked over to her.

"This is all true, what he's saying?"

"Yes."

"Are you an alien too?"

"No, I'm completely human."

"And you're in love with a half alien guy?"

She chuckled softly.

"Yes I am, completely."

Awinita's eyes bulged from their sockets.

"Wow and I thought this stuff only happened in the National Enquirer," she said. "How long have you known?"

She smiled.

"All his life."

"You've been with him for that long?"

Rose gently nudged Alan's back.

"Hon, explain regeneration to her, would ya? I'm too tired this morning."

"Regeneration?"

Alan blew a long stream of air from his lips.

"Blimey, this will take awhile. Rose, listen, Awinita and I thought about going to get dinners like we did the other day. That way you can rest and I can explain things to our befuddled friend."

"Get my bank card from the purse. You remember how to use it?"

"Yes."

"Just…find a cash machine and…get out sixty dollars. Use forty for the meals. That should cover everything for the three of us and take twenty to replace the money you spent on cab fare last night."

"Rose, you don't have to do that."

"I want to. You saved my life, it's the least I can do. Now, you remember the number?"

"The code number?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, I remember it."

"Good," she murmured, rubbing his leg, "and, just get me a burger or fish and chips. Anything is fine. Don't make an extra trip to another restaurant just for me. Get whatever you guys want."

"Anything else?"

Rose frowned as she tried to get her sleep addled brain to think of anything else she needed.

"I need that pain killer prescription filled, but I think I have to go with you to the chemists. I don't think they'll let you fill it for me. But that can wait. I'm not in any pain right now, just go ahead and get the food and be careful."

"We will and we'll hurry back."

"No, take your time. You went through a lot last night, both of you. I'll be alright. Just lock the door on your way out and I'll sleep while the management secretly films me."

She winked when Alan snickered at that.

"I see you haven't lost your sense of humor," he said.

"Believe me, if I did, I would never hear the end of it from you, Mister Singing In The Rain."

He laughed and bent over to give her a kiss.

"I love you, starlight."

"Mmmm, I love you too, be good now and stay out of trouble, my little Stitch."

"Yes, Lilo," he said as she giggled.

He gave her one last kiss before standing up. He went to her rucksack, found her purse and got the bank card.

"I'll see you later, Rose," he said.

"Have fun."

"Bye, Rose."

"Bye, Awinita, look after him."

"I will."

She watched while they opened the door and stepped outside. She waved when Alan waved goodbye and closed her eyes when he shut the door and locked it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Awinita listened quietly to Alan's story while they sat together in McDonalds. Both of them had ordered several items to go and had gotten a couple of Cokes to drink while Alan explained himself. Awinita could hardly believe what she was hearing.

"So, you're a clone of this Doctor guy?"

"Yes."

"And he's in a completely different universe?"

"Yes."

"And he travels through time and space."

"Yes."

Awinita sat back while she took it all in.

"Wow, I mean, no wonder Rose was impressed I didn't call the loony bin."

"You don't believe me?"

"Uh…well, normally, I'd say no, but after last night…"

She shook her head.

"This is incredible," she said. "So…if Rose is in love with you and you're a clone, does that mean that she loved this Doctor first?"

"Yes, in a way she still loves him, but over the past couple of months she's grown to love me."

"Well, yeah, you're his clone."

He shook his head.

"I look like him and I think like him…to a degree. After all this happened to me and Rose, after we were stranded here, I decided to consciously distance myself from him and be my own individual person. But, I do have all his memories, including the time he spent with Rose."

"That must be rough having memories that aren't yours."

"Nah, it gave us a starting point, some common ground and then as our relationship progressed I was able to use those memories to help her come to terms with what the Doctor had done and why he did it. In the meantime, I learned from his mistakes and improved on his personality. Add to that Donna's contribution and I'm not an exact copy."

"If he loved Rose that deeply, doesn't he want her back? I mean if he's as smart as you say, couldn't he find a way back here?"

He sighed.

"I don't know. There is a way to cross the void safely, but he doesn't have the technology or the knowledge to make the device he needs. So for the moment, he's stuck. If he does find a way back, Rose said that she wouldn't go with him unless I was allowed to go and I wouldn't give her up to him now, not without a fight. I'm happy, Rose is happy and I'll be damned if he comes back and tried to disrupt that. As far as I'm concerned, the man had his chance to be with her and he blew it. Rose is with me now and the only way I'll let her go is if she wants out of this relationship. If she wants to leave me of her own volition, then I'll be heartbroken, but I'll respect her wishes. But if comes back demanding she go with him and she doesn't want to go, then by God, he'll have to get through me to get to her and I won't make it easy, not by a long shot. I don't care if he is my twin; I'll send him packing without a second thought."

"You go, boy," Awinita said. "I don't blame you one bit. Rose is a nice woman and I'd hang on to her too."

"Rose is a jewel. She's one of the kindest, caring, selfless people I've ever known. She has done so much for me and for the Doctor and I hate that this has happened to her. She doesn't deserve any of this. It's not just the Doctor, but her friends are also in the other universe and now that's also been denied to her. She's been through so much pain and suffering and horror and the fact that she hasn't gone nuts from it just astounds me. She is a remarkable woman and I'm so glad that she decided to give me a chance. Because if she didn't, I probably would have become a stalker and just followed her around like a puppy until she did accept me."

Awinita giggled.

"Wow, there's an image. I can just see you crawling around on your hands and knees whimpering while you tried to get her attention."

He chucked.

"Hey, Rose is worth every second of debasement I would have to go through. But, luckily that didn't happen. Come to think of it, her mother would have been very disturbed at the whole puppy thing. She thinks I'm odd enough without me whimpering like a puppy."

"The woman you guys were talking to in the library?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, her. I hope you never meet her in person, Awinita, because she's a scary individual."

"Even scarier than the Jersey Devil?"

She giggled when he nodded his head rapidly.

"Gee, Rose isn't scary."

"Yeah, how Rose ever grew up in that household without turning into Mumzilla, I'll never know. I think that also speaks of her character and strength. Course, she doesn't like it when I say stuff like this, but I can't help it. I'll be civil to her mother for her sake, but that doesn't mean I have to be buddy buddy with her. Nope, I'm so glad she's on the other side of the Atlantic right now. Especially now. I have the feeling Rose didn't call her because she knows the moment mummie dearest finds out she's been attacked, she'll jump all over me for it, even though I didn't do anything. Both me and the Doctor had to swear to protect her with our lives and even though we gladly swore to it, still it speaks of just how much faith she has in me that I have to verbally promise not to let anything happen to her."

"What do you think'll happen when she finds out Rose has been hurt?"

"Oh, I'll probably be strung across her kitchen table, flayed alive and watch as my skin is roasted, toasted and shoved back down my throat."

"Then, if I were you, I would stay on this journey for as long as possible."

"Trust me, I intend to."

He looked out the window.

"Listen, it's been a couple of hours since we started talking. You wanna head back?"

"Sure."

He smiled.

"Thanks for being so understanding, Awinita, I know it's a lot to take in especially after last night."

She held up her hand.

"You're a nice guy, Alan, and I care about that more than you being half alien. Just as long as you don't plan to take me up in your spaceship and do anal probes on me."

He rolled his eyes as she laughed.

"You know, it might surprise you when I tell you that I don't know a single species that does that to humans. How that ever got started…that and the cow mutilations, why would aliens waste all that time coming here just so they could turn cows inside out. I have to say, you lot have some imagination. But no, I promise you, I'm not going to kidnap you and take you up into my mother ship for weird experiments or to lay eggs in your stomach or to enslave you on some alien world. I don't even have a spaceship at the moment."

"Well, good, just making sure."

She giggled as Alan eyed her.

"You and Rose, I swear…" he said. "I can already tell the two of you are going to get along well. You think alike."

He smiled.

"And speaking of our comrade, let's go ahead and get back before she comes hobbling out of the hotel room to find us."


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter Forty Nine

After about a half hour Rose felt well enough to get up and have a shower. The empty hotel room was unnerving to her. After two months of constantly being with Alan, she finally realized just how empty the room felt without him. She was used to his boundless energy, his teasing and his singing. She suddenly realized just how much she missed him and how deeply she longed for him to return. She quickly rushed through the shower and hurried back to the bed so she could let him and Awinita back in.

She flipped through the channels until she found the Food Network. She started watching Ace of Cakes when she suddenly heard a knock on the door. Her heart leaped knowing that Alan was back and she bounded out of the bed eager to see him again. She flung open the door and saw Alan standing there with Awinita behind him.

"Hello there, miss," Alan said. "I'm working my way through university selling magazine subscriptions. Can I interest you in a one year subscription to Time Travelers Monthly?"

Rose grinned.

"Nope, sorry, not interested."

Feeling impish, she slammed the door in his face and giggled when she heard him saying, "Hey!" He knocked again and she waited a moment before flinging the door back open.

"How rude," he said.

She slammed the door again. He knocked again.

"Open up, you door slamming minx!" she heard him yell.

Rose giggled. She ran and got her bathrobe, tied it around her and then assumed a seductive pose as she opened up the door again. Alan paused with his fist in mid-knock while he stared at her.

"Hello," she purred. "Are you housekeeping? Have you come to make my bed and leave me a mint on my pillow?"

Alan lowered his hand and stared at her.

"Is this a normal reaction to Darvocet?" he said as Awinita laughed hysterically. "Because if it is, then by all means, keep taking them."

Rose laughed and stepped aside, letting them in. Alan grinned as he sat the bags down on the table.

"I see someone feels better," he said.

"Oh yeah, although I missed you," she said.

"Me too."

He gave her a kiss on the lips.

"He did hurry back here," Awinita admitted.

Rose smiled.

"He's very protective of me," she said to her. "The Doctor was as well. I think both of them are scared that I'll be taken away from them again at some point."

"No," Alan said, "I just love the pleasure of your company, my little plus one. I'm not making the mistake of letting you go into the void alone if that ever comes up again. Nope, next time I'm letting go and going right in after ya."

She gave his back an affectionate little scratch.

"So," she said to Awinita, "he explain everything to ya?"

"He explained quite a bit."

"And you're still here, so I guess that means you're okay with it."

"Hey, like I told him, I just saw some weird creature try to kidnap you. I'll believe anything at this point. Besides, he's a nice guy."

"Yes, he is. A little wacky at times, but you get used to that and…"

She gasped when Alan shoved a cup of Coke under her nose.

"Oh, I forgot, I got ya a Coke, enjoy!"

He giggled and ran to the other side of the room when Rose grabbed it and shot him a look.

"Thanks, Alan, I was wanting a straw up my nose just then," she said.

She looked at Awinita.

"See what I mean? Worse than a two year old, he is."

"Wow, a two year old, that's a compliment considering I'm barely two months old," Alan said as he stood in the bathroom.

She grinned and rolled her eyes while she sipped her drink.

"So, you guys went to McDonalds then?" she said.

"Oh yeah, we got a bunch of things. Alan wasn't sure what you'd be in the mood for, so we got you a salad and a couple of cheeseburgers and some fries."

"And a Coke, don't forget the Coke!" Alan said, pointing at her cup.

"Yes, I realize the Coke is mine now, Alan, thanks," she said as he snickered.

He gave her a big toothy grin and shut the door. A few seconds later, he flung it open and stuck his head out.

"I'm going to the necessary room; do you need to pee in the next thirty seconds?"

"No, dear, I can hold it. Just go ahead and pee."

"Okey-dokey."

He started to shut the door and then had a thought.

"Hey, Rose?"

"Yes?"

"Are we at the point in our relationship where I can leave the bathroom door open and just pee in front of you?"

"No."

"Just checking."

He slammed the door as the two girls giggled.

"He's so cute," Awinita said.

Rose nodded.

"Yup, he's my adorable little boy," she said. "I couldn't get through the day now without him here. I just missed him terribly when you guys were gone."

Alan flung open the door and flounced over to her.

"I missed you too, starlight," he said, laying his head on her shoulder. "I wanted to just hurry back here in case someone came along and romanced you out from under my nose."

"What, the hotel management, you mean?"

"No, just any random stranger off the street."

"What do you take me for, Alonzo Timelord? You think I'm that easy?"

"Oh, no, no. I'm not saying you would just willingly go with someone. I'm saying that someone could come along with an aphrodisiac ray and make you their slave. Just little ol' me planning for all possible scenarios."

Awinita snickered when Rose rolled her eyes and took a sip of her Coke.

"So, did you guys eat?" she asked.

"No, not yet, Alan got to talking and I was too busy listening to his story to eat."

"Yeah, it is pretty interesting, isn't it?"

"Of course it's interesting, I'm a master storyteller," Alan said. "But, no, neither of us has eaten yet."

"Well, there's a shock, Mister Bottomless Pit."

She giggled when Alan shot her a look. Smiling, she turned and began to rifle through the bag while Awinita went to use the toilet.

"Rose, Awinita and I want to talk to you," Alan said.

Rose pulled out the salad and one of the cheeseburgers.

"About what?" she asked.

Alan looked at the closed bathroom door.

"Wait a tic until she gets out here."

Rose frowned as she sat down at the table.

"Is it bad?"

"Um….I hope not, but it does require you spending money which is why we wanted to talk to you."

"You guys wanna go somewhere, is that it?"

"Weeeeeeeell, yeah, but it's not what you're thinking."

He looked over when the bathroom door opened.

"Ah, good. Awinita, I'm going to ask her and I wanted you out here so you could be in on it as well."

He faced Rose who was pouring ranch dressing on her salad.

"Rose, we were thinking that, at least for awhile, we might rent a car."

"You don't wanna walk anymore?"

"Well, I do and so does Awinita, but you were badly hurt last night and we want to give you a chance to recover, plus neither of us fancies going back into the woods after seeing that thing."

"No, I don't either," Rose said, quickly.

"Well, we though we'd take a car, at least until your back was well enough that you could handle the rucksack again."

Rose chewed on her salad while she thought.

"Your ankle as well," she said, pointing to his leg. "Is it still bothering you?"

"A little, I guess, but I'm more concerned about you."

"Plus, we really would like to get past New Jersey before we go back in the woods again," Awinita replied.

"If we did this, would you like a lift to North Carolina?" Rose asked her.

"No, I already told Alan that I wasn't in that big a hurry to get there. I would like to do some more hiking before I got home."

"But, actually, I also put forth the suggestion that she just continue on with us," Alan said.

Rose frowned.

"But, I thought you had to go take care of your gran," she said.

"Well, like I told him, no one asked me to do it, it's really my choice and to be honest, I'm doing it more out of a sense of duty than anything else. The problem with that is if I went I'd be a burden on you and I don't wanna do that. You guys are so nice and I don't wanna mooch off you."

"And I told her she can help out when she can. I mean, we're paying for her now and really all it would cost is extra food since she's sharing a double room with us and she gathered those mushrooms, so she can do that for us. I mean, I'd rather she came along with us than have to go be miserable taking care of her grandmother."

"If you want to come along with us, Awinita, I think I can handle the extra person. My step dad is paying my credit card bill every month and I have a lot in my bank account, so there's no danger of us running out of money anytime soon, but it's up to you, don't let Alan talk you into it if you're don't want to do it."

"I would love to do it, Rose. I just don't want you to think I'm mooching off of you."

She grinned.

"Don't worry about it. This bugger is mooching off me anyway, so what's another person," she said, winking.

"Well, I'm sorry I'm being a leech, Rose. But unfortunately, Doctor daddy didn't leave me a biiiiig trust fund when he kicked me out the TARDIS door, which means I gotta rely on you."

"Which is why I'm trying to give you extra money so you don't have to rely on me as much," she said.

Alan smiled.

"She's such a sweetheart," he said to Awinita.

"Yes, she is. She's one of the nicest people I've ever met."

Rose blushed at that.

"Thanks," she said. "And, getting back on topic about the car, yes I'll agree to that because I'm not in any hurry to go back in the woods and risk seeing that thing again and my back and your ankle can use a rest. Besides, if we have to cross over to route 9, that'll save us loads of time. We'll just have to ask if a car rental place is nearby."

"And I get to find out how to rent a car," Alan said.

She giggled.

"Yes, you can learn how to rent a car. And then you can sit back and enjoy the ride while Awinita and I drive it."

"What about me? Can't I drive too?"

Her eyebrow rose.

"You can drive?"

"Yes, I can drive. The Doctor had a motor when he was exiled to Earth in his third life."

"He did?"

"Yes, he had a little yellow roadster called Bessie."

He eyed her when Rose snickered.

"What?" he said.

"He called it Bessie?"

"Yes, he called it Bessie," he said as the girls laughed. "And, he loved that car dearly."

"Okay, but when you say he drove, did he actually stay on the road at all times or was he up on the pavement taking out bystanders?"

"He kept it on the road!" Alan said as Rose bent over the table laughing. "And, since I have his memories, I know how to drive and I promise you, if I take the wheel, we won't be off in a field somewhere."

"Well, that's good," Rose said. "Okay, Alan, out of sheer curiosity, I'll let you drive as well."

"Gee, how magnanimous of you, Tyler," he said while she snorted out laughter. "I guess I'll just have to run the rental into a lake so I can prove you right."

"Um, no, you don't have to go that far, dear. The road will be sufficient."

She tousled his hair when he rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, are we staying here for the day then?" Alan said, changing the subject. "You mentioned you needed to go to the chemists. Do you want to do that now?"

Rose took a bite of her burger while she considered that.

"I think I will. I'm bored right now and my back isn't too bad and if we are getting a rental I want to go ahead and see about getting it so that way we can just drive off in the morning. Just let me finish my meal and then we can go."


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter Fifty

After inquiring at the front desk, Rose and company walked a few blocks towards the CVS to pick up her prescription.

"So, we'll go here first and then there's an Avis a couple of blocks down from that," Rose said.

Alan frowned.

"Are you sure you can walk that distance?"

She smiled.

"Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry about me. My back still aches, but not as badly as it did last night. I can handle it, I've had worse, you know."

Awinita frowned.

"How long have you been seeing these monsters and things?" she asked her.

"Well, I met the Doctor when I was nineteen and we traveled together for two years until I got stuck in this universe and then there was a two year lapse until I found him again and then I met Alan while I was a prisoner on the Crucible."

"Was the Doctor with you when you met him?"

"Yeah, we were imprisoned in these force fields and we were a couple of feet apart from each other, so we could see and hear one another but couldn't touch."

"Bet that was rough."

"Oh yeah, it was. I hated it. Especially when Davros was taunting him, I wanted to just go to him and put my arms around him. There was this thing called a reality bomb that was going to wipe out all life in the universes and we thought he was going to succeed and use it when suddenly we heard the TARDIS and the door opened and there was Alan standing there with this gun he made. I didn't know what to think. At first, I thought he was some kind of hologram, but then he ran outside and got zapped by Davros and I realized that he was real. I was just gobsmacked and I was even more stunned when I realized he was half human. I mean, in these four years since I've known the Doctor so many weird and wonderful things have happened to me that it's hard to believe that I'm awake and living through it. Me and him really didn't talk much though until we were stranded in Norway and then we got to know each other."

"I was keeping my distance out of respect for the Doctor because I figured you and he were going to be together and I didn't want to…intrude on that, I guess. When I saw that he was going to leave her with me, that's when I became more…approachable because I wanted Rose to be happy with me even though I wasn't the original Doctor, but then I made the decision to stop referring to myself as the Doctor and become a whole new person so Rose wouldn't have to spend her life with this pale copy of the man she loved. Then, happily, she fell in love with me as an individual and the rest is history."

They reached the CVS parking lot and walked inside the building.

"Ah, air conditioning," Awinita gasped.

"Yeah, I'm beginning to like the idea of renting a car. It's been hotter than hell these past few days," Rose said.

"Yeah, August is usually the dog days of summer," Awinita said. "It gets really hot and sticky especially in the south. If I were you, I'd reconsider going all that way on foot because it'll be hell going through the deep south for the next few months, trust me."

"How long can you rent a car?" Alan asked as they headed back to the pharmacy.

"For as long as I need to. I can rent it by the week. Why? Have you changed your mind again? I know how eager you are to get to Disneyworld," she teased.

Alan grinned and nodded.

They reached the counter and Rose gave the pharmacist her prescription. Alan glanced at Awinita and pulled her away out of earshot.

"Don't tell Rose this because I want it to be a surprise," he whispered. "She thinks I'm in a hurry to get to Disneyworld because I want to ride the rides, but that's not the reason. I want to propose to her and I think it would be romantic if I did it at Disneyworld."

Awinita's eyes widened with delight.

"Oh my God, I love that idea," she whispered back. "I think you should. I'm sure Rose would say yes."

"I hope so because there's no one else I want to spend my life with."

Rose glanced at them.

"Alan, what are you doing?" she teased. "I thought you wanted to see how to get a prescription filled."

"Oh yeah, right, right, I did, didn't I?"

He winked at Awinita and walked back to her side. He watched while Rose filled out a form and gave it to the pharmacist.

"So, that was all your information?" he asked, gesturing to the clipboard.

"Yeah, you have to fill that out so they can put it in the computer."

Alan's mouth formed an O. He looked at the different medicines on the shelves along the back wall and studied them with interest while the pharmacist filled her prescription.

A few minutes later he returned with a small white sack.

"This is for ten days," he said, giving it to her. "Take one every six hours as needed and if you need more after the ten days then you'll have to call your doctor and ask him to give you another prescription."

Rose nodded, took the sack and put it in her purse. She thanked the pharmacist and turned around. She glanced at Alan.

"Do we need anything else?" she asked. "Do you need any toiletries?"

He shook his head.

"We might need soft drinks for tonight though. We only got you the Coke because we couldn't carry a bunch of drinks with the sacks."

"Okay, we can get that and perhaps a couple of bags of crisps. If we're gonna be driving, then we can afford to stock up a bit and get snacks and things for the drive. I was thinking about getting a people carrier since that would give us all some room. I don't want to sit in the back with three rucksacks shoved up against me."

Alan made a face.

"No, me neither. Plus, if you had that space you could stretch out a little and rest your back."

"Yes and the same with your ankle. I know it still hurts you because I've seen you make a face from time to time."

"Yeah, but your back and your arm are more important," he said. "I want you to recover fully so your mum doesn't string me up by my intestines when we get back to London."

They headed down an aisle towards the front. On the way, Alan spied the boxes of Puffs and let out another giggle as he grabbed one.

"No, Alan," she said.

"Yes, Rose, I have my own money and you said I could get whatever I want, so I'm getting a souvenir."

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Oh wonderful, here come the fart jokes," she muttered.

"Nah, I won't do that. I just want this box as a little memento."

"Are you gonna stop at Wendy's then and get some biggie fries as another memento?"

He laughed.

"Maybe," he said with a wink.

They paused by the food section. Rose gestured to the bags of potato chips.

"Get whatever flavor crisps you want. I'll get some soft drinks.

Alan studied it while Rose walked over to Awinita who was standing nearby. She told her what they were doing while Alan picked up a bag of Lay's Salt and Vinegar chips, a bag of Lay's Dill Pickle chips and a bag of Lay's regular potato chips and brought them over to her.

"How about this?" he asked them.

Rose glanced at the bags.

"Sounds good…wait, dill pickle?"

"Those aren't too bad," Awinita said. "I've had them before."

"I thought I'd try them," Alan said, shrugging. "I figured you might like the salt and vinegar ones and Awinita can have the plain."

"Works for me," Rose said. "Now, what sodas do you want?"

"Coke's fine with me," Alan said.

"Yeah, me too," Awinita replied.

"Okay, we'll get a couple of two liters and then get a couple of the 16 ounce sizes and we can refill the empty bottles then. Anything else you guys can think of?"

Awinita frowned when she noticed the box of Puffs.

"Are we getting those for the car?" she asked, pointing to them.

Rose rolled her eyes when Alan giggled.

"No, he's getting them for a laugh," she said.

Awinita frowned.

"Why?"

She smiled.

"In England, puff is slang for a fart."

"Seriously?"

Rose nodded. Awinita giggled.

"Wow, I didn't know that. I'll never look at Puff's tissue the same way again."

Alan grinned when she started giggling uncontrollably.

"Oh man, you shouldn't have told me that. Now I'll be laughing for the rest of the night," she said.

Alan's eyes twinkled as he held the box close to Rose and put his hand on the flap.

"One false move and you get a snoutful of flatulence," he said. "Just surrender the Cokes to me and no one will get hurt…hey! You come back here this instant. No one walks away from me and my box of Puffs. How dare you defy me! Get back here this instant, Rose Tyler."

Rose ignored him and walked up to the cash register. Alan and Awinita followed her. Alan gave Rose a playful poke in the back while a woman rang up the items.

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Twenty minutes later they found the Avis car rental and went inside. Alan listened while Rose requested a minivan for two weeks and filled out the forms.

"We can start with two weeks and then decide from there," she said to Alan and Awinita.

They nodded. Alan leaned his arms on the counter and watched while Rose filled out insurance forms.

"Better get these if you're driving," she said.

Alan shot her a look as she put her tongue between her teeth.

"I can drive, Tyler, as shocking as that sounds," he said.

"Well, we'll see, won't we?" she said.

She giggled when Alan rolled his eyes. They got the keys to their minivan and walked outside to find it. It was a candy apple red 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan with Onstar and a DVD player. Alan whistled when he saw it.

"Very nice, Tyler," he said.

"Yeah, well, I've never had a car of my own and I figured if we're gonna rent one, we might as well get something nice."

"You never had a car?" Alan asked.

Rose shrugged.

"Before I met the Doctor, I took the bus and when I came here, I drove one of dad's cars because I was hoping to get back to the Doctor and I didn't want to pay for a car and then just leave it here when I went back with him."

"You always had that in mind, didn't you, getting back to him," Alan said.

She smiled.

"I thought of nothing else from the moment the gap closed."

Alan seethed inwardly at that and he cursed the Doctor for breaking her heart when she had spent all that time trying to find him again. He quickly let the anger go, knowing that Rose was happy again and he concentrated on the here and now while she unlocked the doors. Grinning, Alan quickly jumped into the right side of the car.

"I'M DRIVING!" he yelled.

He held his hands out and feigned confusion as he stared at the dashboard in front of him.

"Hey, where's the steering wheel? There's no steering wheel in this car!" Rose, you better go inside and tell the man…oh wait, there it is, what's it doing over there? It's on the wrong side!"

Rose giggled as she climbed in the driver's side.

"Rose, they put the wheel on the wrong side!" he said as Awinita climbed in behind them and slid the door shut.

"I know and here's a shocker, we're gonna be driving on the wrong side of the road as well," she said with wide eyes.

Alan's mouth dropped open.

"The barbarians! Driving on the right side of the road, how uncivilized can you get?" he said as Rose bent over the steering wheel, laughing.

Rose looked back at Awinita and shook her head as she started the car.

"Wait, I wanna drive!"

Rose stared at him.

"If I do this, you will remember that we have to drive on the right side, right?"

Alan gave her a patronizing look.

"No, Rose, I'm gonna drive on the left and when I nearly hit people I'll do what Kevin Kline did in 'A Fish Called Wanda' and scream "ASSSSSSSSSSSSHOOOOOOOOOOOOLE!" at them."

"I wouldn't put it past ya."

"Just…get out and let me get in the driver's seat," Alan said.

Rose looked at Awinita.

"Buckle your safety belt, I have a feeling you'll be needing it," she said as Alan flipped her off.

They quickly changed sides. Rose got in with Alan and made a big show out of buckling her seatbelt. Alan sighed when she trembled so much she looked like she was having a seizure.

"You know, I have an urge to run this car into a tree now," he said as Awinita and Rose laughed.

Rose watched as he fiddled with the buttons and switches trying to familiarize himself with everything. He hit a button and watched while a tiny monitor came down behind his head.

"Ah, I can't watch the movie while I drive?" he said.

"No, Alan, I think the other drivers would love for you to keep your eyes on the road and not on the movie," Rose said.

He shrugged.

"Doesn't matter anyway, we don't have any DVDs."

"Um, I thought about finding a couple of cheap ones we could watch to pass the time," Rose replied.

"Brill," Alan said.

He put the car into reverse and slowly backed out while both women watched him closely.

"There's a car behind you, Alan. There's a car!" Rose yelled.

Alan stopped and gave her a dirty look as she giggled.

"I know, Rose. I'm not gonna hit it! I do have depth perception, you know. Just relax. I won't wreck the motor, okay?"

He grumbled under his breath while Rose patted his leg. He finished backing up and put it in drive. An evil grin spread over his face as he suddenly stomped on the gas pedal and the car took off at full speed. He slammed on the brake and giggled when Rose gave him a look of death.

"Sorry, couldn't resist, dear," he said.

He stopped, looked both ways and eased the car out into traffic.

"Now see," he said as he drove. "I can drive a car."

"I see that now. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"Yeah, right," Alan mumbled as she giggled.

"Is this a lot like driving that TARDIS thing?" Awinita asked.

"Oh no, TARDIS is much, much different," Alan said, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. "It's huge for starters. And it requires six people to fly it properly."

"So, the Doctor had six people then?"

"Nope, just him and the occasional companion or two. He never had six people at once except after we defeated Davros and the Daleks and then he only let the six of them fly it because we had to haul the Earth back to its proper orbit."

"So, if it takes six people, how does the Doctor fly it?"

"Half-assed," Rose said.

Alan gave her a look as she and Awinita giggled. They pulled into the hotel parking lot and Alan found a spot outside their room.

"There!" he said, parking it and turning off the ignition. "I drove all the way to the hotel and no one's dead or mangled. Now can I help drive it?"

"Yes, you can."

"Thank you."

"I'm sorry I doubted you."

"No, you're not," he said.

"Yeah, you're right, I'm not."

She kissed him on the cheek when he mumbled under his breath. They got out, grabbed the sacks of food and took them indoors.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After a short nap, the three of them watched TV for awhile before they decided to play cards. They pulled the table over to the bed since there were only two seats and Alan sat on it while they played Euchre and ate some of their meal.

"So, where are we going once we get out of here," Awinita asked. "Besides heading for route 9, I mean."

"Well, we'll have to take a look at that info I found, but…"

"The bug museum," Alan said.

Rose rolled her eyes as he sniggered.

"We don't have to go to the bug museum if you don't want to. I keep telling you that was just a suggestion," she said.

"If we're going down along the coast, we oughta at least stop at one of the beaches," Awinita said.

"Yeah, but…we don't have any swimsuits. I suppose that's something else we'll have to get. Blimey, we will need the car by the time we get done shopping for everything we need. It seems like more and more a little rucksack isn't going to cut it."

"Well, if you're gonna get movies," Awinita said, "there are some video stores that will buy used DVDs. So, when you're done with them, you can sell them back and get a little money."

"That's what I was thinking too. I know a lot of stores have DVDs on sale and older DVDs aren't that much, we can get a few and then while one of us is driving, the others can watch if they want. Plus, you know, there's always puzzle books or regular books or…"

"Singing," Alan said.

He gave Rose a pointed look.

"Singing," he said, slowly.

"You sing?" Awinita asked her.

Rose sighed.

"I don't think I'm that good a singer, but Alan does."

"Too right I do. Go ahead and sing something for Awinita."

"Alan!"

"What? You're a fantastic singer, Rose. I told you that the other day. Now sing."

Rose was speechless.

"Here, you want me to sing with you? I'll start you off, alright?" Alan said.

Rose nodded. He thought for a moment and then smiled.

"I made it through the wilderneeeeeeeess, somehow I made it through-hoo-hoo. Didn't know how lost I was until I found yoooooooooou…"

Rose hesitated a moment and then began to sing with him. Alan instantly switched to harmony and Awinita listened quietly while they sang 'Like a Virgin' together. She clapped enthusiastically when they finished.

"He's right, you can sing," she said. "That was great."

"Told yoooooooooou!" Alan said to Rose. "So, you see, we can do that whole family sing-a-long thing and tell stories and have lots of fun. We don't have to just watch DVDs or read. That's nice, but human interaction is always better, I think. Why have friends if you aren't gonna talk to them?"

"And of course, you love to talk," she said.

"Oh yes, and besides I haven't finished telling you about the Doctor's adventures with Donna and now I'm sure you'll wanna hear about his exile on Earth when he actually did drive Bessie. Besides, Awinita probably wants to hear about it too, right?"

"Oh yeah," she said, nodding.

Alan frowned when Rose gathered up the cards from the pile.

"Did someone win just now?"

"I did," Rose said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm still getting used to this game. I know poker a bit better."

"Well, do you wanna play poker then?" Rose asked.

Alan shrugged.

"It's up to you. Poker, Euchre, it's all good. Just as long as I'm with you guys, I don't care."

Rose and Awinita smiled at that. She arranged the card so they were neatly in the pack, shuffled them and dealt them out as they started a hand of poker.


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter Fifty One

After they finished playing cards, Awinita went to take a shower while Rose and Alan stretched out beside one another on their bed. They quietly watched 'Shaun of the Dead' while Rose waited for her to finish.

"Is it me or does the women playing Shaun's mum look exactly like Harriet Jones?" Alan said.

"Yeah, I was thinking that too. She does look a lot like her. Weird, huh?"

She smiled.

"But, then again, you look a lot like Barty Crouch Jr. in the Goblet of Fire movie."

He frowned.

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do, you look just like him."

Alan thought back on the movie and focused on the actor who played Barty Crouch Jr.

"I do not!" he finally said.

"Yes, you do."

"Okay, maybe a little, but just a little."

"I think it's more than a little. I think the Doctor's got more than one clone out there," she muttered.

"Well, I don't think so, but then again, you never know," he said.

They looked over when Awinita stepped out of the bathroom.

"Your turn, dear," he said.

"I'll see ya later…Barty!"

She leaped off the bed and ran to the bathroom when Alan tried to grab her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After everyone was through with their showers, Rose took another Darvocet and snuggled beside Alan as she drifted off to sleep. Alan held her protectively and watched 'Spider-Man' with Awinita. He glanced down at Rose who was nearly out, gently pulled the covers up over her shoulder and kissed her head. He murmured goodnight to her and turned his attention back to the movie.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose looked around at the darkened corridor. There were only a few torches lighting the way and the surroundings were unfamiliar to her. Fear gripped her heart and she swallowed hard trying to fight the instinct to turn and run. There was something here, something drawing her, forcing her to walk this unfamiliar hallway. She tried to keep her spirits up and her wits about her as she followed the dimly lit pathway. With each step she wondered what she might find.

She reached the end of the corridor and stepped into a dimly lit room. Only one torch was lit here and its light didn't penetrate very far into the shadows. Rose's heart raced wondering if there was a monster waiting for her in the darkness.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something moving and she stepped back quickly, readying herself to fight. She relaxed when the Doctor stepped from the shadows and gave her a sad smile.

"Doctor, what is this place?" she said.

"Shhh, you must be quiet," he said, coming to her.

"Where are we?" Rose whispered.

He touched her cheek.

"Hell," he whispered.

The blood froze in Rose's body and her breath quickened.

"H…hell?" she said.

"Shhh, yes, we're in Hell, all of us, the whole universe, and it's all my fault."

"What…what do you mean?"

He took her hand.

"Come, I'll show you, but you must be quiet for both our sakes."

She nodded and gave his hand a squeeze as she followed him out of the room. With the Doctor at her side, she was not as afraid as she was before but the whole thing still unnerved her. She glanced up at the Doctor's face trying to make out his expression in the torchlight. She could see a profound sadness in his eyes but other than that his expression was neutral. Rose gave his hand a squeeze and her heart soared when he looked at her and just for a second, he smiled before turning his gaze back to the end of the corridor.

Reaching it, the Doctor paused and took her by the shoulders.

"What I'm about to show you won't be pleasant, but you must promise me you'll be quiet, do you promise?"

"I do."

He nodded and took her hand as they walked through a doorway out onto a large balcony. Rose's eyes boggled when she looked down. Beneath them thousands of men stood at attention, their black leather-clad bodies rigid while they stared mindlessly ahead. Rose looked out and saw that they stretched back as far as the eye could see and that they were of all races and species. She looked at the Doctor who was watching her with that same sad look in his eyes.

"The troops," he whispered. "His soldiers. Brainwashed, enslaved and ready and waiting for orders to attack the rest of the universe."

"Whose troops?"

His eyes lowered to the floor.

"The Valeyard's," he murmured.

Rose's heart stopped. She stared at the enslaved soldiers in silent horror.

"He's managed to conquer much of the universe already," the Doctor whispered to her. Thousands of civilizations have been razed into dust, millions have been killed or taken from their homes to serve him and this is only one universe. He won't stop there. He won't ever stop until all of creation kneels at his feet."

He turned his eyes to her.

"And he is me," he said.

"No, I refuse to believe that," she said.

The Doctor swept his arm across the balcony.

"Behold, Rose, my true soul revealed. I take ordinary people and I fashion them into weapons. I am the Destroyer of Worlds."

"No," Rose whispered. "No, this isn't real."

"Oh, it's very real, Rose. Every bit of it. I started with my companions, turning them into murderers, and little by little I moved on to groups of people, then entire civilizations and on and on, never stopping until the whole universe lies in ruins and no one is free. This is my legacy, Rose. This is what I will become. A greater threat than any of my enemies. I will become darkness personified."

"I won't let that happen," Rose said, firmly. "This…all of this will never come true. I won't let it."

The Doctor studied her quietly.

"I can't ask that of you," he finally said.

"I don't care if you ask it of me or not. I won't let you become this Valeyard. This isn't you. You're not evil. Quit listening to nutters like Davros. They don't know you like I do."

The Doctor let out a mirthless laugh.

"How much do you really know about me, Rose? You really think after four years you know me inside and out? I let you see more than any other companion has seen, but that's still only a fraction of the true me. You have so much faith in me, Rose, and I love you for that, but there is another side to me that I've never shown you, that I'm terrified of showing you and this is what will happen when I give it free reign."

"Then don't give it free reign," Rose hissed at him.

The Doctor sighed and bowed his head.

"I'm tired, Rose, I'm so tired and worn out and it's getting harder and harder to fight the good fight. So many things have happened, so much pain and sorrow and madness, I can't bear much more."

"Then I will find a way back to you. I will come and be with you and keep you from the darkness. Alan and I both will."

"Oh God, do you honestly think you or my clone can make that much of a difference, Rose? You are fighting centuries of stored up darkness and anger and hatred. You can't win and neither can he. Just go and be with Alan and be happy. Forget about an old, worn out, Time Lord."

"No!" Rose said, squeezing his hand.

Not knowing what else to do she laid her head against his shoulder blade. The Doctor watched her with quiet devotion.

"You've been a good companion, Rose," he whispered. "You've done so much for me, far more than anyone else has done. But, I can't drag you down with me; I refuse to see you suffer and be destroyed because you have this blind devotion to me. So, I release you now, Rose. I release you so you can finally have a full and happy life. Forget about me, Rose."

"No."

"That's an order!" he said, emphatically. "I will not back down this time. I won't give in to your pleas or your looks or your caresses. I will not risk your safety. Go now and forget me. Shut the door on me and the memories you have of me and be with Alan now. I am a lost cause, Rose and you will not be a casualty. You won't end up like these people down here, not while there's a breath left in my body. Go and stay far away from me and if by chance I do find a way into the other universe, hide! Don't come to me; don't try to convince me to go back to the way I was, hide!"

He turned and embraced her when Rose began to sob.

"You are the best thing that ever happened to me, Rose Tyler, and I hope that I will still have enough sense left to remember what you meant to me when the time comes to embrace this fate. It was always meant to be, Rose. From the time I was a little boy, fate chose this path for me and I'm powerless to stop it. I hope that someone will be strong enough to rise up against me and save me from myself, but that someone won't be you or Alan."

He kissed the tears on her cheek.

"I will always love you, Rose. Deep down in the very deepest corners of my blackened soul, there will still be a small dim flame of love that will never go out. We had a blast traveling together, but not that's at an end. Take our parting at Bad Wolf Bay as a sign that it's time to start a new beginning and end this relationship you had with me."

"No, you can't do this to me."

"I can and I will. You are precious to me and I won't let you become corrupted like everything else. My hearts would break into little pieces if you ended up like me. Please, Rose, just this once, respect my wishes and forget about me."

"No, I can't. I won't. I…"

She gasped when the Doctor suddenly began to fade from view.

"No, I won't let you go, Doctor. I won't forget. I'll find a way to save you! I promise! Come back, Doctor. Please! Come back!"

She screamed when the Doctor faded completely and everything became black. She continued to scream inside her head until it finally woke her up. Her jerking woke Alan and he embraced her.

"Rose, what's wrong?"

He held her close as Rose sobbed into his chest. He looked over and noticed Awinita was asleep.

"Rose, let's go take a walk. I have a feeling you need to talk and what you have to say is for our ears only."

Rose nodded. Alan kissed her and helped her sit up. He glanced at the clock and noticed it was nearly two in the morning. Both of them dressed and once they were finished, they quietly opened the door and stepped out into the cold night air.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter Fifty Two

After taking a short walk to calm Rose's nerves, Alan finally got her to tell him about the dream. What he heard sickened him. He had hoped that Rose had finally stopped dreaming about the Valeyard. Knowing that she hadn't and that once again her peace had been disturbed angered him and for the thousandth time, he kicked himself for ever uttering his name to her.

"What are we going to do?" Rose asked.

"We're going to go back inside the room and lay back down. Awinita doesn't need to know about these dreams," he said firmly.

"No, I mean, what are we going to do about the Doctor?"

Alan frowned.

"What do you mean, Rose?"

"We have to save him somehow."

"Rose, we can't."

"What if this is another vision of the future? We can't let him hurt millions."

"And how do we get back there to stop him? We have no TARDIS, no void crosser, the dimension cannon won't work now that the universes are back to normal. Starlight, we're stuck here. Unless the Doctor figures out a way to get back here, there's no way we can reach him."

He put a hand on her cheek.

"Rose, I know you want to help him avoid becoming the Valeyard. It kills me that I told you all this and now you feel like it's your duty to rescue him. But what if this was just a dream this time? What if your fears about him becoming the Valeyard caused you to see this whole nightmare scenario and the Doctor was your own mind telling you to let go of all the worry and be happy now? I told you, all of this isn't a sure thing. It may never happen."

"But, what if it does?"

He sighed.

"Then there's really not much we can do about it. We're trapped on this side of reality and for the moment he's stuck over there. Unless you can find a way to communicate with him, there's no help you can give him. I'm so sorry I did this to you, Rose. I put unfounded fears into your mind and I wish I could take back what I said. Just please, please stop worrying. The Doctor is aware of the Valeyard and he knows what'll happen if he gives in to the darkness. That's the last thing he wants, so I'm sure he'll continue to fight even when there are days he feels like giving up. In the meantime, all we can do is continue to live our lives and hope for the best, which means I want you to stop worrying about the Valeyard. If he does become him and comes over here, then we can worry but right now, you and me and Awinita are having fun and that's what we should be focusing on. Not to mention your arm and back and my ankle need to be healed up. So…will you stop worrying and enjoy life for me?"

Rose nodded and Alan held her close.

"I know him, Amo'tiri and I know that despite all I said, there is an inner strength that allows him to push past the trauma and keep going. It would be a mockery of everything you and him did and a slap in the face to you if he became the Valeyard and he would never do you that disservice. He loves you too much to let that happen, alright?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so how about since we're out here, I treat you to breakfast. Would that make you feel better?"

"You don't have to do that."

"I want to. It's time I paid for something for you and I'm hungry besides. We can go over to the McDonalds and get a couple of cups of coffee and an Egg McMuffin or something and wake up properly before heading back to the room. Sound good?"

She smiled and nodded. Alan gave her a hug and a kiss.

"Don't worry anymore, Rose. The Doctor's a big boy, he can handle himself, trust me. He won't do anything that'll jeopardize the universe, okay?"

"Yes."

"Okay, well, now that's settled, I believe there are some breakfast sandwiches with our names on them."

Rose nodded and took his hand. Alan smiled at her hoping that he was able to put her fears to rest.

_I just hope to God the Doctor doesn't prove me wrong,_ he thought as they headed towards McDonalds.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Awinita looked over when the door opened and Alan and Rose stepped inside their room.

"There you are. I wondered where you guys went," she said.

"Um…Rose and I just went for a short walk and had breakfast together," he said, closing the door. "We brought you a couple of Egg McMuffins and a Coke."

"Thanks," she said, taking the bag and cup from Rose. "When I woke up and saw you were missing, I figured you might have stepped out for some alone time."

Alan glanced at Rose.

"Yeah, we needed to have a private chat," he said. "Plus, I was hungry."

"As usual," Rose said.

He grinned and gave her butt a playful swat.

"So, we about ready to hit the open road?" he asked.

"I'm ready when you guys are," Awinita said. "Who's driving though?"

"I will," Rose said before Alan could open his mouth.

"What? You still don't believe that I can drive?"

"I want to get us out onto the motorway and then after awhile I'll let you behind the wheel, alright? The car's in my name and I want to make sure we have a safe start."

She held up her hand when Alan started to protest.

"I'm not saying you can't drive it, I just want to be the first since it's my responsibility, alright?"

Alan shrugged.

"Suits me fine. I can rest in the meantime," he said.

"Well, I also wanted to stop at Wal-Mart and pick up a few more supplies and see if they have cheap DVDs. If I can find some, then you'll get to sit there and watch them while I'm driving, how does that sound?"

"Sounds great."

"That's what I thought. Now just relax for a bit while I take a shower and then you can have your shower and after that we can leave."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After everyone had a shower, they loaded up the minivan and checked out. Rose headed towards the Wal-Mart and after finding a parking space, all of them headed inside. Rose grabbed a shopping trolley and began by picking out snacks and bottles of soda.

"It's a good job you guys thought of this," she said. "It'll be nice to have an extra supply of food for awhile. Now you guys go and pick out some cheap DVDs and I'll join you in a minute."

"Sure thing. Come on, Awinita," Alan said.

They walked away from her. When they were out of earshot, Alan leaned over to her.

"Pssst," he said.

"Yeah?"

He looked around.

"How much are engagement rings?"

"Um, depends on what you get."

"What do they usually cost?"

"Um, if I had to guess, I'd say at least two or three hundred."

Alan's eyes boggled.

"Two or three hundred?"

"Yeah, I mean, if you're getting the very cheapest ones with the cubic zirconia. If you want an actual diamond, they probably cost more than that."

"Oh, great."

"Alan, Rose would be happy if you proposed without a ring, it's you she wants."

"Yeah, but it's a human tradition and I wouldn't feel right doing it without some sort of ring to give her."

"Then get a cheap plastic ring from a vending machine. She'd be just as happy with that as she would with a diamond. Trust me, Alan, I haven't known Rose for very long but I know she wouldn't care if she got a ring just as long as she had you."

"Yeah, but still, I wanna offer her something. But, unless I find a way to come up with two or three hundred dollars on my own that's not gonna happen."

"You could always ask her for the money," Awinita teased.

Alan rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, that'll go over well. Rose, honey, could I borrow three hundred dollars so I can buy you a ring? Yup, that's really romantic," he said as she giggled.

They went into the electronics section and found the DVD aisle. Both of them scanned the selections.

"What do you like to watch?" Awinita asked.

"Oh, just about anything," he said. "Except horror movies. I can't stand that trash, it's disgusting."

Awinita nodded.

"I like some of the older horror movies, but not the new stuff like 'Saw' and 'Hostel.' Those are too gory for me."

"I think all of it is gory. It's depraved and mindless and sick. I've seen enough horror through the Doctor to last eternity. I don't need artificial scares."

She nodded.

"Do you like comedy?"

"Very much so."

She grinned.

"Do you like alien movies?"

"If they're done correctly."

"How'd ya mean?"

"If they have an actual plot and not just an alien running around killing everyone at random."

"How about 50's sci-fi movies?"

Alan looked over when Awinita walked up to him. In her hands was a box set. She held it out to him. Alan took it and studied it.

"Sci-fi and Horror Classics," he muttered. "Hmmm…fifteen movies for five dollars, that's not bad."

"Yeah, but they're all old B movies from the 50's, that's why I was asking."

"Yeah, but some of those movies are actually hilarious. At least to me."

He grinned.

"We oughta get this just for a laugh," he said. "I haven't seen any of the ones listed and fifteen movies for five dollars is a good deal."

"I agree," she said, taking the box from him.

They kept on looking. Awinita was studying some cartoon box sets when she suddenly heard Alan giggling. She looked over and smiled as he walked up to her.

"Oh no, what did you find?" she asked.

He turned the DVD case around and grinned. Awinita raised her eyebrow.

"Alien Autopsy?" she said.

"Yeah, narrated by Leonard Nemoy," Alan said, "and it's only two dollars."

She giggled.

"Get it, I dare ya," she said.

"Never let it be said I didn't walk away from a dare."

Awinita shook her head.

"Rose is gonna kill us."

"Why? She said get whatever we want as long as they're cheap. I want to see an alien autopsy. If she doesn't want to see it, she can drive while we watch. Besides, there's a ton of other two dollar DVDs over here in this bargain rack. We can get her Dog Grooming For Beginners or Learn To Make Cabinets if she doesn't want to see this."

"Yeah, I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see those."

He chuckled.

"So, have you found anything else?"

"Nothing that doesn't cost less than twenty dollars. Unless Rose wants something."

"Well, if she does, she can come back here and get it. I'm happy with these two things. This oughta keep us laughing for awhile. So, if you're ready, let's go and find her again."

"You first."

He started to walk out of the aisle and then turned to Awinita with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Is there a jewelry department so I can nick a ring and hide it in the DVD cases?"

"Um…I'm not sure, but I would really advise against it. Rose might not appreciate having to bail you out of jail."

"Just a thought."

She giggled and followed him out of the electronics department.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sci-Fi and Horror Classics and Alien Autopsy?" Rose said. "This is what you picked out?"

"Well, yeah, you said cheap DVDs and these could be hilarious. Nothing like riding in a people carrier watching an alien's guts get ripped apart."

"Yeah, well, you can watch that while I'm driving. I'm not interested in Alien bleedin' Autopsy."

"We kinda figured that."

"Okay, I was ready to go but now I want to get a movie I will actually want to watch so wait a tic and I'll be right back."

Alan leaned on the trolley and watched as Rose sprinted back to the DVD aisle. She returned a few minutes later and put a DVD in the cart. Alan grabbed it and made a face.

"Beaches?" he said.

"Yes, I like that movie."

Awinita laughed when Alan stuck his tongue out.

"Oh God, I'm driving during this one!" he said.

Rose shrugged.

"Suit yourself. I didn't get it for you."

"Horray for small mercies."

He snickered when Rose grabbed the DVD and put it back in the cart.

"Let's get going, shall we?" she said.

"Lead the way," Alan said.

They followed her while she went to the check-out line with the least amount of people in it. As they stood in line, Rose felt Alan nudge her in the back.

"Yes, dear?" she said.

"Rose, did you ever know that you're my hero?" he said as Awinita giggled.

Rose rolled her eyes.

"You're everything I would like to be as well," he added.

"Let me guess, you can fly higher than an eagle because I'm the wind beneath your wings."

Alan feigned shock.

"How'd you guess what I was going to say? Rose, sometimes your ESP abilities amaze me!"

Rose blushed when her friends bent over laughing.

"I don't know you two," she muttered as she started to put the items on the conveyer belt.


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter Fifty Three

After getting everything in the car, they got inside. Rose got in the front while Alan and Awinita sat behind her.

"Put in Alien Autopsy first!" Alan said.

"Okay, just a minute, I'm trying to get the Onstar set up so we are able to drive to route 9 without getting lost."

She finally figured it out and sighed as she reached into one of the plastic bags for the DVD.

"I can't believe you guys got this," she said, opening it up.

"It looks funny," Alan said.

"Oh yeah, it looks like a real knee slapper to me," Rose replied.

She put the DVD in the player and started the car while Alan and Awinita grabbed a couple of bottles of Coke and settled back to watch.

"I'm Leonard Nemoy," the voiceover said. "Tonight you are about to witness a strange and fascinating phenomenon. Several scientists are about to attempt the first ever alien autopsy."

Alan reached into a plastic bag and pulled out a bag of potato chips.

"Crisps?" he said, offering the bag to Awinita.

"Don't mind if I do," she said, reaching in.

They ate and stared at the tiny screen while Rose drove the minivan.

"These scientists are in a secret medical facility deep inside the mysterious Area 51," Leonard Nemoy said.

"And Area 51 happens to be in a studio somewhere in Hollywood," Alan said.

Awinita snickered and nodded.

"The alien's ship was shot down over the skies of New Mexico years ago and it crashed in the desert. The body was brought here with several other alien corpses and preserved for future study. Until now, an autopsy has not been preformed on any of them."

"But, because we happened to have all these cameras around, we decided to attempt it now for your viewing pleasure," Alan said.

"So, sit back, relax and for the next hour and a half be amazed as you watch Alien Autopsy."

"Oooo-ee-oooooo!" Awinita said.

Rose shook her head when both of them giggled hysterically.

"And now, we see the alien."

"And what does the alien look like?" Rose said.

Alan snorted.

"Like the stereotypical Andromedan alien."

He looked at Awinita.

"Now this is definitely fake because as I was telling Rose on a true Andromedan the white skin is their spacesuit and the huge head is their helmet. Underneath all that, they look like humans except for huge noses. That's what people have seen when they see this alien. No one's ever gotten an actual look at an Andromedan because they can't breathe Earth's atmosphere very well and the fact that they are cutting right into the belly proves this is fake. If this were real, they would have removed the space suit."

"And now you can see the alien's insides. Notice the purple color of the intestines."

"Andromedans don't have purple intestines," Alan said smugly.

"Notice that they also have a second stomach."

"No, they don't. Boo, I want my money back! This is a rip off!" Alan yelled.

They both giggled while Rose shook her head.

"And now if we remove the intestines, we see a small black organ that is unidentifiable."

"Watch out, it's gonna explode!" Alan said as Awinita bent over laughing. "Don't mess with small black organs ever! They are ticking time bombs!"

"So…" Awinita said. "Is this what we'll find if we opened you up?"

"Who me? Nah, I'm human right down to the singular heart. No purple intestines and black organ thingies in me."

"How do you know?"

Alan stared at her.

"Are you itching for a vivisection or something?"

Awinita frowned.

"What's that?"

"Vivisection is what they're doing. Dissecting someone or something."

"Oh! Sorry, never heard the term before. Yeah, I want to do a vivisection on you and see if you have purple guts."

"Roooooooose! Awinitia wants to dissect me!" Alan whined as she laughed. "Make her stop!"

"Awinita, stop scaring Alan with talk of vivisection," Rose said, looking in the rearview mirror.

"But, moooooom, I wanna cut him open!" Awinita whined.

Alan grinned. He licked his finger and touched her cheek.

"Hey, quit touching me with your wet finger!"

"I wasn't! Honestly!"

Awinita lightly kicked him in the shin.

"Hey, quit kicking me!" he said. "Muuuuuuuum, Awinita's kicking me now! Make her stoooooooooop!"

"Oh, Jesus," Rose said as they laughed.

"Mooooooooom, Alan won't stop touching me!"

"Muuuuuuuuum, Awinita's making faces!"

"Mooooooooom. Alan is pinching me!"

"Muuuuuuuuuum, Awinita's putting boogers in my hair."

"Alright, you two, behave or we're turning this car around and going back to….um…England!" Rose said as they snickered. "Alan, keep your hands to yourself. Awinita, quit threatening to open Alan up and spill his guts out! Don't make me come back there!"

Alan and Awinita glanced at each other. Alan quickly whispered in her ear and they both nodded.

"3…2…1!" Alan murmured.

They took a deep breath and said in unison…

"ARE WE THERE YET? ARE WE THERE YET? ARE WE THERE YET? ARE WE THERE YET?"

"This is gonna be a hell of a long drive, I can already tell that," Rose said.

"Mooom, I gotta go pee pee," Awinita said.

"Yeah, I gotta go to the toilet. Can we stop at McDonalds?" Alan said in a little kid voice. "I want a kid's meal."

"Um…weren't you two watching the movie?" Rose said.

"Movie's boooooooring," Alan whined. "My legs hurt and I gotta go poopies! I'm bored! Can we go to the bug museum? I wanna go see the buggies."

"Yeah, me too," Awinita said in a little kid voice. "Buggies cooooooool!"

They chanted "Buggies" in unison giggling at Rose's exasperation.

"Are we nearing the point of being ejected from the vehicle?" Alan asked.

"Yes!"

"Okay, we'll stop then…at least for awhile," Alan replied.

"Thank God," Rose muttered.

Alan glanced up the screen and noticed that they were now examining the alien's brain.

"Um…gee, I guess we missed a lot," he said. "Wanna watch something else and save this for later?"

"Sure."

He reached into the bag and pulled out the box set. He hesitated a moment and looked at Awinita.

"You don't wanna watch 'Beaches', do ya?"

"No thanks."

"Good."

He tore off the plastic around the box set and opened it up.

"What do you wanna see?" he asked her.

Awinita leaned in and they studied the discs.

""House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price?" she asked.

"Nah, doesn't sound good to me right now. Ooo, how about Captives of the Planet Zarthrax, sounds interesting."

"Okay, let's watch that one."

Alan took the disc and leaned up towards Rose.

"Cinema lady, if you would be so kind…" he said, handing it to her.

She switched the discs and gave the 'Alien Autopsy' one back to Alan. He put it back in the case as she pushed the play button.

"Space," the voiceover said. "The last unexplored region for mankind."

"These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise…oh, sorry, wrong movie," Alan said as Awinita snickered.

"We have come on a seven year mission to explore this strange and forbidden realm. I am Commander Roger Scott and this is my crew, Lieutenant Jake Warren, Captain Peter Lukin and Betty Marvolo."

"Wait, why doesn't the woman have a rank?" Alan asked.

Awinita snorted.

"Because it's the '50's," she said, rolling her eyes.

"We brave adventurers are dedicated to mapping the final frontier and exploring strange new worlds."

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Blimey, this is 'Star Trek'," he said. "A poor man's 'Star Trek', mind, but 'Star Trek' nonetheless."

"What will we find out there?"

"Hopefully a clothing shop so you can get some kit on that half naked female colleague of yours," Alan said as Awinita roared with laughter.

"Oh God, is the woman in a skimpy bikini or something?" Rose said.

"Um, just about…" Awinita replied. "And yes, the men are all fully clothed."

"Well, of course they are," Rose said, rolling her eyes.

"Finally, after months of drifting in space, we come upon a strange new planet," the voiceover continued.

"But, unfortunately, when we landed we found that the Doctor beat us to it," Alan said as Rose laughed.

"Yeah," Rose said. "And not only that, he managed to find the resident monster after only ten seconds."

"No, that's you, dear," Alan said. "You're the monster detector."

"Okay, everyone," Roger said. "We've landed safely, now let's suit up and explore this strange new world."

"As if anyone would talk like that," Awinita muttered.

Alan smiled.

"Yeah, if this were the Doctor, he'd be saying, "Out of my way, I need to get out and cause trouble!"

He grinned when Rose laughed at that.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"No!" Betty screamed as the rubbery bug-like alien advanced on her. "Stay away from me!"

Several feet away, a purple faced man in a long Chinese robe laughed hysterically.

"You cannot escape my alien servant, my dear. Soon you will be the slave of Zorgon!"

"No, no, a thousand times no!" Betty said melodramatically.

Alan looked at Rose.

"Hey, you've never said that before, Rose."

"Never said what?"

"No, no, a thousand times no."

Rose snorted.

"And you won't ever hear me say it, trust me."

"Ah, come on, just once when we get into danger, say it for me?"

Rose glanced back at him.

"No, no, a thousand bloody times no!" she said emphatically as Awinita laughed.

"I didn't mean now, I meant when we're fighting for our lives."

"Sorry, I don't do cheesy melodrama," Rose replied.

"Oh really? I beg to differ."

Rose glanced at him in the rearview mirror.

"Okay, when have I ever sounded like that?" she said.

"I want you safe, my Doctor, protected from the false god," he said in a falsetto voice.

Rose frowned.

"I don't actually remember saying that," she said.

"Yup, you said it or rather the Bad Wolf did."

"Well, that's the Bad Wolf then, not me."

"No, that was you. You were still in there somewhere."

"So, what's so cheesy about that? I wasn't gripping the Doctor and putting the back of my hand against my forehead when I said it."

"How do you know?"

"Because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't do anything like that even if I was possessed," Rose said.

"What's this Bad Wolf thing?" Awinita said as they watched. "Rose got possessed?"

"Yeah, I'll explain after the movie," he said, reaching for the bag of potato chips. "It's a long explanation and I need to relax before I tell you."


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter Fifty Four

After finishing the movie, Alan and Awinita decided to talk while Rose listened. He explained the Bad Wolf to her while she listened in stunned silence.

"So, she saved your life then as this Bad Wolf thing…I mean, the Doctor's life," Awinita said.

He nodded.

"Yes, although she was lucky she didn't die in the process like the Doctor did."

He frowned.

"It's always been a kind of mystery why she managed to survive. The Doctor pondered that for many a night because you see, the power within her should have fried her brain and yet, it didn't."

"Maybe you're an alien, Rose?" Awinita offered. "You were switched at birth with a human baby and your mother raised you and all along you had this weird alien power within you?"

Alan stared at her.

"You have quite an imagination, you know that?" he said.

"Yeah, plus I don't think my mum would like to hear that. She's already had to deal with the Doctor and his clone, never mind finding out that I'm not even her real kid. I'm pretty sure that I'm human though."

"Hey, it was just a suggestion. Makes as much sense as you being possessed by this time vortex thing. So, what did your other Doctor look like then?"

"Get in my purse, Alan. I have a little photo book in there and find her one of the pictures of my other Doctor," she said.

"Okey-dokey."

He grabbed her purse and pulled out a little black plastic photo album. He looked through it and found a close up of Rose and the ninth Doctor.

"Here he is in all his big-eared glory," he said, pointing to the picture.

Awinita took the photo album and stared at the picture.

"Not bad looking. Kinda more rugged looking than you are, but he's handsome," she said. "Nice blue eyes too."

"Oh, I know, I loved his eyes," Rose said.

Alan leaned up.

"But, brown eyes are better, yeah? Big, brown puppy dog eyes?"

"Nah, blue ones are better."

She giggled and patted his cheek when he shot her a look and sat back down. He took the photo album.

"So, how did you manage to keep this?"

"I had several of my favorite ones that I kept in my pocket so I could take them out and look at them on occasion. That's why I was able to hold on to them when I first came here. There's a couple of that Doctor and a couple of your Doctor in there."

He frowned while he stared at the picture.

"Where was this taken?"

"You don't remember?"

"No, I mean, it's a close up and I really can't see the background. You took several pictures of you and him, as I recall."

"Well, let me see it. I don't know which one you're looking at."

He held the photo album up by her face and she glanced at it.

"That was when the Doctor and I went to the Riviera. Remember? They had that photographer there?"

"Oh yeah, I remember now. You had that spaghetti dinner."

"Yup, that was delicious."

He looked through the other photos and found one of the tenth Doctor. He was lounging in the captain's chair with his feet up on the rim of the console and a smile on his face as he gazed at the camera. Alan grinned.

"I think I remember this one. You had just brought your new digital camera and was trying it out, weren't you?" he said, showing the photo to Rose.

She smiled.

"Yup, I loved the Doctor there. He was so relaxed and happy, which you know was rare for him."

Awinita took the photo album.

"Yup, you are definitely his clone," she said. "Except you aren't wearing a brown suit."

"Yeah, well, that's the outfit he usually wears," Alan said. "The outfit the other Doctor had on, the leather jacket and jumper, that was his main outfit."

"Jumper?"

"Sweater," Alan clarified.

Awinita turned the page and saw two more photos of the Doctors. On the left side, the ninth Doctor was sitting on a blanket by a lake with his back up against a tree smiling lazily at the camera. On the other side, the tenth Doctor was making google eyes and sticking his tongue out while he flipped the camera off. Awinita snickered.

"I can definitely see the resemblance between you two," she said to Alan.

"What's that?" Rose said.

"This one where the Doctor is making a silly face."

Rose giggled.

"Yeah, he was being a goof that day. I told him to smile and he gave me that instead," she said.

"He didn't hear you correctly. He had tons of space dust in his ears," Alan said.

"Yeah, well the space dust must have been a problem because I had trouble getting him to pose properly for any kind of picture. That one where he's sitting in the jump seat is the calmest he ever was. He's just like you; see a camera and he becomes a complete show-off. Not only that, the little bugger was into all manner of practical jokes. Always causing trouble, he was. I can't tell ya how many times I woke up with whipped cream on my face after he put it in my hand and tickled my nose. And now, I get that times two since this one also has Donna running through his system and apparently Donna has quite a mouth on her judging from some of the pesky things he's said."

She sighed wistfully.

"Still, those were the good days before Canary Wharf…"

She trailed off and became lost in her thoughts as Alan and Awinita glanced at each other. She quickly brought herself back to the present and looked around at them.

"Sorry, I was strolling down memory lane for a moment," she said.

Alan reached up and squeezed her shoulder. Rose squeezed his hand in return and he sat back.

"Anyway, the other pictures are of me and my mum and Mickey and dad and Jake and Tony if you want to look through them. Not all that interesting in my opinion, but in case Awinita wants to take a look at my family."

She took the photo book from Alan and quietly looked at the pictures. Alan stared at Rose, silently aching for the loss she suffered when she was first torn from the Doctor. He actually did remember all the photos and remembered how happy Rose had been during that time. He noticed she had gone quiet again, seemingly lost in her thoughts as she drove.

"You have a beautiful family, Rose," Awinita said.

She smiled.

"Thanks."

Alan looked at her.

"You have any pictures of your family?"

"Um, I have a couple. I have one of my grandmother and one of my mothers and brothers. Hang on, they're in my backpack."

She squeezed past Alan and sat down in the back seat. She rummaged through her rucksack, found the pictures and gave them to Alan. He smiled as he looked at them and held them up so Rose could see them.

"You have a beautiful family too," Rose said as Alan nodded.

"Thanks," she replied as Alan handed the photos back to her. "The whole family is very close, which is good since my grandmother didn't get carted off to a nursing home when she got sick. I can't bear to think of her in one. Besides I think it would kill her if we stuck her there."

"Oh, I know, I'm the same way 'bout mum or dad. I don't want them going into the old folk's home either," Rose said. "They took care of me so I need to help provide for them."

"Um…does that mean we are taking them on the TARDIS eventually?" Alan asked.

"No, but I want to make sure they are well cared for. With dad's fortune, they can have private care with private nurses so don't panic and think that my mum will be on the TARDIS with us beating you with her cane. I seriously doubt she'd want to travel with us anyway. I just mean that I'll be there to check up on them every once in awhile just in case something happens."

"But, if we're in a time machine, you won't have to worry about that because we can just keep going back to a time when they weren't old and feeble," Alan said.

"No, I would like to visit them in the present time as well," she said. "Just like I did when I was with the Doctor."

"So, where is this time machine of yours?" Awinita said. "I thought you guys were stuck here."

"We are for the moment, but the Doctor actually left us a piece of his TARDIS that will grow into a TARDIS of our own in ten years time."

He grabbed his rucksack and searched through it until he found the coral. Awinita stared at it in wonder.

"Wow, this is gonna be a time machine someday?" she asked, admiring its beauty.

"Yup."

"So, this TARDIS is a living thing?"

"Absolutely and it has a sex. The Doctor's TARDIS is a girl, but we'll have to wait to see what ours will be."

She raised her eyebrow.

"Can you talk to it?"

"In a way, yes. It responds with grunts and groans and you can feel it kinda nudge your mind sometimes. Every TARDIS bonds with its owners and this one will bond with us so we'll be able to feel it and sense its emotions."

"And feel it die…" Rose murmured.

Alan frowned.

"Die?" he said.

"In the Crucible, when the TARDIS was in the core, the commander Dalek told the Doctor that he was connected to the TARDIS so he could feel it die."

"Oh! Yeah, um…yes, that's also a possibility although I hope that will never happen with us. It's not a very pleasant thing."

"What did it feel like for the Doctor?" Rose asked.

"He felt her screaming in pain inside his head."

"Oh my God, "Awinita said. "The TARDIS can scream?"

"Oh yeah, she feels anger, sorrow, happiness, pain. She has a symbiotic relationship with the Doctor and feels what he feels. And she felt what Rose felt and every other companion as well. She does bond with everyone in the TARDIS; however she doesn't bond as deeply with the Doctor's companions as she does with him. But, she can love and she does love the Doctor and has loved Rose. Probably still does, I expect. It's the most magnificent ship in the universe as Rose can attest."

"Yes, it is. I agree with that totally," Rose said. "That's why I'm glad we have one of our own. I missed the TARDIS so much. Living inside her, you just get used to her being in your mind and when I was separated from the Doctor, I was also torn away from her and I mourned that loss just as much as I mourned the Doctor. It's just indescribable the bond that formed between us. And not only that, but she also translates any language you can think of, written or spoken. Um…except for very, very old languages I guess since she couldn't decipher the alien writing on Krop Tor."

"Well, that writing was waaaaaay before the end of the dark times," Alan said. "That was a one in a trillion rarity. Other than that one time, she has been able to decipher every other piece of writing and language she's come across."

"The more I get to know you guys, the more I'm glad I met you. It's just incredible all the things you have seen and done and know. Makes me feel tiny by comparison."

"Nah, you're not tiny, there's no such thing," Alan said. "There's no such thing as an insignificant life. Everyone makes a difference in the universe whether for good or bad. You are just as important as we are."

There was a long pause.

"Well?" Rose finally said.

Alan frowned.

"Well, what?"

"You aren't gonna add, "Of course, I'm slightly more important," or something like that," she said, winking.

"Uh, no, I stand by my statement."

"Well, that's a switch considering the Doctor has a huge ego," she said.

"Yeah, but I'm not the Doctor."

"I know, that's my point. You just said something the Doctor would never say," she teased. "He'd be saying something like you're important, but not as important as me because I'm more brilliant than all you apes combined."

"When has he ever said something like that to you, Rose?"

"Oh, several times," Rose said.

"Name them," he said as she giggled.

"Well, there was that time when we were on that moon in that galaxy and we were doing such and such and that just flew out of his mouth while I was busy solving a problem of some kind."

"Right, Rose," he said as she laughed. "Yeah, I'm sorry I ever doubted you about him actually saying that to you."

"Okay, he didn't say that exactly, but you know, there's that whole arrogance about him that just screams that."

Alan's mouth fell open.

"He was never arrogant!"

Rose snorted.

"Well, he wasn't arrogant to the degree that he was strutting around crowing about how he was more superior to apes."

Rose snorted even louder.

"He wasn't arrogant!" Alan insisted.

"Oh no? How many times did he tell people how brilliant he was?" Rose challenged.

"That wasn't being arrogant. That was stating a fact. Most of the time when he said that he was talking to idiots who couldn't think their way out of a paper sack. It isn't arrogance when you are staring the simple truth!"

"And then he'd do things like call people idiots."

"When did he ever do that, Rose?"

"Mickey the idiot!"

"Well, he was an idiot, that's another fact," he said as Awinita laughed. "He's one of those examples of people who couldn't think their way out of paper sacks!"

"Then why did the Doctor trust him with taking out the Cybermen?"

"Because…he needed a way to get him out of the TARDIS so he could have you to himself and Jake and the Cybermen were a handy dandy excuse."

"No, I believe in the beginning he was just jealous of my relationship with Mickey."

"Spot on, Tyler, he was."

"Then why did he let Mickey come on board with us after we defeated the Krillitaines? I tried to tell him I didn't want Mickey to come but he went ahead and let him come anyway!"

"Well, first off, he felt sorry for the boy since the poor git had been reduced to comparing himself to K9 and secondly, he felt compelled to do it just as he felt compelled to come back for you a second time. Traveling with him was a part of his destiny just like it was a part of yours."

He glanced over at Awinita.

"Have we lost you?"

"Yeah, but keep on talking, I'm just sitting here listening to you," she said.

"Well, my point is that the Doctor did regard her ex-boyfriend as something of a doofus when he first met him."

"Because he was jealous of him being clingy towards me."

"He was clingy, Rose. The boy apparently thought of you as a human security blanket."

He looked at Awinita.

"I don't know how many times he jumped down the Doctor's throat about him and Rose. Even after Rose didn't want him any more, there he was getting in the Doctor's face with his whole, well, you better leave Rose alone because she's mine and blah, blah, blah. I can tell you right now, it took all the Doctor had not to punch him in the face whenever he started in with that crap. And yes, Rose, he did end up respecting him in the end but that's only because he stopped harassing him about you being in the TARDIS with him and finally stopped being this cringing little whiner and started pulling his own weight."

"Yes, that's exactly my point, eventually he stopped referring to him as an idiot, but he was never an idiot to begin with. Now, I realize that was mainly my other Doctor and my other Doctor was kind of an ass to people on occasion and I suppose that's how I made him better, but the point is, he never gave him or my mum a chance."

"Your mum slapped him in the face!"

"Because I was gone for a year and she thought I was missing!"

"He wasn't intending to do that, it was an accident."

"Yeah, well, not in mum's eyes."

"Her mother slapped the Doctor?"

"Yes, her mother slapped the Doctor. Not the Doctor I came from, the ruggedly handsome one. He took her in the TARDIS and he was bringing her back and he thought they had only been gone for twelve hours, but he miscalculated and it ended up being twelve months. When he tried to explain and apologize, she hauled off and slapped him across the face!"

"Well, I don't blame her; I would have done that too."

"Thank you!" Rose said. "The Doctor doesn't get that. He thinks it was no big deal since he lives in a time machine, but my mum was furious at him and frankly, it's a wonder she talked to him at all after that. And my mum tried to be kind to the Doctor, but it was a little hard with him making sarky remarks to her face."

"Rose, are you aware of what your mum was doing the first time she saw the Doctor?"

"Um…no, what was she doing?"

"Coming on to him!"

Rose blinked.

"What?"

Alan folded his arms over his chest.

"Yes, her royal randiness saw a new man in the house and thought to herself, "Oh! Fresh meat!" and she tried to chat him up while she was wearing this ugly pink bathrobe. Ugh! It gives me the chills and I'm not the one that went through it! So, forgive the Doctor for not warming up to your mother the first time he saw her especially since he couldn't get the color pink out of his brain for about a fortnight afterwards."

"Well, I'm sorry she did that to the Doctor and you have to live with the memory. I had no idea that was going on at the time."

"Because you were too busy being attacked by a killer mannequin arm."

"That was after the Doctor came in the room with me."

"Yeah and it took you about a minute and a half to realize the man was smothering to death. Jabbering on about nothing while a heap of plastic was choking the life outta him.

"I was trying to be sociable; I didn't realize that arm was still alive."

Alan glanced at Awinita who was listening intently.

"Go on," she said to him. "Don't mind me; just go on with talking about killer mannequin arms."

Rose laughed.

"That was shortly after our first meeting," she told her. "Our very first meeting was in Henrick's department store where I worked. I was down in the basement and these mannequins came to life and just as I was about to get killed, this door opened and the Doctor took my hand and told me to run. He took me out of the building, asked me my name and told me to run for my life. Then the whole building exploded. After that and the killer arm happened to me, I looked on the internet trying to find out more information about him and I found a website this guy was running that was asking people if they had seen him."

"Huh?" Alan said. "What website? Who ran it?"

"Some bloke named Clive. I met with him and he had several photos and drawings of the Doctor from different points in history."

"Such as?"

"Well, the photo he had on the front page of his website was a close up of you when you were watching John F. Kennedy the day he was assassinated."

"Really? Oh, I had no idea someone had taken a picture of that."

"Well, not the Doctor specifically. I mean whoever took the picture was taking the picture of the motorcade but the Doctor just happened to be in the crowd at that moment."

"Is that true?" Awinita asked.

"Oh yeah, it wasn't the Doctor I came from though, that was ruggedly handsome Doctor again. He went there out of curiosity to see if there really was someone on the grassy knoll that day, but he didn't find anyone."

"He wasn't there to save Kennedy?"

He shook his head.

"He couldn't, that's a fixed point in time."

He noticed her confusion.

"Some events can be changed and some can't. A true Time Lord can tell the difference although that hasn't stopped some people in the past. But, anyway, Kennedy's assassination is fixed, so there's no meddling in it."

"Okay, I guess," she said, shrugging.

"What else was there?" Alan asked.

"They had a drawing of my other Doctor at Krakatoa and then one where he was with this family before they were supposed to get on the Titanic. According to Clive, he stopped them from getting on board."

"Oh, yeah. Well, the guy he stopped was a doctor who was actually able to help save quite a few people when the Spanish Flu broke out in 1918. He was instrumental in helping to contain the disease so that's why the Doctor stopped him."

"Oh, okay, that makes sense," Rose said.

"Then, he got on board and sailed with the ship."

Rose's eyes widened.

"What? Why?" she said.

Alan fell silent.

"Why, Alan?" she said when he didn't say anything.

Alan glanced at Awinita.

"It was about six months before he met you and…he was…suicidal."

Rose's mouth fell open.

"You're joking, right?"

"No, this time I'm not."

Both Rose and Awinita were speechless.

"Why? I mean, why did he want to kill himself?" Awinita finally said.

Alan briefly summarized the Time War and the destruction of Gallifrey to her.

"Oh my God," Awinita said when he was finished. "His whole planet, all his people are gone?"

Alan nodded.

"Yeah and after it happened, he had survivors guilt, among other things, and in a fit of madness and despair, he decided to go down with the ship, so to speak."

He noticed the tears streaming down Rose's face and shifted into the passenger seat. He laid a hand on her arm.

"Rose, I'm sorry. I know it's hard for you to hear but that's how depressed he was at that time. That whole thing about you made him better, you really did, Rose. I know you know that you gave him a reason to live, but I don't think you know just how deep in the depths of despair he really was."

Rose swallowed hard.

"What…what stopped him?" she asked.

Alan thought about that.

"I think he just realized that suicide was not the solution and decided that it would dishonor the memory of his people to go out like that. I know you don't know much about the Time War, Rose, and the events that led up to his having to destroy Gallifrey but he was actually chosen to do it because he was the only one who really stood up to the Daleks and fought back. He was also the only one who was out there making a difference and so the High Council chose him when they saw no other solution to ending the war. He didn't want the honor, believe me. He argued vociferously with the council for several hours trying to get them to change their minds, but he finally caved in out of that sense of duty I told you about. He was hoping that perhaps he would go down with the planet so he purposely stayed near the epicenter when it finally came time to do it, but the TARDIS is resilient as you know and although it was a wreck after the blast, it managed to repair itself. The Doctor however was not so lucky. The explosion nearly tore the TARDIS to bits and a piece of flying debris impaled him in the chest."

"Oh God," Awinita murmured as Rose flinched.

Alan took her hand.

"The whole thing about me being born in the midst of blood and battle and filled with anger and revenge? That's why your Doctor said that because that's how your other Doctor was born. He was enraged that he survived and was just a total basket case for several years. He got better over time but he did have his relapses and the Titanic episode was one of them."

Unable to keep her mind on the road, Rose pulled off into a rest stop. She parked the minivan and switched the car off.

"Do you want me to take over?" Alan asked.

She nodded.

"I think you better because I'm not in the mood to drive right now," she said. "But, first I wanna hear the rest of it. How did he survive?"

"Well, he knew what was coming, obviously, and he stayed in a stateroom until the moment the iceberg hit and when that happened, he climbed onto it and basically clung there while the ship went down."

Rose was taken aback.

"He clung to the iceberg?"

Alan nodded.

"Yeah, he shifted himself and found a nook so that he was out of harm's way, but he had a bird's eye view of it all and when it was over, he waited until the lifeboat came back for the survivors and he dove into the water and swam to it. Then, he rode the Carpathia back to Southampton and retrieved his TARDIS."

Both women were silent.

"So, he wasn't the one that went through the Time War then," Rose finally said.

"No, the eighth incarnation did."

Rose shook her head.

"It's just like before when I met Donna in the parallel world and the Doctor had died. All those terrible things that happened because he wasn't around to stop them. Oh God, all that could have happened in the other universe and I could have gone my whole life without having met him all because he went temporarily insane."

He squeezed her hands.

"I keep telling you, Rose; you made a huge impact on his life. You did something no other companion ever did. You turned him away from all that and gave him a reason to smile again. You showed him that even he had some happiness left in the universe and that's why you became his whole entire world and like I said, it became ingrained so deeply that it just became a part of me."

Rose turned her head away from Awinita and mouthed something to herself. Alan read her lips and flinched when she said…

"And now his insanity could come back again."

He glanced at Awinita but he could tell she didn't catch that. She was sitting quietly by herself and he could tell she was taking it all in and trying to process it as best she could. He felt sorry for her having to hear all this all at one time and having to make sense of it after only knowing them for a short time. He knew that their lives were crazy enough without an outsider trying to make sense of it. Still, he admired her for sticking by them even though she had every reason to run.

_The Doctor has that talent,_ he thought. _He has that knack for finding people who are steadfast and mature enough to deal with the things that happen in his life and are loyal enough to stay by his side, come what may. I guess that's one thing that managed to stay with me._

He glanced over at Rose and saw that she had managed to regain her composure for the most part. He smiled tenderly at her.

"Listen, while we're here, why don't we take a bathroom break and I'll drive for awhile while you rest, okay?"

Rose nodded. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and whispered, "I love you," in her ear. All of them got out, closed the doors and headed over to the little wooden building to use the toilets.


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter Fifty Five

After taking a break, they got back on the road with Alan in the driver's seat. Rose sat behind him with Awinita chatting quietly. Occasionally, Alan gave a surreptitious glance in the rearview mirror checking to see if she was okay. He relaxed when he noticed that she didn't seem to be upset anymore. He was so glad that Awinita was with them so that Rose could have someone else besides him to talk to, not to mention she was fun to have around. Alan sincerely hoped that she would stay on with them past North Carolina. He was even entertaining the thought of having her be a companion once they got the TARDIS up and running.

_Although that will be in ten years and by then she'll probably have moved on with her life,_ he thought.

As he passed by a field, he suddenly saw something out of the corner of his eye and slowed down. Both women gave him a confused look when he stopped.

"Alan, what's wrong?" Rose asked.

"Look to your right. Over there in the field," he said, pointing out the passenger side window.

Both of them looked where he was pointing and saw a family of deer grazing in the field about twenty five feet away from them.

"Oh, wow," Rose whispered.

She reached over the seat for her rucksack, found her camera and took a quick picture.

"They still haven't seen us," Awinita said. "That's rare, usually one of them is on the lookout for predators."

"Maybe no one comes this way much," Alan said. "This is a little scenic road."

He smiled at them.

"Apparently, we're out of Jersey Devil territory since they don't seem too concerned about him," he said.

"Ugh, don't even mention that thing," Rose replied. "The more distance we put between us and him, the better."

"How's your arm, by the way?" Awinita said.

Rose glanced down at the bandage.

"Still stings a bit and it's kinda itchy. Kinda like when I got my tattoo, I guess."

"You have a tattoo? I didn't know that. Where?"

Rose pulled up her sleeve.

"Wow, that's beautiful. What is it, just a design you thought up?"

"No, actually, it's the Doctor's language. It says Amo'tiri. That's Alan's pet name for me."

"What does that mean?"

"Kindred soul."

"I love that. It's a beautiful word. I have one too on my back."

She turned around in the seat and raised her shirt up. Both of them stared at the monarch butterfly near the bottom of her spine.

"I love it," Rose said.

She gave Alan an evil grin.

"Now, it's your turn, sweetie," she cooed. "Show us your tattoo."

Awinita's eyes widened while Alan gave Rose a look of death.

"You…have a tattoo?" Awinita said in amusement.

"She made me do it!" Alan said, pointing at Rose.

"I talked him into it," Rose clarified. "So, come on, Alan. Show us your tattoo."

Alan looked at Awinita.

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"Why? Is it something goofy?"

"Yes!"

"No, it's not. It's not goofy. Just show her."

Alan sighed. He shifted slightly in his seat and hitched up his sleeve. Awinita stared at it.

"Isn't that the Disney alien?" she said.

"Yes, that's Stitch," Rose said.

"Yeah, that's right. Why…um…did you choose Stitch besides the fact that he's an alien?"

He sighed.

"Have you seen the movie?" he asked her.

"Um, yeah, once a long time ago."

"You know how Stitch is this evil little alien that Lilo adopts and turns into a good little alien? Well, that's Rose's take on me. I'm Stitch and she's Lilo."

Awinita giggled.

"Cute, but wait, you're not evil."

Rose glanced at Awinita.

"You didn't tell her what you did?" Rose said to Alan. "You didn't tell her why the Doctor dropped you off here?"

"Well, I may have danced around that a bit," he said. "I just didn't want to freak her out because it was a lot to take in hearing I was an alien without that on top of it."

"What do you mean? I mean, why were you dropped off here? You told me you were left here with Rose, but I assumed it was because you were supposed to take care of her."

"No, it's the other way around," Alan said. "Rose is supposed to take care of me."

He turned the ignition off when he saw the confused look and he and Rose explained everything that happened on the Crucible. When they were done, Awinita was silent for a moment.

"You basically saved all of creation and the Doctor punished you for that?" Awinita finally said.

"Well, he was upset because I committed genocide."

"Yeah, but Davros was gonna destroy everything and I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't believe in killing but isn't what you did the lesser of two evils?"

"That's what I thought as well but the Doctor doesn't see it that way. He told Rose that I needed to be reformed when he dropped us off here."

"Reformed from what? You're a sweet guy. You're not evil, not by a long shot. I mean, answer me this, Alan. If you hadn't have done what you did and you guys let the Daleks go, would they have just stopped with the killing and everything?"

"No," both of them said in unison.

Awinita looked at Rose.

"You agree with him?"

"I agree with both him and the Doctor. I see both men's sides and why they did what they did, but it was unfair for Alan to be punished like this. The Daleks wouldn't have stopped killing people; they would have gone somewhere else and planned another way to get back at the universe. They are nothing but cold, heartless killing machines and the guy who created him is completely twisted and evil. Alan did what he did to preserve the universe and save everyone. He's not evil; he's not a genocidal monster, what you see right here is what you get with him. I've been with him almost since the moment he was born and since then the only thing that has happened was he wounded that creature and that's only because he was trying to save my life. I trust him completely. I'm not under any threat from him and neither are you and neither is the universe. But, because of that whole being entrusted to turn him into a good guy, I chose Stitch to symbolize that, which is why he has him on his arm."

"And please….don't tell anyone it's under there," Alan said. "I got it because Rose asked me to and I requested that it be made to fit under my sleeve because it's there for her. I'm not ashamed of it, although I tease Rose about that, but it's just a personal thing between us…RIGHT, ROSE?"

She coughed when he gave her a pointed look.

"Awinita is a friend and she'll keep quiet."

"Yes, I'll take the secret of your Stitch tattoo to my grave," she said.

"Thank you."

He turned back around and noticed the deer had gone.

"Well, anyway, I just thought I would point out that scenic bit of nature," he said to them. "I didn't mean for us to get into a show and tell about our tattoos, so I'll keep going now and you guys just chit chat some more."

He started the car, put it in gear and drove off.

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After about two hours, they finally reached route 9. Alan switched with Awinita and she headed south while he took her spot beside Rose. He put his arm around her shoulder and fiddled with the sleeve of her shirt.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit tired."

"You were thinkin' about staying the night somewhere?"

"Not sure. I mean, we could always find a secluded spot and pull off or we could take turns napping in here and just keep going. We have enough food and supplies now that we don't have to spend the night somewhere."

"I just don't want beastie boy to come back and harass you again."

"Nah, I doubt he will. I think you showed him. Besides if he does, you and Awinita will be out there beating the crap outta him."

"Got that right," Awinita said. "But, yeah, if you wanna spend the night in the car or take turns driving through the night, I'm all for that."

"Yes, because we just have to reach Disneyworld in record time," Rose teased.

Alan caught Awinita's eye when she looked in the rearview mirror. A conspiratorial look passed between them.

"Yes," Alan said, casually. "Because of course you will want to ride the Dumbo ride, right?"

"Why would I do that when I'm riding with Dumbo now?"

She gasped when Alan shoved his fingers in her armpits and began to tickle her.

"What was that, Tyler?" he said.

"I'm sorry, I take it back!"

"That's what I thought," Alan said, letting up.

He snickered.

"What?" Rose said.

"Actually, that's what Donna called the Doctor. Dumbo. So I guess it's not too far from the truth."

She called him Dumbo?"

"Yes, she did. And great big outer space dunce!"

"The woman's brighter than I thought." Rose said.

"Hey!"

Rose laughed when he tickled her armpits again. He let up and let her catch her breath.

"But, seriously, what we need to do is get one of those travel guides to Disney so we can plan properly. Especially since I'm sure we'll need more than one day to take it all in. Do we wanna stay in a hotel nearby or one at Disney?"

"I think if you stay at one of their resorts you get all these extra perks and things," Awinita said to them.

"Well, we'll need to get a double room for the three of us," Alan said.

"Wait a moment, I didn't say for sure I was gonna come with you."

"Oh, come on, it'll be fun. Rose and I will have a lot more fun if it's the three of us. Besides, I thought you wanted to go to Disneyworld because…"

He trailed off when he realized what he was about to say.

"Because what?" Rose said.

She looked at them.

"What are you guys up to?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"She wanted to go to Disneyworld because she's always wanted to see Mickey Mouse," Alan said.

"Yeah, that's right, I love Mickey Mouse and I've wanted to go to Disneyworld and see him ever since I was a little girl."

"Why am I not convinced of that?"

Alan shrugged and gave her an innocent look.

"You're hiding something from me, aren't you?" she said.

Alan tried to keep his face passive.

"No, not at all. I don't hide anything from you, you know that."

He kept calm while Rose studied his face.

"I'm still not convinced, but I'll give you two the benefit of the doubt since I figure it'll take forever to get the truth outta ya. I just hope whatever you two are planning isn't illegal."

"No, why would you think that? Especially after you just got done telling Awinita two hours ago that I wasn't a threat to anyone."

"I didn't say you were a threat. I'm saying that you have a mind for mischief and you and she seem to think alike, so I can just imagine the stuff you'll get in to down there."

"Rose Tyler, I'm insulted. I will not do anything that will get us thrown in jail and neither will she. We know better than that!"

"Well, good, just keep on knowing it because I don't want my mum to open up the paper and see my arrest in the headlines."

"I promise, we'll be good as gold at Disneyworld and I guarantee you will come away from that place happier than you have ever been in your whole entire life."

"Good, I certainly hope so."

"Me too."

She snuggled up against him and closed her eyes while Alan breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He glanced at Awinita in the rearview mirror and locked eyes with her.

"That was close," he mouthed.

She nodded.

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After about an hour, Rose switched places with Awinita. Awinita clambered into the back and laid down to take a short nap while Alan moved up into the passenger seat.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked.

She smiled.

"I'm feeling fine, Alan. How about you?"

"Well rested. This car was a good idea."

"Yes, it was, although…"

"What?"

She slowed the speed down a bit as she glanced at the beach beside the road. She finally found a parking spot and pulled in. She glanced back.

"Awinita asleep?" she said.

"I think so."

"Come with me then."

They both got out and quietly closed the doors. Taking each other's hands, they walked down towards the ocean as the sun began to sink in the sky.

"Thought we might get a little bit of private time together," Rose said. "If that's okay."

"It's more than okay, it's brilliant."

She glanced around but there were only a couple of people scattered around on the beach. She looked back at the minivan.

"You think Awinita will be alright?"

"She'll be fine, we won't go far," Alan assured her.

They sat down in the sand just out of the reach of the crashing waves and put their arms around each other.

"It's beautiful here," she said.

"Yes, it is."

"Too bad we can't spend the night here like we could in Norway."

"Yeah, but I'm sure the authorities would frown on that since this isn't deserted like Bad Wolf Bay. Still, we have lots to look forward to both here and when we get back home to London."

"I don't wanna go back, ever."

Alan glanced at her.

"I mean, I would like to see mum and dad and Tony again but I don't wanna go back and have to spend all that time working at Torchwood. I wish we could just keep on travelin' and never stop."

He rubbed her back.

"Yeah, me too, Starlight."

He chuckled.

"God, the Doctor did rub off on you, didn't he?"

"Yes, I have the same distaste for the domestic life that he does. I just…wish the Doctor had trusted you enough to give you the TARDIS now instead of having to wait ten years."

"Yeah, me too, but he didn't and now we have to deal with it."

They watched while the waves crashed on shore.

"Are you still worried about the dream?" Alan finally asked.

"A bit. I can't help it, Alan. I worry about him the same way I worry about you. I love you both and if there's a way I could help him, I would in a heartbeat. I'd do the same for you if you were in danger of becoming the Valeyard."

"And I would do the same as him. I would tell you to run away and never look back and forget about me. You are far too special to both of us to die senselessly or be turned into female version of the Valeyard. I would give my life in an instant if it prevented that."

"And I would do the same for you."

He held her close and kissed the top of her head.

"You are so good to both of us, Rose. Both of our lives have been enriched because you've been in it."

"And I feel the same way about both of you. You're both are special and I never want to see either of you become some twisted version of yourselves. If there is some way, any way to prevent that, then I will find it."

Alan knew it was pointless to argue with her, so instead he pulled her closer still making sure not to hurt her bandaged arm. They stared out at the waves in silent contemplation for several minutes before they gave each other a kiss on the lips and headed back up to the car.


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter Fifty Six

Awinita jerked her head up the moment she heard the doors close.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Alan said, looking back at her. "Did we wake you?"

"Yeah, but it's alright, as long as it's you guys and not a serial killer or something."

She tried to focus her bleary eyes as she stared at the beach.

"Are we stopping here for the night?" she murmured.

"No, Rose and I just wanted to be alone for a moment."

She nodded.

"That's cool."

She yawned.

"Well, if you guys are gonna go on, I'm going back to sleep."

"You don't wanna get out and look around?" Alan asked.

"Nah, I'm too tired. There's gonna be more beaches along route 9 so I'm not missing anything."

She yawned again.

"Well, good night you two."

"Good night," they said in unison.

She lowered her head back down while Alan started up the car. He looked at Rose.

"How about you? Fancy a little kip?"

Rose nodded.

"I think so, unless you're too tired to drive."

"Nah, I'm fine. Get some rest."

"Well, when you get too tired, wake one of us or find a lay-by. I don't think the police would bother us if we pulled off there," she said.

He nodded. Rose lifted the arm rest and went behind Alan as he backed up and pulled out. She got into her rucksack, found her pill bottle and took a Darvocet. Then she grabbed her sleeping bag and went back to the passenger seat. Alan frowned.

"Don't you think you'd be more comfortable if you stretched out there?" he said, hooking his thumb back at the seat.

"I'm fine, I wanna be up here with you," she said, unzipping her sleeping bag and throwing it over here.

Alan gave her a loving look.

"Good night then, Rose."

"Good night, Alan, I'll see you in awhile," she said, pulling the blanket up over her nose.

She closed her eyes and relaxed while Alan continued to drive. In a short time she was fast asleep and dreaming.

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She found herself in the corridor of the TARDIS; only this time there was no darkness looming in the shadows, no evil that she could detect, just the sound of laughter wafting up from the console room. Smiling, she followed the sound and entered the room to find both the Doctor and Alan standing opposite each other at the console, laughing and joking with one another while they worked the controls. She noticed two people were sitting on the jump seat. She could tell the one on the right was Awinita but she couldn't tell who the other person was until she turned her head slightly. Then she saw it was Donna. Behind Alan was a weird lump of rock. Its color matched the support columns and she intuitively guessed that it their TARDIS nestled snugly inside the Doctor's ship. She heard both men laughing and smiling; she walked over and joined them.

"Well, there's little sleepyhead," Alan said, grinning at her. "Thought you were gonna sleep all day and miss the fun."

"Yeah," the Doctor said, "you don't wanna oversleep on the day of your wedding anniversary, do ya?"

"Wedding anniversary?" Rose muttered.

She glanced down at her left hand and noticed a wedding ring there. She glanced at Alan and saw he was wearing an identical one. He gave her a kiss.

"The Doctor has promised us an anniversary to remember," he said to her. "You'll just love Gongolia. It's the sweets capital of the universe. The rivers are made of chocolate like 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and the houses are built out of candy canes and gingerbread."

"Like Hansel and Gretel," Rose said to the Doctor.

"Kinda, yeah."

"Which means," Donna said, "there's gotta be a witch somewhere."

"Oh, don't be silly, Donna. That's a children's book, this is real life!" the Doctor said to her.

Donna looked at Awinita.

"Says the man who's taking us to a place that has chocolate rivers," she said.

Rose went and sat down beside Awinita.

"How'd you get on board?" she asked her.

Awinita gave her an odd look.

"Um, same as you and Alan. The Doctor picked our TARDIS up when we crossed over into this universe. Why? Am I supposed to wait in our TARDIS while you guys have fun without me?"

"No, absolutely not!" the Doctor said. "You are my little brother and sister-in-law's companion and you are coming with us. Rose was just teasing you, right Rose?"

"Yeah, right," Rose said, brightly. "I was just havin' ya on, Awinita. Of course I want you to come with us."

"I see the nap cheered her up," the Doctor said to Alan.

"Yup, nothing like a little kip before the trip to put some pep in your step," Alan said.

"So…when it comes time for you to celebrate your wedded bliss, can the rest of us watch?" the Doctor said.

"No, you most certainly can not," Alan said.

"Well, why not? After all, I'm exactly the same as you, so it doesn't matter who she shags."

He snickered when Alan shot him a look.

"Just kidding," he said. "I respect your marriage and I'm happy for you both."

He smiled at Rose who had a shocked look on her face.

"You seem surprised at that," he said.

"No, I'm just...when did you two become mates?" she asked.

Alan and the Doctor glanced at each other.

"You...don't remember?" the Doctor said.

"Well, I...guess not," Rose admitted.

The Doctor came around the console and put his hands on her shoulders.

"You saved me, remember?" he asked.

"I did?"

"Yes, remember? You and Alan saved me from becoming the Valeyard and in turn both of us managed to set aside our differences and save you from the real Valeyard and thanks to the void crosser he installed in my TARDIS, Donna and I are able to come and see you anytime we want."

He grinned and tousled her hair.

"Apparently you haven't woken up completely yet," he said.

"No, I guess I haven't," she said.

He gave her shoulder a squeeze and went back to working the controls of the TARDIS. Rose settled back and smiled to herself as she watched both of the men she loved chatting amiably to each other while they worked the controls.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan glanced over at Rose and noticed she was asleep and had a huge smile on her face. His heart leapt as he thought how beautiful it made her look.

_Apparently, she's not dreaming of the Valeyard_, he thought. _Hopefully, it stays that way._

He drove on through the night listening to humming of the engine and the soft snoring of his lover and his friend. As he drove he noticed raindrops beginning to fall on the windshield and soon there was a heavy downpour. Alan turned on the windshield wipers and leaned forward slightly trying to see through the rain. It rained harder and he sighed as he finally gave up and pulled off into a rest stop for the night. He found a parking spot, turned off the ignition and locked all the doors as he leaned back against the seat. Folding his arms over his chest, he closed his eyes and in a few moments, he was sound asleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan was so excited. Today was the big day. He was finally going to marry the love of his life. It seemed so unreal to him to be standing at the altar waiting for Rose to come down the aisle and join him. He knew the Doctor would have never entertained the thought of being married to Rose since it smacked of domesticity but he didn't care. Rose was his now and she deserved all the happiness the universe had to offer her.

The organ began to play the wedding march and Alan straightened up. He gripped his top hat in his hand and watched in silent awe while the double doors opened and Pete and Rose walked down the long red carpet towards him. Alan smiled. Rose was wearing a gown almost identical to the one she had shown him in 'Modern Bride.' He couldn't imagine anyone wearing it half as well as her. She was an absolute vision and he knew if he died right then and there, he would go to Heaven a very happy man.

Pete led her up to him and Alan grinned at her. He saw her grinning back at him through the veil and he wanted nothing more than for the ceremony to be over so he could take his new wife home.

He stood there in a daze, only half listening as the vicar read out his spiel. He was with it enough to be able to answer when it came time for him to do so, but the rest of the time he was lost in the moment, staring at Rose's lovely veiled face.

"Is there anyone here who has just cause why these two should not be joined together?" the vicar said. "If so, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Alan flinched when he heard the double doors bang open and heard a voice that chilled him to the bone.

"I OBJECT!"

Turning his head, he gasped when he saw a gold Dalek gliding down the aisle. It took no notice of the confused and surprised congregation as it made a beeline for him and Rose. Alan quickly stepped in front of his bride, shielding her with his body just in case the Dalek decided to shoot.

"No, no, no, no, no, this can't be happening," Alan muttered as the Dalek stopped in front of him. "Not here, not now, not today while I'm getting married."

"YOU WILL STEP AWAY FROM THE FEMALE!" the Dalek yelled.

"P'eh, fat chance, I'm not about to give you a clear shot at her," Alan said, angrily. "You will deal with me and that's it! Now, what do you want?"

"I WANT YOU!"

"Yeah, well, I'm kinda busy right now if you hadn't noticed. Just go and wait outside till I'm married and then we can have it out."

"NO, YOU WILL NOT MARRY ROSE TYLER!"

"Oh, really? Why not?"

"BECAUSE YOU WILL MARRY ME!"

Alan stared at him.

"I'm…sorry? You what?"

"YOU WILL MARRY ME OR THE FEMALE WILL BE EX-TER-MIN-ATED!"

Alan blinked.

"You wanna marry me?" he said.

"THAT IS COR-RECT. I AM IN LOVE WITH YOU AND YOU WILL NOT MARRY THIS HUSSY!"

The Dalek looked at the vicar who was now in complete shock.

"YOU WILL MARRY US OR I WILL EX-TER-MIN-ATE YOU! OBEY!" it said to him.

"No…wait a tic, I'm not about to marry a bloody Dalek!" Alan said.

He gasped and everyone screamed when the Dalek shot at a nearby floral arrangement.

"OBEY! YOU WILL MARRY ME OR EVERYONE WILL DIE!" the Dalek said turning its gun on him.

Without further comment, the Dalek glided up beside Alan and looked at Rose.

"GO AWAY CHAV BEFORE I BLAST YOU INTO NEXT WEEK!" it said.

It looked at the vicar.

"MARRY US NOW OR YOU WILL DIE!"

The vicar cleared his throat.

"Um, dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of this man and this…thing in the bonds of holy matrimony."

Alan felt his heart sink.

"No, you can't do this to me," he said to the Dalek. "You can't ruin my marriage like this! Why do you lot always manage to screw up my life?"

"SILENCE!" it said.

Alan was speechless.

"I now pronounce you man and…um…robot, you may kiss it, somehow," the vicar muttered.

"AT LAST, I HAVE TRIUMPHED OVER THE DOC-TOR'S CLONE, NOW HE IS MARRIED TO ME AND I WILL MAKE HIM MY SLAVE FOR ETERNITY! DALEKS REIGN SUPREME!"

Alan gasped as the Dalek stuck its plunger on the lower half of his face and gave him a sucking kiss. He reeled back into Rose when it let go.

"NOW, LET US GET INTO THE EARTH VEHICLE SO WE CAN HONEY-MOON IN TORQUAY!" it said, getting behind him and poking him in the back with its plunger.

"How about if you just kill me now and put me out of my misery?" Alan muttered.

"SILENCE! WE WILL HONEY-MOON IN TORQUAY! OBEY! OBEY! OBEEEEEEEEEEEY!"

Alan gasped and his eyes snapped open. He looked around and breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed he was still in the minivan at the rest stop.

"I think it's time I stopped eating junk food before I go to sleep," he muttered as he stared out the rain-soaked windshield.


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter Fifty Seven

After waking up, Alan sat quietly and stared at the rain as it cascaded down the windshield.

_Why the hell would I dream about a Dalek marrying me?_ He thought to himself. _Am I scared that something is going to happen because I'm going to allow myself some happiness in my life? Damn the Doctor's fatalist worldview. Now I'm sure if the wedding does happen, I'll be on edge just waiting for a real Dalek to appear. _

"Alan?"

He looked over and saw Rose was awake and staring at him through half closed lids.

"Where are we?" she murmured.

"I pulled off into a lay-by for the night," he said softly.

Rose pulled the sleeping bag down to her chest and stared out the windshield.

"It's raining?" she muttered.

"Yes. It's been raining for awhile now."

Rose looked at him.

"Aren't you going to get some sleep?"

"I tried."

"What's wrong?" Rose asked.

"I...had a bad dream."

"Really? What about?"

Alan rolled his eyes.

"I dreamed I married a Dalek."

Rose giggled softly.

"Really? Is that the kind of thing you and the Doctor dream about?" she said, poking him in the side.

"No, actually the Doctor dreams about Slitheen chasing him while they're riding a rocking horse."

Rose stared at him.

"What?" she said. "Are you serious?"

"Very."

Rose put her hand over her mouth trying to quiet her giggles.

"What?" Alan said to her.

"Why is the Slitheen on a rocking horse?"

"How the hell should I know?" he said as she sniggered. "That's just what he dreams about."

"I'm surprised he dreams at all," Rose said softly.

"He does…on occasion. Most of the time he just takes quick naps but there are times when he does need to actually sleep."

"And that's when the rocking horse Slitheen attack." Rose said melodramatically.

Alan rolled his eyes when the giggling resumed.

"I'm sorry, just the image of one of those things on a rocking horse is hilarious to me," she said.

"Yeah, well, consider yourself lucky that you can't see it like I can."

Rose frowned.

"I thought he didn't meet the Slitheen until after he met me."

"He didn't."

"Then…what did he dream about before that?" Rose whispered.

Alan lowered his eyes.

"Time War," he said softly.

Rose's heart ached at that. She could only imagine the kind of nightmares the Doctor had from that.

"Is that why he hates to sleep?" she asked.

"Pretty much. Before the Time War, he dreamed about all the various horrors he had seen in his lives."

"Has he ever had any good dreams?"

He glanced at her.

"He had some about you," he said. "But those were rare. Most of the time it was all the monsters he fought and the madmen he defeated and the people he saw die in front of his eyes."

"And is that what you dream about as well?" Rose asked worriedly.

"No, apparently, I just dream about being married to Daleks," he said.

She giggled.

"That would be an odd life."

"You're telling me? I couldn't even begin to stomach the thought of shagging the thing or even imagine how you would shag it."

"Ew! Don't say that or I'll have that in my head for a month."

"Sorry."

He smiled at her.

"So, what were you dreaming about? You had a big smile on your face, so I'm guessing it wasn't you-know-who."

"Nah, I was dreaming about you and me and the Doctor and Awinita and Donna."

"Wow, your dream was crowded. What were we all doing?"

"Traveling together. Our TARDIS was inside the Doctor's TARDIS and he was taking us to a land of chocolate and candy canes and gingerbread."

"Wow, wonder where that's at? I wouldn't mind visiting it."

"Gongolia?"

Alan frowned.

"Never heard of it. Apparently your mind made up a nonsensical word for a fictional planet. So, the Doctor and I were together in this dream then?"

"Yes," Rose yawned. "You were piloting his TARDIS together."

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Yeah, I can definitely tell you're dreaming because I don't think he'd let me breathe on his controls, let alone use them to pilot his ship."

"You were friends."

Alan let out a ruthful laugh.

"Yup, you were definitely dreaming, Rose."

"You were. He called you his little brother."

"I hate to tell you this, Starlight, but I think I have a better chance of marrying my Dalek than that happening."

"And speaking of being married, we were, actually."

Alan perked up. He tried to keep his voice steady while he adopted a casual manner.

"We were?" he asked, half afraid Rose would hear his rapidly beating heart.

"Yeah, we were going to Gongolia for our one year anniversary."

"And…how…were we acting? Did we act like we were in love?" Alan said hesitantly.

Rose smiled.

"Yup, we were very much in love."

Alan relaxed at that.

"So…the Doctor wasn't throwing a tantrum at my being married to you?"

"No, he was very happy for us."

Alan snorted softly. Still, the fact that she had dreamed about them being married gave him hope and erased a few more of his fears about proposing.

_If Rose is dreaming about it, then maybe she wants it too. Maybe my plan to propose to her isn't so daft after all_, he thought.

He glanced out the side window when he heard a rumble of thunder in the distance.

"Do you wanna try to find a room for the night?" he asked Rose.

"I think we better. I don't feel that safe sleeping here," Rose said.

Alan nodded. He started up the car and slowly backed out of the parking space.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Luckily they weren't that far from an off ramp. Alan found a Holiday Inn and after rousing Awinita, the three of them grabbed their rucksacks and a couple of bags of food, locked the van and headed inside to check in. Once they made it into the room, Alan closed the door and the three of them had just enough energy to pull back the covers and snuggle under them before they passed out.

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The next morning, they ate some of their food, checked out and headed out. The rain had stopped and the sun was shining, obliterating all evidence of the previous night's rainstorm. Rose drove while Alan sat beside her and Awinita sat behind them. No one felt like watching a DVD or reading so Alan decided to finish telling Rose what the Doctor had been doing during her absence. Awinita listened, spellbound, as he told them about their meeting the Ood. Rose felt sick to her stomach when he told her about the Ood's lobotomies.

"I knew it. I knew there was more to that whole slave thing," she said, angrily. "I can't believe people would do that to those poor creatures."

"Wait a moment; you've met these Ood things?" Awinita said.

She nodded.

"Yeah, they were with this research team on this asteroid called Krop Tor. They were the servants for the humans there."

She let out an angry puff of air.

"I'm glad I wasn't there. I would have gone ballistic on those bastards," she said. "Just thinking about it is making me so angry I can barely think straight. They sorted those assholes out, I hope."

"Yup."

Alan finished telling her the story.

"Good, I'm glad they're finally free," Rose said. "No one should have to live like that or have parts of their brains lobbed off. God, that is completely disgusting. I can't believe anyone would do that."

"Um, should I just talk about something else then before you get so angry you run us off the road?" Alan asked.

"Yes, that's a good idea because I feel like I'm about ready to. What else did they do?" Rose said.

"Well, I told you about the Sontarans. Did I tell you about Jenny?"

Rose frowned.

"No, who's she?"

Alan told her the story. As he talked, Rose's eyes widened and kept on widening until they were ready to pop from their sockets.

"Oh my God, he has a daughter?" she said to herself.

"Had a daughter." Alan corrected.

He finished the story and Rose found herself tearing up. She shook her head when he finally stopped talking.

"God, how can the universe be so cruel to him?" she said.

"The poor guy," Awinita said. "And I guess poor you also since you're his clone and I'm sure you cared for her too."

Alan nodded and Rose took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Yes, she would have made a great companion and a wonderful daughter. She had so many good qualities and the Doctor did think of her as his own flesh and blood by the time it happened. That's why guns are one of the abominations of human culture. People don't think when they're wielding one and poor Jenny paid the price because everyone on Messaline was bloodthirsty and tainted by war. His only consolation is she died in his arms and he did get to say goodbye to her before she went, but she was far too young and she had too great a future in front of her to be taken like that."

"She was another one that died in the Doctor's name," Rose muttered.

Alan glanced at her.

"Another thing Davros said to him," she explained. "All the people who have sacrificed their lives for the Doctor. Jenny is one of them."

Alan nodded.

"But…if she was his daughter, why didn't she do the regeneration thing?" Awinita asked.

Rose glanced at her and then looked at Alan. He shrugged.

"I don't know, perhaps the machine only took a portion of his DNA, enough to make a soldier, but not enough to allow her to regenerate," he said. He'd never seen that machine before in his lives and he really didn't have time to ask questions about it, especially after the door opened and Jenny stepped out, ready and willing to wage war on the Hath."

"But, wasn't she also born in battle and filled with blood, anger and revenge?" Rose said.

"Yuuuuuuup," Alan said, popping the P. "Funny how he gave everyone else a chance except yours truly here, huh? But, you know, can't cry over spilled milk, what's done is done and all that, so I won't dwell on it. I'll just move on with the next story and…hello?"

Rose looked at him.

"What?"

He grinned and pointed out his window. They were going past a cemetery.

"Turn in here for a moment," he said to her.

Rose frowned. She found the entrance and slowly entered.

"What's in here?" she said.

"Old gravestones if we're lucky."

"Why? You like old gravestones?" Rose asked.

He shrugged.

"I'm just curious. It looks like an old graveyard and I'd like to see how far back the dates go. Haven't you ever done that?"

Rose grinned.

"Well, when I was younger, we used to go into cemeteries, but it was usually at night and we were trying to scare each other," she said.

Alan gave her an amused look.

"Scare each other with what? There's nothing in here except dead, decaying matter," he said.

She shrugged.

"We were young and stupid. It was just something we did to pass the time," she said, heading towards the back of the cemetery.

"Was Mickey-boy with you when you did this?" Alan asked.

"Sometimes."

Alan snickered.

"Did he scream like a little girl when you scared him?"

Rose rolled his eyes.

"Sometimes," she admitted.

Alan giggled and looked back at Awinita.

"You haven't lived until you've heard her ex-boyfriend scream. Poor boy sounds like he's sucked a ton of helium."

"Alright, Alan, that'll do," Rose said.

"Well, he does. When he screamed in that high school, it was a wonder half the dogs in London didn't start barking in response."

"Alan…"

"And the windows didn't shatter either, they must have been reinforced."

"Alonzo, that'll do," Rose said.

"Yes, mum," Alan replied, pretending to pout.

They reached the back of the cemetery. Rose let the car idle while they climbed out and walked over to the gravestones near the back of a black iron fence. Alan whistled when he saw some of the dates on the faded tombstones.

"Late 1700's, I was right, these are old," he said, bending down to examine one.

"Did they bury people like this on Gallifrey?" Awinita asked him.

He shook his head.

"No, cremation and the person's memories were stored in this repository called the Matrix for all eternity. There was no burial."

He straightened himself and looked over at Rose. He noticed she was several feet away from them. Awinita gave him a confused look when he began snickering. She followed his gaze and noticed Rose was standing in front of a tombstone, staring up at a weeping angel statue with a wide-eyed look on her face.

"Rose, what's wrong?" Awinita said, walking over to her.

She looked back when she heard Alan laughing even harder.

"What?" Awinita said, looking from one to the other. "What is going on here?"

Alan grinned. He walked over and put his hand on Awinita's shoulder.

"I told Rose a little story about some weeping angel statues and now it appears she's spooked," he told her.

He walked over to Rose and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Come along, dear," he said.

"Not on your bloody life."

"Rose, this isn't that kind of weeping angel statue."

"Oh yeah, how do you know that?" Rose said, staring at the statue.

Alan resisted the urge to laugh.

"Because if it was, we would have been zapped into the past while we were climbing out of the car. Just trust me, you're safe."

Rose turned slightly, but still kept her eyes on the statue. Alan sighed.

"Alright, everyone, on the count of three, we are all going to look away from the angel statue," he said. "1...2...3!"

Alan forced Rose to turn and Awinita turned with them. They stood there staring at the entrance to the cemetery.

"Gee," Alan said after a few minutes. "Either the angel is really, really slow in getting to us or it's not that kind of angel statue."

"I don't get it," Awinita said. "What's the deal with the angel statue?"

Alan beckoned to her. As they walked, he explained the weeping angels to her.

"Are you serious? There are aliens that look like those statue things?" she said, when he finished.

"Yes, indeedy, and apparently I scared Rose into thinking that all weeping angel statues can move when they really can't. There are actual angel statues that humans have made. The aliens just happen to look like them. Helps them to blend in on Earth. And I'm sorry, Rose, I should have said that before but I didn't think you would freak out when we actually came across one."

"Well, how can you tell the difference between the real statues and the alien ones?" Rose asked.

"Um…you can't."

"Oh, just lovely," Rose said. "First it's sunbeams and road kill I have to look out for, now it's cemetery statues."

"Rose, for the hundred thousandth time, you aren't going to die if you walk through a sunbeam or walk by road kill."

"Okay, what's the deal with the sunbeams and road kill?" Awinita asked.

Alan told her. Her eyes widened.

"Oh my God, you could die from going past road kill," she said when he finished.

"No!" Alan said, exasperated. "No, no, no, there is a one in a google zillion billion million chance that you might die if you go by road kill or go through a sunbeam, will you two stop worrying about it and the Weeping Angels? I'm sorry I ever mentioned any of this to you. You faced the emperor of the Daleks without breaking a sweat and here you are being terrified of a hunk of stone and a dead rabbit. Could you please get a little perspective, my dear? You could step out of the people carrier and get hit by a car while you're worrying about the Weeping Angels and Vashta Nerada. There's more chance of a jet falling directly on your head than there is of a sunbeam picking your bones clean."

He stopped her and pointed back to the statue.

"See, not moving. It's still there. Just calm down and enjoy the pleasant sunny day, alright?"

They slowed their pace and examined a couple of stones. Alan frowned when he noticed a couple of the graves were carved to resemble dead tree trunks.

"Why would you want to be buried under this?" he said, gesturing to one of them. "What is the significance of it? I get the weeping angels, but dead trees? What is the symbolism?"

"When I was alive, I was tall and healthy and strong like a tree, but now I'm dead and rotting?" Rose offered as Awinita laughed.

"I have a feeling that's bang on," Alan said. "Crazy nutters, being buried under stone tree trunks. What were they thinking?"

"Maybe I'll bury you under one when you die," Rose said.

"Like hell you will, Rose Tyler," he said as she and Awinita bent over laughing. "I am going to be cremated like a proper Gallifreyan. I'm not going in the ground and have to endure the indignity of watching you mark my remains with a crappy, creepy, bizarre tombstone. And if you outlive me and you do that to my corpse, you better run for your life because my ghost will make the Gelth look like puffs of smoke."

"Gee, I thought you said that there was only dead matter under these graves," Rose teased.

"There is, I'm talking about whatever passes for my soul or spirit. That will be fully conscious and it will be in the afterlife watching every move you make with an eagle eye. So if I were you, I'd treat this body with respect because I have no qualms about haunting you for the rest of eternity. And don't think I won't do it because I will."

Rose looked at Awinita.

"I just love when he makes empty threats, it's so cute," she said, hooking his thumb back at him.

She ran away when Alan tried to grab her. Awinita laughed as she watched him chase her around the graveyard while he yelled at the top of lungs.


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter Fifty Eight

The Doctor slumped in an exhausted heap on the jump seat. They had both escaped from the Qytan, but just barely. The Qytan were a race of spider creatures that lived in shadowy subterranean caves. They possessed powerful venom that slowly killed their victims, keeping them alive for several days while they slowly drained them of their blood like vampires. They had been terrorizing a mining colony who had stumbled upon their lair when he and River first arrived on the scene. Both had volunteered to help the humans fight the threat, but in the end the Doctor snuck out alone to negotiate with the leader of the Qytan in a last ditch effort to avoid all out war and keep River safe. It had been a stupid risk to take but the Doctor no longer cared about his safety. He was growing more and more tired with each passing day as the knowledge that River's fate was drawing nearer and nearer weighed heavy on his hearts.

When he went deep into the Qytan's cavernous lair, he was half hoping that he would be captured and killed so he would be relieved of his obligation to the universe. Just as he hoped, he was captured, webbed up and bitten in the neck, the deadly poison coursing through his veins while the Qytan celebrated their victory. After that, he was left to slowly die in a fevered, delusional daze while the Qytan leisurely dined on his blood. He faded in and out of consciousness during that time, sometimes vaguely aware that lips were at his neck draining him of his blood, but most of the time he hovered between life and death and that was where he truly wished to stay because she was there. His Rose. He could see her so clearly in that other world, so beautiful, so innocent, her presence calming and soothing him and quieting the demons in his head, just like always. He longed for her, longed to be at her side, but somehow she always seemed just out of reach, beckoning to him to come to her and rest. He tried to do just that but there was always something holding her back, some invisible barrier that kept her from his side. It was maddening to see her within arm's reach, so close and yet so far. His mind cried out to her, called to her to come nearer so he could pull her to his side and embrace her, but there was nothing she could do. The Doctor wasted away in a seemingly endless limbo while Rose hovered nearby in a silent vigil waiting for him to be free of his body. She wasn't the only one who wanted him to be free. The Doctor wanted nothing more than to be released so he could travel across the void once and for all and spend his trouble and responsibility-free afterlife keeping a loving watch over her.

In the end it was not to be because River, after figuring out where he went, risked everything in a last ditch effort to free him. The Doctor was grateful for that but at the same time he was furious that the universe saw fit to keep him alive and away from the woman he truly loved. He hated that every time he thought he had tucked Rose away in the back of his mind once and for all, something would happen to bring her back to the forefront of his consciousness. It was as if God or the gods or whoever was in charge of the universe had nothing better to do than to see him suffer. There were times when he cursed himself for ever falling in love with Rose Tyler, but he quickly pushed those thoughts from his mind. His precious Rose was the best thing that ever happened to him. She had saved him so many times, both physically and mentally and he knew he would have been lost without her. He could never curse the time he had spent with her no matter how much it hurt to be without her.

_That was your own doing; you're the one who sent her away._

The Doctor swallowed hard as that thought barged its way into his mind and he quickly dismissed it. It was over, done with, and there was no way to get her back.

_Not necessarily. There are ways to bring someone back over the void if you don't mind bending a few universal rules. _

Once more, the Doctor pushed that thought from his mind. He wouldn't risk the safety of the universe for one human girl, not in a million years.

_Liar. _

The Doctor gritted his teeth. He wished he could put his own fingers up to his temple and do what he did to Donna; rid himself of the specter of Rose once and for all so his torment would cease.

He felt River sit down next to him. The venom was draining from his system, but he still felt groggy. He kept his eyes closed trying to pretend it was Rose. He was good at pretending, great in fact. Since the Time War happened, he often pretended that his people were still alive, that his planet wasn't rocks and dust floating through the endless reaches of space, he pretended that Susan and Romana were still alive and most of all he pretended that Rose Tyler was still in the TARDIS with him. That was what he did when River leaned over to give him a soft kiss on the lips. The self-loathing returned but he held still and allowed the charade to continue while River stroked his hair.

"Oh Doctor, they almost killed you," she whispered.

The Doctor felt her give him a soft kiss on the forehead. He kept his eyes closed and made a mental image of Rose in her place.

"You shouldn't have come after me," he said to the image.

"I couldn't let them kill you," River replied. "You shouldn't have gone by yourself."

"I had to," the Doctor said to the image. "I had to protect you from them. I couldn't let you suffer."

He felt her kiss him again on the cheek and sighed. He wanted so much for this whole farce to be over and done with. He hated stringing the poor woman along, making her think that he loved her when he didn't. But at the same time, he didn't want to send her to The Library; he knew that would also destroy him. He cursed River for being so innocent, so trusting. Didn't she know what he was capable of? He was the Destroyer of Worlds, couldn't she see that?

Finally, after a few more minutes of her stroking and caressing and kissing him, he could stand it no longer.

"River, just back off, alright?" he said, opening his eyes. "I'm not in the mood."

River was hurt by the gruffness in his voice, but he didn't care. He half hoped that he would either make her angry or scare her enough that she would want to leave. But he instantly regretted that when he heard her apologize. After all, she had no idea what was truly going on here. She was only trying to comfort him and he was the one letting her do it. It wasn't right for him to be angry at her for that. He muttered an apology to her.

"I'm sorry, River. I've been imprisoned in a web cocoon and was poisoned while spider people slowly drained my blood away; I'm not exactly in the mood for hugs and kisses."

"I understand, sweetie. It's just that I'm worried about you."

A sardonic smile passed over the Doctor's face for a moment. In many ways, she was exactly like Rose, which is why it was so easy for him to pretend she was.

"I'll be alright. I'm always alright," he said.

"Don't give me that bullshit, Doctor."

He was stunned by the harshness of her reply and stared at her in shock.

"You always say you're alright, Doctor and I don't buy it for one bleedin' second. You are far from alright!"

"Maybe so, but it's not your concern," the Doctor spat back. "I have lived far longer than you have and have seen more than my share of nightmares. I always recover and this time will be no different. So, I'll say it again, I'm alright. Just…take a nap or something. You need just as much rest as I do."

Groaning, he forced himself to rise. He wanted to show her that he could take care of himself, that he didn't need her to be his nanny. But as he struggled to get to his feet, he couldn't help but think of all the times Rose had helped him back to his bedroom and tended to his wounds while he lay on his bed staring up at her with silent adoration. All those times he could have said those three little words to her and instead, he kept his mouth shut like the coward he was. He had faced hoards and hoards of monsters and villains and yet he was afraid to utter three simple words to a woman who had no problem telling him how she felt.

He got to his feet and immediately felt his strength failing him while River ran forward to catch him and put his arm around her neck. The venom had not yet left his system and his body was severely depleted of blood, a last attempt by the Qytan leader to kill him before River could rescue him. She in return had stabbed him in the side with a stalactite and he had crawled away, presumably to die. After he left, River used the stalactite to cut open the cocoon and free him and he used what little strength he had left to help her get him back to the TARDIS. It vaguely reminded him of Androzani and getting Peri back to the TARDIS to give her the bat's milk before he died. He sighed. That regeneration had been extremely difficult on him and his next life suffered because of it. His sixth life was when the darkness within him started to come to the fore and he became more irrational and violent including nearly strangling Peri to death in a temporary fit of madness. He shuddered inwardly. If Peri hadn't stopped him…He couldn't bear to think how much worse he would have been psychologically if Peri had died at his hands. He thanked the gods that he never did that again to any of his companions, especially Rose. For one horrifying moment, he saw her lying on her back on the floor of the TARDIS while he straddled her body and choked the life out of her. He jerked his body trying to physically wrench the tormenting vision from his mind.

"Doctor?" River said when he almost fell backwards to the floor. "What happened?"

"Nothing, it's nothing," he lied. "I'm just…weak, is all. I just need to get back to my bedroom, have a short kip and I'll be fine, good as new, fit as a fiddle, sound as a pound. Just let me do this. You need to rest up as well. Believe me; I've had over 900 years of tending to myself and my wounds."

"Doctor," River said, stopping him. "Why won't you let me care for you? Why do you always have to be so macho? There's no shame in asking for help."

"I'm not ashamed. I just…want to be alone for awhile," he admitted.

"So you can think about Rose?"

The Doctor was stunned. He had never mentioned her name to River.

"W…what?" he stuttered. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that there have been nights when I've heard you in your bedroom talking to someone named Rose and there have been a couple of times when you've been asleep and you've said her name in your sleep. Who is she, exactly?"

"It's not important," the Doctor said hurriedly.

"Doctor…"

"I said it's not important!" he spat out.

He sighed when he saw the hurt look in her eyes.

"Just…leave me alone for awhile, River," he said softly. "The last couple of days have been rough for me and I need to rest."

River stepped back and watched as the Doctor leaned his right side against the wall and slowly shuffled the few remaining feet to his bedroom. She stood there silently watching with concerned eyes while he fought to keep his body upright. Finally, after several minutes, he reached his room and went inside. Then the door slammed shut behind him and with a sad sigh, River went back to her own room to rest.


	59. Chapter 59

A/N: I'm speeding this up a bit again because they've spent several chapters in New Jersey and by the time they get to the Valeyard, I'll be on chapter 900. So, I will be skipping a bit in their worldwide trek since this fanfic is already a monster epic.

Chapter Fifty Nine

_13 September_

_Well, we finally crossed the border into Florida and we're heading for Disneyworld, which is making Alan happy, that's for sure. Awinita is still with us. Alan basically got down on his knees and begged her to keep going with us and to be honest, I'm glad. We've gotten to know one another so well and have become the best of mates and I didn't want her to leave either, but unlike Alan, I wasn't going to just get down on my knees and beg her to stay. We also decided to keep the car after we saw how horrendous the traffic was, not to mention that it's apparently the start of hurricane season down here and with our luck, we'll reach Disneyworld the day a huge hurricane decides to blow through. _

_Alan finally finished telling us about what the Doctor and Donna did and now he's gone a bit into the Doctor's lives before I met him. All of it is so fascinating. Everything the Doctor did, all the sights he saw and creatures he's battled. Both Awinita and I have asked him about his other "deaths." Most of them sound incredibly unpleasant, but Alan told me the Doctor really didn't feel much and the regeneration was painless, which is a relief since the man has enough pain in his life as it is. I asked a lot about Sarah Jane since she's now my friend and I found out that she's had just as exciting a time as I did. Not only that but we learned that the Doctor has had a lot of different companions, men and women, human and alien and robot. Sometimes I think it might be too much for Awinita to take in but she seems to be taking it all in stride. I've asked a lot of questions and Alan has answered each one without hesitation. He's even told me a bit about the Time War although after a few tales of atrocities, I gave up asking about it. My poor Doctor, the unimaginable horrors he saw fighting the Daleks. It's a wonder he has any sanity left after all he's seen and done. _

_The one thing I will not ask about though is the Doctor's actual name. Even though Alan is the Doctor's clone and has as much right to reveal his name as the Doctor does, I still won't ask. If I see the Doctor again and he wants to tell me his name, then that's okay, but it should be his decision. Still, can't help thinking what it might be. His Gallifreyan companion, Romana's full name was Romanadvoratrelundar (Hope I spelled that right.) That's quite a mouthful and I can understand why she shortened it to Romana. Is that what the Doctor did? Is his full name Doctor-something-something or is Doctor a nickname? It makes me a little bit jealous that he told River his name and not me. But, then again, Alan figured he did that so that River could gain the Doctor's trust in the past. It doesn't matter anyway. I'm still not gonna ask no matter how curious I am. It's none of my business. _

_Well, I gotta go. We stopped at a lay-by for a toilet break and Alan and Awinita are coming back to the car. I just wanted to get caught up on my journal while they were gone._

Rose quickly stuffed her diary back into her rucksack as Alan and Awinita climbed inside the car and slammed the doors. Alan got in the passenger side and Awinita got behind him. He handed Rose a large cup of Coke.

"Blimey, this rain is horrible," Alan said, wiping it off of his face. "I thought Florida was 'The Sunshine State'? It's been raining nonstop for the past couple of hours now. And it even poured rain when we crossed the border and saw that big sign that welcomed us to the sunshine state, ya notice that?"

"Well, personally, I'd rather have rain than scorching heat," Rose replied, taking a sip of her Coke.

She glanced at Alan when he began to giggle.

"What?" she said.

"Two words. Eritian Minor."

Rose frowned.

"What about it?"

"Scorching heat? Ring a bell?"

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Yes, don't remind me," she said, starting the car and backing up.

"What's Eritian Minor?" Awinita asked.

"It was a desert planet the Doctor and I went to. God, it was terrible. The sun was so close to the planet everything had to live underground so they wouldn't get barbecued," she said to her. "We ended up uncovering this plot to overthrow the government there and the rebel leader tied us to metal posts and was going to just let us roast to death. But luckily the Doctor made friends with one of the rebels and she freed us when no one was looking."

"Ah yes, dear little Shiwa, I hope she's alright," Alan said. "It's too bad she didn't want to come with you and the Doctor, she would have made a great companion. She was a plucky little lass."

"So, did you guys defeat these rebels?"

"Yup," Rose said proudly. "We kicked their arses all around that desert."

"And when did your arse kicking come into play?" Alan said. "If memory serves me right, you were being buried alive in a sand pit while the Doctor was kicking the arses."

Rose blushed.

"Okay, maybe the Doctor did the lion's share of the arse kicking, but I helped once I got out of the pit," she said.

"And that means you kicked a grand total of…oh….one ass," Alan teased. "And I believe that ass belonged to the person guarding the sand pit."

Rose eased the van over into the fast lane, passed a semi and eased back in front of it.

"You know, Awinita," she said. "There are disadvantages to him having all the Doctor's memories."

"Why? Because you can't lie around me and make yourself out to be a female Rambo?" Alan said. "Am I poking quite a few holes in your heroic "I brought down the whole rebellion" story? Is that what you mean by that remark?"

"I helped!" Rose insisted.

"Yes, because of you there was one less guard for the Doctor to deal with," he said, winking.

"I did other things besides that," she said as he laughed.

"Really? Like what? Run around in circles and scream "Look out, Doctor!" at the top of your lungs."

He giggled when Rose swatted his arm. Alan winked at Awinita.

"She did much the same thing when the Doctor was battling the Sycorax leader high atop their ship on Christmas day a couple of years ago. The Doctor had just begun the battle when he hears "Look out!" in this high-pitched voice. Then he had to grab a water pitcher and splash it over Rose because she chose that exact time to faint dead away, which is pretty much par for the course with her."

Awinita laughed as Rose smacked his head repeatedly with her right hand.

"Nah, I'm having ya on, she's a great companion," Alan said when she let up on her assault. "One of the best there is."

He grinned.

"Mind you, it took a long time for her to launder the poo stains out of her shorts each time they met up with a monster."

He grabbed Rose's wrist when she took another swipe at him and kissed the back of her hand tenderly. Rose patted his cheek and turned her attention back to the road. They drove in silence for a few minutes before Alan turned on the radio. He flipped through the stations and grinned when he heard The Beastie Boys 'Fight For Your Right.' He grinned at Rose and began to sing in a loud voice.

"You wake up late for school man you don't wanna go,  
You ask your mom "please?" but she still says "NO!  
You miss two classes and no homework.  
But your teacher preaches class like your some kind of jerk."

Rose and Awinita laughed and joined in with him on the chorus.

"YOU GOTTA FIGHT, FOR YOUR RIGHT, TO PAAAAAAAAAAAAAARTY!" they yelled.

The three of them began to bob their heads and bounce in their seats while they screamed out the song. By the end of it, all three of them were laughing.

"Ah, nothing like a singsong to lighten the mood," Alan said.

He giggled when The Backstreet Boys 'Everybody, Backstreet's Back' came on the radio.

"Everybody.  
Rock your body.  
Everybody.  
Rock your body right,  
Backstreet's back alright!"

"Oh my God," Rose said. "I can't believe you know this song."

"Hey, the Doctor was quite a connoisseur of Earth music," he said. "He listened to everything from Bach to Beatles, from the barbershop quartet to Alanis Morrisette."

He grinned and leaned in to Rose.

"Am I original?  
Yeah!  
Am I the only one?  
Yeah!  
Am I sexual?  
OH YEAH!  
Am I everything you need?  
You better rock your body now."

"Down boy!" Rose said as Awinita laughed. "I'm driving right now and I don't think this family beside me would like it if I broadsided their Honda."

"Fair enough."

He went back to singing the song and grinned when Awinita joined in.

"I don't know about you two," she muttered as they laughed. "I'm still afraid to take you guys into Disneyworld, especially since you seem to have something planned."

"It's nothing bad. It's a surprise for you, actually," Alan said.

"Oh really? What is it?"

"Um…if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise," Alan said with wide eyes.

"Just as long as it doesn't involve blowing up the park," Rose said.

"Bollocks, you discovered our plot. Well, it's a fair cop," Alan said, shrugging. "I guess Awinita will have to dump the explosives out the back of the people carrier before we find ourselves serving time at Arnold Schwarzenegger's pleasure."

"Yuk, yuk," Rose muttered when he waggled his eyebrows.

The next song came on and Alan looked at Awinita. They waited till the chorus and they both yelled out.

"I'M A SURVIVOR! I'M NOT GONNA GIVE UP! I'M NOT GONNA STOP! I'M GONNA WORK HARDER…"

Rose switched off the radio.

"I think that'll do for now. Your singsong is suddenly giving me a headache," she said.

Alan pouted.

"We were having fun," he protested.

"Well sing something softer then," Rose said.

Alan shrugged. He thought for a moment and then giggled. He leaned in and began to croon into Rose's ear.

"I'm gonna hire a wino to decorate our home.  
So, you'll feel more at ease here, and you won't have to roam.  
We'll take out the dining room table, and put a bar along that wall.  
And a neon sign, to point the way, to our bathroom down the hall."

Rose stared at him as he sniggered.

"Where in the hell did you hear that?" she said as Awinita laughed.

"Um, the Doctor was on one afternoon listening to music while he worked on the console and that came up. He thought it was hilarious and he found the MP3 online and memorized the entire song so he could irritate you with it. Unfortunately Mister Short-term Memory got distracted by something else and he forgot all about it."

"Gee, I'm sorry to hear that," Rose said, dryly. "I hate to think I missed out on an afternoon of listening to that lovely song over and over."

"Well, if you wanna hear the whole song…"

He was cut off when Rose slammed her right hand over his mouth.

"If you want to stay inside the car, you will keep your gob shut and not sing it," she said.

Alan grinned and kissed her palm before she took her hand away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After a couple of more hours, the sun finally out just in time for them to see the signs for Disneyworld. Alan's heart beat furiously in his chest. He had taken advantage of Rose's need to give him spending money and managed to save up fifty dollars. He knew it wouldn't buy her a proper engagement ring, but he hoped he could find something to give her. After fifteen more minutes, they saw Cinderella Castle looming in the distance and Alan's heart beat faster.

_Almost there,_ he thought. _Soon I'll know for certain if she'll marry me or not. I've got to plan this properly though. Gotta time it right so it'll be romantic plus I gotta sneak away and find a ring or something._

"You've gone quiet all of a sudden, Mister Chatterbox."

Alan looked at Rose who was giving him an amused grin.

"I figured you'd be whoopin' and hollarin' but you've done the exact opposite," she said. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I'm just… in awe of the magnificence of the Cinderella Castle," Alan said, trying to sound casual. "And I'm brimming with silent anticipation to boot."

"Ah, I see," Rose said, nodding. "Well, we're almost there so just brim some more until we get there."

Alan grinned at that and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

_Soon, my love,_ he thought, _soon you will get the biggest surprise of your life. I just hope to God you'll say yes to me when that happens._


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter Sixty

Alan was beside himself with awe. Disneyworld was not only magical; it was also huge, much larger than he thought it was. As they walked through Cinderella Castle towards Fantasyland, he looked around trying to find something suitable where they could be alone for a moment. Somewhere romantic for the perfect proposal. They walked through the huge archway out into the bright Florida sunlight.

"Look, Alan, the Dumbo ride!" Rose teased as she poked him in the side. "You finally get to ride it!"

Alan looked over at it and grinned.

"Only with you, Starlight. I think I'd be too scared going up on the flying elephant by myself."

He looked around when he felt Awinita nudging his back.

"Now. Do it now," she mouthed to him.

He shook his head and mimed slipping a ring on his finger.

"Forget the ring," she mouthed. "Just get down on your knee and…"

She closed her mouth when Rose looked back at her.

"What were you saying to Alan just now?" she said.

"I wasn't saying anything, I was just yawning. The heat's making me a bit sleepy," she said, shrugging.

"You looked like you were talking to Alan."

"No, just yawning."

Rose looked at them both.

"You two are up to something and by God, I will find out what it is before you get us all in tro--"

"LOO!"

Rose was taken aback when Alan suddenly screamed and pointed behind her. She glanced around and noticed several people were giving him odd looks.

"I gotta go to the loo before we get any further," Alan said. "I think it's over there by the gift shop. I'll be right back!"

He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and sprinted away before she could say anything. Rose watched as he barreled through the front door of the gift shop like a bat outta hell. She turned to look at Awinita.

"What is going on?" she said.

Awinita shrugged.

"When you gotta go, you gotta go, I guess" she said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"May I help you sir?" a woman said when Alan ran up to the counter.

""Ring, I need a ring of some kind. I don't care what it looks like, it just has to cost fewer than fifty dollars," he said.

"We have some character rings for twenty five dollars."

"Perfect, where?"

The woman pointed to the back of the shop and Alan ran over. He noticed on one glass shelf there were several rings in little plastic containers nestled in among the stuffed animals. He looked into each container. The rings were made of sterling silver and had a tiny head of a Disney character mounted on the front of them.

"Let's see," he said, picking up a ring from each container and examining it. "Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Simba…"

His eyes widened when he picked up the next ring.

"Oh, brilliant!" he said. "Just perfect for my Starlight."

Holding it tightly in his hand, he dashed to the cash register. He rocked back and forth impatiently while the woman rang up his purchase. She managed to get it into a small plastic bag and hand it to him before Alan saw Rose entering the shop out of the corner of his eye. He turned to look at her, his heart doing flip-flops in his chest. Behind her Awinita was flashing an apologetic look.

"Tried to stop her," she mouthed to him.

"Alan, what's going on? I thought you were going to the toilet," Rose said, walking towards him.

She stared at the bag in his hand.

"You're buying souvenirs, already? We haven't even been on a single ride yet, let alone find the resort we're staying at. Shouldn't you wait till the end of the day so you don't have to carry that?"

"Uh…no, I couldn't wait. I had to have this right now."

Rose frowned.

"Why? What is it?" she said, reaching for the bag.

He jerked it behind his back.

"It's a surprise…for you."

"Oh, Alan, you didn't have to get me anything."

"Yes, I did."

Rose shook her head.

"Alan, for the last time, what is going on? Why are you acting so odd all of a sudden?"

Alan glanced at Awinita.

"Might as well get it over with," she said, shrugging.

Rose glanced at her.

"Get what over with?" she said, narrowing her eyes at Alan.

He sighed.

"Awinita, would you mind waiting by this shop for a moment?" he said. "I want to take a quick walk with Rose."

"I'll be here when you get back," she said.

When Rose turned to the door, Awinita quickly mouthed good luck to him. Alan smiled and nodded and followed Rose out the door.

Once they were outside, Rose rounded on him and put her hands on her hips.

"Okay, what is going on, Alonzo Timelord?" she said.

"Just…walk with me and I'll explain everything in a few minutes."

He flinched when he heard Rose let out an angry sigh. Terrified that she would be too angry to accept his proposal, he tried to calm her down by stroking her back while they walked. As they walked towards the rides, Alan noticed she kept looking down at the bag in his hand with a suspicious look on her face.

"I promise you, Rose, there is nothing bad in this sack," he said. "Just be patient and all will be revealed in a few moments."

Rose was puzzled but said nothing. They walked around Fantasyland until they found an empty bench in front of a huge shrub cut in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head. Alan glanced around and shrugged. It wasn't the ideal place, he really wanted a seat right beside the castle, but Rose was getting impatient and he wasn't about to risk this important moment.

"Please sit, Rose, I want to talk to you for a moment in private."

Rose sat down and looked up at him expectantly. He cleared his throat, trying to shake away all the nervousness he felt.

"Rose, first off, Awinita and I aren't planning anything diabolical behind your back but…there was something I planned to do once we got here and I let her in on it because I needed her advice and support."

Rose frowned but said nothing. She watched while Alan paced back and forth for a moment while he took deep breaths. Finally he stopped and faced her.

"Rose, I know this whole situation…what happened with the Doctor is odd, to say the least. I mean…"

He glanced at the shrub while he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Alan, what's wrong?" Rose said.

"I'm nervous, that's what's wrong."

"Why?"

"Because…"

He went and sat down on the bench beside her. Rose turned to face him as he put the bag in his lap.

"Rose, these past few months have been like heaven to me. Being with you and being accepted by you is more than I could ever hope for. Especially considering the history you and he had."

Rose was completely gormless, but she kept silent sensing that now was not the time to speak.

"Before I go further, this is not another bout of insecurity, although what I just said might have led you to think that. No, I…Blimey, this is harder than I thought."

Rose took his hands.

"Alan, whatever it is, you can tell me, alright?" she said, gently. "I'm not mad at you if that's what you're thinking."

He gave her a grateful smile.

"I'm glad you're not mad because I would hate for you to be mad at me right now."

"Alan, what's wrong?"

Alan took a deep breath.

"I love you, Rose; you know that, don't you?"

"Of course and I love you too."

He smiled.

"Are you truly happy here with me though? I mean, say the Doctor walked up to us and asked you to go with him, would you?"

"I wouldn't go with him unless he let you come."

"Why?"

She was taken aback.

"Because I love you. I love you, Alan, you and only you. The Doctor and I did share something together, but that's in the past. You're my future, Alan, and I don't want anyone but you now."

"I'm glad you said that, Rose, because I feel the same way. You have made my life complete and I can't even begin to imagine my world without you in it."

"I feel the same way," Rose said softly.

"Good…good," he murmured.

Not knowing what to say next, he reached into the bag and brought out the ring. Rose leaned in and smiled when she saw a tiny Stitch head affixed to the front of it.

"Ah, that's so cute, I love it. Is that for…"

She trailed off when Alan slid off the bench onto one knee and held the ring up to her.

"Rose Tyler, my beloved Amo'tiri, my precious Starlight. Will you make all my dreams come true and become my wife?"

Rose was struck dumb. Tears formed in her eyes and her mouth moved soundlessly as she stared at the ring. She swallowed hard and finally found her voice again.

"Yes, Alan, I will."

Alan was certain if his heart had a rocket engine attached to it, it would have shot out of his mouth at that very moment and exploded above their heads. With trembling hands, he took Rose's left hand and gently slipped the Stitch ring onto her ring finger. Once it was firmly on there, he lowered his lips and gave the finger a tender kiss.

"I wanted to wait till we got here to propose," he murmured as he stared at the ring. "I thought it would be romantic to propose to you in front of Cinderella Castle."

He paused a moment.

"Course we're not in front of Cinderella Castle because you freaked out and apparently thought me and Awinita were planning to hold Mickey Mouse hostage or something for shits and giggles," he deadpanned. "But, we're here and I guess that's what counts. Um, sorry about not having a proper ring for ya, thought. I will get you a diamond ring when I find a job and make some money and…"

"Don't you dare, Alan."

He looked up for the first time at Rose's face and saw the tears of joy streaming down her cheeks.

"Don't you dare get me another ring. I love this one. This is perfect. It's unique and I wouldn't trade it for anything. This is my engagement ring and I won't accept any other, so don't even waste your money."

She cupped his face with her hands and smiled.

"I shoulda known you were planning this, ya little git. All this time I figured you and Awinita were gonna go ballistic and run nude through the park or something and you were planning this instead."

"I've been planning it for some time. Remember when we were in that hotel room and I asked you if you loved me until death did us part?"

Rose's eyes widened.

"For a couple of seconds, I wondered if that was what you were implying when you said that, but then I figured I was reading too much into it," she said.

"No, you were spot on," Alan said. "And that dream you had, it helped to ease my fears a bit more."

"Fears? Did you think I'd actually say no?"

"Well, yeah, the thought did cross my mind a time or two or three or twenty. Actually, it was pretty constant worry, to be honest."

Rose took his hands.

"Come up off the ground and sit here with me."

Alan eased himself up and sat beside her. Rose took his face in her hands.

"Alan, you had no reason to be afraid, I would never have said no to you."

"But, the Doctor…"

"Isn't here. He's gone, Alan. There's only you and me now and my heart is completely yours. I told you, the Doctor is in my past and it's time to put his memory to rest once and for all and move on with you. This right here marks the beginning of a new stage in our life together, alright?"

"Yes," Alan said softly.

Rose smiled. She leaned in and gave him a long, passionate kiss on the lips. He resisted the urge to break off the kiss and laugh when he heard several kids letting out sounds of disgust as they passed by. Feeling defiant, he held on for another thirty seconds, feeling like a rebel for practicing PDA at a family theme park. He finally came up for air and gazed at his future wife, silently thanking God that she accepted his proposal.

"So, my…fiancée, "he said, stroking her cheek. "Shall we go and collect Awinita? I have a feeling she probably thought we ran over to EPCOT and ditched her."

"Yeah, that might be a good idea. If she knows you were gonna do this, she might think we eloped or something," she replied.

They shared one more tender kiss before taking each other's hands and heading back towards the gift shop.


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter Sixty One

Awinita knew as soon as she saw Rose that she had said yes. She had never seen her friend so happy. The two of them were holding one another's hands and had smiles a mile wide on both their faces. Awinita hurried over to Rose and gave her a huge hug.

"Oh my God, I'm so happy for you, Rose," she said.

"Thank you. I'm just glad that was what all the secrecy was about. I was worried there for awhile."

"She takes that whole Oncoming Storm thing way too seriously sometimes," Alan said.

"Oncoming Storm?" Awinita said.

"The Dalek's nickname for the Doctor," he said.

"They call him the Oncoming Storm?"

"Yup."

She stared at his boyish face.

"I find that hard to believe."

"Why do you find that hard to believe?" Alan asked.

"Because you don't look like an Oncoming Storm to me."

Alan grinned.

"Well, I guess I'll have to prove it to you then."

"Don't you dare, Alan," Rose said.

He gave her an innocent look.

"You don't even know what I had in mind."

"I don't care," she said as he giggled. "Just behave or I'll go all Bad Wolf on ya."

Alan feigned fear for a moment and then gave her a tender smile.

"Well, I suggest we go ride some rides then so I can keep out of trouble."

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and the three of them headed towards the nearest ride.

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"I'm not sure about this one," Alan said.

The three of them were standing in front of the Haunted Mansion ride. Rose glanced at him.

"Why, are you scared?" she teased.

"No, I just don't fancy fake haunted houses. I think they're boring. What's Disney's version gonna be like? Mickey Mouse jumping out at you with a bed sheet over his body while he says boo? A Goofy ghost with a disembodied head? Donald Duck dressed up as the Grim Reaper?"

"Why don't we ride it and find out?" Rose said.

Alan made a face. Rose chuckled and inched closer to him.

"Come on, Alan. What if I get scared and I'm all alone with no one to protect me?" she said sweetly.

"Then you're a bigger wuss than I thought," Alan said.

He ducked when Rose tried to swat his head.

"Please," Rose said. "Just ride it with me. I rode Mister Toad's Wild Ride with you."

"Oh, alright, but don't expect me to get too excited," Alan said.

Rose took his hand and they went and joined the queue.

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"I was wrong," Alan said as the chair they were in slowly moved through the ride. This isn't boring, this is incredibly, incredibly boring."

They went up a hill and entered an attic. Alan sighed as ghosts popped up from behind the furniture.

"Yip-i-dee-doo," he said, dryly. "That sure is terrifying alright."

He gave Rose an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry; Starlight, but I have a million actual monsters haunting my memories courtesy of the Doctor. Artificial monsters just can't compete with that."

The chair turned slightly and they went backwards down another incline into a graveyard scene. The chair turned and faced it. Hundreds of ghosts were rising out of the graveyard while an animatronic groundskeeper and his dog stared at them fearfully.

"They are inventive, I give them that," Alan said.

He glanced over and waved at Awinita in the next chair.

"How 'bout you? Are you scared yet?" he called to her.

"Hell, no!"

"Neither am I."

"Have you two made out yet?"

"No, but that's a brilliant idea. Be a lot more entertaining than all this."

He looked at Rose, a hopeful look in his eyes.

"No."

His face fell.

"But shouldn't we celebrate our engagement?"

"Not in the middle of the bleedin' haunted house ride."

"Drat."

He looked at Awinita.

"She's not interested," he said, shrugging.

"Well, wait till we get to Space Mountain then," Awinita called back. "I think it's a lot darker in there, less chance of you being arrested and booted out of the park."

"Brilliant, I'll keep that in mind then, thanks!" he yelled back as Rose groaned and put her head in her hand.

"You two oughta be brother and sister, you get along like a house on fire," Rose said to him.

"Well, she's happy for us, is that so wrong?"

"No, but snogging in the middle of Space Mountain is."

"Probably would be more interesting than that ride. Nothing like snogging to spice up a ride, I say."

They passed by a trio of hitchhiking ghosts.

"Um…ghosts can fly, why would they need to hitchhike?" Alan said.

Rose giggled.

"Don't put too much thought into this ride, just sit back and enjoy it," she said.

They passed by several mirrors. Alan's eyes widened when they saw the ghosts sitting with them in the chair.

"Hey, how'd they do that?" he said, fascinated. "That's neat. And the ghost was right in between our bodies."

"Maybe they have some kind of sensor that can tell where our bodies are at," Rose said.

"Maybe. I wish they'd give people backstage tours. I would be more interested in learning how they did that then I would riding the ride."

Rose smiled.

"Yup, you do have the Doctor's curiosity and need to know how things work."

"What's wrong with that? I'm sure if the Doctor were here he'd be saying the same thing. Nothing wrong with being curious about how things work."

A pair of double doors opened and Alan slammed his hand over his eyes when the chair went out it into direct sunlight.

"Gah! They could have warned us before they did that," he said.

"Come on, we have to get out of the chair."

"How? I can't see my bloody hand in front of my face anymore, let alone where to get out at," he said, taking his hand away and blinking.

Rose took his hand and both of them quickly stepped up onto a platform while the chair went on around a bend and back into the ride. Awinita followed and they stood together on the platform for a moment before they headed off towards the next ride.

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The three of them sat side by side in the Pirates of the Caribbean boat watching the different scenes as they slowly passed by them.

"You know," Alan said to Rose. "Pirates really were a bloodthirsty lot, ruthless in fact. Most of them did plunder and loot and rape. I think it's odd that Disney would turn them into heroes."

"You mean the movies?" Rose said.

"Yes and this ride as well. I mean, there's a bunch of comical, lighthearted scenes in here. The Doctor has encountered pirates before and there was nothing remotely amusing about them. I think I would enjoy this ride a lot more if I didn't have those memories in my head."

Rose pointed.

"Hey, there's Captain Jack," she said.

Alan looked around.

"Harkness? What's he doing here? And how does Disney know about him? Did he work for them at some point? Oh, wait…you mean Johnny Depp's character, sorry, my bad," he said as Rose swatted his arm.

Awinita nudged Rose's arm.

"Oooo, Johnny Depp," she said, grinning.

"I know, he's so hot, isn't he?"

They giggled when Alan eyed Rose.

"Orlando Bloom too," Awinita said.

"Oh yeah, I loved that scene in Troy where he was naked, I wish they would have panned down and…"

Awinita laughed when Alan slammed his hand over her mouth.

"I believe that's quite enough of that," he said as Rose laughed through his hand.

"Ah, come on, dear," she said when he took his hand away. "You don't fantasize about women?"

"You," he said, gesturing to her body.

"Anyone else?"

"You," he said emphatically.

"You don't think any other woman is hot?" Awinita said.

Alan pointed to the top of Rose's head.

"See this goddess sitting here? How can any other woman in the universe compare to this vision?"

Awinita and Rose grinned.

"He's smooth, I'll give him that," Awinita said.

"Oh yeah, that's another thing he gets from the Doctor. The Doctor could charm his way out of any deathtrap he came across."

"Can I help it if you eclipse every other woman in the world?" Alan asked.

He smiled at Awinita.

"Not that you aren't beautiful. It's just that I only have eyes for Rose."

"I get that, no worries," Awinita said.

She looked at Rose.

"Least you know he'll be faithful then," she said.

"He better be or I'll take a penknife and castrate 'em."

They laughed as Alan stared at her in shock and scooted to the far side of the boat. He feigned fear as he hugged his body tightly.

"Do I know you?" he asked as they roared with laughter. "Suddenly, I'm having second thoughts about marrying you."

"Just don't sleep with any other woman and we'll get along just fine," Rose said.

"Don't bed any other woman if I want to keep my manhood intact, got it!" he said as they sniggered.

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Alan stared at the scene in front of him in disbelief. They were inside the Tiki Room ride sitting with about fifty other people in a circle. Above their heads animatronic birds sang and in all four corners of the room little tiki idols and plastic flowers sang with them.

"This…is…stupid," Alan finally said. "What…is…the…point…of…this?"

Rose and Awinita giggled.

"The point is the birds sing to ya," Rose said.

"Uh-huh, well, Disney needs to supply the audience with rifles and live ammunition so we can shoot them all for sport. I would rather have the Master strip down to an orange tutu, strap me into a chair and give me a root canal than sit through this thing one more time."

"Hear that, Rose, he wants to go on it again."

"Yeah, when we walk outside let's get right back in line."

They giggled when Alan shot them a look.

"Help yourselves. I'll be locating a TARDIS in the meantime so I can give myself a mental enema and get this annoying, asinine song they're singing out of my head for good."

Awinita made a face.

"Mental enema? Seriously?"

"Oh yeah, there is such a thing. The Doctor had to do it after we went to this Welsh village and he ended up with a bit of this insane alien god inside his head. Trust me; I didn't watch him do it though."

"Sounds pretty handy. I think I need one too. There are quite a few things I'd like to purge from my mind."

"Same here," Rose said.

"Like what?" Alan said.

"Like all the monsters I've seen."

"Oh, well, you should have asked. The Doctor probably would have obliged you."

"No thanks, knowing him, I would have ended up with no memories at all."

She laughed when Alan gave her an indignant look and she patted his arm.

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Alan rolled his eyes.

He was hurrying away from Rose and Awinita who were singing the Tiki Room song to him at the top of their lungs.

"IN THE TIKI, TIKI, TIKI, TIKI, TIKI ROOM. IN THE TIKI, TIKI, TIKI, TIKI, TIKI ROOM. ALL THE BIRDS SING WORDS AND THE FLOWERS CROON IN THE TIKI, TIKI, TIKI, TIKI, TIKI ROOM!"

"Um, is it too late to take back my ring and call off the engagement?" Alan asked Rose.

"Yes, it is too late. You're stuck with me forever."

"Well, in that case, find a pencil and poke my eardrums out so I can spend my marriage in blissful deafness," he said as she and Awinita bent over laughing.

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"Here you go, Alan," Rose said, holding him a plastic cup that was molded in the shape of Eeyore.

Alan took a sip and swallowed a mouthful of fruit punch. Rose had brought one in the shape of Simba and Awinita had Dumbo. They walked away from the cart and over towards a nearby bench.

"So," Rose said as they sat down. "How are we going to celebrate our engagement?"

"I was thinking over at the Pleasure Island thing. The guidebook said it was for adults and it had a couple of nice restaurants," he replied.

"So, later on tonight then?"

He nodded.

"Except, what's Awinita gonna do?"

"I can go somewhere else. There's that Cirque Du Soleil show. I can go see that while you guys have dinner," she said.

He nodded.

"And then we can meet up again afterwards?" he said.

"Yeah, once we get over there, let's find a spot to meet at," Awinita said.

"You sure you're alright with that?" Rose asked.

"Well, yeah, I mean you guys need to celebrate. I'll be alright on my own, trust me."

"Well, you could also eat but be at another table," Alan said. "I don't want you to starve just so we can have a bit of privacy."

"Well, do you guys want to see Cirque Du Soleil too?"

Alan looked at Rose.

"Your call, it doesn't matter to me either way," he said.

Rose thought.

"How about this? You do what Alan suggested and eat at the same time as us and then afterwards we can all see the show. It'll still be a romantic thing for us to do."

"I'm alright with that if Awinita is."

"It's fine with me."

She grinned.

"Can I borrow your camera though, Rose, so I can take photos of you while you make out?"

"No, you will not be borrowing her camera," Alan said as they laughed. "You will be sitting with your eyes looking away from us."

He gave her an evil grin.

"That way I can throw her across the table and rip her clothes off without you ogling us."

Awinita choked on the juice in her mouth. She held her hand over her mouth trying not to laugh at that while Rose eyed Alan.

"Knowing you, you'll do it," Rose said.

"Well, supposedly it's an adult section so I'm sure they expect people to do adult things," Alan said.

"I don't think they had that in mind when they said it was for adults," Rose said.

"What? You mean they don't have the Mickey Mouse Brothel where Mickey and Minnie strip and make love for you?" Alan said.

Rose made a face.

"Ugh, now I have an image of that. Thanks, Alan, just what I needed," she said as they laughed.

"And Pluto will watch them just like any other dog would do," Awinita said.

"And Goofy too," Alan added.

"I think the only goofy one is you," Rose said to him.

"I'm just saying, dear, if it's an adult section they should have adult entertainment. They should rent hotel rooms by the hour and let people shag on Mickey Mouse shaped beds while they play pornographic Disney cartoons."

Rose stared at him.

"You have a wild imagination, you do know that, right?" she said.

"I'm just saying, Rose," he said as Awinita laughed. "They're calling the thing Pleasure Island. What's more pleasurable than sex? Especially when you're snuggling in bed together watching Aladdin and Jasmine having a three way with the Genie on the telly?"

"Oh God, shut up!" Rose said as Awinita bent over laughing. "Shut up, I don't want to even imagine that!"

She glanced at him and he gave her an evil grin and waggled his eyebrows.

"This is gonna be one hell of an interesting marriage, I can just tell that already," Rose said.

"I'm just saying, Rose, Pleasure Island…."

"Alright!" she said as they roared with laughter. "I get it, now shut up before I stick my straw in your ear and Simba up your nose! God…you are a complete pest sometimes."

Alan gave her a wicked grin and leaned into her ear.

"Snow White having an orgy with the Seven Dwarves," he muttered.

He leapt up and ran away when Rose tried to hit the back of his head. She shook her head and looked at Awinita.

"I hope you know what you got yourself into when you decided to keep on traveling with us," she said to her.


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter Sixty Two

For the rest of the day Rose felt like she was walking on air. She couldn't believe that she was going to be Alan's wife. It seemed strange that after only a few short months of knowing him, she could be so thrilled about marrying him, especially after loving the Doctor so deeply. But Alan was everything the Doctor was and a lot more. She knew deep in her heart that the Doctor could never give her the kind of life that Alan could. There was too much baggage, too much pain and sorrow in his life and she knew even if she tried to talk her Doctor into letting go, it wouldn't do any good, it was embedded too deeply now. Because Alan had made a conscious decision not to live with that, he was better able to love her and give her a long and happy marriage. He was what the Doctor would have been if he hadn't spent a lifetime fighting monsters and watching people suffer and die in front of him.

They had spent the rest of the day riding the rides, pigging out on snacks and stocking up on some souvenirs. They had decided that since they had five days that they would spend each day at a different park. At the moment the three of them were resting together on a bench drinking cups of Coke.

"So, which park should we go to tomorrow?" Alan asked.

"It depends. Every day, one of the parks either stays open late or opens early for the guests staying at the hotels. Let's just wait and see which one will be doing that," Rose said. "In the meantime, since we decided to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge we can take advantage of the free safari tour they give the guests."

Alan smiled.

"I'm so glad you decided to do that. That'll be fun," he said.

She shrugged.

"Well, it was either that or stay at the one that has the monorail going through it."

"Nah, sod the monorail. I'd rather see the animals."

Alan gave her a wicked grin.

"And they better have some giraffes so I can fulfill my vow to get back at the one at the Bronx Zoo."

"Oh crap, I was hopin' you'd forgotten about that," Rose said as he snickered.

"What vow?" Awinita asked.

Rose shook her head and sighed.

"He's upset because a bloody giraffe at the Bronx Zoo didn't eat out of his hand and now he wants to go beat up another giraffe in retaliation."

"Damn, I wish I would have been around to see that," she said.

"It was horrible, Awinita," Alan said. "The absolute cheek of the animal not eating out of my hand. If I pay good money to get in a zoo, I want the animals eating out of my hand whenever I want!"

"I'm sorry, I don't think I heard ya right, who was the one who paid good money to get you in?" Rose said, giving him a pointed look.

Alan stared at her.

"Um, it was just a figure of speech?" he said hesitantly.

He grinned when Rose snorted and he ruffled her hair affectionately.

"So, now what?" he said, when they finished drinking their sodas.

Awinita grinned.

"How about the It's A Small World ride?"

"I would rather be drawn and quartered, regenerate and be drawn and quartered again," Alan said, making a face. "That song is in my memory and I'd rather not listen to it while I'm riding through a ride."

"Well, we've been on almost everything else," Rose said. "You guys just wanna walk towards Pleasure Island and see what the time the show starts before we eat?"

They nodded and the three of them stood up, threw their cups away and walked off.

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After checking the times for the shows, they headed back down the boardwalk and found a nice restaurant. Alan and Rose found a table and Awinita sat down at one nearby. Alan gave her an apologetic look but Awinita smiled.

"Don't worry about me; I've eaten by myself before. Just have a nice romantic dinner," she said. "And I'll try not to listen in too much."

Alan turned around in his seat and grabbed a menu while a waiter walked up.

"Hello, can I get you two something to drink?" he asked.

Alan glanced at Rose.

"You wanna get some wine since we're celebrating?" he asked her.

"Oh, what are you celebrating?" the waiter said, smiling.

Rose smiled back.

"We got engaged today," she said shyly.

"Congratulations!" the waiter said, beaming. "In that case, we'll offer you both a complementary glass of champagne, how does that sound?"

Both of them nodded.

"I'll be right back with your drinks then," he said.

Alan grinned at Rose when he walked away.

"Wow, does that mean we get the meals free too?"

"Somehow, I seriously doubt it," Rose said.

"Hey, I'm your friend; do I get a complementary glass of booze too?" Awinita asked.

Alan snickered.

"Doesn't hurt to ask," he said, shrugging.

"Nah, I better not. I have a feeling it won't work."

"Well, order some anyway so we can all get liquored up and walk around Disneyworld in a drunken stupor."

"No, Alan, we will not be doing that," Rose said as they giggled.

She looked at Awinita.

"When the waiter comes back, tell him that this table is paying and then get whatever you want," she said to her.

Awinita nodded. She perused her menu while Alan turned in his seat and picked up his.

"It's amazing that Disney is willing to serve alcohol," Alan said to Rose as he scanned the menu. "Especially considering there are no rules stating you can't go back into the park afterwards."

"Yeah, but I'm sure there's a limit to how much they'll serve you," Rose said. "I'm sure they don't just hand you a whole bottle of wine and let you have at it."

"Darn, that's a shame, I'm sure the haunted house ride would be a thousand times better if I was soused," he said as she giggled.

"Or the Tiki Room?" Rose said, giggling.

"No, no amount of alcohol could ever improve that thing, trust me. So, what are you getting?"

Rose frowned.

"Not sure yet. A lot of these meals sound good. You?"

"I might get the steak and potatoes or I might get the spaghetti dinner. I have a hankering for both."

He chuckled.

"What?" Rose said.

"Let's get spaghetti and meatballs and recreate the Lady and the Tramp romantic dinner scene. How 'bout that?"

"Oh God, please do. I would pay to see you push a meatball across the plate with your nose," Awinita said.

He grinned at her.

"I wonder if they actually had people do that?" he asked.

"I wouldn't doubt it," she replied.

He looked back when the waiter came up with their glasses of champagne.

"Here you go. Would you like anything else to drink besides this?"

Rose looked at Alan and shrugged.

"I'm fine right now, but if you want something…"

"That's okay, I'm fine as well."

The waiter nodded.

"Are you ready to order or do you need more time?"

"I'm ready," Alan said. "Are you?"

Rose nodded. The waiter pulled out a pad and pencil and waited for his order. Alan grinned.

"I'd like the spaghetti dinner."

He ignored the warning look Rose gave him and smiled innocently at the waiter.

"You, miss?"

"I'd like the salmon dinner," Rose said.

He wrote it down.

"Anything else?"

Rose glanced at Alan.

"You want anything else?" she asked.

"How about some cheese sticks?" Alan said.

Rose nodded.

"Plate of cheese sticks."

The waiter wrote it down.

"I'll be back in a few minutes with the cheese sticks."

Rose gave Alan a pointed look as he walked away.

"Behave yourself with the spaghetti."

Alan gave her the same innocent look he gave the waiter while Awinita snickered behind them. He heard the waiter asking her for her order.

"Order everything twice," he said aloud.

He grinned when Awinita giggled at that and listened while she ordered chicken fettuccini alfredo.

"Nice choice," he said to her when the waiter walked away. "But you forgot to order the booze."

"Well someone's gotta keep an eye on you guys while you stumble around the park in a drunken stupor. Now turn around and pay attention to your fiancée before she sticks a fork in your eye."

Alan winked at her and turned back around to Rose. They picked up their glasses.

"To us, my love, and our future together as husband and wife," he said.

"To us," Rose said.

They clinked glasses and sipped the champagne. Alan set his glass down and stared at Rose quietly. The soft lighting overhead made her face shine and Alan thought to himself how angelic she was and how lucky he was to be marrying her. Rose smiled back and stroked his cheek.

"I'm so glad you proposed to me, Alan," she said.

"Well, I'm glad you said yes."

Rose giggled.

"So, this whole getting married to the Dalek dream you had, fears about something going wrong with our marriage?"

He sighed.

"Sadly, yes, I can just imagine a Dalek picking that exact moment to turn up."

"It won't, Alan. You can't think like that. That's the Doctor's way of thinking."

"I know it is, Starlight, I know. I'm trying hard not to do that, honestly. But unfortunately, no matter how hard I try to distance myself from the Doctor, he is still a part of me and his old neuroses still tend to pop up from time to time whether I want them to or not."

He smiled when the waiter sat a plate of cheese sticks down beside him.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Everything is fine," Alan said.

He nodded and left. Alan picked up a cheese stick, pulled it apart and put half of it in Rose's mouth. He popped the other half in his mouth and licked his lips.

"God, these things are good," he said after he swallowed it.

He grinned.

"You know, Rose, EPCOT does have Norway in its Cavalcade of Countries thing. Maybe they have polsa there?"

Rose made a face.

"Ugh, I have a feeling Disney's version of polsa won't be as good as the real thing."

"Ah, come on, it'll be interesting to give it a try if they do have it. Not to mention I'll get to sing the Fjord Song while we're there."

"Oh, hell no. No, you are not going to sing that, Alan Timelord," she said as he sniggered.

"What's the Fjord Song?" Awinita asked.

Alan turned in his seat.

"Little song I made up when we were stuck in a crappy hotel room in this little Norwegian village. We were staring at the ceiling bored out of our skulls and I made up a little ditty for Rose."

"Really? How's it go?"

He opened his mouth wide.

"Sing it quietly or I'll stick a fork in the back of your head," Rose said, pointing at him.

"She's no fun," he said, hooking his thumb back at her.

He cleared his throat.

"Lord, Lord, Oh God I'm bored, nothing to do in Norway 'cept climb a fjord."

Awinita put her hand over her mouth trying to stifle the giggles.

"I like that; I would dare you to sing it when we get to Norway, but I'm sure Rose would kill me if I did."

"Too right I would."

He turned back around and smiled at Rose.

"When we get to Norway, I'll sing it just for you, just for old time's sake," he said.

Rose shook her head.

"It's hard to believe that was a couple of months ago. All of it, us, Davros, the Crucible, God, it seems like a lifetime ago."

He took her hand.

"Just think in ten year's time we might have to face that stuff again, if not sooner."

Rose made a face.

"Don't remind me. I'd rather not face the Daleks again; I've had more than my fill of them."

"Now you know how the Doctor feels."

"Yeah, the poor guy's had to deal with them almost his entire life and I've only had a go at them three times. That and the Cybermen."

She thought for a moment.

"Are you sure you wanna get married, Alan?"

His eyes widened.

"You're having second thoughts now?" he said fearfully.

She squeezed his hand.

"No, I wanna marry you, but you know, I'm sure once we get the TARDIS up and running, we'll go right back to the same kind of life the Doctor has. Are you sure you want to be married to me because I'm sure if people find that out, they'll use it against you."

"Well, they'd use it against me anyway," Alan said shrugging. "I don't see how a ring would make much difference except it'd be a more visible symbol of our love. Either way I'd be upset if something bad happened to you."

He smiled and raised his voice slightly.

"But of course if someone threatens you, we can always throw Awinita at em."

He turned his head and looked at her. She lowered her glass of Coke.

"You're making plans for me to travel with you in the TARDIS now?" she said.

"Might as well, you're already traveling with us and we all get along well. We'd make a great team."

"Yeah, but that's in ten years."

"So?"

"I don't know what I'll be doing then."

"Come back to London with us and find a job there and then once the TARDIS is ready, you'll be ready to go."

"London does sound cool. But I don't know about the whole traveling in the TARDIS. Not after the stories I've heard you tell."

"Come on, you can handle it. Rose was the same way. She was just a shop girl when the Doctor met her and now she's a kickass alien fighter. We'll show you the ropes, don't worry."

Awinita looked over at Rose.

"Is it worth all these monsters he's mentioned?" she asked.

"It's more than worth it. There is a lot of danger but the planets I've seen and the people I've met are well worth it. And if you want to come with us, I'd love it too. Alan's right, we get along perfectly and I wouldn't mind travelin' through time and space with you."

"Wow, I never realized when I met you two in McDonalds and agreed to come with you that I'd be in it for the long haul."

"Well, I'm sure Rose felt the same way when she started out traveling with the Doctor," he said as she nodded in agreement.

"It's addicting even though it doesn't sound like it from the stories Alan's told ya. But, all the things you see when you travel in the TARDIS are just incredible. I don't regret one moment of it, good and bad. In fact, I wish we didn't have to wait ten years. If there were a chance we could leave right now, I'd take it."

"Same here," Alan said. "I don't fancy going back to London, but if you and Rose are gonna be there, the wait won't be as bad."

"And if you want, I can get you a job working at Torchwood," Rose said. "It's not the most exciting place to work, but at least you'll have a way to pay for a flat of your own and support yourself in the meantime."

"What? You mean I'm not moving in with you guys?" Awinita teased. "And here I thought we were all joined at the hip now."

They laughed.

"No, sorry, but once I marry her, we're going to be living by ourselves," Alan said.

"Well, what about the TARDIS then?"

"Oh, the TARDIS will be big enough for all of us," Alan replied. "You'll have your own living space and so will we."

He looked over when the waiter came up with their meals. Alan grinned when he put the plate of spaghetti and meatballs down in front of him. The waiter put Rose's plate down in front of her and after inquiring if they needed anything else, left them alone. Rose raised her eyebrow.

"I know how badly you wanna stick your honker in that," she said, pointing to his plate.

"Do it, I dare ya," Awinita said.

"Awinita, button it!" Rose said as she laughed. "Don't encourage him!"

He waggled his eyebrows.

"Oooooh, this is the night, it's a beautiful night and they call it Bella Notte," he crooned as Awinita giggled.

"I'm warnin' ya, mister, don't."

Alan gave her a loving smile. He flicked a meatball across the top of the spaghetti towards her and then fed it to her with his fork.

"There, my tribute to Lady and the Tramp," he said.

"Much better way of doing it," she said.

He ate his spaghetti while Rose tucked into her salmon.

"How is it?" Alan asked.

"Good, yours?"

"Good."

He slurped a noodle and looked at Awinita who was eating her meal.

"How's the fettuccini?"

"Good. How were the cheese sticks?"

"Good."

He grinned.

"So," he said. "I guess everything is good?"

"I guess so," Awinita said. "Except…"

"Except what?"

"Except I still haven't seen you throw her across the table and rip her clothes off. I mean, that is why I'm over here, isn't it? So you could do that?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that, thanks!"

Rose shot him a look when he started to get up from his seat. Awinita laughed when he sat back down and whistled innocently.

"Just keep your butt firmly in that seat if you know what's good for ya."

"No worries, dear, we'll save all that for when we check into the Mickey Mouse Whore House."

He and Awinita laughed as Rose sighed and shook her head.


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter Sixty Three

After eating, the three of them walked over to the theater that housed the Cirque Du Soliel show. They got seats near the stage and settled down to wait. Once the show started, Alan wrapped his arm around Rose and pulled her close to him. Rose kept her eyes on the show while she snuggled into his chest. He rubbed her arm and laid his cheek on the top of her head while she listened to the show with one ear and his heartbeat with the other. Eventually Alan lost interest in the show and gazed at Rose, watching quietly while she stared at the performers in silent awe. After a few minutes, Rose finally felt his eyes on her and looked up with an inquiring look on her face. Alan smiled and kissed her lips.

"Sorry, nothing can compare with watching you," he whispered to her.

Rose smiled and snuggled closer to him while Alan put his face on her head and closed his eyes, listening to the show while he breathed in the scent of the woman he loved.

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After taking in the electric light parade, the moment came for the closing fireworks. The three of them stood with hordes of people along Main Street and stared up at the sky at the light show overhead. Awinita glanced over at her friends and smiled when she saw Alan had her arms around Rose while she stood with him and watched. She was so glad Rose said yes to Alan. They made such a cute couple and she thought about how blessed she was to have met them.

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"Oh!" Awinita said as they entered their suite. "I am bushed. Going all over that park really wears you out."

"Yeah, but it was worth it," Rose said, closing the door. "You do get your money's worth which is good since you have to pay out the nose to get in here."

She looked around at the wooden interior. The room was supposed to resemble a hunting lodge in Africa. She whistled at the tribal décor.

"To look at this place, you'd never know you were in Disneyworld," she said. "Not one Mickey Mouse in sight."

She walked over to the sliding glass door leading to the balcony. She opened it and stepped outside into the cool night air. Off in the distance she could just make out the animals in the safari enclosure. She felt a hand on her back and smiled as she leaned her head back and caught Alan's lips. He came closer and wrapped his arms around her protectively.

"Isn't this a beautiful view?" Rose asked.

"Yes, it is. Although…is that a giraffe I see out there? A giraffe I can beat up on when we go on the tour?"

Rose giggled.

"You're just bound and determined to get back at that giraffe for not eating from your hand, aren't ya?"

"Well, I might as well give those poor beasts something to do since they're stuck in those damned enclosures for the rest of their lives."

He sighed.

"Even Disney has gotten in on the act. I realize they say that they are doing it to teach people about protecting and conserving nature, but I'm not sure Walt would agree to this, not after the message in Bambi about what human interference does to an ecosystem. Still…at least they aren't making the poor animals parade around dressed up like Disney characters for people's amusement."

He smiled and kissed Rose's scalp.

"Do you feel like a shower?" he asked.

"More than anything."

He nuzzled her hair.

"Together?" he whispered.

"You better believe it."

He smiled and gave her a few more gentle kisses on her scalp.

"We better go back inside then before Awinita beats us to it," he said.

He took Rose's hand and kissed the back of it before leading her back inside.

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After everyone had finished with their showers, the three friends climbed into bed. Rose and Alan were in the bed closest to the door and Awinita was across from them. Awinita yawned.

"I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and see the next park," she said. "Which one are we going to?"

"According to the schedule, EPCOT will stay open late tomorrow so let's go to that one," Rose said, turning on her side to face her.

She smiled when Alan turned with her and draped his arm across his body while he propped his head up with his other one so he could see Awinita.

"Did you guys enjoy your shower?" she asked them.

Alan grinned.

"Very much so."

"You must have. I could hear you moaning and groaning all the way out here."

She giggled when both their faces reddened.

"No worries, I just turned on the TV and watched Animal Planet. The grunts and groans fit in nicely with the animal sounds," she said winking. "You even roared along with the lion, Alan, I'm impressed."

"Well, I guess in future we'll know to tone it down. We had the same reaction with Rose's mum in Norway."

"Mum!"

Alan looked at her.

"I better call mum and tell her we got engaged," Rose said.

Alan groaned when she slid out of the bed.

"Aw, I was enjoying the feel of your body against me," he moaned.

Rose got her mobile out of her knapsack and dialed her mother's number as she sat back down. Alan reached around and put his hand in her lap while she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Mum? Hey! It's me, just calling to check in…and I have good news."

There was a pause.

"Well…Alan and I are engaged."

There was another pause. Alan looked at Awinita.

"Is she still on the line? I didn't hear a bloodcurdling scream of terror after she said that."

Awinita laughed.

"Maybe she dropped dead of shock," she offered.

"I wouldn't doubt it."

He smiled at Rose when she shot him a look.

"Um…well, he proposed to me in the middle of the Fantasyland section of Disneyworld. Got down on one knee and everything! It was so romantic."

Alan smiled lazily while she stroked his face.

"He did…no, it's not a diamond….no, it's not cubic zirconia either."

"Oh bugger, now she's trying to find out if I'm a cheap bastard," Alan said to Awinita.

Rose ignored him.

"Well…it's this….um, have you seen the Disney cartoon Lilo and Stitch with Tony? Yeah…the one about the alien…well, you know how Stitch is supposed to be a bad alien and Lilo teaches him to be good? I started calling Alan that as a pet name since it fits what the Doctor said about him and he got me this little ring with a little Stitch head on it."

There was a pause and Rose let out an angry sigh.

"No, mum…I don't want him to get me a proper ring!"

"Told you!" Alan said to Awinita.

"I don't want a diamond, mum. I love this ring. It's unique and it's personalized. Anyone can have a diamond. Alan gave me something that's just for me."

"Too right I did," Alan muttered.

There was another long pause and then Rose let out a ragged sigh.

"Alright, but be civil to him, will ya? I've had a wonderful day and I was calling to give you the good news, I don't want it to end with you and Alan getting in an argument."

"Argument?" Awinita muttered.

Alan rolled his eyes. Rose handed the mobile to him. Alan hesitated a moment and then put it to his ears.

"Yes, Jackie?" he said, keeping his tone civil.

"First off, despite what my daughter thinks, I want to wish you two congratulations," Jackie said.

"Thank you."

"Secondly, I'm sure you already know this, but my daughter is more precious to me than life itself."

"She is to me, as well."

"Then I trust you will look after her and take care of her?"

"Always have, always will."

"Then you both have my blessing. Now, you gonna get married right this moment or are the rest of us invited?"

"No, Jackie, we'll get married when we get back to London. I would be a complete fool to marry Rose without you present. I only have one life right now so the last thing I want is a death wish."

There was a pause.

"What d'ya mean "right now?" she said.

"I may have a found a way to restore myself and become a full Time Lord again, but that won't happen until our TARDIS is ready."

"Then what will you do once that happens?" Jackie asked.

Alan's eyes widened.

"Um, I'll be a Time Lord, I suppose."

"I mean, will that affect your marriage in any way?"

"No, I'll still wanna be married to her. Why? Do you think as soon as I become a Time Lord, I'll get all brainy and asexual or something?" he said as Rose and Awinita snickered. "Because that never stopped the Doctor, let me assure you."

"Are you gonna have children?"

"I don't know. Rose and I will discuss that somewhere down the line, but for the moment, we're just happy enough being engaged to each other."

"And you're still gonna go through with this daft plan of traveling the universe in this TARDIS of yours?"

"Um…yeah…I was planning on it. And trust me; I'm not the only one who wants to do it."

"But what if you have children?"

Alan sighed.

"I told you, Jackie, I don't know if we will yet and if we do, we'll make sure they are old enough to travel with us. We're not gonna be on some planet running for our lives and suddenly stop for a nappy change. Will you calm down and just be glad that your daughter has found some happiness in her life for the first time in a long time and quit planning all these "what if" scenarios that may or may not come true? I promise you whatever we decide to do we will do together and be responsible about it."

"What about that other girl? The one that was traveling with you? Did she go home?"

Alan glanced at Awinita.

"No, she's here with us. She decided to continue on with us."

"So, she's sponging off of you."

"No, Jackie, she isn't. Both Rose and I want her here with us. In fact, we both had to beg her to keep going. And yes, when we travel in the TARDIS, she might travel with us too. She's not a crook or a leech or a con artist. She's our friend."

Rose shot an apologetic look at Awinita.

"Don't worry about it, Rose. I understand why your mother feels that way," she said.

Rose tapped Alan on the shoulder.

"Let me," she said, holding her hand out.

"Rose wants to talk to you again," Alan said.

He gave her a grateful look when she took the mobile from his hand.

"Mum, for the last time, Awinita is not sponging off of us. She's a very dear friend and both of us love being around her. She's not a financial burden on me and I would love it if she came back to London with us. I don't have that many close friends as it is."

She smiled at her.

"Besides I need a maid of honor," she said.

Awinita's eyes widened.

"Oh God, I would be honored," she said to Rose.

"Great, now I gotta find a best man and we'll be set," Alan muttered.

"But she is in no way stealing from us or conning us or anything like that. And when she comes back to London, I'd love for you to meet her so you can see her for yourself."

There was a pause and Rose glanced at Awinita.

"Mum wants to talk to ya," she said. "Is that okay?"

"Um, I don't know. Is she gonna yell at me or something?"

"You're not gonna yell at her, are ya?" Rose said to Jackie.

There was a pause and then Rose shook her head.

"She just wants to talk to ya for a minute."

"Okay, I'll talk to her."

She sat up on the side of the bed and took the mobile from Rose.

"Hello," she said hesitantly.

"I just wanted to say hello since you're traveling with my daughter and future son-in-law," Jackie said. "I don't mind you doing that as long as your intentions are good."

"I'm not mooching off them, I promise. Believe me, I've told them both that they didn't have to take me along with them but they insisted I go with them."

"Then I want you to be careful and take care of yourself and help look after them the same way they're looking after you."

She smiled.

"I will, you don't have to worry about that," she said, glancing at her friends.

"Good. Despite what Alan might have told ya, I'm not some wicked witch. I just care for my daughter and want her safe."

"I'm glad you do. Not every mother feels that way about their kids."

"Well, I trust my daughter's judgment and if she trusts you, I do too. But if you do come back to London with them, please come over and have supper with us so I can meet you in person."

"I would be honored, Mrs. Tyler."

"Good, now let me say goodnight to Rose. You have a good time and take care."

"You too. Bye, Mrs. Tyler."

"Jackie, call me Jackie. And goodbye and have fun at Disneyworld."

Awinita handed the phone back to Rose.

"I take it the phone conversation with Mumzilla went well?" Alan said.

"Yeah, she just wanted to talk to me for a moment and say hello and make sure I'm not some insane murdering thief, I guess. She wants me to come and eat with her after we get back to London."

"And are you the one that's on the menu?"

Awinita laughed.

"I don't know, I didn't ask her that. Now, I'm wondering," she said as he laughed.

"Ah, don't worry, I took on the Dalek Empire to save the cosmos, I'll take on Jackie Tyler and save you from becoming a badly cooked roast."

"I appreciate that," she said, nodding.

Rose hung up the mobile and put it back in her rucksack.

"Tony was still asleep. Otherwise, you would have been talkin' to him as well," she said as she walked back to Alan.

She lay back down. With a relieved sigh, Alan put his arm back around her.

"So, I guess in the morning, we'll head out to the safari tour and then on to EPCOT" Rose asked them.

"Sounds good to me," Awinita said.

"Me too. Let me at that giraffe. I'll teach that long legged freak a lesson!"

Rose rolled her eyes and smiled when Alan planted a firm kiss on her cheek. She turned her head, kissed him back and then shut off the bedside light for the night.


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter Sixty Four

All three of them woke up bright and early the next morning. Rose let Awinita go to the bathroom first while she switched on the TV and turned it to the Weather Channel. In the meantime, Alan was being his usual bouncy, bubbly self. Rose was giggling while he danced around the hotel room singing loudly and off-key to her.

"Zip-a-dee-do-da, zip-a-dee-ay, I'm gonna kick a giraffe's ass today. No one or nothing's gonna get in my way. Zip-a-dee-do-da, zip-a-dee-ay!"

Both Rose and Awinita were laughing hysterically as Alan flopped down on the bed behind his fiancée and reached into his rucksack for his comb.

"You're sure of that, are ya?" Rose said.

"I'm sure of what?"

"That nothing or no one's gonna get in your way?"

She gave him a pointed look. He snorted.

"You know, you may think you're Miss Big Britches now that you've traveled with the Doctor and fought all those assorted beasties, but you still can't take me down. I still can kick your ass during our aikido sessions."

"Only just, dear, only just," Rose teased.

He gave her a kiss and headed towards the bathroom.

"Are you done doing womanly things in the necessary room?" he asked her.

"Yes, you can have the necessary room now, Alan," she said.

"Muchly obliged."

They changed places. Awinita walked over to her bed and sat down. She noticed the frown on Rose's face.

"What is it?"

"Possible hurricane," she said, pointing to the TV screen. "It's still out in the Atlantic, but it might make landfall in Florida in about five or six days. That means we might have to cut this short by a few days so we can get away from it."

"I did not hear you say that, Rose Tyler," Alan said from the bathroom.

"It's not for sure yet, it's a tropical storm right now and it's still out away from the US but we'll have to keep an eye on it," she said. "But if it does come this way, we're leaving. I'm not getting blown away and rained on so you can finish seeing Disneyworld."

"Hurricane, hurricane, stay away, come again some other day!" Alan chanted.

There was a moment's pause and then Alan exited the bathroom. He walked over to Rose and sat down.

"Opinion," he said.

"You what?" Rose said.

"I need your opinion."

"Yeah?"

He turned so his back was facing her.

"My hair is getting longer, isn't it?"

Rose touched the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Yeah, it is a little," she said.

Alan turned his head slightly.

"Should I get it cut or will that make you lose control and kill me?"

Awinita raised her eyebrow.

"Why would Rose kill you if you cut your hair?"

He snickered.

"Because I found out that Rose apparently has a hair fetish and she doesn't want me touching my luscious locks."

"Well, can you blame me, look at his hair," Rose said.

Awinita shared a look with her. Alan's eyes widened when she rose from the bed and began to run her fingers through his hair.

"Mmmm, yeah, I agree, luscious locks!"

Rose laughed and joined her. Alan sat there, stunned, as the two women mussed up his hair.

"Are the two of you going to jump all over and rape me next?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm not, you're Rose's boy," Awinita said, stopping.

"Boy?" Alan said to her.

"Well, yeah, you keep saying you're only three months old, right?" Awinita said. "Can't really call you a man then."

"I think I'll stop saying I'm three months old then if you're gonna call me that," he said.

He looked at Rose.

"But seriously, if I get it cut, would you freak out?"

"No, but your hair isn't that long. You really shouldn't worry about getting it cut."

"I know, but I'm just planning ahead. I wasn't planning on getting it cut yet."

"Well, I s'pose if I don't let you cut some of it off it'll be down to your knees eventually and I really don't fancy seeing that, so yes, you can get it cut, but not too much."

"Perish the thought," Alan said while the girls laughed.

He looked at Awinita.

"See, this is extremely telling, right here. In the Doctor's younger years, he would have done whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted and here I am clearing a haircut with Rose lest I arouse her wrath."

"Has it always been this short?" Awinita asked. "In this life, I mean."

"No, when I first traveled with the Doctor in this life, it was slightly longer on the back and sides. He must have gotten it trimmed at some point and you saw how short the other Doctor's hair was. As for his other lives…I have no idea."

"Um, it's never been longer than shoulder length, certainly not mountain man down to the knees length. But, he's had it several different styles and colors."

He gave a sideways glance to Rose.

"Except for ginger," he said, grinning.

"Yes, poor Doctor, never having ginger hair," Rose replied, playing an imaginary violin.

"Damn that Donna for not transferring her hair color to me during the metacrisis. I was ripped off! She got my mind and I didn't get her red hair in return? It's a crime, I tell ya!"

"Whatever you say, dearest," Rose said, feigning sympathy as Awinita laughed.

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A half hour later, the three of them were sitting in the back of a large tram while it rolled along a path through the safari park. Alan had his arm around Rose while they listened to the tour guide going through his spiel.

"See," Alan muttered to Rose. "There's that damn giraffe. Now if I can only get to it and kick its ass before Gabby up there notices I've scarpered."

"How 'bout this?" Awinita said. "I'll go make out with him and while we're frenching, you can get out, run over and kill it."

Alan slammed his hand over his mouth while Rose gave her a stunned look.

"You just love giving him ideas, don't ya?" she said to her.

"Oh, Awinita, you are a girl after my own heart!" Alan said.

The tram stopped moving.

"We've come to the end of the tour," the guide said. "Are there any questions?"

Rose put her head in her hand when Alan's hand instantly shot up.

"Yes?" the guide said.

"This is probably a no, but is there any chance we could get out of the tram and get closer to the animals?" Alan asked innocently.

"No sir."

"Thought not, just checking."

"Alan, geez," Rose said as Awinita bit her lip to hold in her laughter.

"Any other questions?"

"Is it true no two zebras are alike?" a woman asked.

"Yes, it's true. The stripe patterns are as individual as a fingerprint, that's how we can tell the ones we have here apart."

Alan's hand went up.

"Yes?"

"Why don't sloths move when people are staring at them?" he asked as Rose tried not to laugh.

The guide gave him an odd look.

"Sloths? We don't have any sloths here."

"Oh, I know that, but I thought we could ask any sort of animal question, so I just want to know why sloths never move when you're looking right at them."

"It's not that, sir, sloths don't move much in general."

"So, they aren't having parties when people aren't looking?"

Everyone in the tram laughed. The guide chuckled.

"No, I'm pretty sure they aren't doing that, sir. Sloths by nature aren't very fast movers. Any other questions?"

A ladies hand shot up.

"Yes?" he said, pointing to her.

"I realize you work here and this is your job but do you feel bad that these animals are taken from their natural habitats and basically trapped here in this park so they can be stared at by tourists?" she asked.

Alan raised his eyebrow. He glanced at the guide and noticed he looked uncomfortable. He guessed the man was barely out of his teens and had never been asked a question like that before. The man cleared his throat.

"The animals here are treated with the upmost respect and dignity and the Disney Company makes sure that they are taken care of and given everything they need to be happy and healthy. Any other questions?"

Alan heard the woman snort softly and mutter, "Sure they are," under her breath. He remained silent along with everyone else so the guide could wrap up the tour and they could all get away from the sudden feeling of discomfort that had settled over the tram.

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Rose could tell Alan was in his element. EPCOT had a more scientific bent to it which made it more interesting for him. Rose was glad he wasn't bored like he had been for some sections of Disneyworld. Even though he had lost a great deal of his Time Lord mind to Donna, she knew it was still more advanced than hers and the Snow White ride wasn't going to hold his interest for long. She sensed that he rode most of the rides in the Magic Kingdom Park because he was keeping her company, not because he absolutely wanted to.

But this was different. As the three of them explored the difference science exhibits, Alan instantly reverted back to the Doctor, telling both her and Awinita how things worked or what they were seeing, even adding in a little extra Time Lord knowledge at times. He had been doing this for awhile before he caught himself.

"Oh man, I'm sorry, I've been channeling the Doctor, haven't I?" he said sheepishly. "I really should just shut up and let you guys see the exhibits for yourselves."

"No, it's alright, Alan," Rose said quickly. "You're not boring me. I love listening to you talk."

"Same here. I'm just in awe of how much you know."

"Well, I would know more except Donna got a fair chunk of my mind, but still, I guess I can't resist that old urge to lecture on everything. Rose here knows that urge all too well," he said as she nodded.

"Yeah, but you know, I was kinda crappy at science and you've actually been very helpful, not to mention I would have been bored since I wouldn't have understood most of the exhibits," Awinita said.

"Well, see, I'm the exact opposite, science is a passion of mine along with maths. This is more interesting to me than Cinderella and Snow White. Plus, as I was telling Rose yesterday, I would love to know how the rides work rather than just ride them."

"Is your culture like Spock's on Star Trek?" Awinita asked. "The whole being logical thing."

"Um, yeah, pretty much. Granted, Gallifreyans weren't quite as extreme as Spock, but knowledge was prized above all else on Gallifrey."

"You didn't enjoy sex?"

"There was no sex, everyone was created in looms."

"Looms?"

"I'll explain later," Alan said. "It's kinda complicated and I'd rather wait till we back in our room or at dinner or something where I'm not trying to tell you and concentrate on an exhibit."

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Rose looked around her. They had gone through a lot of the country pavilions and they had finally gotten to the United Kingdom one.

"Welcome to England by Disney!" Alan announced. "Where, unlike the real thing, everyday is a bright warm, sunny day full of music and magic and pixies and fairies and leprechauns! Come tour our Tower of London exhibit and watch as Donald Duck is beheaded for being a Roundhead! Then, the corpse is plucked, roasted and served at our clean and charming Disneyfied pub! Fun for the whole family!"

He smiled when Rose shot him a look.

"What? I'm wrong? All the other countries so far have been clean and decent and pleasant and free of crime and homelessness and pollution. Why should England be any different?"

"Just try to contain yourself, dear," Rose said to him.

"In other words, behave?"

"Yes, behave and go along with the whole Disneyfied England thing," Rose said. "Don't make trouble, Stitch."

Alan looked at Awinita.

"Don't expect this when you get to the real country," he said to her. "It's a nice country, but not this nice."

"Gotcha!" she said.

"For one thing, even though it's known as Jolly Old England, everyone is not jolly to the point where they're flouncing up to you and saying, "Hi!" in a loud, falsetto voice. Believe it or not, there are grumpy people there too."

"You don't say?" Awinita said, feigning shock.

"Oh yeah…and there's actually crime over in England and rudeness too. Not everyone is polite and refined, you know."

"Wow, that's amazing!" Awinita said in a hushed voice.

"Will you two shut up?" Rose said as they bent over laughing.

"And…"Alan said. "Not everyone wears traditional English costumes when they go out-a-doors, there is such a thing as street clothes in England or civvies if you want to speak the local lingo like us natives."

"Civvies, got it."

He grinned and hugged Rose from behind when she groaned.

"Just pointing out the differences to Awinita so she doesn't have culture shock when she gets to the real England. I'm not making trouble," he said.

"Well, I have to admit it is all a little fake lookin'" Rose said. "I'm sure other British people get that when they come here and probably other people from other lands when they see their countries. But, at the same time, they're trying to show the best of each country to people who've never seen them before."

"Yeah, but it doesn't hurt to make it a bit more realistic so tourists don't go to these countries thinking everything is fine and dandy and everyone will just treat them like gold and then they get their purse snatched or worse. Another thing I find disturbing about Disney is their insane need to clean up life and present it in its sterile, PC, happy, cheerful form. It's fine for cartoons, but not for real life."

"And sometimes it's not fine for cartoons," Awinita said. "I hated what they did with Pocahontas. I've read about the real woman and her life was fascinating. They didn't need to add raccoon and hummingbird friends for her."

"Exactly," Alan said, nodding. "Everything has to have a singing, comical sidekick whether or not it's appropriate. I agree about Pocahontas. They didn't need to dumb down her life; she was a remarkable woman in her own right and there was no reason why they couldn't have just told her story without all the animated bells and whistles. But then again you're talking about the people who felt the need to make Oliver Twist with cats and dogs and give Hunchback of Notre Dame a happy ending."

He smiled at Rose.

"Sorry, we're back here being cynical," he said to her. "We'll stop now."

"No, actually, I agree with what you're saying. Cinderella is one thing since it's a fantasy but if you're gonna start doing cartoons about real life people, you should be as accurate as you can. And I also hated what they did to Hunchback. We had to read that in school and I hated the happy ending. Why they decided Hunchback would be good for children anyway is beyond me."

"Yeah, the whole scene where that one guy was singing about lusting after Esmeralda," Awinita said. "That was creepy."

"I know, I told my mum not to show Tony that one until he's a lot older because it's definitely not for little kids."

Alan stopped Rose and pointed at a nearby building.

"Hey, the Rose and Crown pub. You have a building named after ya," he said. "Care to sample the cuisine just to see how Disney does fish and chips?"

Rose giggled.

"Yeah, I wanna see how good their food is, let's eat."

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"Not too bad," Rose said as they ate. "Not the best I've ever eaten but it's better than I'd thought it would be."

Alan watched while she took a sip of bitter.

"You know, I noticed that France had alcoholic drinks too. That whole thing you were saying last night about keeping track of what people drank. How are they keeping track of these? In France, they had a little stand outside a building that sold those alcoholic orange slush things. How do they keep track of people drinking those?"

"I expect they keep an eye out for excessive drunkenness and boot those people out of the park," Rose said. "Other than that, I haven't the foggiest idea how they keep track."

"Eh, we won't go that far anyway," Alan said, sipping his bitter.

He glanced at Awinita who was drinking a Coke.

"Don't like beer?"

She made a face.

"No, hate the stuff."

"Have you ever had English beer?"

"No, just Coors and that was enough for me."

He glanced at Rose.

"Have you ever heard of Monty Python?" he asked Awinita.

"Holy Grail?"

Alan nodded.

"Yeah, I've seen Holy Grail. That was great."

"Well, have you seen their concert film at the Hollywood Bowl?"

"No."

"Well, at one point, they're doing an Australian philosophers sketch and Eric Idle compares American beer to making love in a canoe."

He paused and waited for her to respond while Rose giggled.

"Okay, I'll bite, why did he say it was like making love in a canoe?"

"Because it's fucking close to water," Alan said in a hushed voice.

Awinita snickered.

"He was right," she said.

"Try some of this. It's not like making love in a canoe," Alan said, pointing to his mug.

Awinita picked up the mug and took a little sip.

"Um…it's a bit better, but I still don't like the taste," she said, sitting it back down. "I like the taste of wine more than beer."

"Well, it's an acquired taste," Alan said. "The Doctor also had to get used to it when he first came to Earth."

"How long has he been coming to Earth?"

"Nearly a thousand years."

"Why does he like Earth?"

Alan smiled.

"Because he loves humans. You have your problems and you still have a long way to go in some areas, but your kind is brilliant and imaginative and capable of so much good when you put your mind to it."

"And that's different from your kind?"

"Well…Gallifreyans aren't quite as imaginative as humans are and to be honest, there were a lot of people there who were less than honest, especially in positions of power. But the Doctor was treated badly as a child and when he got old enough to travel, he went looking for people who were more accepting and he came to Earth and that's when he started traveling with companions. Humans in general are very curious and the Doctor loved how thrilled you lot would get when he'd take you through time and space. Gets boring after awhile when you've seen almost everything. It's nice to have people along who can see things from a fresh perspective, which is why I hope you'll travel with us when the time comes. You are just the kind of person the Doctor would have asked to go with him."

Rose nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, trust me; the Doctor was veeeeeeeerry selective about who went with him," she said.

"Like Adam?" he said.

She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, like Adam."

"Who's Adam?"

Alan told her.

"Wow," she said when he finished. "Sounds like a complete bastard to me. I'm glad he didn't get you killed, Rose."

"Well, he seemed like a nice person at the time. I had only traveled with the Doctor for a few months and I didn't think that anyone would turn on him and try to use time travel to their advantage. The compound we were in was filling up with cement and I was the one who persuaded the Doctor to take him along, I should have just told him to drop him off at his home."

"Yes, that would have been the preferable thing to do."

Rose looked at him.

"He was jealous of him too, wasn't he?"

"Let me put it this way, pretty boy should consider himself lucky he didn't have roaming fingers."

"I knew it!" Rose said as Awinita laughed. "Oh, I knew he was jealous but naturally he wouldn't admit to that. Is that another reason why he kicked him out of the TARDIS?"

"He kicked him out because he nearly got the two of you killed."

"But I screwed up too. I saved my dad and nearly destroyed the whole world and he didn't do that to me. All I had to do was apologize and he forgot about it and took me back. So, was the other reason he didn't give him a second chance was because he was jealous? I mean, Adam apologized too, you know."

"Adam was different."

"In what way?"

"He wasn't handpicked by the Doctor to travel with him. He took him on board because you asked. He was given a chance and he blew it so he lost the right to travel with him. Yes, he was a bit jealous but that wasn't the main reason. He almost got you killed. The Doctor doesn't take just anyone along with him, you know that."

He looked at Awinita.

"The Doctor's very careful about the people he lets travel with him because of stuff like that. Unfortunately, in that instance, he let his love for Rose supersede his judgment and that was the last time that I know of that he did that. He was careful when it came to choosing Martha. He sized her up beforehand and when she found him after he saved her, he offered to take her along. Mind you, it was on a trial basis at first. He just kept telling her she could have one trip and then one more trip and then one more just to make sure she was trustworthy and when she proved herself, he made her a full companion. Donna was a different story. Donna was destined to travel with him in order to save the universe which is why he kept running into her and met her granddad before she came on board full time. The reason I'm extending the right to travel with us is because I've done what he's done, I've deemed you trustworthy and capable of holding your own no matter the situation. If you weren't worthy, I wouldn't have offered."

"Well, I'm honored and I would love to come with you guys. It does sound like fun even though some of the monsters you mentioned scared the crap outta me. I had no idea stuff like that existed in the universe."

"Same here," Rose said. "But like I said, not all of it is monsters. A lot of it is beautiful. Course this is a different universe from the one I traveled through, so I can't say for sure if the same planets are out there."

"Yes, but this world is only parallel to the other one. You notice that not that much is different," Alan said. "Save Gallifrey, I'm sure that all the planets you visited in the other universe are in this one too."

"Why not Gallifrey? Did it burn up in this universe too?" Awinita asked.

"No, supposedly Time Lords existed in only one universe. I don't know if that's true or not but that was the theory."

"So, you don't have a home here either."

"Oh, I have a home. Thanks to Rose and Torchwood, I'm officially a British citizen. Earth is my home."

"So, you're a…uh…Gallifreyan…ex-patriot, is that what they call it?"

"Yes, I'm a Gallifreyan ex-patriot. The Earth is my adopted home."

"Look out, Earth. All humans better run and hide." Rose muttered.

Awinita laughed as Alan gave Rose a long, hard stare and she quickly ducked down underneath the table.

"I'll just overlook that, Rose, since I don't have a TARDIS to boot you out of," he said with a wink.


	65. Chapter 65

Chapter Sixty Five

"Aha! We've finally reached Norway!" Alan said.

He gave Rose a terrified look.

"Oh no, we've tried to outrun Norway and it caught up to us again, whatever shall we do?"

"I don't know," Rose said, playing along. "Maybe go buy a comb?"

She laughed when Alan's face lit up.

"Oh, I'm all for buying a comb. Let's go buy a comb right here and now!" he said, leering at her.

He giggled at Awinita's confused look.

"Private, naughty joke," he said. "Has to do with something we did after we brought a comb to share."

Awinita's mouth formed an O.

"Yeah, I think I can figure the rest out then," she said. "I don't need the details."

They strolled through the simulated village. Rose snickered when Alan kept singing the fjord song under his breath. She looked at him when he burst out laughing.

"Hey, looks just like the crappy inn we stayed at, doesn't it?" he said, pointing to a building several feet away.

Rose giggled.

"Yeah, it does. Should we go inside for old time's sake?"

"You read my mind, Starlight. Come on, Awinita. If we're lucky, the Vashta Nerada is in the same place it was in the real Norway."

They entered the door and stopped when they realized it was a restaurant.

"Bollocks, I was hoping to show Awinita our old prison cell," he said.

He smiled at Rose.

"Wanna see if they have polsa though?"

"Sure."

They sat down and a woman dressed in a traditional Norwegian outfit came over to the table.

"Welcome to the Valkyrie," she said. "Would you like something to drink?"

Alan looked at Rose.

"Cokes?" he said.

"Yeah, I think we better let one beer be our limit for today," she said.

"Three Cokes and…do you have polsa, by chance?"

"Yes, we do."

"Brilliant."

He looked at Awinita.

"Wanna try it?"

"Sure."

"Can we just get three plates of polsa please?" Alan said.

She nodded.

"Anything else?"

Alan looked at the two women. They both shook their heads.

"No, that's it."

"I'll be right back then with your orders."

She left and went back to the kitchen.

"I hope this polsa is worth it," Rose said. "I have a feeling it's gonna cost a lot more than it did in Norway."

The fish and chips weren't too bad, I don't see why the polsa won't be either," Alan said.

"And after we eat then you go buy a comb?" Awinita asked.

Rose reddened as Alan chortled.

"Yes, gotta go buy a comb afterwards."

"So…that would make a good wedding gift then?"

"A comb?" Alan said.

"Yeah, should I go buy you a comb for a wedding gift?"

Alan ruffled Rose's hair when she reddened even more.

"No, I think a comb won't be necessary anymore," he said.

"I can't believe I said that. What was I thinking? Now it's gonna become a running joke between you two. I can just see getting combs every five minutes from the both of ya."

"Eh, it'll be a private joke just between the three of us," Alan said. "Right, Awinita?"

"Right."

They looked over when the waitress came back with a tray filled with their drinks and polsa. She sat them down in front of them and walked away.

"Moment of truth," Alan said, picking up his fork.

He tore off a bit of his polsa and fed it to Rose.

"And the verdict is?" he said.

"It's not bad. It's just as good as the real stuff," she said.

He looked at Awinita who was putting a bit of it in her mouth. She chewed, swallowed and nodded.

"This is really good, I like it."

"Thought you might. Rose and I were stuck in that village for days and we practically lived off this. It's our favorite food, actually."

"It's good. Better than regular hot dogs."

"It was something we consciously did when we were first stuck together. We figured that in order to become a separate couple from Rose and the Doctor then we had to get our own favorites. With her and the Doctor, it was chips, French fries, you know. Almost from the first, I tried to distinguish myself from the Doctor so she wouldn't feel like she was dating a clone. So, I chose a new name for myself and we made up our own private jokes and gave each other pet names so we could be our own separate couple. We decided after eating polsa that it would be our favorite food."

"So, what's your song then?" Awinita asked.

Alan frowned and looked at Rose.

"Blimey, we didn't think of that, did we?"

"I just figured it was the fjord song."

"Do you want it to be the fjord song?"

"No!" she said as he laughed.

"How about the Tiki Room song?" Awinita said.

"No!" Alan said while Rose bent over laughing. "No, anything but that!"

"Aw, come on, Alan. It's a pretty song," Rose said. "And we heard it on the day you proposed to me."

"I extend the whole drawn and quartered fate to that song as well," he said. "I will accept any song as our song except that monstrosity or It's a Small World, come to think of it. Neither of those will be acceptable."

Awinita giggled.

"How about the I'm Gonna Hire a Wino song?" she said as Rose laughed.

"Well, given that the Doctor doesn't have any domestic skills, I'm sure our flat will look like it's been decorated by a wino once he gets through with it."

"I can decorate a flat," Alan protested.

Rose snorted.

"I've seen the Doctor's bedroom before. If you are anything like em, then I better be the one doing the decorating."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that he had papers all over the place and books and clothes in the corners. If that's his idea of decorating then I don't want any part of it."

"He had everything where he could find it," Alan said. "It may have looked messy to you but it was orderly to him."

"Ought oh, I can see you two are headed for a lover's tiff," Awinita teased.

Alan paused a moment.

"Are we?"

He looked at Rose.

"Does that mean we can have make-up sex now?" he said as Awinita choked on her Coke.

"Will you wait till my mouth is clear before you say stuff like that?" she said to Alan. "You're gonna make me choke to death one of these days and then I won't be able to travel in the TARDIS with you."

"Sorry, I'll be more aware of what's in your mouth in future," Alan said to her.

He looked at Rose with a hopeful look.

"So…make-up sex?"

"You just love sex, don't ya?"

"Abso-bloody-lutely. As I was telling Awinita, there wasn't such a thing back on old Gallifrey. You very graciously introduced me to the wonder of it."

"Yeah and you said you gonna explain the looms when you were sitting down somewhere," Awinita said. "So, what are these looms?"

He gave her a brief description.

"Wow, making people by machine. Sign me up for that. I'd rather have a baby that way then give birth."

"Yeah, me too," Rose said. "Which reminds me. If we do have kids like my mum fears we will, are they going to be loomed?"

"Hardly."

"Why not? Don'tcha wanna have a traditional Gallifreyan birth?" she teased.

"Well, I would love to, but unfortunately neither the Doctor nor I know how to build one."

"You don't know how these looms work?" Rose said.

"No, why would I know how they work or the Doctor, for that matter. The only time he had anything to do with them was when he was being grown in one. Sorry, Rose, but if you have a child it'll have to be through good old sweatin' and pushin'. I can't spare you from the pain of childbirth."

"Damn. I was hoping if you made one we could sell them to pregnant women and make a fortune," Rose said. "Ah well, the Doctor didn't know about that Genesis Ark either so I guess I can forgive him if he doesn't know other things about his planet."

They finished eating, paid for their meals and headed back out the door.

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"Get a good gander at this one, girls, because this is where we'll be heading once we leave the US," he said as they walked into the Japanese pavilion.

"I can't wait. I loved seeing Kyoto. It'll be neat to see modern Japan," Rose said.

Alan held up his hand when he saw a Japanese woman wearing a kimono walking towards them.

"Sumimasen, o'terai wa doku desu ka?" he said to her.

Rose and Awinita glanced at each other and watched while the woman looked around her.

"Shirimasen," she finally said, shrugging.

"Ah," Alan said.

He bowed to her.

"Domo arigato," he said.

The woman bowed back and went on her way.

"What did you guys say?" Awinita said.

"I asked her where the toilet was, she said she didn't know and I thanked her. Just trying out my limited Japanese on the Disney staff. Apparently kimono girl was new to this simulation."

"Do you know a lot of languages?" Awinita asked.

"I know some. If I had my Time Lord mind, I'd know over five billion of them."

"Oh, kinda like C3PO," she said.

Rose laughed when he gave her a dirty look.

"I am nothing like that effeminate droid thing, thanks," he said as they snickered.

"So, just how well do you know Japanese then?" Awinita asked.

"Enough to function."

"Like if we need to use the loo?" Rose asked.

"Is he gonna know the answer when they tell him?"

Rose grinned and shrugged.

"I don't know if we should trust him if he doesn't know every single word in the Japanese language," she said to Rose. "He might ask where the toilet is and we would all end up at The Grudge house instead."

"That was a freaky movie," Rose said.

"I know. The ghost lady was creepy."

"So was the kid."

"Yeah, but not as much as the woman," Rose said as they followed Alan. "You seen The Ring?"

"Yeah, I've actually seen both the US and Japanese versions. I liked the US one better. I like Naomi Watts."

"Me too, did you see King Kong?"

"Yeah, that was great! Except for the slug scene. I was eating during that and about puked," Awinita said.

Rose laughed.

"But I loved how they did King Kong, he was so realistic looking and--"

"Um, Rose, did we lose someone?"

Rose frowned and looked straight ahead. Her eyes widened when she didn't see Alan in front of them. She stopped and looked around and noticed he was several feet back leaning against the side of a building while he stared at the two of them intently. They walked back.

"What'd ya stop for?" Rose asked.

"I was just listening to you going on and on about Japanese horror films and King Kong and decided to see how long it would take before you noticed I wasn't in front of you anymore. So where are you in the conversation? Discussing the finer points of the Matthew Broderick Godzilla movie?"

"Are we allowed to talk to each other?" Rose said.

Alan shrugged.

"Nothing wrong with it. I just found it amusing where your train of thoughts were taking you. You were teasing me about my Japanese and the next thing I know you're on about King Kong and Naomi Watts. And you accuse me of pointless rambling. Besides, you're missing all the great scenery while you're drooling over men."

"We weren't drooling over anyone," Rose said. "We were just talking. Are you jealous of me talking to Awinita now?"

"No, I just think it was funny that you got off on this odd tangent. It's so human, you know, discussing all this pointless trivia and comparing notes on movies you've seen. That, Awinita, is another reason why the Doctor loves Earth. When Gallifreyans got off on tangents, it was of a scientific nature. They didn't spend precious time drooling over Johnny Depp's buttocks and raving about the shape and size of them. But anyway, just trying a little test since you guys were only paying attention to each other and not to the pavement in front of you. I did consider stopping suddenly but then I figured you two would just plow into me, step on my head and go right on with King Kong chat time while I lay there bleeding, so I just decided to duck away and take a short rest. I found this little shop too selling Japanese things. If you don't mind, I'd like to take a look. I love Asian artwork."

"No, go ahead," Rose said.

"Are you coming with or are you going to go on talking about King Kong?"

"No, we're finished with our King Kong discussion."

"Brilliant."

He paused a moment.

"And just throwing my two pence in, Fay Wray was better than Naomi Watts, just adding to your discussion before it ends completely."

He put his hand on Rose's back and they went inside the shop.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ah, blimey, I'm glad we're in shape," Alan said, walking into their hotel room. "These parks certainly require a lot of walking."

He went to his rucksack and put the tiny bag containing his tiny Maneki Neko cat sculpture next to it. He had explained to both of them that the beckoning cat was a traditional symbol of good luck.

"I think on this trip we're gonna need all the good luck we can get," he said to them.

He leaned back up and rubbed his back.

"So, Awinita, you want the shower first?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll hurry so you guys don't have to stay up very long, I know how tired you are," she said.

"Take your time, we'll be alright," he said, waving his hand.

Awinita grabbed her rucksack and went in the bathroom. Once the door was closed, Alan went over to Rose and sat down beside her on the bed.

"Another fun day," he said to her. "I just hope that bloody hurricane stays back or dies out or something."

"Well if not, we'll go somewhere else fun. We have the rest of the US, you know."

"Yeah, I know, but I wanna make as many memories as we can before we have to go back to London and the drudgery of nine to five human existence."

Rose leaned her head onto his.

"I know, Alan, I don't fancy going back either. But it has to be done until the ten years have passed."

He nuzzled her hair with his nose and Rose sighed and closed her eyes when he began to kiss her head tenderly.

"At least we have the wedding to look forward to," he whispered." That'll be one bright spot for us."

"Mmm, I know, I can't wait."

"Really?"

Rose glanced at him.

"Because if you just want to remain friends, I'll be happy with that too."

"No, I want to marry you. Is there any chance you're ever gonna get over this insecurity of yours?"

"Truthfully?"

"Yes, truthfully, like you've always been."

"I just…I mean I know you tell me you love me but there will probably always be a spark of fear and doubt within me. If I didn't have the Doctor's memories and thoughts and know what he meant to you, I wouldn't have this problem."

"But I keep telling you that he's not around anymore and I can't go on pining for him and waiting for another one in a million chance that he might return, not when I have someone just as wonderful in front of me. You're every bit as good as he is and I would be honored to be your wife. You are cute and funny and sweet and you're never boring and damn, can you kiss."

Alan brightened at that.

"Really?"

"Oooooh yeah, I have to admit I was kissing you that day on the beach to see if you were just as good as the Doctor and you were."

"Hmm, glad I passed muster then."

"You do in all areas, trust me."

She leaned her head against his.

"So, no more worries?" she said.

"I'll try, but I can't guarantee anything. It's just like the Dalek dream. I can't predict that I won't have more insecure feelings but I will try my very, very best not to in future."

"Good, that's all I ask of you."

She kissed him and looked over at the bathroom when she heard the shower turn off.

"Now, put all those worries aside and come with me into the shower so we can have a quick snog before bed. I think that'll cap off the evening, don't you?"


	66. Chapter 66

Chapter Sixty Six

Rose was awakened early the next morning by Alan's fingertips in her armpit. She gasped and looked back at him. He was propped up on one arm looking down at her with an impish grin on his face.

"Up and at em, time for another funtastic day at the Magic Kingdom," he said.

"You did wake me up at a decent hour, I hope?"

"It's 7:30 in the morning, is that decent enough?"

"Just as long as it's not 3:00 a.m. is all I'm saying," she muttered.

She glanced back at him and saw the eager look on his face.

"You inherited the Doctor's urge to be an early riser, you know that?"

"Sleep is overrated and boring. If I were a full Time Lord I wouldn't have to worry about it, but now that I've had a bit of a kip, it's up and at em, campers!"

Rose turned her bleary eyes to Awinita's bed and noticed she was hidden underneath the covers.

"You awake?" she called out.

"Trying not to be," she heard her say. "I'm hoping if I lay here under the covers Alan won't disturb me."

"What's wrong with you two? Lots to do, lots to see!" he said, hopping up and going to the bathroom. "We got two more parks to cover and a hurricane is on the way, get up and get to it."

"You might as well get up, Awinita, if he's anything like the Doctor, there's no arguing with 'em."

Awinita lowered the covers down to eye level and looked at her.

"I take it this was a common occurrence on the TARDIS," she said.

"Too bloody right it was. The Doctor is definitely a morning person and an afternoon and an evening person. Like Alan said, he thought sleep was overrated and you had to be ready because at any moment he was dragging you out of bed to go explore a planet."

Alan stuck his head out of the bathroom.

"Bloody hell, you two still in bed? Come on, the queues will be stretching back to the car park by the time we get there!"

Rose gasped when he sprinted over, threw off the blanket and gathered her in his arms.

"Come on, I'll help you wake up!" he said, taking her to the bathroom.

"Alan, put me down, I'm awake now!" Rose said.

Awinita found the remote and turned on the Weather Channel in order to check the progress of the tropical storm. To her relief, she saw it was still far away from Florida, but it was gaining in strength and was now a category one hurricane. Rose stepped outside the bathroom door and watched it with her.

"We have two of the main parks left, yeah?" she said to Awinita. "Animal Kingdom and MGM. We can probably see those but I don't know about the Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach ones. We may have to leave before we get to those."

"Aw," Alan said from the bathroom. "I wanted to go on the water slides."

"It's not for sure yet, Alan," Rose said. "The storm might die down before it gets here or change course, but right now, we've probably got about three or four days before it hits and the last thing I wanna do is fight the traffic on the motorway. We see one of the two main parks today and the other tomorrow. As long as we can do that, we'll get our money's worth."

"What about the days left?" Awinita said. "If we have to leave early will they give you a refund?"

"I don't know, I'll have to check."

"Well, I hope they do," Alan said. "Especially if you're being forced to leave."

"They may not though," Awinita said. "I think the only time Disney closed for a hurricane was when Andrew came through Florida in '92 and that's only because it was a huge category five hurricane. If they don't close for this one then I have a feeling you'll be SOL, Rose."

"Well, like I said, we'll just wait and see what happens in the next few days before we make our decision. We may not have to leave at all. The other question is which park do you guys want to see today? Animal Kingdom or MGM?"

"I'd rather stay here in Animal Kingdom so we don't have as far to go tonight when we come back," Awinita said.

"How about you, Alan?"

"If Awinita wants to stay here today, that's fine with me. I'll be happy either way."

"You're easy to please, aren't you?" Awinita said.

Alan looked out the door at her and smiled.

"Another way I'm like the Doctor is both of us enjoy the company of others more than we do the actual places. That's why the Doctor isn't too picky about where the TARDIS goes. As long as he's with close friends and people he cares about, he's happy. I'm the same way. Disneyworld is Disneyworld no matter which park we go to. I get more of a kick out of laughing and joking with you two than I do going on a specific ride. If you want to stay in Animal Kingdom today, that's perfectly fine. Just as long as we have a blast and come back happy and tired at the end of the day, that's all that matters."

He jerked his head back in the bathroom.

"You need to use the bathroom? I'm done now," he said.

"Yeah, I'll go next if Rose is cool with it."

"Take your time, I'm still trying to see what the weather's gonna be like today, hurricane or no hurricane."

Awinita grabbed her rucksack and switched places with Alan. He went and sat down behind her on the bed and reached into his rucksack for a fresh pair of socks.

"How are you feeling?" Alan asked.

"Well, other than the fact you woke me up from a sound sleep and I'm still groggy, I'm feeling good," she said.

He moved closer to her.

"Any dreams?" he said softly.

Rose looked back at him.

"Valeyard, you mean?"

He nodded.

"No."

"Not any dreams of the Valeyard wrecking the wedding?"

"Not so far."

"Good."

She put her hand on his cheek.

"Nothin's gonna happen at the wedding, love. I promise ya we'll get through it without a hitch, alright?"

He nodded and gave her a kiss.

"Just let me know if…you-know-who shows up in your dreams again," he said.

"Okay, you let me know if you marry any more Daleks."

He grinned.

"It's a deal."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This better be good," Alan said as they stood in line for the Expedition Everest roller coaster.

"It's supposed to be good. The guidebook said it's got a huge Yeti somewhere inside the mountain," Rose said.

She frowned when Alan giggled.

"What?"

"The Doctor's met Yeti before but I have a feeling it's not the Yeti that Disney's thinking of."

"Why? What are the Yeti the Doctor knows about?" Rose asked.

"They're furry alien robots that serve an entity called the Great Intelligence."

"Okay, yeah, I'm sure that's not the Yeti Disney had in mind," Rose said as Awinita laughed.

He made a face.

"Even with these Fastpass things, we still have to wait to get in. I hate queues," he said.

"Well, think of how long a wait it'd be if we didn't do the Fastpass," Awinita said.

"Ugh, I can just imagine," Alan said.

"This one's brand new, Alan," Rose said. "You gotta expect some type of queue for it."

"Not to mention it's a roller coaster, not some little kiddy ride that's been here for twenty years," Awinita added.

After a few more minutes, they reached the coaster and Alan sighed as he sat down near the front with Rose at his side. Awinita climbed in behind them with a teenage girl and they waited while an attendant walked by checking the restraints and making sure they were secure.

"I hope this is better than Space Mountain," Alan said to her. "That was a right snooze."

"You like thrill rides, don'tcha?" Rose asked.

"Oh yeah, the more exciting, the better."

"It's just that the Doctor never really rode the rides when we went to amusement parks and he certainly didn't ride the roller coasters."

"Well, the Doctor needs to get his head out of his ass and live a little. No offense, but there are times when that Gallifreyan pomposity of his rears its ugly head and occasionally he won't do things that he views as childish like amusement park rides. I'm half human so I could give less than a fig about who sees me on the Ferris Wheel or something like that. All I want to do is have fun with my fiancée and my friend."

There was a slight jerk and the cars began to slowly move along the track. Alan took Rose's hand while they moved forward along the twisting track and then began to climb a steep incline. As they slowly ascended, both Rose and Alan looked around at the park below them.

"Eeeee!" Rose squealed when they reached the top and began speeding up.

Alan laughed and let out a whoop as the cars sped along the track. As they turned a corner they suddenly saw the track in front of them was destroyed and jutting up into the sky as if someone had ripped it up. The cars stopped right in front of it and sat there. Alan and Rose glanced over at the mountain when they heard a roar.

"I guess they're implying the Yeti did this?" Alan said gesturing to the ripped up track.

Suddenly, the roller coaster began to move backwards.

"Crap!" Rose screamed as Alan roared with laughter.

The cars descended into the darkness of a cave and they went backwards down a hill. Alan laughed as Rose half laughed/ half screamed and held his hand tightly. They went back down the hill and stopped near a huge movie screen. On it they could see the silhouette of a huge Yeti as it jumped on some track and ripped it up.

"Yup, the Yeti did it! Told you!" Alan yelled at Rose.

Then, they started to go forward and went out of the tunnel. Rose screamed as they barreled down a steep hill. She grasped Alan's arm while he laughed and kissed her cheek. They rounded a bend and went back into another tunnel. Suddenly they could see a gigantic animatronic Yeti above them. Rose screamed when it tried to grab the cars.

"Whoa!" Alan said. "That is absolutely brilliant!"

The car finally pulled back into the station and Rose and Alan looked at each other.

"That was fantastic!" Alan said. "The best bloody ride in the whole park!"

They climbed out and Awinita ran up to them.

"Guys, we gotta go on that again later! That was so cool!" she said.

"I know! That giant Yeti. That was just a stroke of genius having it right there at the end!" Alan said. "Yes, we definitely gotta ride this at least one more time."

"Well, let's wait till the end of the day and we'll ride it again before we go back to the hotel. In the meantime, let's see what other rides they have here."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose glanced at Alan when they came to the entrance of the Kilimanjaro Safari ride.

"Are you still in a giraffe ass kicking mood? Because if you are, we'll keep going."

"Nah, I won't do that here, too much security. I'll wait until we get out in the middle of the African savannah where no one's watching," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Rose shot Awinita an exasperated look before taking his hand and walking with her towards the line.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hello and welcome to Kilimanjaro Safaris. My name is Kelly and I'll be your guide for today," the woman said as she drove the huge tram down a narrow road through a thick, dense forest. The three friends sat side by side while they looked left and right at the plants and wildlife.

"On your left, you'll see a black rhino," Kelly said.

"Oh, lookie, a Judoon," Alan muttered to Rose. "Or a kissing cousin of a Judoon, at any rate."

"That's what Judoon looked like?" Rose said softly.

"Yes, except they walked upright like humans."

Kelly paused for a moment so people could admire the rhino and then drove on down the road continuing with her rehearsed spiel. Alan only half listened to her, his attention focused on the flora and fauna that they were driving past. As they went along the bumpy road, his mind picked out and identified different species. He felt Rose ruffle his hair and he turned and smiled at her.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked.

"Extremely. What about you? You like this ride?"

"It's alright, it would be better if they had some ravenous pygmy headhunters jump out and attack the tram."

"Only you would get excited 'bout that," she said.

"You know me, nothing like the thought of running from pint-sized savages to get my heart a-racing. Besides I can rescue my fiancée from the boiling cauldron of doom and prevent her from ending up as a shrunken head in some chieftain's hut."

"I think you've got it backwards. I think I'd be the one savin' your hide," Rose said.

"And now I need to remind everyone to keep their hands inside the vehicle because we're approaching a bridge and if you fall out, you'll be swimming with the Nile crocodiles," Kelly said.

"And if that happens, the Disney Company will be furious at your next of kin because we'll have to spend time and manpower in a futile effort to save you from becoming croc nibbles," Alan said to Rose and Awinita.

They snickered.

"Nile crocodiles are not only larger than American alligators, they are also more aggressive," Kelly intoned.

"But not as aggressive as the Bambazoolia who will not only eat you alive from the feet up but will also dance around your body in a victory dance before doing so while they pee on your head and chant house on fire, house on fire, put it out."

Awinita and Rose bent over laughing as Alan gave them a wicked grin.

He listened while Kelly pretended to talk with a man on her CB radio who was telling her that elephants were up ahead somewhere.

"Did you hear that, ladies and gentlemen?" Kelly said. "There may be elephants up ahead so hopefully we'll see them when the time comes."

"Well, that wasn't reassuring," Alan said to his friends. "If imaginary African man is telling her elephants are up ahead, shouldn't the buggers be chained up so we can be sure to see them? Kinda like Jurassic Park, innit? I mean, why bother going on the ride if you aren't gonna get to see the T-Rex eat the goat?"

He shrugged when both women gave him an odd look.

"I'm just saying the Disney Company needs to watch that movie and learn what happens when you let animals just roam free in enclosures. 'Course the elephants aren't gonna devour us alive like the raptors did…then again, they might be bored out of their skulls living here and turned into flesh eaters in order to have something to do."

Awinita stared at him and looked at Rose.

"Is he alright? I think the sun might be getting to him."

"Sadly, this is normal behavior for him, don't worry about it."

They laughed when Alan shot them a look.

"I'm just saying…"

"I know you're just saying, dear, but it helps us immensely if you don't wander off on weird rants."

"Why not, you two do it. Therefore, I can too."

They rounded a bend.

"And on your right, you'll see reticulated giraffes."

Rose's eyes instantly went to Alan and she saw him perk up.

"You wanna die, just make a move to get out of that seat!" she said, pointing to his lap.

"Giraffe is derived from an Arabic word; it means "one who walks with grace." Kelly said.

"Won't be walking with grace when I snap its legs off at its knees," Alan murmured to Rose.

"Just try to contain yourself till we get past 'em," Rose said, patting his leg.

"This stretch of land we're driving through is the Serengeti Savannah. It stretches for hundreds of miles and hundreds of animals migrate through it each year," Kelly said, rounding another bend.

Alan's eyes widened. He poked Rose in the arm.

"Yeah?" she said.

"Disney Animal Kingdom is hundreds of miles long?" he said. "Blimey, I knew they had a lot of land tied up in this park but not that much. How many people's homes did they have to bulldoze to build this thing?"

Awinita giggled as Rose shook her head.

"Alan," she whispered in his ear.

"Hmmm?"

"It's pretend, play along," she whispered.

"You mean we're supposed to imagine we're in Africa?" he said.

"Yeah," she whispered.

"Oooooooooh, I see, I get it now! Do they also brainwash the animals to make them think they're also in Africa?"

"Probably."

"Oooh, well, learn something new every day then."

Rose glanced at Awinita and rolled her eyes.

They rounded another corner.

"On the left, you'll see another reticulated giraffe as well as a small herd of sable antelope. As you can see, the sable antelope all have slightly different colored coats. That's because in a herd of sable antelope the hierarchy is determined by what color coat you have. The darker your coat, the higher up you are in the hierarchy."

Alan let out a melodramatic gasp.

"Sable antelopes are racist, you hear that, Rose? Shame on them."

"Oh God," Rose groaned as Awinita sniggered.

"That giraffe is eating. Giraffes spend about eighteen to twenty hours every day just eating."

"Well gee, Rose, Alan oughta get along with them really well since he eats as long as they do, maybe he should reconsider kicking their asses!"

Alan lightly swatted Awinita's head when both women laughed at that.

"And if you look over to your left, you'll see things that resemble sand castles but they are in fact termite mounds. The termites build the mounds out of mud that hardens in the sun and becomes as strong as concrete which the elephants then use to rub up against like a scratching post."

"Boy, I bet that's inconvenient," Alan said to them. "Termite returns home after a hard day of eating houses and a great bloody elephant is blocking the door to his house because it feels a need to scratch its bum."

They rounded another bend. Alan glanced past Kelly and saw another tram about a half mile away from them. He leaned in to Rose.

"Know what would make this even more thrilling?" he said.

"Um…pint sized headhunters coming after me and trying to make me into soup?"

"No, besides that."

"What?"

"If we started racing the other tram in a kind of death race and ram any animals that get in our way in our bid to be first back to the station."

"I think Disney would frown on that."

"Why? After all, it would give the animals a bit of exercise when they ran from us in terror."

He sighed when they heard the CB radio crackle and the man began to speak to Kelly.

"Do they have to do this? It's so idiotic, this pretend conversation. Isn't it enough to just view the animals without pretending we're in the middle of Kenya or something?" he said to Rose.

"We just found a baby elephant wandering alone, the mother is missing," the man said. "We suspect poachers so keep your eyes open."

Alan perked up at that.

"At last, we're gonna get violence and bloodshed on this tour!" he said.

"We gotta keep our eyes open," Kelly said to them. "Trouble might be brewing up ahead so keep a close eye out and let me know if you see anything."

"Oh yes!" Alan said. "A poacher gun battle! Now we're getting somewhere!"

Rose and Awinita exchanged glances and giggled.

They rounded another corner.

"I do actually see an elephant here on the right," Kelly said as they came upon a watering hole.

"For the love of all that's sacred, flee little saggy baggy beastie," Alan said, melodramatically. "There's a gun wielding maniac on the loose!"

He smiled when Rose chuckled and put her arms around him.

"I'm glad you're havin' fun," she said to him.

"Oh yes, this one's tons better than the one at the hotel," he said.

Alan frowned when Kelly turned on the radio and an African song began to play.

"What happened? Did Disney run out of nifty animal facts for Miss I Only Work During The Summer to say?" he said.

They turned a corner.

"And on the right you'll see more elephants."

"Oh, I guess not," Alan said, shrugging.

As they watched the elephants, Rose snickered.

"What?" Alan said.

She put her chin on her shoulder.

"Should I tell Awinita about the time the Doctor almost married an elephant?" she asked.

"I don't care, have at it."

"You don't mind?"

"Why should I mind, it wasn't me technically, go ahead and tell her all about it."

"Come again? The Doctor married an elephant?" Awinita said.

"Almost married one. I don't know all the details but apparently at some point the emperor of…"

"Golibo," Alan said, half listening, as he looked at the elephants.

"Golibo, yeah. He wanted the Doctor to marry his pet elephant and he managed to run off before it happened, I guess."

Alan slowly turned his head and saw the two of them staring at him with huge grins on their faces.

"What? Why are you looking at me, I'm not the one who did that," he said.

"Technically you did because you're a clone," Awinita said in a hushed voice.

"No, technically I did not because I wasn't around then. I don't claim the Doctor's memories as my own because I didn't personally live through them. So you can just giggle at someone else and leave me out of it."

The music was switched off.

"Already? Darn, I guess we have to go back to listening to Miss Scripted Spiel then," he muttered to the girls.

"I wanted to switch off the radio for a moment because we're coming up on an old bridge," she said, slowing down. "It's just old, it won't break but it's a little wobbly."

They gasped when the bridge began to sway.

"Fiver it does break and we plunge to our deaths," Rose said.

"You're…"

His mouth shut when the tram made it safely across. He sighed.

"damn, I didn't say it fast enough," he muttered.

They turned another corner and came upon some more elephants. Alan listened, bored, while Kelly talked about elephant's social groupings and how important it was for the elephants to be together. He sighed.

"I wonder how long it took this woman to learn all this stuff?" he muttered into Rose's ear.

"Probably gave her a book of animal facts that she could use on the tour," Rose muttered back. "You know, just little things she can throw out in case we run into a certain animal. I doubt if they stick to a strict script since the animals can roam around."

"Yeah, but, you notice that none of the animals has been in the road?" Alan whispered back. "You would think we'd have run into a buffalo or an elephant or an antelope blocking the way by now."

"Maybe these are enclosures but they made it so it doesn't look like there are any barriers, yeah? Like electric fencing that's buried at the edge of the road or something? They have crocs in here, Alan, they can't let those free. They eat everything else, they'd have nothing left."

They turned off and headed through some shallow water.

"And on our left we see a group of flamingos," Kelly said.

"So, I'm guessing they clip the flamingo's wings then," Alan whispered to Rose.

She nodded.

"Yeah, I bet it's something like that, those cranes as well," she said. "Despite your earlier rant about Jurassic Park, I'm betting the animals aren't as free as you think they are, otherwise they wouldn't have much of a tour."

She noticed his eyes flashed anger at that.

"I know, love, I don't like that they keep these animals caged here either, but there's nothing we can do. At least they have enough space to roam around in."

"Maybe, but a cage is still a cage no matter how big it is or what it looks like," Alan muttered to her.

The tram rounded another bend.

"And here we see zebras," Kelly said. "Each zebra has a unique stripe pattern. No two zebras are exactly alike."

"Ha! We found that out yesterday, so sod the little teenage know-it-all up there!" he whispered to Rose.

She giggled.

"And on your right, there are some eggs, I'm guessing they're ostrich eggs," Kelly said.

Alan's eyes widened.

"Oho, another animal I want to get back at for snapping at me!" he said as Rose rolled her eyes.

The CB crackled.

"Ought oh, her lord and master is calling again. Maybe he's ordering her to kill us all," he said.

"Kelly, I got a report that there is danger! You need to turn west!" the voice said.

"Ok, 10-4, turning west," Kelly said into the receiver as she turned the tram to the right.

"Why? What's east?" Alan said, as Rose and Awinita laughed. "Are the poachers east? Damn it; turn around so we can watch a gun battle!"

They slowed down.

"Oh!" Kelly said, pointing. "If you look to your left, you'll see a couple of cheetahs. They're kinda hard to see, but they're there lying in the grass."

"Oh my, you mean we actually get to see some of the big cats on this safari?" Alan muttered to his friends. "And here I thought "Africa" was felineless."

"And what could be more cooler than those cheetahs, except…oh! There's a lion up there sunning itself on that rock!"

"Now this is more like it!" Alan said as they all turned to look at it. "Bring on the big cats!"

She drove off again.

"Lions are pretty much inactive for about eighteen to twenty hours a day," Kelly said. "And…oh! If you look off to the right, you'll see some white rhinos."

"Brilliant, will we get to see the lion eat the rhinos?" Alan said to Rose.

They drove on.

"I guess not," Rose said, shrugging.

They drove on for about a half mile and then the CB crackled again.

"Kelly, there are some poachers in the area!" the man said.

"Oh, do you hear that guys?" Kelly said. "Do you wanna go catch some poachers?"

Rose giggled when she saw the excited look on Alan's face.

"I don't think Kelly has to worry about the poachers. I think Alan will take them all on single-handed while we just sit here," she said while Awinita nodded in agreement.

The tram sped up.

"Alright, let's go get them guys!" Kelly said.

Both women laughed when they heard Alan chant, "gun battle, gun battle, gun battle."

"Just hold on, love, we're going after 'em," Rose said, patting his arm.

They drove through a gate and over a bridge. Kelly slowed down.

"Okay, you know what, guys. I don't know this area very well and I don't know what we're getting into, so I'm gonna take it reaaaaally slow for right now."

"Gun battle, gun battle, gun battle," Alan said as Rose and Awinita snorted out laughter.

They rounded another bend and they heard the man shouting at Kelly over the CB.

"Okay, guys, this might get really dangerous so just hold on, I don't know what the poachers are gonna do."

"Gun battle, gun battle, gun battle…"

They drove past a series of geysers.

"Okay, guys, I think I hear the poachers so we're gonna go this way," she said, speeding up. "We're coming up on their camp now."

"Gun battle, gun battle, gun battle…"

They turned a corner.

"Oh man, I'm sorry, I guess the poachers have already deserted their camp," Kelly said as they came upon the campsite.

Rose and Awinita bit their lips when Alan's mouth nearly dropped to his feet.

"No gun battle?" he said in disbelief.

"Oh, not to worry, they ran right onto my front lawn, "CB man said. "Thanks to you, they are now apprehended."

"Glad I could help," Kelly said.

Rose hazarded a look at Alan who was seething.

"Hey, it was a nice ride even without the gun battle, yeah?" she said, patting his arm sympathetically while Awinita laughed.

"Three words…Disney must die!" he said as both of them laughed harder.

"We'd like to thank you all for riding with us and hopefully you've learned a bit about the wildlife and learned the importance of conservation and we're really glad you were with us today," Kelly said as they pulled back into the station.

For a moment, Rose was sure Alan was going to pounce on Kelly and beat her up for deceiving him. But he merely glared at her as he exited the vehicle behind her and Awinita.

"I'm sorry, darling, I know you had your heart set on a poacher gun battle," she said sympathetically.

"That was a low blow. That was the same as telling a five year old there's no Father Christmas. How dare they dangle an exciting gun battle in front of my nose and snatch it away at the last minute."

Rose studied his face and looked at Awinita.

"How 'bout we find a restaurant so Alan can calm down before he finds some poor soul dressed as Simba and takes his frustration out on 'em," she said.

"Sounds good to me," Awinita said.

She walked around the other side of Alan.

"If it makes you feel any better, I agree with the whole Disney must die thing," she said, winking. "I was looking forward to a gun battle too."

"Well," Alan sighed. "I guess I should be happy that the poachers and Kelly didn't break into song and do an interpretive dance about conservation or something."

He smiled and put his arms around him.

"Come on, you two, let's go find somewhere to eat," he said.


	67. Chapter 67

Chapter Sixty Seven

They found the Tusker House restaurant nearby and went inside. It had a buffet style lunch and after Rose paid for their meals, they grabbed some plates and loaded them up with food. They each got a Coke and sat down at a table near the back of the restaurant. Alan glanced up at the African décor on the walls.

"Nice, looks a lot like our room," he said.

He started to dig into his food when he paused with his fork in his hand. Rose stopped chewing and frowned.

"What is it?" she said after swallowing.

Alan glanced at her.

"We're not eating anything that used to be on the safari, are we?" he said, gesturing to a piece of steak on his plate.

Rose looked at her own plate.

"I hope not," he said, glancing at Awinita. "As far as I know, this is chicken I'm eatin'."

"Yes, but lots of things taste like chicken," Alan pointed out.

"Well, I guess unless they come out and say so, we won't have any real way of proving it," Rose replied.

Alan shrugged and tucked into his steak.

"Where should we go next?" Awinita said.

"How about those river rapids? I think they're near here," Rose said.

"That sounds great. Except are they gonna pull the wool over our eyes at the last moment and give us a leisurely cruise with a few teeny fountains that'll spray droplets over us?"

"You really are sore about the poachers, aren't ya?" Rose said.

"Rose, you ever read an exciting book and were disappointed at the end of it because they seemed to be building to this thrilling climax and then at the last moment they gave you some weak ending instead? That's what that was. I was kidding you guys about the extreme violence and bloodshed, I knew they wouldn't do that but if you say there are poachers then show them. Don't just show their abandoned campsite and then have someone offstage tell us they've been caught. The least they could do was get a couple of actors to portray them and have us watch them being arrested. Wouldn't that have driven home the point of protecting wildlife if we actually saw the people being punished? And I know that Disney is all for making the villains pay in the end so why not do that and give us some satisfaction. Otherwise, just drive through the thing, talk about the animals and leave the theatrics out of it. I realize they were trying to be dramatic but there's a right and a wrong way to do drama. Other than that little hiccup, I did enjoy seeing the animals and I'm glad that they do have a bit of space to roam around in and aren't just cooped up in a 20 by 30 foot cage."

"According to the guidebook, most of the attractions here are like that. Just basically nature walks where you can look at different animals. In the Asia section, I think they have Indian and Asian animals and I know they have a petting zoo somewhere," Rose said.

"And the dinosaur section," Awinita said.

Rose nodded.

"Yeah, that's across the park I think."

Alan laughed.

"What?" Rose said.

"Be interesting to see that especially since the Doctor's seen real dinosaurs. Jurassic Park, nature documentaries, they never get the skin coloring and adornments right," he said.

"Sarah Jane saw dinosaurs, yeah?" Rose said.

Alan chuckled.

"Yeah, first time she ever met the Doctor, in fact."

"You know, there's something that's been on my mind since this morning," Awinita said.

"And that is?" Alan said.

"The Yeti. You said there are Yeti robots, but are there real Yeti?"

Rose looked at Alan.

"Has the Doctor ever seen real life Yeti?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"No, just heard stories about them when he would visit Tibet and China."

"Well, see the thing that's sticking in my craw is if there is no concrete proof they're real, then why have the roller coaster in the animal park? Why not put it in the Magic Kingdom park or near the China section in EPCOT? I thought this park was focusing on for sure real animals, not animals that may or may not exist."

"She has a point," Rose said. "If no one knows for sure that Yeti's exist or not then they shouldn't be here. Unless, they didn't have anywhere else to put it."

"All I know is that Yetis exist as robot slaves and so far that's the only time the Doctor's seen anything that has that moniker attached to it. When he trekked up into the Himalayas, he never saw or heard anything that led him to believe there was some furry man beast that made the mountains its home. That doesn't mean they're not there, it just means he didn't see them. They could have been hiding. There's certainly a lot of inaccessible places where they could do that. The Himalayas are treacherous in places and you have to know what you're doing or have a Sherpa who does. One wrong step and you could be dead. A Yeti might know how to traverse all that better than a human can and be able to avoid detection, but that's just my musings. Like I said, he didn't see anything when he was up there."

"What about the Loch Ness Monster?" Rose said. "You said it was a…Skarasen, is that right?"

"Yes, Skarasen. That's originally from Zygor and it's a cyborg animal. It's not a dinosaur like most people believe. It's the Zygon's weapon and source of food. People have seen it over the centuries and called it the Loch Ness Monster."

"Are any of the mythical animals real then?" Awinita said.

Alan thought about that while he chewed on his steak.

"Unicorns were originally descended from a planet several hundred light years away. They used to be humanoid but a colony of them got trapped on Earth millions of years ago and they eventually devolved into the horse-like form that people know. They were being hunted for sport and zoos and for their horns just like the medieval stories claimed and the last I knew they went into hiding somewhere on Earth in order to avoid extinction. Where, I have no idea, but hopefully they're still alive and well and living peacefully because they really were an extremely peaceful and intelligent race. Merpeople also came from another planet and settled in the ocean long before human beings came into existence. As for fairies, I believe those also exist although they aren't as benign as people think. Um…trolls, gnomes, brownies and such, I don't know although I wouldn't doubt their existence. Just because they're hard to find doesn't mean they're not there. They're just very good at keeping themselves hidden."

He grinned.

"And then there's bees, of course," he said casually.

Both women stopped chewing and stared at him.

"Bees are from outer space?" Awinita said.

"Yup, Melissa Majoria. Not all of them, mind, but a good portion of them. That's why the bees were disappearing in the other dimension, they sensed what the Daleks were up to and went back home."

Rose glanced at Awinita.

"You learn so much when you're with 'em," he said. "Since I've been with him, I've learned that sunbeams have living stuff in them, angel statues can zap ya into the past and now bees are aliens."

"Why is that so surprising?" Alan said. "The bees, I mean. For centuries people have been wondering how they can fly through the air with that big body and those little tiny wings since it defies all known laws of physics. What they fail to understand is that's just the point, it defies all _known_ laws. There are still some laws of physics that are unknown to humans, laws that only exist on other planets. On Melissa Majoria, it's no mystery why bees can fly because they have a physics law that explains it perfectly."

"Okay, what about this?" Awinita asked. "Have you or the Doctor seen Men in Black?"

"Yes."

"The scene where Will Smith talks about Elvis and Tommy Lee Jones tells him he went home…"

Alan chuckled.

"Not true. Elvis is not an alien and he is well and truly deceased so you won't be finding him hanging out in a Burger King in Michigan or something. He was an extremely talented and gifted human but a human nonetheless. Interesting idea though. The whole movie was fascinating. I'm surprised Torchwood hasn't set up a whole alien monitoring system and make everyone go through customs when they land here."

Rose snorted.

"Give em time, they will eventually," she said.

"You have been keeping them on the straight and narrow, I trust," Alan said.

"I try. Course sometimes they don't listen to me, but I try to make sure that they are not doing things like blowing up Sycorax ships."

"Good."

"Who are the Sycorax?"

Alan grinned.

"The Sycorax are a bunch of little buggers that were responsible for little 'ol me being here," he said as Rose chuckled.

He explained to her what happened that day. When he finished, Awinita took his right hand and stared at it.

"Hard to believe you came from just this," she said, letting go.

"Yup, I did."

"So, if you or the Doctor get another hand lobbed off, it won't grow back?"

"Nope, it's too late now."

"Guess you'll have to be extra careful then."

He smiled.

"Nah, that was the first time in 1200 years that something like that happened. One hand lost in 1200 years is pretty good, don'tcha think?"

"But if something happens and the Doctor starts to regenerate, he can't do what he did and stop it again?" Awinita asked.

"Not unless he loses another body part that he could siphon the extra energy off into. If it happens again and there's no body part around, he's gonna regenerate fully."

"He can't siphon it off into something else?" Rose asked.

"No, it has to come from his own body for that to work. He just can't regenerate, heal himself and put the energy in an empty jar or something like that, doesn't work that way. He was lucky he had that hand there at the time, but I suppose it was meant to be for the metacrisis to work."

He took a bite of baked potato.

"What scares me is thinking of the ways Jack could have gotten a hold of it. You saw it Rose. The ship was miles and miles up in the air when the hand fell off. How did Jack know where to look?"

"Someone on the ground saw it land, picked it up and gave it to police and Torchwood found out about it?" Rose offered.

"I guess that's as plausible as anything else I could think up," he said.

He made a face.

"And then he had it in a jar for God knows how long. I wonder what his team thought of it. I mean, they'd have to have noticed a hand sitting in a jar at some point and asked him about it."

He shuddered.

"Now I'm wondering if Jack used it for something other than a Doctor detector," he said as Rose giggled.

"I wouldn't think about it while you're eating, dear," she said.

"Good idea, I'll do just that."

Awinita swallowed a bit of broccoli.

"So…are you implying that this Jack…has the hots for the Doctor?"

Rose laughed when Alan rolled his eyes and shook his head emphatically.

"Yes, Harkness would jump at any chance to get in his trousers and I'm sure mine as well," he said. "If he ever figures out a way to come over here and thinks I'll bed him on the spot, he better think again. But…he's from the fifty first century originally and by that time humans had spread out from Earth and were more accepting of other species, all kinds and both sexes. They didn't have the prejudices that exist on Earth now so Jack will basically date anything with a pulse. If it breathes and has genitals, it's a potential target for him. So if you do meet him, watch yourself or you might end up under his sheets."

Awinita gestured to Rose.

"Did he ever…"

Alan's eyes blazed for a moment.

"I think he tried," he said, looking at Rose.

"We danced, that was all."

"Good, I'm glad that was all. You are far too special to end up with a checkmark beside your name in Jack's little black book Course back then he didn't know you like he does now and I'm sure he wouldn't try to do that to you but one never knows with him. At any rate, you're spoken for now so he needs to look elsewhere for his conquests."

"Martha?" Rose asked.

"I hope not, Martha's engaged too. I don't think her fiancé will appreciate it if she shags him behind his back. But then again, last I heard he was off working as a doctor in Africa but still, I don't see Martha doing that. She's not that type."

"I wish I could have gotten to know her better," Rose said. "Both her and Donna. It would have been great to travel with them."

He smiled.

"I wish you could have. They were both brilliant in their own ways, but Donna has a special spot in my heart since without her I wouldn't be here and she's as much a part of me as I am of her. She has my mind and you have my heart and Awinita…"

He looked at her.

"Um…fancy a left kidney?" he said as Rose laughed.

"Sure, I'd be honored to be the owner of your left kidney."

"Then it's settled. You have my heart, Donna has my mind and Awinita has my left kidney," he said, winking at Rose.

"Wow, I have your fiancé's left kidney, how lucky am I?" she said to Rose.

"Well, take good care of it, he may need it eventually," Rose said.

They ate in silence for a moment and then Rose tapped Alan's left hand.

"Yeeeeeeeees?" he said.

"Just wonderin' since we were discussing the Sycorax incident earlier. What did the Doctor say to the Sycorax leader before they fought? Cause it was strange that the TARDIS didn't translate it for us."

Alan cleared his throat.

"My Starlight, what he said is not for civilized ears, which is why the TARDIS didn't translate it."

"Yeah, but we're all adults so go ahead and tell us what he said."

Alan looked around at the other patrons.

"Come on, Alan; say it low enough that they won't boot ya out of Disneyworld. I'm sure I've heard worse in my life, so tell me."

Alan glanced at Awinita.

"Please forgive the vulgarity this is about to come out of my mouth," he said to her.

He glanced around at the other patrons and then leaned in. the two women did likewise.

"He said…do you accept my challenge or are you just a…"

He hesitated.

"Yeah, go on," Rose prompted.

"Or are you just a female Sycorax who likes to give hand jobs to dogs in dark alleys?"

Rose slammed her hands over her mouth trying not to laugh. It took almost three minutes for her to regain her composure.

"Yeah…um, I can see why the TARDIS didn't translate that," she said when she could finally speak. "Blimey, no wonder he hissed at 'em."

She paused.

"Tell me that's not why he chopped off the Doctor's hand," she said.

"Okay, I won't tell you."

"Seriously, did he chop off the hand because he accused him of giving hand jobs to dogs?"

"Maybe, maybe not, hard to say. I'm only privy to the Doctor's memories, not the Sycorax's. He could have done that because he said that or maybe he was just trying to disarm him. We'll never know. But I hope that satisfies your curiosity."

"What was it originally? In the alien language?" Awinita asked Rose.

"Calek pale gossick cree salvack or something like that. Am I right?"

"I'm not saying. I don't want my future wife knowing such a vulgar phrase. It's unbecoming of you."

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Yeah and I'm such a delicate, fragile flower," she said.

"You are in my eyes. Not to mention once you learn how to say it, you and Awinita will be screaming it at me every chance you get and I don't want to hear it coming from your lips. It's not ladylike. So just be satisfied with knowing what the Doctor said and leave it at that. Now any other burning questions?"

"Yeah, how come the TARDIS never translated Gallifreyan then?"

"Because the Doctor wanted it that way so he could keep something personal from his home world and so he could write and speak in private if he needed to. It wasn't just you he did that to, he made that a rule from the beginning, so don't take offense that his language was off-limits to you."

"So, is that how it's gonna be in our TARDIS? The text on the screens will be in Gallifreyan?"

"No, the text will be in English. I told you that TARDIS is just as much yours as it is mine. You'll pilot it along with me."

"And me?"

"Um, maybe, we'll have to see how you do, break you in, so to speak," Alan said.

He winked at her.

"But I probably will teach you, that way we'll have half the pilots needed to fly the TARDIS, less wobbly that way."

Awinita stared at him.

"What do you mean by that?" she said.

"You need six pilots to fly the TARDIS normally."

"Wait, we're going to be flying this ship of yours without the minimum number of people?"

"The Doctor does it all on his own and he gets along all right. We'll still wobble but not as much as he will. We just each take a section of the console and man it, no problems."

"Famous last words," Awinita said.

Rose nodded.

"Truer words have never been spoken, mate," she said.

They cleared their throats and hurriedly finished their meals while Alan gave them both a look of death.


	68. Chapter 68

Chapter Sixty Eight

Alan walked along beside Rose and Awinita, his hands stuffed casually in his pockets in an emulation of his other self. They had seen most of the attractions and Alan was slightly bored but he didn't let his two favorite women know that. He knew they were having a good time and that was good enough for him. The animals were fascinating but it still upset him that they were all in enclosures. He shared the Doctor's philosophy that every being had the right to live a life that was free and unrestricted. He could tell the animals were treated well, but still, he preferred they were back in their natural habitats where they belonged, not lounging around being gawked at by tourists. He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked over at Rose.

"Have I gone deaf or you finally run out of witty things to say?" she teased.

"I'm just enjoying the day," Alan said shrugging.

Rose took his arm and stopped him.

"Alan, I know you just as well as I know the Doctor and I know that something's bugging ya. What is it?"

He sighed.

"I just can't get over the animals being trapped here. I pity them, Rose."

The two women glanced at each other.

"Do you wanna try MGM or we could just go back to our room and rest for awhile. We don't have to stay here if it's bothering you, Alan. We don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"Yeah, but you guys are enjoying yourselves. You shouldn't worry about me so much."

"Alan, if it's upsetting you then I'd rather go somewhere else," Awinita said. "You have as much right to enjoy the park as we do."

"How 'bout this?" Rose said. "I'm kinda tired and I'm sure Awinita is as well. Why don't we go back to the hotel for a bit of a rest and tonight we can go back to Pleasure Island, eat and go to a few of the clubs. Then tomorrow we'll go see MGM, sound good?"

Alan nodded. Rose took his hand.

"Follow us then," she said.

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Alan sighed as the air-conditioning in their hotel room cooled his body.

"What a brilliant idea. It was warming up out there," he said.

"Yes and I think all of us need a little nap, we've had three days of this and I know I need to recharge my batteries," Rose said.

"Same here," Awinita added, slipping off her tennis shoes.

Rose finished taking off her trainers, laid them by the bedside table and pulled back the covers. She sighed as she slid under them and pulled them up to her chin. She smiled when a moment later she felt Alan slide in next to her. She cuddled up next to him and he put his arm around her underneath the covers.

"I forgot to ask you, Rose, before we go to Pleasure Island tonight, let's have one more go on Expedition Everest, okay?"

"Okay," she said.

She sighed when he kissed her cheek tenderly.

"Get some rest, you deserve it," he said.

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

"After a bit, I want to make sure you're sleeping peacefully first," he said, rubbing her side.

Rose glanced back at him. He was propped up on one elbow watching her while he continued to caress her side. He smiled and kissed her lips.

"Sleep, Starlight," he said in a hushed voice.

Rose turned her head back around and snuggled up closer to him. She and Awinita closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep while Alan kept a protective watch on them both.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Doctor closed the door to his laboratory and locked it. River was asleep and he decided that he could wait no longer for this moment even though he had been dreading it since he met River again. He could sense in his mind that the time was drawing near when he would have to send her to her death and he would have to give her the screwdriver before that happened. And tell her his true name although for the life of him he couldn't think of a plausible reason why he would do it. He cursed his decision not to read her diary when he had the chance. He would give anything at the moment to know what kind of spoilers were in his future. All he knew was at some point he was supposed to come calling at her house with trimmed hair and a new suit and take her to Verillian to see the singing towers and that would be the time when he would send her to The Library. He was glad her future self had told him that he would get her at her house. He didn't remember that until a few weeks ago and the thought that there would be a short respite from her filled him with a relief he hadn't known in months. He suspected his future self had felt the same way and had sent her home for just that reason. He cared about River but it was torture standing there at his console with her on the other side and knowing that he was her murderer. If they were apart, it would give him time to muster up the courage he would need to do what he had to do.

The Doctor walked slowly towards a metal table near the back of the room. He had gathered the necessary parts together some time ago and stored them in a box next to the table until he could bring himself to work on them. Staring at them, he felt the bile rising in his throat and he had to put a hand on the side of the table to steady himself. Taking a deep breath, he went around to the metal chair and sat down. He brought the box up and tipped it over, dumping the contents out onto the smooth, polished surface. As he reached for a soldering gun, he noticed his reflection in the table. He had to admit he'd seen better days. He was haggard from too little sleep and too much worry and he looked weary and defeated, which wasn't surprising given everything that had happened to him in the past few months. He pulled himself away from his reflection and grabbed the soldering gun.

When he turned back to the parts, he happened to glance at a cot in the far corner of the room. Memories came unbidden into his mind and he remembered the reason why it was there. A few weeks after he first met Rose they had traveled to a planet that he had never been to before but at the time he thought might be good for a laugh. It was his ninth self who took her and Rose, who was still getting adjusted to her life as a time traveler, befriended a kindly old man named Zaros Hartok who in reality hadn't been so kind. Zaros had been kidnapping people and turning them into indestructible metallic slaves in a bid to overthrow the government and rule. The metal was introduced into their bodies when they drank a little concoction of his own design. He had refused the drink that Zaros had offered him after a sumptuous meal but Rose took the goblet and drank every last drop of the greenish liquid. He shuddered remembering his former self bringing her into the lab in excruciating pain, parts of her body already turning to metal. He had defeated Zaros and managed to devise an antidote to restore Rose but it had been a very close call and it had taken every ounce of brainpower he had to work out what the potion was and what would counteract its effects. He swallowed hard, remembering his poor Rose writhing in agony, begging and pleading with him to save her while he tried to tune it all out so he could concentrate on making the antidote. By the time he finished making it, half her body was metallic and half her face as well. The image of her face half flesh and half metal and the fear in her eyes while she pleaded with him to stop the transformation chilled him to the bone and he knew that vision would stay with him for the rest of his lives.

He shook his head vigorously. He had a job to do and just like that day he had to block out any distracting thoughts and concentrate on the task at hand. But no matter how hard he concentrated, the image of River dying in front of him kept barging back into his mind. Every time he willed his brain to push the image into the deepest depths of his subconscious, it would be back with a vengeance. Eventually, he just gave up, figuring it was an exercise in futility and decided to just concentrate on the screwdriver come what may.

Over and over and over again his mind mercilessly replayed River's death while he carefully constructed the screwdriver. Tears trickled down his face but he worked through them with the same determination he had when he was solving a tricky puzzle or pursuing a foe. He was bound and determined to get the screwdriver finished so it would be over and done with.

After an hour the screwdriver was almost finished. There was one more thing left to do and he wasn't looking forward to it. Reaching deep into his trouser pocket he pulled out River's communication device. He held it in his hand rubbing his thumb over the top of it while he stared at it in silence. A lump came to his throat when he thought about how it would eventually hold River's consciousness again. For one brief moment, he thought about scrapping the screwdriver and relegating it to the rubbish bin. After all, River had no idea what he was doing or that he was planning to give her a screwdriver. He could just throw it away along with the communicator, break the endless wibbly wobbly timey wimey cycle and let River's consciousness travel to the afterlife instead of letting the next Doctor transfer her into CAL. But he couldn't bring himself to do that. He had no idea what lay beyond death's door. According to his former companion Grace it was nothing to be afraid of but still, he couldn't take that chance. River was a sweet woman and she deserved to reside forever in paradise. Granted, CAL's paradise was artificial but at least he was certain it was real. He owed it to River to make her afterlife peaceful and happy since he was basically deceiving her and leading her on in the here and now.

With steady hands, he put the communicator into the tiny slot he had made for it and wired it in. After that was done, he put the cover over it concealing and protecting it until the next Doctor came along. Laying it gently on the lab table, he wiped the remaining evidence of his tears from his face and took a deep breath, relieved that this unpleasant task was finally over and done with. According to River, he gave it to her at the singing towers. The question was when was he supposed to tell her his name?

"I s'pose I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," he muttered to himself. "I'm sure the situation will present itself eventually."

He sighed and put the screwdriver in his trouser pocket.

"In the meantime, this stays safe and sound in here until the moment I give it to her."

He closed his eyes.

"I only hope I have enough strength to actually go through with it," he whispered.

He sat there for a moment more staring at the empty lab while he finished composing himself and then slowly he rose, straightened his back, put his "It's okay, I'm alright, no worries" mask on his face and walked out of the room.


	69. Chapter 69

Chapter Sixty Nine

Rose's eyes snapped open when a sudden rumble of thunder invaded her dreams. She noticed the bed was empty and she felt a stab of longing for her fiancée. She turned her body around and noticed he was standing on the balcony staring at the dark storm clouds that were quickly blowing in. She glanced at Awinita. She was still asleep so Rose carefully got up from the bed and went to join Alan. She put her hand on his shoulder and he looked back at her.

"Bang goes Pleasure Island," he said softly. "I guess we'll have to spend tonight in our room."

"Did you check the Weather Channel?"

He shook his head.

"No, I didn't want to wake you guys up. But, I have a feeling the storm's gonna last awhile."

"Did you sleep?"

"A little bit. I'm wasn't that tired," he said.

He grimaced when they saw a lightning bolt streak through the sky several miles away.

"Yup, I think that's it for Pleasure Island," he said. "Hopefully, this isn't the hurricane that's come-a-callin'"

"Nah, it was still a-ways out in the Atlantic, it couldn't have gotten here this fast."

"Unless…"

Rose looked at him.

"Yeah?"

He smiled at her.

"Unless some evil villain sped the hurricane up in order to blow Florida off the map, that's usually how it goes, isn't it? Speeding up a hurricane sounds like a perfect villain's scheme to me."

She giggled.

"Well, I think in this case it's just an ordinary storm."

She looked up at the sky when raindrops began to pelt her arms.

"Come on, Rose, let's get inside before we get soaked."

They went inside. Alan slid back the door and locked it. He turned and noticed Awinita was still asleep. He grimaced.

"We can't do anything with her sleeping," he mouthed to Rose.

Rose thought for a moment and then beckoned to him.

"Follow me," she mouthed.

Alan nodded. Rose grabbed her purse and he followed her out the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ten minutes later they were sitting in the hotel bar having a couple of drinks.

"I'm glad you thought of this," Alan said, sipping a glass of scotch.

Rose took a sip of her martini.

"I saw it and thought about coming in here before we left but since we're rained in and Awinita's asleep, I figured now's as good a time as any."

"Awinita must have been worn out," Alan said.

"Well, you notice that she wasn't hoppin' out of bed this mornin' I think she's knackered. I am too but I'm used to going places with the Doctor when I haven't had much sleep."

"Well, she'll adjust too when she travels with us."

"Alan, I know you want her to come with us in the TARDIS but will you quit pressuring her? If she wants to come that's great but don't keep on her until she feels guilty if she doesn't want to come. If she wants to travel with us then she will, yeah?"

"I know but you know, you don't have very many friends and I have a grand total of two. I'd like to hold on to the ones I have."

Rose snorted softly.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Alan asked.

"No, just thinking about how you want to hold on to the friends you have and the Doctor is doing the exact opposite. I guess that's another example of you tryin' to be different from him."

Alan's heart broke when he heard the bitter tone in her voice. He put a hand on her back.

"Rose…"

"I know, I know, he loves me and he was doin' what he thought was best for all of us. But, it still hurts. With you, I can come and tell you anything and you'll be there for me but he just pushes people away when he should be doin' what you're doin' and holding on to the one he loves."

"It's because he's depressed, Rose."

"I know, it just hurts seeing someone you care about behave like that. I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm sure all the Doctor's friends have tried to help him at some point, not just us but his past companions, yeah?"

"Yes, but it's hard to help someone unless they want to help themselves. You've tried your very best and you did help him but there are some things you can't cure with a smile and a hug and a handhold."

"I just worry about him."

"The Valeyard?"

"Well, yeah, but not just that, just him in general. I know he thinks he's this macho, independent guy but in a lot of ways he needs other people to care for him and look after him."

Alan nodded.

"Donna said as much to him."

"I just wish that he was here now having fun with us. You know, the four of us just walking around the parks laughing and jokin'. I think that's what he needs more than anything else."

"I agree with you one hundred percent. But, once again, there's no way we can get to him right now so we'll just have to hope and trust that Donna is keeping him from getting too far down in the dumps, which I might add she was doing a extremely good job of doing. Donna was perfect for him. She was his friend but she wasn't afraid to speak her mind and tell him exactly what she thought. He needed that badly. I only hope he found a way to deal with her Time Lord mind before it killed her."

"Is…is there a way that he could save her?" Rose asked.

Alan lowered his eyes to the table and took a sip of scotch.

"Yes, but…the way I'm thinking of would have cost Donna her memories."

Rose's eyes widened.

"All her memories?" she said horrified.

"No, not all. He would have to take out the memories of their time together and shut down the Time Lord part of her mind. She'd live but she wouldn't remember him or what they did. She'd go back to being the way she was before."

"God. Oh God, I hope he didn't have to resort to that."

"Me too. Like I said, Donna's got a special place in my heart. I would hate to think that the Doctor would have to give her amnesia in order to save her life. Not to mention what that would do to the Doctor, losing another close friend and all. Another bout of darkness for him to deal with."

He sighed as Rose leaned her head against him.

"Seems amazing that good things are happening to us, eh?" he asked her. "But then again we're not out looking for monsters to battle like he does. When you're constantly poking the cobra, sooner or later you're gonna get bit."

He smiled at Rose.

"Did that analogy make sense?"

"Made a lot more sense than some of the ones the Doctor's thought up," Rose replied.

Alan shook his head.

"Blimey and here I thought we came down here to cheer ourselves up," he said. "Instead we got to talkin' 'bout the Doctor and became depressed."

"Yeah, but I'd rather talk about it and get it out in the open than hold it in."

He nodded.

"Yup, same here, but we came down here to have a bit of fun so let's leave that discussion for another time and focus on something else, okay?"

Rose nodded.

"For instance…how fast do you think we can get through MGM Studios and leave Disneyworld behind before the killer hurricane descends upon us and not only destroys the car but musses up my to-die-for hairdo?" he said with a wink.

Rose feigned horror.

"Oh God, I don't think I'll be able to live if your hair gets blown off your skull," she said as he laughed.

"Well, I didn't say it would get blown away, but yeah, that would be a nightmare scenario. I really don't fancy being bald. Thank god for the chameleon arch so I won't have to find out what it's like."

"Unless your hair starts falling out before the ten years are up."

"In that case I want you to grab the glue and reattach every single follicle, which I figure you'll do anyway," he said.

They jerked their heads over towards the door when they heard a loud rumble of thunder.

"Blimey, I'm glad we decided to come back when we did. I'd hate to think of the people who got caught out in this," Alan said.

He thought as he took another sip of his scotch.

"I s'pose we better head back up before Awinita wakes up and worries about us," he said.

Rose nodded. Both them finished up their drinks, paid the tab and went back up to their room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh, thank God," Awinita said when they entered the room. "I was afraid you went back out in the park and got caught in the storm."

"Nah, we just went downstairs to that little pub and had a drink," Alan said. "We didn't want to stay up here while you were sleeping."

"You didn't have to worry about me, I can sleep through anything. I've been able to do it while you guys were driving. But thanks for thinking of me."

She looked towards the balcony door.

"So, I guess we're stuck in here for awhile," she said to them. "I hope it clears up so we can go back out tonight. Especially since we didn't get to ride the roller coaster again."

"If we can't, we'll ride it again in the morning before heading over to MGM," Rose said.

"I checked the weather while you were out. The hurricane is up to category 2 and they think it'll be here in two days."

Rose sighed.

"Then we better make tomorrow the last day."

"Bollocks, curse Mother Nature and her hurricanes," Alan said. "I guess we'll head back up through Alabama then. Question is do you guys want to head up or over?"

"Might as well go up," Rose said, shrugging. "I'm in no hurry to get through the US."

"Yeah, same here," Awinita said. "Except…"

They looked at her.

"Yes?" Alan said.

"I have a small request."

They looked at each other.

"And that request is?" Alan said.

"If we're still in the US on Thanksgiving, can we find a restaurant that's serving turkey so I can kinda celebrate?"

"Sure, that's fine," Rose said.

"You don't wanna celebrate with your family though?" Alan asked. "We can always swing back to North Carolina when the time comes."

"No, that's okay; I haven't eaten Thanksgiving dinner with my relatives for a couple of years now."

"Really?" Alan said frowning. "Why?"

"Well…I have some uncles and cousins who insist on getting plastered and we have to put up with them being drunk and arguing with the rest of the family. I finally got tired of it and told my mom I wasn't gonna come home anymore."

"Oh man, that's terrible," Rose said. "Yeah, I had a couple of cousins that would get soused at the holidays too and mum finally stopped inviting them because they'd come over and cause trouble, so yeah, I can understand completely."

"Well, the reason I'm asking is I know you guys don't celebrate Thanksgiving."

"Yes," Alan said. "But nothing beats a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Rose and I can certainly eat with you and keep you company so you don't have to put up with drunken relatives."

"Yeah, I don't mind stopping somewhere for that. It's a holiday here and you should celebrate it regardless of who you're with. It's supposed to be a time for giving thanks and Alan and I certainly have a lot to be thankful for so don't worry about it. Just let me know what day it is. It's the end of November, right?"

"Yeah, the last Thursday in November, whatever day that is this year. Thanks."

"It's no problem," Rose said. "Alan will certainly help you eat a whole turkey, I know that much."

She laughed when he nodded his head rapidly.

"What about Christmas though?" Alan asked. "Do you want to go home then?"

Awinita sighed.

"I'm not sure. It's the same thing at Christmas. Holidays in general are unpleasant with my family."

"Yeah, but you really should drop in just to say hello," Alan said. "Rose and I can come with you and meet your family. I mean she won't be able to spend Christmas with her family so we can come and be with you, if you want."

"That sounds cool. I won't mind being there if you guys are with me. But…then you'd have to drive all the way back to North Carolina for it. That's out of the way. I don't want you to drive hundreds of miles just so I can go back home."

Rose thought about it.

"How 'bout this then? When the time comes we can take a bus or train back to North Carolina and get a round trip ticket so we can go back to wherever we are in our journey. That way I won't have to spend extra money on gas and you can still see your family."

"Brilliant," Alan said.

"I'll think about it. I have a feeling you might change your minds about meeting my family when you actually get there. My uncles and cousins are complete assholes when they get tanked. It's not a pretty picture."

"Yeah, but it'll be worth putting up with that if you get to see your family," Alan said. "Not to mention your sick gran will probably want to see you as well."

"But that's a few months away," Rose said. "So, just keep it in mind and let us know when the time comes."

Awinita smiled.

"I will, thanks guys."

"You're welcome. You've been a great friend to us and the least we can do is get you home for Christmas," Alan said.

He winced when a thunderclap rattled the balcony door.

"Of course, that might not matter if we get blown off the map before we get there," he said.

Awinita chuckled.

"Don't worry, guys. I've been through a hurricane before. Most people survive them. I doubt you'll get blown off the map unless it's a monster category 5. Have no fear. If you guys can survive Daleks, you can survive a hurricane."

Alan looked at Rose.

"Now see, that's the kind of nonchalant I don't give a crap if I'm in mortal danger attitude that we need in a companion. I told you she's perfect for the TARDIS."

Awinita blushed.

"Well, judging from your stories, a lot of the stuff you guys see is a hundred times worse than any hurricane."

"True enough, but you're tough and you can handle anything the universe can throw at ya," Alan said. "Besides no puny hurricane can compare to…"

There was a dramatic pause.

"The Oncoming Storm," he said in a deep voice.

"I thought you weren't claiming that name anymore," Rose said.

"Well, I'll claim it every once in awhile just to scare people who might think about messing with me."

Awinita giggled.

"What?" he said.

"This whole Oncoming Storm thing still tickles me; you are the last person I would think of as having a name like that."

Alan glanced at Rose.

"She don't know me too well, do she?" he said to her.

"Nope."

He looked at Awinita. He leaned down into her face and scowled at her. Awinita raised her eyebrow.

"I take it that's supposed to strike fear into my heart?" she said.

"I am the Oncoming Storm, Ka Fariq Gatri and the Destroyer of Worlds!" he said menacingly. "I am the Beast, Time's Champion, the Evil One…"

"And you're also incredibly cute," Awinita said.

Rose bent over laughing when she ruffled his hair. Alan stared at her in shock as she tickled his chin.

"What's wrong? Did I ruin your whole I'm a dangerous man spiel there?" Awinita said. "I'm sorry, it's your face. It's hard to believe you're a threat to anyone with that cute little baby face of yours."

"BABY FACE?" He said as Rose fell back on the bed laughing. "Baby face! I do not have a baby face! I am not a pretty boy! I am the Oncoming Storm! I am the destroyer of the Daleks, evildoers live in fear of me and madmen tremble at the very mention of my name! I am an unstoppable force of nature that will take out anyone who threatens me, my friends or the universe and I'm getting sick and tired of the hair ruffling and cooing that is coming from your lips, Awinita Harris!"

"I can't help it. I can understand why Rose likes the hair. It's just so…cute!"

Alan sighed when both she and Rose threw their arms around him and began to tousle his hair while they made cooing noises.

"If I find the Doctor again, I'm gonna kill him for regenerating into this body," he muttered as they laughed.


	70. Chapter 70

A/N: For those who don't know, the commercial is a real ad and the jingle below is in one of them. They've run their ads 80 bazillion times since they started which means there's been a lot of times when I've had the damn jingles stuck in my head so what better way for Alan to torment Rose than to learn it and sing it to her ;)

Chapter Seventy

"Oh Lord," Rose muttered.

They were lying on their beds watching television while the storm raged outside. Several times over the past couple of hours a commercial for free credit report dot com had played and Alan had quickly memorized the jingle and was tormenting Rose with it while Awinita laughed hysterically. Now he was at it again.

"They say a man should always dress for the job he wants.  
So why am I dressed up like a pirate in this restaurant?  
It's all because some hacker stole my identity.  
Now I'm in here every evening serving chowder and ice tea.  
Shoulda gone to freeeeeee credit report dot com.  
I coulda seen this coming at me like an atom bomb.  
They monitor your credit and send you email alerts,  
So, you don't end up sellin' fish to tourists in t-shirts."

"God help me," Rose muttered.

"What? It's a nifty little tune. Makes me want to go online and check my credit," Alan said.

"Please do that, so you can get away from me and give me some peace from that stupid song," Rose said.

Awinita giggled.

"I know how you feel, Rose. They play that over and over and I'm sick of it too."

"I'm sick of it and it's only been half a night since I first heard it."

"I'm not sick of it. I love it. It's catchy and fun. Maybe we can make it our song."

"No! Hell no, don't you dare!" Rose said.

He gave her a kiss.

"Okay, but we still gotta keep our ears open for the perfect song," he said.

"Have you guys thought of a Disney song since you got engaged here?" Awinita asked.

"Hmm, good idea, there's tons of heartwarming romantic Disney ditties we could choose from," Alan said.

"How about Someday My Prince Will Come?" Awinita said.

"What'd you mean, someday? Her prince is already here, thank you very much," he said.

Rose giggled.

"How about the Circle of Life. You know, from the day they arrive on the planet, blinking, step into the sun," she said, giving him a pointed look.

Alan rolled his eyes.

"Good job the Sycorax leader didn't know what The Lion King was otherwise the Doctor would have had some explaining to do," he said. "But, nah, I don't like that. Unless we do the Can You Feel the Love Tonight song."

"That one's pretty," Rose said. "I wouldn't mind that being our song. But there's one I like even better."

"And that is…"

"The Phil Collins one from Tarzan. The You'll Be in My Heart song. I've always loved it."

"I love that one too," Awinita said. "You oughta pick that one."

Rose looked at Alan when he started muttering the lyrics to himself. He got halfway through the song and nodded.

"Yes, I think that song fits us, if you want that to be our song, that's fine," he said.

"Then I choose that as our song."

He smiled.

"Bellissima! One more vital lover's ritual taken care of. Now we have something to dance to at our wedding."

Rose put his arm around his chest and held him while Alan gave her a kiss on the forehead. The show they were watching ended.

"What do you wanna watch now?" Rose asked them.

"Um, I think Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader is on. You guys ever seen that?"

"I think so. But in England, it's called Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year Old if that's the show I'm thinking of," Rose said. "That's cool if you wanna watch it. Go ahead and change it."

Awinita changed the channel.

"Yup, this is the same show," Rose said when the program came on.

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"What is wrong with these people?"

Rose glanced at Alan. He gestured to the TV.

"These people can't answer these simple little questions? Forget ten year olds, two day old Gallifreyans could answer this stuff. It boggles my mind that they actually have to stop and think of the answer."

"Well not everyone is a super genius like you, dear," Rose teased.

"What d'ya mean, super genius? How smart do you have to be to know the square root of 81? It's 9! What's so difficult about that?"

Both women laughed when Alan stared at the screen in shock.

"He has to have a hint now? Come on, you stupid git, it's 9!"

"I don't think he can hear you through the TV, Alan," Awinita said.

"Well, I wish he could because the man's completely thick. Rose, find a way to get me on this show. I'll win us a million dollars without breaking a sweat. I'll win the money in thirty seconds flat and I won't need anyone's help, much less help from a ten year old."

"Alan, you'd think the same thing about people on Mastermind," Rose said.

"Well, I can't help it if I'm brilliant," Alan said. "All these questions are far too simple for me. That's why I don't like to watch these shows. Earthlings for the most part aren't very advanced when it comes to your schooling. You're still taught the most basic subjects, subjects that my people got in the nursery. Even your puzzles are too simple. I tried Earth Sudoku and I finished it in thirty seconds. Now Quantum Algebra Sudoku…there's a challenge."

Awinita looked at Rose.

"I'm afraid to ask what that is," she said.

"Best not to ask, just nod and pretend you understand everything, it works with the Doctor."

She gave him an innocent look when he eyed her.

"Yes, he knew all too well that you used to fake interest in what he was saying, don't think he didn't cotton on to that," Alan said. "Probably explains why he had to save your hide most of the time because you were tuning him out."

"Oi, I listened when I could understand what he was saying," she protested. "It's a little hard to follow what he was saying when he was using all these terms I'd never heard before."

"That's where dictionaries and encyclopedias come in; they're extremely useful when you don't know something."

"Oh yeah, that would have gone over like a lead balloon. The Doctor talking while I'm holding a dictionary trying to look up words. He would have grabbed the book, thumped me with it and told me to pay attention to him! So unfortunately that suggestion wouldn't have done me any good."

"How about when the Doctor had finished talking? Couldn't you have gone back and looked it up then?"

"Uh, no, because half the time motor mouth was going so fast I didn't pick up half the technical terms he was spouting off. Then he was usually pulling me out the door to go somewhere or we started running from a monster and I forgot everything he said."

"Ah, Rose, Rose, Rose, he told you once that books were one of the best weapons you could ever have. You should have taken that to heart."

"You mean, books are heavy and you can slug people with them?" Awinita said.

"No," he said while Rose laughed. "I mean that knowledge is power. A lot of Earthlings are too busy planted in front of the telly instead of sticking their nose in a book and actually learning something. You don't learn much when you're sitting in front of a telly watching Strictly Come Dancing while you shove crisps in your mouth."

"Yes, dear," Rose said, patting his chest.

She laughed when Alan shot her a look.

"Well, what else am I supposed to do? Last time I looked, Disneyworld didn't have a library so I can't very well go and get a dictionary, can I? I get your point. Knowledge is power, now will you calm down and let Awinita watch her program?"

Alan gave her an apologetic look.

"Sorry, I inherited the urge to rant from the Doctor."

"No worries, I like when you rant. It's another cute thing you do."

Rose laughed when Alan's mouth dropped open.

"Are you coming on to me now or something? Everything I do lately seems to be cute to you."

"It is. You're a very cute and sweet guy. But as for coming on to you, I'm not. I'm just teasing. You're Rose's…man."

"Well, thank you for calling me a man this time," he said.

"You're welcome, freckly face."

Rose laughed hysterically while Alan looked skyward.

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Unfortunately, the storm didn't let up and the three of them were forced to stay in the room for the night. Awinita went to take a shower while Rose and Alan lay together under the covers. Both of them had their hands down each other's pants touching each other's genitals and moaning softly. They did that until they heard the shower shut off and with a passionate kiss they eased up and went back to holding one another. Awinita emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later.

"I can't believe tomorrow is our last day here," she said, sitting down on her bed. "This has been so much fun."

"I know, damn that hurricane for interrupting it," Alan said. "But we can have fun elsewhere. We still got a big old country to explore and a whole world after that. Much to see, much to do. Besides there's Disneyland, Tokyo Disney, Euro Disney…"

"I knew that was comin'" Rose muttered when he grinned at her.

"Yes, isn't that convenient for us? Here we are at Disneyworld and then right across the country is Disneyland and then as soon as we cross the Pacific to Japan…Tokyo Disney! Three Disney parks in a row!"

"Shame we're not going to any of them," Rose said.

She ducked under the covers when Alan shot her a look. He pulled down the covers.

"What was that? I didn't hear you right, space dust in my ears. Sounded like you said we're not going to any more Disney parks," he said.

"You heard right. I had to pay out the nose to get us in here. You wanna go to the others, get a job and pay for us to get in."

Alan glanced at Awinita.

"'Scuse me, quick financial meeting!"

He jerked the covers up over their heads as Awinita snickered.

"There's nothing to talk about," she heard Rose say. "You get a job and make some money and we'll go to the others. It cost about 600 dollars for all of us to do this. You wanna go to the other Disney parks? Then find a way to earn 1800 dollars."

"Fine, I'll sell crafts out of the back of the car then," she heard Alan say.

There was a long pause.

"What kind of crafts?" Rose finally said.

"Um…pipe cleaner dolls?"

Awinita giggled at that which caused Rose to start laughing.

"Pipe cleaner dolls?" she said, amused. "And where are you gonna get the pipe cleaners to make these dolls?"

"Go out by the interstate and prostitute that pretty boy baby face of yours?" Awinita said.

There was a pause and then both women laughed when Alan pulled down the cover to his chin and eyed her.

"No comments from people outside the meeting," he said to her.

He pulled the covers back up over his head.

"I will just ignore Awinita's suggestion and throw out one of my own, which is, you will buy me the pipe cleaners."

"Me? Then how are we supposed to make money on these pipe cleaner dolls when I'm buying the materials? How many you gonna make and who's gonna buy them?"

"I will take each question in turn and say…we will make money because they'll be a cute novelty item, I will make as many as it takes to raise the money I need and people who like cute novelty items that make fun and fascinating conversation pieces. That answer all your queries in full?"

"No, how are you gonna sell them when we're on the road?"

"We'll be stopping every few minutes and spend a couple of hours roadside while I sell our goods."

"P'eh, guess again, Alan."

"I thought you wanted to delay going back to London."

"I don't want to sit in the people carrier all bleedin' day while you flog your stupid pipe cleaner crap!" she said while Awinita laughed hysterically.

She heard both of them laugh and then she smiled when she heard kissing sounds coming from under the blanket. Turning her attention to the TV, she concentrated on it and blocked out the sounds of her friend's snogging.


	71. Chapter 71

Chapter Seventy One

"Rise and shine, my sleepyhead."

Rose's eyes slowly fluttered open when she heard Alan whisper in her ear and felt his lips brushing the rim of it.

"Up and at em," he whispered to her. "Or should I sing the free credit report dot com song again."

"You do and you'll find your nose at the back of your head," Rose muttered.

Alan shifted when she rolled onto her back and looked up at him. He brushed the hair away from her face and laid his hand on her cheek.

"Rain's stopped," he said.

"That's good," Rose muttered. "We still need to check the weather though. Find out where that hurricane's at. Is Awinita awake?"

"Not yet, I'm the first one up, as usual," he said. "I swear, you humans and your need to sleep all day."

"I wouldn't talk, you're half, remember."

"So you keep reminding me."

"Hey, until you get a hold of a chameleon arch you're just gonna have to live with that."

"I know, disgusting, isn't it?"

"Oi, watch it," she said as he chuckled.

"Funny you should say that. That was also Donna's reaction when I said that to her. Course she wasn't quite as gentle about it as you were."

He yawned and stretched.

"Well, let's go and get a bit of breakfast, get on Expedition Everest and head out to the last park before the oncoming storm hits."

He scooted out of bed while Rose slowly rose up and swung her feet over the edge. He put his finger to his lip when Rose started to wake Awinita. He tiptoed over to her and leaned down into her ear.

"In the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room," he sang softly in her ear. "In the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room, all the birds sing words and the flowers croon in the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Tiki room."

"I thought you hated that song," Awinita mumbled.

"I do, but I figured if anything got your attention and pulled you back from the Land of Nod, it would be that."

She opened her eyes and stared at him.

"Mornin' already?" she muttered.

"Yes, indeedy, so up and at em before hurricane what's-its-face comes to call."

"I think it's named Hurricane Charlene," Awinita mumbled.

Alan made a face.

"What a stupid name. How is that supposed to strike fear in the heart of anyone and make them run for cover? They need to call it Hurricane Deathslammer or Hurricane Corpsemaker, then people would take it seriously."

Awinita raised her eyebrow.

"Or Hurricane Bloodreign just so it rhymes?" Alan offered.

Awinita snickered. She gave him an affectionate pat on the cheek before pulling back the covers and slowly sitting up. She shuffled towards the bathroom while Rose turned on the TV to the Weather Channel. Alan reached down into his rucksack for his comb and sat down beside her, watching the forecast while he combed his unruly hair. He sighed when he noticed the hurricane was still heading for them.

"Awinita," Rose called, "they think it's gonna hit Florida by tomorrow morning. It's a category three now so we better leave right after we get through MGM."

"Okay," Awinita said.

Rose kissed Alan on the cheek when she saw the crestfallen look on his face.

"There'll be other fun things to do on our journey, my love," she said.

He nodded. Rose gave him another kiss on the cheek before she went to the bathroom to get ready.

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Rose made sure that they rode Expedition Everest first thing since they were leaving that night. The second time didn't have the element of surprise but it was still just as exciting. Alan made sure to keep his eyes up towards the Yeti so he could get a good look at it as the car passed under it.

"That Yeti is amazing," he said to his friends as they made their way to the bus that would take them to the park. "We need to make one for our TARDIS and put it just above the front door so it'll menace anyone who comes in."

"Plannin' on havin' a lot of people come into the TARDIS then?" Rose asked.

"Weeeell, I figured maybe we can find this universe's version of Captain Jack and invite him in for tea just so we can see his reaction," he said.

"I'm surprised you'd wanna go find Jack since you were so worried about him being around me and Awinita."

"You have a point. Okay, we won't find him but we'll look around and see if there any alternate versions of friends we know. Like Sarah Jane."

"Or Donna?" Rose said.

"Maybe but there's only one Donna in my eyes," he said fondly. "An alternate universe Donna just won't be the same."

They reached the bus stop and stood waiting for the bus to pick them up. After five minutes, it pulled up and the three of them got onboard.

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"Oh yes, the Tower of Terror ride, I've wanted to ride this for a long time," Awinita said.

They stood and looked up at it listening to the terrified screams drifting from the interior.

"This is nothing, I know a scarier Tower of Terror, her mum's flat."

He grunted when Rose smacked him in the chest.

"So, are you two women brave enough to go on this ride?" Alan said.

Rose gave him a "surely, you can't be serious" look.

"I've seen worse thing than this, what makes you think I'm gonna be scared of a stupid ride," she said.

"Because this…is the Twilight Zone," Alan said, dramatically.

"I know a scarier Twilight Zone, your body in the shower," Rose said.

Awinita laughed as he smacked her in the stomach.

"Turnabout, my dearest, turnabout," he said when Rose eyed him.

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"You're entering a dimension, a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind…"

"A dimension of overacting," Alan whispered to Rose as they watched the film.

Rose snickered.

"You just crossed over into…the Twilight Zone."

"Ooooeeeeoooo," Alan said.

"Hollywood, 1939, amidst the glamour and glitter of that golden age, the Hollywood Tower Hotel was a star in its own right. A beacon for the show business elite. Now…something is about to happen that'll change all that."

On the film lightning struck the hotel and zapped the guests.

"The lightning not only zapped the hotel guests into the Twilight Zone," Alan said, imitating Rod Serling. "It also made the movie stars nice and crispy like bacon. Bacon that was eaten…in the Twilight Zone."

Rose and Awinita bent over laughing.

"The time is now on an evening very much like the one we've just witnessed," the voiceover said.

The camera panned over to a Rod Serling lookalike.

"Hey, I thought he was dead," Alan said. "This truly is… the Twilight Zone!"

"Tonight's story is somewhat unique and calls for a different kind of introduction," Rod said, gesturing to a closed lift behind him. "This, as you may recognize, is a maintenance service elevator. Still in operation, waiting for you. We invite you to step on board because in tonight's episode, you are the star. And this elevator travels directly to…the Twilight Zone."

"The Twilight Zone…bought to you by the Disney Corporation. Disneyfiying scary things since 1928," Alan said.

They headed towards the service elevator with a group of people.

"Welcome to the Hollywood Tower Hotel," a man dressed as a bellhop said. "Your elevator has arrived and is ready to take you to your room."

The doors opened.

"Have a pleasant stay," he said, stepping back.

All of them stepped inside and sat down. After being restrained, the doors shut and the car began to go up the shaft.

"The Doctor's clone and his companions," Alan said, imitating Rod Serling, "on a pleasant holiday at Disney, they board the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride thinking it'll be a fun little diversion. But what they don't know is the doors are about to open and they will find themselves battling Slitheen on Raxicoricofallipatorius. Slitheen that exist…in the Twilight Zone."

Rose snorted out laughter.

The car stopped and a wall slid open in front of them. For a moment they looked out at the park and then suddenly the car raced down the shaft. Everyone screamed as the car went up and down, stopping and starting at random spots. Rose grabbed Alan's hand and held it tightly while he laughed and whooped and hollered.

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"Oh man, that was great!" Awinita said when they exited the building. "That was everything I'd thought it be."

"Me too, that was fantastic!" Rose said.

She looked at Alan.

"What'd about you? You like it?"

He looked at her with bulging eyes.

"Alan Timelord, "he said in his Rod Serling voice. "A half human, half alien from a faraway planet called Gallifrey. An alien who has just rode the Tower of Terror ride and soiled himself out of fear. Now this poor soul is condemned to walk around the park all day in poo-filled underwear. Underwear that exists…in the Twilight Zone."

"Oh Jesus, now he's gonna be doing this for the rest of the day," Rose said to Awinita.

"You aren't concerned that I soiled myself?" Alan said.

His eyes bulged when Rose bent down to his butt and took a big whiff.

"Nah," she said, straightening up. "You're fine. Let's go."

Awinita bent over laughing while Alan stared at Rose, shocked.

"Did you see that? She just sniffed my ass in public," he said gesturing to her.

He jumped up and spun around in mid-air so his butt was facing her and bent down.

"Do it again, dear, I don't think you caught the slight aroma of feces that time," he said, pointing to his bum.

He gasped when Rose smacked his ass as hard as she could.

"Straighten up, Stitch, we got a park to see," Rose said.

She ran off when Alan gave her a dirty look.

"She just smacked my bum, d'ya see that?" he said to Awinita.

"Well, that'll teach you to wave it under her nose," she said, shrugging.

"That'll teach you to wave it under her nose," he said in a snotty voice while Awinita ran to catch up to Rose.

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They looked up at the Rock 'n' Roller coaster ride.

"Gee, I don't know if we oughta ride this one. Alan's underwear might get even more soiled," Rose said to Awinita.

"Yeah, maybe he needs to go back to the Magic Kingdom and ride the Snow White Ride, that's probably more his speed," she said.

"Or It's A Small World?" Rose said.

"Or The Tiki Room," Awinita said, shrugging.

"Or The Haunted Mansion," Rose offered.

"Well, bye, I'm getting in the queue!" Alan called as he walked off. "Have fun poking fun at me in the meantime."

He noticed them following him and with a grin took off running. He smiled when he could hear them laughing behind him and thought to himself that there wasn't a more pleasant sound in the whole universe.

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"Another awesome ride," Awinita said when the left the roller coaster.

"Yes…now let's see, has Alan soiled himself again?"

Alan did his little spin and bend.

"Go ahead and check!" he said, pointing to his butt.

Rose grinned, raised her hand up and held it aloft.

"Go ahead, do the whole S&M thing again, I like that too," he said, leering at her.

"Nah, not in the mood," Rose said, lowering her hand and walking off.

Alan looked up at Awinita.

"Nice ass, it's another cute thing of yours," she said.

He let out a sigh and mumbled under his breath about being cute when she hurried to catch up with Rose.

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"Hey!" Awinita said, pointing to a queue. "Let's take Alan to the Jedi Training Academy! I'm sure an alien like him will want to hone his fighting skills."

Alan snorted.

"Star Wars, Schmar Wars, I can tie Darth Vader into a teeny tiny pretzel. The TARDIS could crumple the Death Star like tissue paper. I don't need my fighting skills honed in any way. Now, as for Rose, Miss Kiss the Dirt might benefit from a lesson or two since I can still kick her ass during our aikido sessions."

He ducked when Rose tried to grab his arm and twist it behind his back.

"As I was saying," he said, "Rose is slower than a quadriplegic snail. So go ahead and sign her up for Jedi Academy. I'll be over here giggling insanely at her and counting how many times she goes down."

He ducked again when she tried to slap the back of his head.

"Keep at it, dear, one day you might get lucky and catch me unawares," he said, walking off.

Rose gave Awinita an exasperated look before they followed him.

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After spending most of the day seeing the sights, the three of them stopped inside Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano for supper. Alan ordered the spaghetti again and he and Rose shared it while Awinita ate fettuccini.

"Hard to believe that our Disney adventure is almost at an end," Alan said. "The whole thing's been brilliant."

"Yup, we'll definitely have to come back sometime," Awinita said.

"Maybe when we get the TARDIS working, we can go back to the first day it opened," Rose said.

"Rose Tyler, that's a fantastic idea. We'll definitely have to do that," Alan said.

He fed her a meatball.

"Are we almost ready to leave?" Alan asked.

"Yeah, but I think we should hit the gift shop one more time just in case anyone wants something," she said. "Then we'll go back to our room, gather up our stuff and check out.

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A couple of hours later, they had left the park and were back out on the interstate heading out of Florida. Rose was driving, Alan was sitting beside her and Awinita was in the back. Alan smiled as he fingered the stuffed Stitch Rose had gotten him. It was wearing his little orange spacesuit and had a blaster in his hand.

"Bollocks, I hate the traffic around here," Rose muttered. "How people can get in and out of Disney without going insane is beyond me."

"Don't knock it, dear," Alan said. "Remember I told you on New, New Earth they had the motorway sealed off and some people there had been in traffic for twenty five years or more."

"Ugh, I definitely would have torn my eyes out then," Rose said. "Or I would have jumped to my death and just let the Macra have me. Those had to be the most patient people in the whole entire universe!"

Alan chuckled.

"You and me both, Starlight. Living in London is horrendous enough for me. I don't fancy being in a cramped lorry on a motorway for a quarter of a century."

"Well, you'd think after ten years they would have thought something was wrong," Rose said.

"Denial is a powerful thing," Alan replied.

Rose's eyes drifted up to the top of the minivan when it began to vibrate.

"Wind's picking up now," she said. "I think we got out of there at the right time. If we take turns driving, we'll be out of Florida by the time it hits tomorrow."

Awinita tapped Alan's shoulder. He looked around and saw her holding a bag of potato chips out to him. He smiled and reached in to grab a handful. He munched on them happily while he watched the cars in front of him.

"Rose, you want some chips?" Awinita asked.

Rose looked back. Awinita held the bag up far enough so she could reach in and get some.

"Thanks," she said.

She set them on her leg and ate them while she drove. Alan looked around.

"Toss me a Coke, would ya?" he asked.

Awinita reached into a bag and handed him a 16 ounce bottle of Coke.

"Thanks muchly," he said, taking it.

"Could you turn on the radio?" Awinita asked. "Unless Rose is gonna be bothered by it."

"No, I'm fine, I wanna hear the weather reports anyway," she said, turning it on.

Awinita held the chip bag out to Alan. He took a few more and munched while he listened to the music. He glanced over when the van rocked again.

"Careful, Rose," he said. "Just take your time so we don't run off the road."

"I am, trust me," she said.

He looked at the windshield when he noticed a few raindrops hitting it.

"You're right, we did get outta there at the right time," he said. "It's starting to rain now."

Rose looked at the droplets and cursed softly.

"Just as long as it doesn't pour down while I'm trying to get outta here," she said.

"Has the Doctor ever been in a hurricane?" Awinita asked Alan.

He munched on a chip while he thought that over.

"Been in a monsoon in India. Been in a typhoon in Japan so I guess yes, since that would qualify as a hurricane. Been in two volcano eruptions, Krakatoa and Pompeii. Witnessed the San Francisco earthquake in 1906 from afar. Seen several tornadoes, Witnessed acid rain on Venus, Been in an ice storm on Felajoria Major. Hmmm, what else?"

He munched on another chip.

"Has he ever gotten hurt in any of the things you mentioned?" Awinita asked.

"Um…not badly. An old tree nearly toppled onto him during the monsoon because he had been caught outdoors unawares when it started."

"When was that?" Rose asked.

"Third life with Sarah Jane. She was in the TARDIS when it happened and he was going back towards it when the tree fell. He…um…heh, for the life of me I can't think why he was outside in the first place. Probably exploring as usual. Other than that, he's escaped everything else unscathed. Most of the time he had advanced warning of the event like San Francisco and Krakatoa so he was able to view it at a safe distance. Pompeii I already told you about but even then he came out of it with nary a scratch. The man has a charmed life, I must admit."

"I'll say," Rose said. "Half the time I couldn't suss out how we managed to survive the scrapes we'd get into and I'd only been traveling with him for two years, never mind 1200 years."

She cursed when the rain started pouring down and she turned on the windshield wipers.

"If this gets bad, we might have to pull off so keep your eyes open for a lay-by, yeah?" she said to them.

She turned up the radio when the weather report came on.

"Hurricane Charlene is expected to make landfall tomorrow at 9 a.m.," the weatherman said. "There is a wind advisory tonight for south and central Florida along with a flood warning for the coastal areas. So be careful, all you who are out on the roads tonight."

"Wonderful, just wonderful," Rose said. "Maybe we should have just gave MGM a miss and got the hell outta here this mornin'"

"I'm sorry, Rose, if I was the reason you didn't leave," Alan said, sadly.

"It's not you, Alan. I wanted to stay too. Don't start blamin' yourself for this, alright? We'll make it outta here. Like you said, I just have to take my time and not worry that there's a big bleedin' hurricane closing in behind us."

She gasped when the driver in front of her slammed on his brakes. All three of them gritted their teeth when she stopped inches from his back fender.

"Damn it!" Rose cursed as her heart raced in her chest.

The car started again and Rose slowly followed him, going slow enough that there was a considerable distance between the two cars. As she drove, the rain lashed down onto the windshield and the car rocked, terrifying her even more. She normally hated driving on the motorway and normally she was anxious enough without trying to drive through wind and rain. She took deep breaths trying to calm her rapidly beating heart.

"It's alright, Rose, you're doing fine."

She glanced over and noticed Alan staring at her with concern in his eyes. She realized that the reflection from the headlights behind her had allowed him to see how scared she was.

"Just take your time, Rose," he said, gently. "We'll get through this."

He put his hand on her shoulder and Rose relaxed a bit more.

"I just hate driving through traffic like this and the wind and the rain are not helping any," she said to him.

"I know, but you've handled worse than this before. I trust you," he said.

"I do too," Awinita added.

She smiled.

"Thanks, guys. I…"

She gasped and cursed when the car in front of her stopped again. She waited for him to go but there was no movement from anyone.

"Great, now we're stuck here," she said. "Can I have a sip of your Coke, Alan?"

She thanked him when he passed it to her and took a swig. Alan feigned disgust when he handed it back to her and made a big show of wiping her saliva off the rim with his shirt. Rose rolled her eyes while Awinita laughed.

"My germs aren't gonna kill ya, smart ass," she said.

Alan smiled when he heard her giggle and saw her relax a bit.

"You did that just to get a giggle outta me, didn't ya?" Rose said.

"Yes, I figured it would help relieve your tension a bit," he said.

Rose looked at him fondly and stroked his cheek a moment.

"Thanks, Alan, I needed that," she said.

"No problemo," he replied. "Anything that calms you down and makes you happy is a-okay in my book."

"Can I ask you a question, Alan?" Awinita asked, leaning up towards him.

"Sure."

She smiled.

"Why is it that I can't find any decent men to date on planet Earth? Will I have to go find myself an alien before I find someone as wonderful and loving as you?"

Rose grinned when Alan turned redder than the car's taillights in front of them.

"I'm serious," Awinita said. "Rose, you are the luckiest woman I know. I have never had a man treat me the way he treats you. And not only that, you've had two of them treat you this way. You need to keep him a secret because I'm sure other women will want to snatch him away from you."

"Oh, he's not going anywhere, trust me," Rose said. "I will be holding on to him with both hands if that's what it takes."

"Am I to understand that I'll be wearing a collar and leash then?"

"Um…probably," Rose said, giggling with Awinita.

"So, I'm the perfect man, am I?" Alan said to Awinita.

"You are in my book. I'm serious; most of the men I've dated were inconsiderate jerks that only cared about themselves. I've never had any of them treat me the way you treat Rose. All the doting you do on her is so wonderful. If you're looking for a job then why don't you do lecture tours and go around the world teaching men how to treat women?"

"Oh, I agree with you completely on that. I would love for someone like Alan to go and teach men how to act. I had some jerk boyfriends in my life too so I know how you feel."

She smiled when the traffic in front of her finally moved and groaned when it was only for a few feet.

"Thirty yards, we're having a good day," Alan said.

Rose frowned.

"Huh?"

He chuckled.

"Brannigan the cat said that on New Earth when he was able to move his van a bit," he explained. "You know, the one that was stuck in the car who should have been tearing his eyes out in an insane rage?"

"I'm almost there now," Rose muttered.

There was more movement ahead of her and Rose eased her way up. She took another sip of Alan's Coke and took a few more chips from Awinita.

"At least we have food in here," she said after swallowing the chips. "I don't know how long it'll be until we can find a restaurant so it's nice to have the crisps and the Coke."

"Six months," Alan said.

"Huh?" Rose said.

"The next exit's in six months."

She chuckled.

"Quoting Brannigan again?"

"Yup."

"What are you guys talking about?" Awinita said. "I mean, if we're stuck in traffic you might as well fill me in."

Alan told her while Rose slowly worked her way down the interstate.

"Jesus," she said when he finished. "Yeah, I agree with Rose. I would have just thrown myself to the Macra things and be done with it. It's sad that Face of Boe person had to die though. Imagine, the poor guy having to keep the city running for all those years so those people would stay alive."

Alan nodded. He hesitated a moment.

"Rose, there's something I haven't told you about the Face of Boe," he said.

Rose glanced at him.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I didn't say this at first because I still find it hard to believe and I don't know for sure if there is a connection but…um…after the Doctor defeated the Master and he burned his body, he took Jack back to Cardiff and they were having a conversation and Jack was wondering what he was gonna look like in a million years and the Doctor told him he didn't know. Well, he told him that back on the Boeshane Peninsula, he was the first one to be signed up for the Time Agency and he was the poster boy for them and he was called…"

He leaned in.

"The Face of Boe," he said.

Rose choked on a chip in her mouth. She turned her head and stared at him in shock.

"No way," she said. "No, no way that was Jack! That could not have been Jack!"

Alan shrugged.

"Supposedly, the Face of Boe had lived for millions of years when the Doctor met him."

"Yeah, but…that can't be right. That couldn't have been Jack. If it was Jack, why didn't he say something to us?"

Alan shrugged again.

"Fear of messing up the timeline, maybe," he said. "Maybe he knew it would have been a huge shock for us to see him like that."

"Yeah, but the Face of Boe had no body."

Alan chuckled.

"Starlight, the human race is gonna take many forms in its continuing evolution. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Jack evolved into a huge head over time."

"Jack, this is the guy you warned me about, right?" Awinita said.

"The same."

"And he's immortal and he's eventually gonna become a monster, giganto head?"

"Maybe, maybe not, I'm just telling you what I know. It might have just been a huge coincidence and we're reading too much into this Face of Boe thing. But you never know. Life is a lot stranger than you imagine, Awinita."

"Yeah, I'm learning that the more time I spend with you guys."

Rose glanced over when she finally saw an off-ramp.

"I'm getting off here. Let's get something proper to eat and we'll ask if there's an alternate route out of here. I'm not fighting traffic with the rain and wind like this."

She eased off onto the off ramp and slowly went up the ramp behind several other cars.


	72. Chapter 72

Chapter Seventy Two

They found a McDonalds and ordered two bags filled with different things so they would have enough food to last them until the morning. When Rose got up to the drive-through window she talked briefly with the young lady inquiring whether there was an alternate route.

"We're coming from Disney and we're trying to leave before the hurricane hits," she said. "But the traffic's slowed on the motorway."

"That's because there's construction going on a few miles up and there's only one lane open," she said.

"Great," Rose muttered. "Is there another way around it?"

The woman gave her an alternate route that would take her around the construction site.

"After about ten miles, you should be able to get back on the interstate," she said. "But I'd be careful since the rain is coming down in buckets."

"I will and thanks so much," Rose said.

She took the bags of food and rolled up the windows while she found a parking spot.

"Might as well stop and eat here for awhile," she said, turning off the ignition. "Maybe the rain will let up a bit."

"Rose, do you want me to drive?" Alan said.

She glanced at him.

"Can you drive through weather like this?"

"Can I drive through weather like this? You're talking to the clone of the man who pilots the TARDIS single-handedly. Besides, even though I'm half human, I still have better eyesight than humans do. I think I'll be able to see the road a bit better than you will."

"Have at it then," she said. "I'm not complaining if someone else wants to drive. What do you want to eat right now?"

"The Big Mac and chips," Alan said.

She handed it to him.

"Awinita? What do you want?"

"Let me have the chicken sandwich and the French fries."

She handed it to her and took another chicken sandwich for herself. Her eyes glanced up when the wind rocked the minivan and she looked back at Awinita.

"You said you'd been through a hurricane before, yeah?"

She nodded.

"It wasn't this bad though. It was a category one so it didn't do much damage. But the wind was this bad and there was a ton of rain. When it hit land it almost immediately got downgraded to a tropical storm so none of us were worried. There was a ton of flooding and a few trees were blown down but no one got hurt."

"Well, as you can imagine, England doesn't get things like this," she said. "Which is why I'm a bit nervous about driving in it."

"We don't really worry about them unless they're huge monsters like Andrew. We don't get them in North Carolina all that often. At least not as often as Florida does. Most of the time they hit Florida or come up from the south and hit the Gulf States, not us. I wouldn't worry about it, Rose. Once it hits land, it'll die down. My worry would be if it went across Florida into the Gulf and picked up strength again and headed for Alabama or Mississippi or Louisiana. So, I would try to get out of Alabama as fast as I could too, at least get further inland where you're not gonna get the full force of it. But then again, for awhile at least, you're probably gonna get heavy rain and winds from this and possibly tornadoes."

"Oh God, don't even say that. I've seen that Twister movie before," Rose said. "I'm not in the mood to deal with those either."

"Look at it this way. Least we decided to keep the van," Awinita said. "Think how bad it would be if we were walking."

"Yes, makes me glad we did keep the van," she said. "I s'pose we might have to keep it anyway since winter is coming on and we're headin' back North. Unless you two wanna go walking through snow and ice."

"I don't," Alan said.

"Me neither."

"Although, Rose," Alan said. "As far as storms go this isn't a big deal. The Doctor's seen a lot worse. You know the Great Red Spot on Jupiter? That's an anticyclone that's constantly spinning across the planet and it's bigger than three Earths combined. The Doctor went beneath the planet's surface one time and viewed it on his monitor while he took measurements. When he measured it, the wind speeds were 620 kilometers an hour."

"Jesus," Rose said. "Yeah, you're right; this hurricane does pale in comparison."

"Fascinating thing. It's been going nonstop for centuries, if not millennia. There is no true surface to the planet. It's mainly composed of hydrogen with just a tiny amount of helium which is why the Doctor had to stay inside the TARDIS. No life forms exist there, at least none that the Doctor detected. On the other hand, you have Venus which has the sulfuric acid rains that I mentioned earlier. Those started because a volcano erupted in the 1970's and it's still going to this day. There is life there but they exist in subterranean cities and there are all sorts of nasty giant bugs that live there as well, hence the need for the Venusian Aikido, that and they've been invaded in the past by other civilizations."

Awinita munched on her sandwich while she listened quietly. Her mind boggled. She had no idea there were other life forms on the other planets around Earth. She swallowed the bit of sandwich in her mouth.

"What about the other planets? Do they have aliens on them too?" she asked.

"Mercury doesn't. It's too close to the sun. Mars did at one point. That's why the probes have found evidence of canals there. Ceres does, the Cerians have thick fur because it's freezing cold there."

"Ceres? I've never heard of that one," Awinita said.

"It's a dwarf planet between Mars and Jupiter. It's in the asteroid belt there."

"Oh, news to me," Awinita said.

"Um, mentioned Jupiter…Saturn doesn't, but its moon Titan does. Neptune doesn't, Uranus doesn't and Pluto did at one point, but now it doesn't and the recently discovered planet, Eris does. They found it in 2003 and from what I've heard the residents there weren't too pleased at being discovered by their backwater neighbors. They live underneath the surface though like the Venusians so they aren't too worried about the probes spotting them. Course what I'm telling you applies to the other universe, I don't know for sure about this universe which is why you might not have heard of Ceres before. It could be totally different here. We won't know until we get the TARDIS and see for ourselves."

"Where was Gallifrey?" Rose asked.

"Um, it was about 29,000 light years from Earth in the constellation of Kasterbourous."

"Did anyone on Earth ever discover it?" Awinita asked.

Alan frowned.

"Mmmmm, I don't think so, not to my knowledge," he said. "Unless they did and they didn't tell anyone they did."

"I wish I had been able to see it," Rose said. "From what you've told us, it sounded beautiful."

Alan nodded.

"It was drier than Earth was but it had beautiful golden fields and red deserts and green and silver forests. It was lovely."

"Too bad you don't have a way to show it to us," Awinita said.

Alan nodded. He munched on a French fry. Suddenly, he paused in mid-chew.

"Maybe I could…" he muttered.

Rose glanced at him.

"Alan?"

"It might be possible…"

"What might be possible?" Awinita said.

"Donna took a part of my Time Lord mind, but perhaps, perhaps I still have the ability to see people's memories and project my thoughts into other people's minds. Rose, would you indulge me in a little experiment?"

Rose glanced at the downpour outside the car.

"I'm not in a rush," she said. "Go ahead."

"Well, you know that the Doctor was able to enter people's minds on occasion and read their thoughts or set up mental blocks. If I can still do that, I can show you guys what Gallifrey looked like, among other things."

He sat his food down on the floor behind his seat and Rose did the same.

"Now, I'm gonna try this on you since the Doctor's read your mind before and you know what to expect. I'm gonna do the opposite though. I'm gonna send an image into your mind and I want you to tell me if you see something, alright?"

"Alright," Rose said, nodding.

"Just relax and clear your mind and then tell me the first thing that pops into your head," he said.

"Okay, mind's cleared."

Awinita watched, fascinated, while Alan put his fingertips to her temples and closed his eyes. Rose closed her eyes and for a moment there was silence. Then, Rose began to giggle.

"What?" Alan said with his eyes still closed.

"Um, I see you in a pink frock holding a banana and hopping like a bunny while you're singing "La,la,la" at the top of your lungs."

"Brilliant, I can still do it!" Alan said happily.

Rose opened her eyes.

"That was the image you were projecting into my head?" she said, amused.

"Well, yeah, I had to make it so outrageous that you would know it didn't come from your own mind," he said, shrugging.

"Well, it worked because I never would have thought that up myself in a million years," she said.

"Okay, now that I know it works, let me show you Gallifrey," he said.

He put his fingertips against her temples and they both closed their eyes. There was another moment of silence and then a smile spread over Rose's face.

"It's beautiful," she said, softly. "That domed city. Is that the Citadel you talked about?"

"Yes."

He leaned back and took his hands away.

"Show Awinita," Rose said.

He looked at her.

"D'ya wanna see?" he asked.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not in the least. Normally, I would ask you to imagine a door closing on any memories you don't want me to see but I'm only going to be projecting a memory into your head, not seeing into yours, and I would never intrude where you didn't want me to go."

"Okay, I'll try it," Awinita said, setting her food aside.

He shifted around in the seat until he was almost facing her.

"Just close your eyes, relax and clear your mind and just trust the first image that comes into your mind," he said.

"Okay."

She closed her eyes and Alan put his fingertips to her temples. Rose watched while the same smile spread over her face.

"Whoa, that's cool," she said while she kept her eyes closed. "That's a freaky looking sky. But I love the silver trees. I wish we had that on Earth."

"Yeah, me too," Rose said.

She frowned.

"Why is the city in a dome? Is the air not breathable or something?" she asked.

"No, that was for protection from attack. The Citadel was the most important city on Gallifrey and it had a library that held all the recorded knowledge of the Time Lords, among other things, so they made sure it was fortified and protected from invasion."

He paused a moment and then had an idea.

"Hold still, I want to show you what a Dalek and Davros look like since Rose and I mention them so often," he said.

"Okay."

There was another moment of silence and then Awinita giggled.

"Oh my God, are those Daleks?" she said.

"Yup."

"Is that a plunger on the front of them?"

Alan smiled.

"Yup, it is."

Awinita laughed.

"What'd they do, rotor rooter you to death?"

"No, unfortunately, the Daleks weren't quite that harmless," he said.

He showed her an image of a Dalek killing someone with its laser.

"Ouch!" she said. "You can see his whole skeleton."

"Yup. Now here's Davros."

Awinita made a face.

"Ugh, the guy looks like he's been out in the sun too long," she said. "Ick! No wonder the guy created things that do nothing but kill. He's probably bitter because he can't get laid."

Both Alan and Rose roared with laughter.

"Well," Awinita said, opening her eyes. "He's dog ugly and he's probably pent up and horny. And since no one in his right mind will screw him, he went off and created these Daleks to kill everything and get revenge for him."

"Wow, that's an interesting theory," Alan said. "Disturbing, but oddly enough it makes sense in a weird, twisted way. I just hope I can get the image of Davros cruising singles bars out of my head now. But now you know what we're talking about whenever we talk about him or the Daleks."

"Thanks. I've seen the Cybermen before since there was this huge debate awhile back on whether they were alive or not, so I knew what those were when you mentioned them but not the Daleks. It's hard to believe something that goofy looking is so dangerous. I can't get over them having a plunger. Did Davros just go around his house and build the first one out of odds and ends or something?"

"Who knows?" Alan said. "I wouldn't put it past the nutter."

"Not trying to bother you since you discovered you still had this neat little gift, but could you show me what the TARDIS looks like and then I'll stop asking you to show me stuff."

Alan nodded. He put his fingertips back up to her temples.

"Mind you, this is how his TARDIS looks. Ours won't look the same way since our chameleon circuit will be functioning."

He closed his eyes and showed her the outside of the TARDIS.

"Hmm, that's a police box?"

"Yes. And this is what it looks like on the inside."

"Whoa!" she said, raising her eyebrows. "Cool, love the way it looks."

She frowned.

"Is that the Doctor dancing around the thing in the center like a maniac?" she said.

"Yes, he's doing a jig around the console."

"You what?" Rose said. "You're making the Doctor dance around the console?"

"Just for illustration, dear," he said as she laughed. "Merely showing her the Doctor in my own inimitable fashion."

Awinita giggled hysterically.

"What now?" Rose asked.

"Um, you just came in the room and the Doctor stopped dancing and is now slowly stripping for you."

"What?" Rose said as both of them laughed. "Alan, quit that!"

Awinita snickered.

"Now, Alan just came in, tapped him on the shoulder and thumped him on the head," she said. "And now he's stripping for you while the Doctor kinda spins around in a daze like in a Bugs Bunny cartoon."

"Alan Timelord, quit that!" Rose said as he sniggered.

"And now the Doctor and Alan are like circling around each other while you're on your knees begging them to stop."

Awinita raised her eyebrow.

"And now you're all in some kind of Roman arena and they're dressed as gladiators while you're up in the stands in a toga telling them you'll screw them both if they just stop fighting."

"Alan!" Rose said as he laughed.

"No, Alan, keep going, this is entertaining," Awinita said. "Um…now you're all underwater and all of you are mermen and women and…"

She laughed.

"And Alan and the Doctor are slapping each other in the face with their fishtails while you swim around them screaming that you'll shag them both."

Alan giggled when Rose smacked his arm.

"Quit it!" she said, laughing.

"Okay, I'm stopping now," Alan said, taking his fingertips away from Awinita's forehead.

"Damn, I was enjoying that," Awinita said as she and Alan picked up their food. "Better than any of those cheesy sci-fi movies we've been watching. You wanna raise money to go to the other Disneyworlds? Just charge people and let them see little movies you think up. You'll get a lot more money than just selling pipe cleaner dolls."

"For the love of God, don't give him ideas," Rose said as he laughed. "He'll do it, I guarantee ya!"

"Aaaah, thanks for the laugh, Alan, that was great," Awinita said, digging in her fry carton for a fry.

"No problemo, always happy to cheer up my friend on a rainy night," he said.

By the time they finished eating the rain had eased up a bit although it was still heavy. Alan went to the back for a moment so Rose could switch to his seat without getting out. Once she was settled, he eased into the driver's seat. He smiled as he picked up his Stitch and handed it to her.

"Here, my right hand man will keep you safe while I drive," he said.

Rose smiled and held it to her body while Alan started up the car and turned on the windshield wipers and headlights. He paused a moment mentally going over the woman's directions before he put the car into reverse and eased out of the parking spot


	73. Chapter 73

Chapter Seventy Three

Rose was glad she had handed off the driving to Alan. She could tell he was able to navigate the roads with no problem leaving her and Awinita to sit back and relax. The two of them engaged in small talk and even though Alan would join in occasionally, for the most part he was busy concentrating on the roads and keeping an eye out for the road signs so he wouldn't miss his turns.

After about an hour, they finally found the interstate again and Alan went back onto it into the middle of the flowing traffic. The rain had eased up a bit more though the wind was still raging but he took it all in stride, not even flinching when the gale force buffeted the sides of the car. Knowing that he was able to keep the car under control made Rose relax even more and she slowly drifted off to sleep with the stuffed Stitch in her arm.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Rose?"

Rose's eyes slowly opened and she saw Alan gently shaking her.

"Hmm?" she said, trying to focus.

"Rose, I pulled off into a lay-by so I can use the restroom. I hate to wake you and Awinita but I figured you'd probably need to go also," he said gently.

"Yeah, I do," she murmured. "Where are we?"

"We're nearly out of Florida now."

Rose stared at him.

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked.

"About four hours. The rain's stopped for the moment and the wind's not as bad now so I decided to pull over and take a break."

"You did it," Rose said.

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Do I detect shock in your voice, Rose Tyler?" he said, amused. "You sound like you thought I was gonna crash us into a ditch."

"No, I mean, the wind and the rain and all."

"Nah, didn't bother me, I have the Doctor's piloting skills in my DNA. Easy peasy lemon squeasy," he said.

Rose gave him a kiss on the lips before she opened her door and slowly slid out. She noticed the back seat was vacant and figured Awinita was already inside. The wind whipped her hair around but it had died down significantly and Rose had no trouble making it to the bathroom inside the visitor's center. She passed Awinita on the way inside and glanced at Alan coming in behind her before she went into the restroom. She quickly used the bathroom, washed her hands and ran back outside. Alan was leaning against the front of the car casually sipping a bottle of Coke while Awinita sat in the back seat fiddling with something. He smiled at her.

"Feel better?" he asked as she walked up.

"Tons."

"You want me to keep driving?"

"Um, you don't have to, I mean you've been driving for four hours, aren't you tired?"

"Nah, I'm fine. You guys were asleep so I'd rather just continue on and let you get some rest. I know where I'm going thanks to the Onstar so if you want to just go back to sleep, be my guest."

"Thanks, Alan," she said.

"You're welcome. You and Awinita just leave the driving to little ol' me. I'll get us out of state safely."

He gave her another kiss on the lips and nuzzled her nose before she went around to the passenger side. Alan took another swig of Coke before he got back in. He set it in the cup holder, closed the door and fastened his seatbelt while Rose settled into the seat. Alan looked at her and glanced back at Awinita.

"Could you pass up her sleeping bag?" he asked her.

Awinita reached behind her, got the sleeping bag and passed it to Rose who murmured her thanks Alan helped her adjust it so it covered her entire body and started up the car while Rose tilted the seat back and closed her eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Rose?"

Rose opened her eyes and saw Alan leaning over her.

"Another restroom break, interested?" he said softly.

"Now where are we?"

"Alabama, near Montgomery, probably about fifteen miles outside it," he said.

"What time is it?"

"Nearly seven in the morning."

Rose glanced out the window and saw the sun just starting to rise. She looked back at Alan who had a proud smile on his face.

"I got us out of Florida," he said.

"Thank you," she said.

She listened for a moment.

"No wind," she said to him.

"Nah, we're far enough away now. Although I did turn on the radio for a bit and Awinita was right, it's going to cut across the southern part of Florida and head this way so we need to keep on going."

"Well, let me drive now, love. You've been up the whole night."

"You sure? I'm not tired."

"No, you need to sleep. I'm fine now, I'm rested. Just go ahead and go to the restroom and then change places with me."

Alan nodded. He kissed her on the temple.

"I've already been so you go ahead and I'll switch while you're in there," he said.

Rose nodded. She got out and went to the restroom while Alan climbed out and walked around to her seat.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Rose finished and everyone was in and situated, she started the car up and got moving again. On the way, they passed another off ramp and she headed onto it. Alan, who was snuggled down under the covers, frowned.

"Where ya goin'?" he asked.

"I need a cup of coffee," she said. "You guys want something for breakfast?"

"I'm not hungry, Rose. I just wanna go back to sleep right now," Awinita said, lying down on the seat and pulling the other sleeping bag over her body.

"Okay…you, love?"

"Where are we goin'?" he asked.

She looked around and saw a Burger King nearby.

"Burger King," she said to him.

"Um…a coffee and one of their croissant sandwiches with sausage and cheese," he said.

"Gotcha."

She turned off and pulled into the drive-thru.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

About an hour later, Rose was fully awake and heading for Birmingham. Awinita was still asleep and Alan had finally drifted off into a contented sleep with a belly full of coffee and croissant sandwich. Rose smiled at the peaceful expression on his face. She had rarely seen that expression on the Doctor's face and it filled her with joy knowing that Alan was happy and content after all they had been through. She glanced down at her engagement ring and felt her heart swell with love.

She had mixed feelings about the end of the journey now. She hated going back to London, but going back meant marrying the man she loved. She decided to concentrate on that and she let her mind drift slightly as she drove, imagining her wedding and how wonderful it would be. Her heart ached briefly when she thought of the Doctor and how he would never let himself be in Alan's place, not even for a second. She hated that he was probably alone again and it hurt even more knowing it was by choice. Some of his anti-domesticity had rubbed off on her but she wanted more than anything to be married to Alan and she wondered how different and how much happier the Doctor would be if he would only take a chance and find someone special that he could also marry. She was momentarily stunned when she thought that, that she was wishing the Doctor would find someone else to love instead of her but she knew deep down in her heart that a relationship between them would never work because the Doctor would never give it a chance to grow and flourish. Each time she got close to him he would do what he always did, push her away and keep her at arm's length claiming the Curse of the Time Lords was keeping them apart. He would never let her be truly intimate with him, she knew that now, which is why she was thankful that Alan had chosen to be different in that respect. Alan was a wonderful gift and she intended to hold on to him for the rest of her life, no matter what it took.

"Where are we now?"

Rose looked over at Alan who was awake and looking at her.

"Almost to Birmingham. Go back to sleep," she said.

"I'm not sleepy, honestly," he said. "Driving wakes me up, actually. Besides, it's daylight and I'm missing Alabama."

He shifted around in his seat and stared out the window.

"Feels strange being on the road again after four days of Disney," he said softly.

"Yeah, it does."

"Are you heading into Tennessee?"

"Yeah and I think we'll stop at Chattanooga for the night," she said. "I think that'll be far enough away from the hurricane."

"Chatta-nooooooooga," he said as Rose giggled. "What a fun name. Sounds like a nice place to live."

He looked at her.

"Are you heading to Memphis to see Graceland then?" he asked.

"Dunno, do you want to?"

"I wouldn't mind it. I admire Elvis and I wouldn't mind taking a tour of his mansion."

"Well, let's wait till we get to Chattanooga and we can plan what we're gonna do from there."

"You didn't say it right. It's Chattanoooooooga."

She giggled.

"Sorry, I meant Chattanoooooooga."

They giggled. Alan looked at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm so glad you're happy, Starlight," he said.

"I'm very happy."

"Good because that's all I've ever wanted for you, to be happy."

Rose reached over and tousled his hair.

"I s'pose that's me being the perfect man, eh?" he said with a wink.

She smiled.

"Yup, it is."

"Well, you're the perfect woman, so I guess it makes sense we're together," he said.

He took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Do you need to go to the toilet?" Rose said when she spied another rest area.

"No, I'm fine, you?"

"No, I'm alright and I really don't wanna wake Awinita so we'll wait till we get into Birmingham before we take a break."

"Okey-dokey, we'll wait till Birminghaaaaaaam," he said as she giggled. "Hmmm, doesn't sound as catchy as Chattanoooooga."

"Well, not every place can have a fun soundin' name," Rose said shrugging.

She jerked her head towards her open window when she heard a horn honking. She saw a group of teenagers in the car next to her leering at her.

"HEY BABY! PULL OVER AND WE'LL TAKE YOU SOMEWHERE FUN!" the one on the passenger side yelled.

"Yes, Rose, pull over so I can ram my fist down their randy little throats!" Alan said.

Rose tried to speed up but the car kept pace with her. Alan sighed while the boys hooted and hollered at her. He gritted his teeth when the commotion woke up Awinita.

"What's goin' on?" she muttered.

"A bunch of boys are about to die that's what's going on," Alan said.

Confused, she rose up in her seat much to the delight of the horny teenagers.

"HEY, HONEY, BRING YOUR FRIEND ALONG TOO! DITCH THE SKINNY GEEK AND FOLLOW US!"

Rose flipped them off and rolled the window up. Alan smirked when he saw the disappointed looks on their faces.

"Sorry wankers, guess the skinny geek wins out," he said.

Rose tried to slow down to get them to pass but they kept on following her. Alan noticed how nervous she was becoming and his blood began to boil.

"Are they gonna follow us now?" Awinita said.

"They better not if they know what's good for em," Alan said. "I'll teach those idiot apes a lesson or two."

Rose noticed an off ramp.

"Right, hang on," she said.

She waited till the last moment and then jerked the minivan onto the off ramp. Alan snickered when he noticed the upset looks on the teenager's face.

"Ta-ta!" he said gleefully as he waved at them. "Go and find some other woman to stalk."

Rose sighed as she turned off.

"Well, I wasn't planning on taking a break this early but while we're up here, I guess…" she said.

Alan sighed angrily knowing that they had frightened Rose and woke up Awinita. He was glad they didn't follow them because he knew he would have kicked all their asses without a second thought. Rose pulled into a KFC and parked. They all got out and went inside to use the restroom.

"Are you alright?" Alan said, putting a hand on her back.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I was just scared the stupid gits would make a mistake while they were ogling me and run us off the road."

"Well, if ever there was a need to call humans apes it was that lot," he said.

He gave her a kiss and went into the men's restroom. As he peed, he took a deep breath letting the anger go out into the atmosphere. He finished up, walked outside and checked his pockets. He had some money left so he went and brought Cokes for the three of them. He headed back around the corner just as Rose and Awinita came out.

"Thank you," Rose said when she spied the Cokes in his hands. "You didn't have to do that."

"S'alright, we can sit in here and take a breather while you calm your nerves and Awinita wakes up."

Rose and Awinita smiled at each other and followed Alan over to a booth. They sat there talking quietly and sipping their drinks for about a half hour and then once they were finished, they headed back out to the car and got back on the interstate.


	74. Chapter 74

Chapter Seventy Four

After getting back on the road again, Alan decided to try another nap while Awinita read a book.

"Let me know if any more jerks threaten you again so I can lunge through your window and beat the crap outta them," he said to her before closing his eyes.

Rose patted him on the head and smiled when he pulled the blanket up to his chin and drifted off to sleep.

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"Alan?"

Alan mumbled in his sleep.

"Meh?" he muttered.

"We're in Chattanooooooga," she said.

"That's nice, dear, wake me when we get to Timbuktu," he muttered.

Awinita giggled as Rose poked his shoulder repeatedly.

"Up and at em, my sleepy little Time Lord," she said.

"Timbuktu already? Blimey you're a fast driver," he mumbled.

Rose glanced at Awinita when he drifted back to sleep.

"Let me handle this," Awinita said.

She leaned over into his ear and took a deep breath.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Alan jerked awake and sat up as Awinita quickly threw open the sliding door and ran out.

"Bloody Hell!" he yelled. "Give a guy a heart attack!"

"Well, we were trying to tell ya we're at a Holiday Inn so you'd get out," Rose said.

"Did ya have to cause me partial deafness in the process?" he said.

He looked out his window and saw Awinita cowering behind a support column near the front door.

"I'm sorry, you wouldn't wake up!" she said.

"Yeah, right! I'm sure you're very, very sorry," he said to her.

"I thought you didn't feel like sleeping," Rose said.

"Well, I have to admit I did feel tired after awhile and I was resting well until loudmouth over there blew my eardrum to bits," he said.

He reached down and gathered up his things while Awinita tiptoed cautiously back to the van. He eyed her when she leaned her head into the sliding door.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I couldn't think of any other way to wake you up. Rose kept shaking and poking your shoulder and you kept on sleeping. I figured screaming in your ear would do it."

"I forgive you, but fair warning. I'm the Doctor's clone and the Doctor had to deal with many a monster and villain and they often tried to sneak up on him, which meant his reflexes were always ready in case that happened. You're lucky I didn't slam my fist in your face in my groggy state so just keep that in mind the next time you wanna play alarm clock."

"Gotcha," she said.

They gathered up their things, locked the van and went inside the hotel. While they were checking in, Alan went over to a rack filled with brochures and picked out several interesting ones. He looked around when Rose tapped him on the shoulder.

"Got a room, follow me," she said.

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After settling in, Rose called for the laundry to come and take some of their clothes and they warmed up the rest of the food from McDonalds. Awinita turned on the Weather Channel to check on the progress of Charlene while Alan laid the brochures out on the bed and began to peruse them.

"Here's one that's close by," he said to Rose. "Lookout Mountain. It's just outside the city. Might be worth a look."

Rose took the brochure from him and looked through it.

"Yeah, this might be neat to see. Especially this Ruby Falls. And it's got a little railway car we can ride up to the top. You guys wanna do this?"

Alan and Awinita nodded.

"Okay, we'll do that tomorrow then. What else you got there?"

"Well, they also have an aquarium in Chattanooooooga!" Alan said, handing her the brochure. "Um, they have a zoo in Memphis. We could see that along with Graceland."

He picked up another brochure.

"They also have Dollywood in Pigeon Forge wherever that is," he said.

"My mom took us there one time when I was little. It's fun," Awinita said, pulling her chicken sandwich out of the microwave.

Alan read through the brochure.

"Dolly Parton, eh? What's in this theme park? Are all the rides shaped like breasts then?"

Awinita laughed.

"No, they have roller coasters and different rides and attractions. Pigeon Forge is up around Knoxville, just above Gatlinburg. It's not Disney, but it's pretty good."

"Well, let's just start with Lookout Mountain and the falls and the railway and the aquarium and then see where we wanna go after that," Rose said.

"Sounds good to me," Alan said. "Now if you don't mind, I have to use the loo before I eat. Excuuuuuse me."

He went in the bathroom and shut the door while Rose and Awinita watched the Weather Channel.

"Yes?"

Both women looked over when they heard Alan call out. Rose looked at Awinita.

"Yes, what?" Rose said.

"What'd you want?" Alan called. "Whoever did that, I mean."

"Did what?" Awinita said.

"Knocked on the door. Whoever did it, what do you want?"

Rose and Awinita stared at each other.

"No one knocked on the door, Alan. We're both sitting on the beds," Rose said.

There was a pause.

"Oh, sorry, must have been a leftover ringing in my ear courtesy of Awinita."

Rose shrugged. They went back to watching TV.

"Yes?"

They frowned and looked over when they heard Alan's voice again.

"Okay," he said, "this time I definitely heard someone knocking on the door. So whoever's doing it, either tell me what you want or knock it off."

"We're…not knocking on the door," Awinita said to Rose.

"Alan, we're just sitting here on the bed. No one's knocking on the door."

The door opened and Alan stepped out. He frowned in confusion.

"Someone just knocked on the door. I heard it."

"Wasn't us, we haven't been anywhere near the door," Rose said.

"Well, what the hell am I hearing then?" Alan muttered.

He shook his head and walked over to the bed. He sat down behind Rose.

"Hurricane is going over Florida," Rose said. "It's a tropical storm now but they think it might go up to category one once it goes into the Gulf waters. I…"

She trailed off when she saw him looking back at the bathroom, puzzled.

"I swear, Alan, no one knocked on the door. We've been sitting here ever since you went in there," she said.

"I thought…I coulda sworn…I heard a soft knocking, I'm sure of it," he said.

Rose shrugged.

"I don't know what to tell ya," she said.

"Maybe the room's haunted," Awinita said with wide eyes as she waggled her fingers.

Rose looked back at Alan.

"Maybe that's it? Maybe we got a ghost?" she said.

"Well, if we do it better behave itself. I…"

He trailed off and got an odd look on his face.

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"I think you may be on to something, Awinita," he said.

"Why?" she said.

"Because someone just ran their finger across the back of my neck. I felt it."

Rose and Awinita looked at each other.

"Um, should we ask for a different room?" Rose said.

"Dunno, how disruptive is this ghost?" Awinita said.

"Well, so far it's seemed to taken a liking to Alan," Rose said. "I haven't heard any knocks or felt anything."

"Maybe it's a woman that's attracted to his baby face pretty boy looks."

He rolled his eyes when the two of them giggled at that. He jerked his head around when he felt the finger run across his neck again.

"I'm for changing the room," he said, "so this thing will leave me the hell alone."

Rose nodded.

"Okay, follow me guys and we'll sort this out," she said.

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Rose got the room changed to another and after making sure their laundry would be delivered there, they moved into it and sat down on the beds. Both women stared at Alan for about five minutes until he finally told them in an annoyed voice to stop looking at him.

"Just let us know if anything bothers you again then," Rose said.

"Well, if I start yelling and jerking my head around and pawing the air, you'll have a pretty good idea what's happening," he said.

Awinita opened up the wrapper covering what remained of her chicken sandwich.

"Take two on my meal here," she said, raising it to her mouth.

Rose took another chicken sandwich out of the bag and went to warm it up. As she did she kept glancing back at Alan who was munching on some French fries. They locked eyes.

"Nothing yet," he said.

"Good, maybe the ghost was only haunting that room then," she said.

She finished warming up her chicken sandwich and walked back to the bed.

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Around 11:30 the three friends decided to call it a night and went to bed. All three of them quickly drifted off to sleep.

Alan was dreaming about him and Rose. They were sitting together on the beach. The wind was blowing Rose's hair and the sun shone down on it making it glow. He was holding her tightly while she looked deeply into his eyes.

"Alan."

Alan frowned in his sleep. Rose hadn't spoken in the dream and yet he heard someone calling his name.

"Alan."

"Yeah?" he mumbled in his sleep.

"Alan."

"What is it, Rose?" he mumbled.

"Alan."

Alan paused a moment. He was now slowly waking up and his brain suddenly registered that the voice was neither Rose nor Awinita's.

"Alan," the voice whispered.

He slowly opened his eyes. They widened when he noticed a white mist hovering by his side of the bed.

"Alan," the voice whispered. "Help me."

"Who are you?" he asked. "What do you want?"

Instead of answering, the mist faded away before his eyes. Alan lay there for a minute and then switched on the light.

"Alan, what the hell?" Rose mumbled.

"I saw it," Alan said.

"What?"

"The ghost," he said, getting up.

By this time Awinita was awake.

"You saw the ghost?" she murmured.

"Yes, it was a white mist and I heard a woman's voice calling my name and asking for help," he said, walking over to a chair and grabbing his trainers.

Rose jerked her head up.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I wanna go have a little chat with the people at the front desk. I wanna know if anyone else has seen this woman or if they know who she is. The people didn't seem too surprised when we asked to change rooms so I wanna know if this is a common occurrence or some random ghost is just fancying me."

Rose glanced at Awinita and the two of them quickly got out of bed and got dressed.

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"May I help you, sir?" the man at the front desk said when they walked up.

"Yes, hi, I'm being bothered by a ghost," Alan said. "And it seems to be bothering only me. We moved from one room to another but it seemed to have followed us. I was asleep and I heard someone calling my name and when I woke up there was a white mist in front of me and I heard a woman asking for help. I would just like to know if this is a common occurrence here?"

The man glanced at a female co-worker.

"Yes, sir, it is. Her name, we think, was Mary Stuart. She's haunted the premises for as long as anyone can remember."

"Who is she?" Rose asked.

"She used to live here on this spot. There used to be a large house on the grounds and Mary lived here with her family during the 1800's. The story goes that she had a sweetheart that fought for the Confederacy and he was killed at Lookout Mountain during The Battle Above The Clouds. Mary was so distraught that she hung herself in her room and supposedly she's trying to locate her sweetheart so they can be together. So she only bothers the men that stay here."

"Which is why you two haven't heard or felt anything," Alan said to them.

"She's harmless though. What you described is normal. She never has hurt anyone before that I know of. Most of the people who work here have seen strange things and actually Mary's checked me out before but you have nothing to fear from her."

"Has anyone ever tried to talk her over to the other side?" Awinita said.

"Um, a guy who's worked here longer than I have said a psychic did try to do that a few years ago but Mary refuses to go unless she finds her boyfriend so there's really not much anyone can do."

"I'm assuming when she asked me to help she was wanting me to help locate this sweetheart of hers?" Alan said.

"Could be. But, like I said, there's really nothing you guys can do to help her. The guy's long gone now, probably went to Heaven and is there waiting for her if she ever does decide to cross over. The psychic tried to tell her as much but it's no use. I apologize for her bothering you, but I promise she won't rape or kill you or anything. If you want to stay here tonight, my advice is to either ignore her or ask her to leave you alone. Other than that, there isn't anything we can do, sir."

"Thank you, I just wanted to know what was going on since this has happened twice."

The man smiled.

"Well, have a nice night, all of you."

They nodded and headed back towards the elevator.

"That poor woman," Rose said when the doors closed. "I wish there was some way we could help her."

"Yeah, imagine being stuck on Earth for over 150 years," Awinita said.

"Well, I guess there's really nothing we can do," Alan said. "If she does it again, I guess we can try to talk to her and get her to move on, but it sounds like she isn't willing to leave."

The elevator doors opened and they went back to their room. For awhile, the three of them watched TV waiting for any sign from Mary. Finally, after about an hour, Alan began to hear her whispering his name in his ear.

"Mary," he said aloud. "Listen to me. You're dead, okay? The man you love is dead and he's waiting for you in Heaven. If you see a light, walk towards it and I guarantee you he'll be there. I can't help you find him. Go towards the light, find your love and be at peace, please."

Rose looked at him.

"Hear anything?" she asked.

"Not so far."

Then he heard her whisper his name again.

"Nope, didn't work," he said as Rose and Awinita sighed sadly. "I'm sorry, guys, I have a feeling no one can help her. She's gonna have to convince herself to go. I hate to do this to her since she's only a lost soul looking for help but we can't stay up all night trying to talk her over to the other side, so as much as I hate to do this….Mary, leave me alone! I don't know where he's at! Go away and leave me in peace!"

He listened but didn't hear anything more from her. Guilt pricked at his mind and he felt the same feeling of helplessness the Doctor felt when he wasn't able to help someone but he knew that if she wouldn't be talked over to the other side then he had to be firm and tell her to go so he could get some sleep. The three of them stayed up for another half hour waiting but there was nothing further from Mary so finally they turned off the lights and went back to sleep.


	75. Chapter 75

Chapter Seventy Five

The next morning, the three of them woke early and began to make preparations to leave.

"Mary bother you any more?" Rose asked Alan.

He shook his head.

"No, if she did, I didn't notice. I think she got the hint after I yelled at her."

He sighed.

"I just hope she can find some peace eventually."

Rose nodded and squeezed his shoulder.

"Yeah, me too."

_I don't blame her staying around after death to search for her lost love. I would do the exact same thing if I lost you,_ she added in her mind.

They finished gathering everything together, checked out and went to get some breakfast before heading towards Lookout Mountain.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Wow, this is gorgeous," Alan said as they rode the railway up to the top of Lookout Mountain.

Rose stood in front of him taking pictures with her camera. She smiled when she got an idea.

"Alan," she said.

Alan looked at her with an inquisitive look on his face which Rose promptly caught with her camera. She giggled as she stared at his face on the view screen and showed it to Awinita. Alan eyed them when they snorted out laughter.

"Love the clueless look on his face there," Awinita said.

"I know, I'll have to save this and when we get back to London, I'll use this as my desktop."

"Oh no you won't."

He tried to grab the camera to delete the picture but Rose jerked it away from him.

"Nope, my camera. I decide what stays and what goes," she said.

Alan went back to looking at the scenery. Then, without warning, he snatched the camera from Rose's hands, quickly took a picture of her ass and handed it back to her.

"There you go, a Kodak moment if ever there was one," he said as Awinita bent over laughing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Aaaaaah, smell that mornin' air," Alan said as they stood atop Lookout Mountain.

In front of them was a small wooden plaque pointing out the seven states they could see from their vantage point.

"Wow, we can see all the way to Kentucky, supposedly," he said, looking at it.

He looked over at Rose who was looking that way with a telescope. He strolled over.

"Swing that in my direction. I'm much more interesting to look at," he said.

"Not now, I see a cloud in the shape of a bunny."

She giggled as she glanced at Alan.

"Well, I do, it's fascinating. You should take a look.

"Okey-dokey."

He walked around behind Rose and rammed his face into the back of her head.

"Funny, I can't see anything except masses of hair," he said, breathing heavily.

Rose moved away.

"Oh! I see, you were in the way. Much better," he said as Rose flipped him off.

He looked through the telescope while Rose walked over to Awinita who was standing nearby. She was reading a bronze plague that described The Battle Above The Clouds.

"Amazing that they fought a battle up here," she said, glancing at Rose.

"I know, I would have hated to been in the thick of it here. Actually I would have hated to have been in the thick of it, full stop."

"I had some relatives I think who fought in the Civil War, Confederate side since we were in North Carolina," Awinita said. "Don't know what battles they fought in though."

"The Doctor was at Gettysburg," Alan said, matter-of-factly. "And Appomattox Courthouse where Lee surrendered to Grant. He helped Grant draw up the terms of surrender so they'd be fair to the Confederacy."

"Then of course there's blabbymouth over there who loves to namedrop every chance he gets," Awinita said.

Rose bent over laughing as Alan's mouth dropped open.

"Well, you do that, you know. Everywhere we go; the Doctor's been there and done this and that. It's like that old Kilroy Was Here thing or Washington Slept Here," she said to him.

She went over and gave him a friendly peck on the cheek.

"Just kidding, Alan," she said. "I love hearing your stories, so don't go all Oncoming Storm on me, alright? It's only a bit of teasing."

Alan smiled fondly at her. He walked over to Rose and put his arms around her.

"Beautiful, isn't it," he said. "Open air, boundless skies, all these states just ready and waiting to be explored by us.

"We've already explored all of them except Tennessee and Kentucky," Rose said. "Plus, we really didn't get to explore Alabama since we were on the run from the hurricane."

"Okay, well just look out at the view and imagine all the states we have yet to see. All those states and then all the countries. The whole wide world, Amo'tiri, and we get to choose exactly where to go. No restraints, no boundaries. And when we get our TARDIS…then we'll have the stars up above and beyond."

Rose sighed softly and leaned back into him.

"I can't wait," she said.

"Neither can I, neither can I," he breathed.

He looked over the railing

"Course we could just take a lover's plunge right here and now," he said.

Rose looked around at him.

"What?"

"Oh, you know, the whole lover's death plunge. Imagine falling to our deaths from Lookout Mountain, our bodies intertwined and our hands down each other's trousers as the ground rushes up to meet us."

"What the hell is he babbling about now?" Rose heard Awinita said.

"I'm talking about coppin' a feel while we plunge off Lookout Mountain, do ya mind?" he said to her. "I'm in the middle of a romantic moment here!"

He turned back around while Awinita said, "Sometimes I wonder about you, Alan."

"Think of it, my love. The park rangers finding our bashed and broken bodies with our hands down each other's pants. It'll make the front page of every newspaper not to mention the evening news."

"I think I'll pass," Rose said.

"Okay, how about we do a Thelma and Louise when we get to the Grand Canyon?"

"No thanks."

"Jump off the Taj Mahal? A maharajah built that in honor of his dead wife, you know. So we'd be jumping off a monument to love."

"No. What's with the sudden need to jump to our deaths?" she asked.

"Just throwing out ideas on more fun things we can do," he said, shrugging.

"Well, I'll give the whole lover's death jump a miss if it's all the same to ya," she said.

"That's fine, just brainstorming, dear."

Awinita walked up beside them.

"The Doctor, was he this goofy?" she said.

"Sorta, not…quite as silly as Alan but he had his moments," Rose said.

She smiled.

"We used to bet all the time on different things as we traveled," she told her. "I won most of the time, naturally."

Alan snorted.

"That's because he let you win," he said.

"One time we met Queen Victoria and I bet the Doctor ten quid I could make her say, "We are not amused," and she did.

"Actually, as I recall it, she said _I_ am not amused, not we. So you really didn't win the bet technically," Alan said.

"Oh and I suppose that's why the Doctor never paid up?" Rose said.

"Partly, mostly because he didn't want to," Alan said, shrugging.

"That figures," Rose muttered.

"What was Queen Victoria like?" Awinita asked.

"She was a crazy old codger who would have burned the Doctor and Rose at the stake, had she gotten the chance," Alan said.

Awinita stared at him in shock.

"Huh?" she said.

Alan turned and put his fingers to her temples. He closed his eyes and showed her the Doctor and Rose's knighting and the aftermath. Once he was finished, he wrapped his arms back around Rose's body.

"So, technically, you can't set foot in England," Awinita said.

"Not here, the other universe," Alan said. "And as for that, the Doctor did what he always did when people threatened him. He ignored it."

"And of course, we did go home and did get caught eventually," Rose said. "Because in the other universe Torchwood was founded by Queen Victoria to keep an eye out for the Doctor if he ever did come back. Eventually that grew to include keeping an eye out for any alien threat and eliminating them."

Rose felt Alan's arms tighten around her.

"Like their damn "ghosts," he muttered to himself.

Rose, sensing the reason for the tighter hug rubbed one of his arms and smiled when he kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah, the other Torchwood is the reason I ended up stuck here in the first place," she said to Awinita. "They were messing around with the void and brought the Cybermen and Daleks through to our universe. The Doctor and I sucked them back in but I almost got pulled in too. My dad caught me and took me back here but by that time it was too late. The gap between the universes was sealed and the Doctor and I were separated. One of the worse days of my life."

"For him too," Alan muttered. "And if this universe's Torchwood _ever_ tries anything like that, I will tear open a hole in the void with my bare hands and send the whole building into it. I don't trust them and I never will. The only Torchwood I would ever trust is Jack's outfit and that's because I know Jack would never pull a stunt like that. I can't stand the fact that you work for the organization that was responsible for trapping you over here in the first place."

"There are good people there though," Rose said.

"Oh, I don't doubt it. There were good people working at the other Torchwood too. It's not the ordinary workforce I'm concerned about. It's the ones in charge of the decision making. You said yourself that this Torchwood isn't entirely on the up and up and there are some things that even you find questionable. That's why I don't trust them. Mark my words, one day we'll probably have to go up against them again. Their meddling, good or bad, is not only potentially harming the universe, they're also drawing outside attention to Earth. Even that dimension cannon was a bad idea. I know how badly you wanted to see the Doctor again but you just can't mess with void travel like that. The Doctor wasn't kidding when he said that breaching the void would make two universes collapse. You're lucky the void did begin to weaken and allow you through before that happened and you're lucky you didn't get stuck in another universe or end up somewhere where you might have gotten killed."

He sighed.

"But, I guess it was all meant to be in the end," he said. "Just as I was meant to come out of the hand and Donna was meant to get my mind, so there's no point in griping about it. But, I am glad that you weren't harmed getting back to the Doctor."

Rose smiled and kissed his cheek.

"You were in other universes besides this one and your original one?" Awinita said.

"Yeah, there was a lot of trial and error to find the right universe after the dimension cannon started to work. Most of the ones I went to were basically the same as our dimensions since they were only parallel. There were just tiny differences in each one. There was one, however, that I happened upon where I guess the Nazis had succeeded in taking over the world after World War 2 and every country on Earth was a totalitarian police state. It was horrifying. And I actually went to a universe that was created entirely around Donna and that's where I first met her face to face. In that universe…"

She swallowed hard.

"The Doctor had died. He had drowned when he was battling this Racnoss queen and the entire universe began to go to Hell because he wasn't around to protect everyone. That was horrifying too."

Alan smiled.

"My Donna, so unique, entire universes spring up around her," he said.

He looked at Awinita.

"I hope to God you get to meet her someday," he said to her. "I think you'd like her. She can be mouthy at times but she has a heart of gold."

He raised his eyebrow.

"And both of you can scream like banshees, come to think of it," he said as Rose laughed.

He let out a contented sigh.

"But enough chit chat for now, you guys wanna head to the underground waterfalls?" he asked.

"Sounds heavenly," Rose said.

"I'm ready when you guys are," Awinita said.

Alan squeezed Rose once more. Letting go, he took her hand.

"Well to borrow the words of my illustrious sire, allons-y!"

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The three of them stood near the entrance to Ruby Falls. They noticed a sign nearby that advertised a Haunted Cavern.

"Hmmm, should we go in this one too?" Alan asked.

"Do you want to?" Rose said. "You 'bout dozed off on the Haunted Mansion ride."

"Yeah, but a haunted cavern sounds scarier to me. It might be fun."

"I'll go through it," Rose said as Awinita nodded in agreement.

"Okay, so which one should go through fast?" Alan asked.

"Let's go through this one first since we're here and then we'll finish up with the haunted one," Rose said.

Both of them nodded and they joined the queue.

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Rose was in awe. The cavern was spectacular. They were following a small tour group while one of the employees told them about the history of Ruby Falls and pointed out different things.

"This is gorgeous," she said to Alan.

"Very," he replied, nodding.

Awinita looked at him.

"Got any good Doctor and cave stories?" she said.

"Oh yes, tons. The Doctor's been to tons of caves, some of them voluntarily."

Awinita raised her eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that a surprising number of baddies like to make their home in caves and the Doctor would find himself imprisoned in a fair number of them. Caves are surprisingly useful, you know. Plenty of shelter from the wind and rain, no one can hear the tormented screams of your victims and lots of bats and rats that you can use as pets and henchmen. But since you asked, I will say that one time the Doctor did stumble upon a particular cave dweller who was quite an odd bloke. Seemed to have a penchant for dressing up as a bat and going out to foil evildoer's villainous schemes. Had a really snazzy car too. He invited the Doctor in for tea, had a very polite butler who served them cucumber sandwiches if memory serves me right."

"Yeah, right, Alan," Awinita said.

He gave her a shocked look.

"What?"

"Batman is not real, doofus," she said as Rose laughed.

"Ahem, did I, at any time, utter the name Batman?" he said.

"Well, no, but…"

"Well, don't jump to conclusions, Harris. Assuming makes an ass out of you and me," he said as Rose laughed harder. "He was not Batman. His name was, in fact, Gerald Vervoidia VI, so there, shows what you know."

"You are so full of shit sometimes, Alan."

He stared at her, shocked, while Rose gripped a railing and held her side, laughing.

"Um, were you there?"

"No and neither were you."

"True, but unlike you, I have the memories of the person who was, so don't give me lip and call me a liar. I only speak the truth."

"Except when you don't," Rose muttered.

Awinita snickered as he turned his head and gave her a dirty look.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Finally they reached Ruby Falls. Everyone stood in awe and stared at it as it cascaded down the cavern wall. Rose pulled out her camera and took several pictures of it.

"Imagine that, Rose, underground waterfall," Alan said, putting his arm around her. "And it's not on some far-flung world, its right here on Earth. See, Earth has natural wonders that rival the other planets in magnificence."

"It's gorgeous, it's so incredible," Rose said.

"And we get the privilege of being here to see it," Alan whispered to her.

"And there's no one I'd rather see it with than you," Rose whispered back.

They shared a kiss.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, so now let's see what this Haunted Cavern is all about," Alan said.

As the walked up to the line, they noticed a small Plexiglas box with some brochures in it for the attraction. Alan opened the box, pulled one out and read it aloud to Rose and Awinita as they stood in line.

"For generations the Grimsby Slaughter House has been the Chattanooga area's largest providers of bulk meat and meat products."

"The secret to Grimsby Meat's success is claimed to be held deep within the recesses of a secluded cave on their family property. Since the early 1980's all the"New Cattle" is brought to this underground facility for slaughtering and then is processed and packaged in their above ground slaughterhouse."

"It was a series of tragedies that lead to the discovery of this new process that produces what the family simply calls "New Meat". The year was 1979, and the Grimsby Meat Processing Company was near foreclosure. In a fit of desperation fourth generation owner Henry Grimsby burned down his family's home with himself and the rest of the Grimsby family still inside. Luckily, Henry's wife Maebelle (Mama) was able to get everyone out of the house safely except for the youngest two children, Luscious and Milo. Both Luscious and Milo did survive the blaze, but were badly burned and disfigured. Henry was also injured in the fire and was paralyzed when part of the house collapsed on him."

"With the family farm in ruins and Henry unable to continue in his lead role, Mama took over interest in the family farm. She soon realized the horrible situation that drove Henry to madness as the foreclosure letters and loan forfeits began arriving by mail. To make matters worse, their usual livestock providers began refusing to provide them with necessary cattle for processing. Another source of meat was needed and needed quickly. This new source of meat was soon discovered one day when a pair of bank collectors made an unannounced visit to the Grimsby Slaughterhouse. The collectors were captured by Mama and her two eldest sons. Both were slaughtered and processed into fine meat cuts. The Grimsby's called these cuts the "New Meat"

"Soon after that, Max and Floyd along with their cousin Nathan became full time herders for the "New Cattle". These three would often find their prey on area hiking trails around the Grimsby Farm. One day as they were herding the "New Cattle" back to the slaughterhouse, one escaped and was chased into an old abandoned cave on the Grimsby farm."

"This cave which is accessible via an old mining elevator also happened to be connected to a popular tourist attraction named Ruby Falls."

"A constant supply of "New Cattle"was found."

"Developing a greater thirst for blood and wanting to seclude themselves from society Mama Grimsby and the family moved deep inside the Grimsby cave to live and slaughter the "New Cattle" full time. Out of sight from the public's prying eyes and deep underground where even the loudest of screams cannot be heard above, the Grimsby's are able to slaughter their innocent victims without any unwanted attention."

"The Grimsby Meat Processing Company is back in business."

"So, there you have it, ladies, our back-story," Alan said as he finished reading.

He handed the brochure back to Awinita who put it back in the box. He smiled at Rose.

"Is it me or does this whole scenario sound like something you and the Doctor would stumble on?" he said with a wink.

"Yeah, it does," she said.

"Hmmm, then perhaps it was fate that brought us here to shut down the Grimsby's dastardly operation," he said.

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Although…if this were real life, you would be carted off and made into one of the "New Cattle" and I would have to bravely risk life and limb to save you before you ended up in the slaughterhouse," he said.

"What about me?" Awinita asked.

"Um, not sure, are you a trouble magnet like Blondie here?" he said as Rose swatted the back of his head.

"I hope not."

"Well then I can't really make a judgment call right now. I just know if anyone would end up a human cow it'd be my fiancée."

He ducked when Rose tried to swat his head again.

"Not calling you a human cow, mind, because you're absolutely beautiful. But apparently that's how the Grimsby's view you. Yup, just a big old hunk of walkin' sirloin that I'll have to save from the meat grinder. But, don't worry; I'll protect both my women from becoming the next filet mignon. Wouldn't want to marry that. It might look strange, not to mention your mum would be putting me in the meat grinder right after you."

He looked over when a guy stepped in front of the cavern entrance and waved them in.

"Here we go, guys," Alan said as they walked in.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan was laughing at Rose and Awinita. He wasn't scared in the least but both of them kept screaming when people would jump out at them from the corners of the darkened cavern.

"Come on, Tyler; show some of that pluck you had traveling with the Doctor. Quit getting scared every time a costumed git jumps out at you."

Just then someone reached through the ceiling and touched the back of Rose's head. Alan bent over laughing when she screamed again.

"I give up, Starlight, scream to your heart's content," he said.

"I'm sorry, it's dark in here!" Rose said, slapping his back.

"Yeah, but do you hear me screaming? No!" he teased.

They stopped in front of an iron gate. A lady dressed in a white shroud with blackened eyes and blood on her face glared at them from the other side.

"Evening, are you the proprietor of this fine establishment?" Alan said as Rose and Awinita laughed. "Fine facility, but if I were you, I'd bring it up to code. The health inspector might frown on you operating a slaughterhouse in a cave."

The woman rolled her eyes and muttered to herself while she opened the gate and let them through.

"I don't think she appreciated your teasing," Awinita said as they walked by her.

"Eh," Rose said, "she's probably heard all kinds of sarky remarks from people. I…"

She screamed as someone grabbed her neck from behind. Alan bent over laughing while Rose turned and saw a woman in a cage.

"Help me!" the woman implored, melodramatically. "Save me!"

Rose and Awinita quickly caught up to Alan.

"Well, are you gonna help her?" he said to them.

"No, that's your job," Rose said.

"It's your job too. You're the companion, remember? Both of you. For shame, not letting the human cow out of her stall. Shame, shame, shame."

They went into another section of the cavern and saw wrapped bodies hanging on meat hooks. Alan paused at one body that was writhing and jiggling.

"I guess this one is rare meat," he said, gesturing to it.

He looked up and noticed a severed arm hanging overhead.

"Tsk, tsk, look at that. Laying out where dirt and germs can get on the meat. I'm telling ya, health inspector needs to get in here and see this."

They passed by a man strapped to a chair. He had electrodes attached to his temples and was jerking around as if he was getting electrocuted. Alan grinned and looked at his friends.

"Must be tenderizing the meat," he said as they laughed.

They walked by him. Suddenly someone jumped in front of Alan and menaced him with a chainsaw. Both women giggled when Alan casually stuffed his hands in his trouser pockets and gave him a mild look.

"ROOOOOOOOOAR!" the man yelled.

"And a good day to you too, sir," Alan said as Rose and Awinita laughed hysterically. "Are you in charge of the slaughterhouse? I would like to purchase some meat for a barbecue I'm having for friends and associates. Can you recommend what part of the human I should be buying?"

"Just move along, idiot!" the man growled, gesturing off to his left.

"Fine, but I'll register a complaint with management for your unfriendly service," he said, wagging a finger at him.

Rose and Awinita bit their lips when they heard him mutter, "Asshole!" as they walked past him.

They were herded into a small area and several men rushed out with chainsaws. They revved their chainsaws and menaced them.

"Look! It's the latest bunch of cows!" one of them said. "All ready for slaughtering."

Rose glanced at Alan. In the semi-darkness she could see the bored expression on his face. This wasn't lost on the men who began to circle around in an effort to scare him. Alan gave a theatrical yawn as they waved their chainsaws in his face. Up close, Rose could see the chainsaws had no chains on them which allowed the men to wave them almost under Alan's nose. Alan was unfazed by all of it and to Rose's surprise, one of the men touched his arm briefly with his chainsaw.

"Are you through yet?" Alan finally said. "Or do we have to stand here until I let out a scream?"

The men looked at each other, shook their heads and stepped back. They waved them through a door. They stepped into it and found themselves going up a long shaft that led outside.

"Well, I guess they decided to be merciful and let us go," Alan said, shrugging.

"No," Awinita said. "I think they saw how skinny you were and decided there wasn't enough meat on you to fill a baby's stomach."

Rose laughed hysterically while Alan chased her for several feet. He let up and grinned as they walked back and joined their friend.

"Well, I guess that's it here," Rose said, "on to the Aquarium?"

They nodded and the three of them took each other's hands and headed back to the van.


	76. Chapter 76

Chapter Seventy Six

After spending the rest of the day at the aquarium, the three of them piled back in the car for supper. By that time, the wind had begun to pick up again and it started to rain.

"I guess the hurricane is starting to catch up to us," Rose said.

"It won't be as bad up here," Awinita assured her. "As soon as it hits land, it'll die down again. All they'll get up here is wind and rain and maybe some thunderstorms. I think we're far enough away now."

"That's good because I really don't fancy running all the way up to Michigan just to get away from it," Rose said. "Question is, do you guys want to head over to Memphis or go up?"

"Might as well head to Memphis," Alan said. "Are you planning on driving there tonight?"

"Gonna try to. It's not that late and I figure it won't take more than a couple of hours to reach it. Get something to eat and then head out."

Alan settled back in the passenger seat and put his hands behind his head as Rose pulled out of the Aquarium parking lot. They drove around downtown Chattanooga looking for somewhere to eat. They found a Mexican restaurant and went inside.

"I figured this would be a nice change of pace from the burgers and chips," Rose said to them.

"Great idea, I could go for a taco or two," Alan said.

The waitress came by with a basket of tortilla chips and some salsa. She sat them down and took their orders for Cokes before heading off again. Alan munched on a chip as he stared out the window at the raindrops cascading down the glass.

"Glad we got Lookout Mountain and the aquarium out of the way," he said as they took menus from the holder beside them.

"Yeah, me too," Rose said. "Looks like we're in for another rainy, windy night."

"You want me and my eyes to do the driving again?" Alan asked.

"Would you? I'm sorry, I hate to keep asking you because we all need to take turns driving but…"

He held up his hand.

"This is a special situation though. I got us through the wind and the rain in Florida and I don't mind doing it again tonight. Just don't worry about it. You aren't putting any burdens on me. I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to do it. All I care about is our safety, not who drives when."

She smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Now-wah, what are we all having?" he asked.

"You wanted tacos, yeah?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, I'm kinda eyeing this taco and enchilada dinner. That sounds good. How 'bout you?"

"I'm trying to decide between a taco and a fajita," she said.

"They don't have a meal with both of those?" Alan asked.

Rose frowned.

"I don't see one," she said.

"How 'bout this then? The one I'm ordering comes with two tacos. Get the fajita and I'll give you one of my tacos."

"You sure?"

"Yup."

"Okay, I'll do that then. What 'bout you, Awinita?"

"I'm gonna get a couple of burritos, I think," she said.

Alan giggled softly.

"What?" Rose asked.

"Would you hate me if I ordered an entire bottle of tequila and drank it down before getting behind the wheel?"

"I wouldn't hate you but I would make you run behind us all the way to Memphis so you could get the alcohol out of your system," Rose said.

"Ah, but I just found out I still had the ability to read minds, maybe I also have the ability to drink liquor and not get soused."

"Well, you can experiment on your own time then, not when you're driving down the motorway to Memphis."

"You can drink a bunch of booze and not get drunk?" Awinita asked.

"Um…the Doctor can, I'm not sure about me."

"Wow, I wish my uncles had that ability," she muttered.

"No one's ever pointed out to your uncles that they're disrupting the holiday celebrations?" Alan asked.

Awinita snorted.

"Many a time, my friend, but not only does it not work, it pisses them off even more. So eventually everyone just stopped trying," she said.

"Odd behavior that," Alan said. "On Gallifrey, drinking to the point of drunkenness was rare."

"Well, yeah, because you just said the Doctor couldn't get drunk," Awinita pointed out.

"Ah, but he can get drunk if he wants to, he just has to alter his body chemistry to do it. Gallifreyans could in theory get drunk, the majority chose not to, although every planet has its exceptions."

"So, the Doctor knew someone who was a wino then?" Awinita said.

"No, but when he was a boy his "father" would talk about this weird guy that would hang out by himself up in the mountains and get pissed on Hashleberry wine."

"The hermit you said would tell the Doctor ghost stories?" Rose said.

"No, no, not him. This was a different guy. No, the hermit was harmless. The other guy was mentally unbalanced."

"Like the Master?" Rose said.

"Eeeeeh, yeeeeah, except I don't think he was evil like the Master was. He just had a lot of problems. He wasn't a Time Lord so the Doctor never encountered him at the Academy or anything like that. He was supposedly just a weird old pariah. 99 percent of the population didn't get drunk because that impaired the brain functions and that was looked down on in a society that prized intelligence. That's probably why that was loomed into Gallifreyans in the first place, so we could enjoy alcohol without risking the effects. I didn't feel any effects when I had that scotch the other day but that was one tiny glass."

"Well, you're not getting an entire bottle of tequila and gulping it down so you can make sure," Rose said.

"Nah, I don't like the taste of tequila anyway," he said, winking at her. "Give me a pint of bitter instead."

"Ick," Awinita said, sticking out her tongue.

"Give us time, we'll get you hooked on them," he said, smiling.

The waitress came back, took their orders and went away.

"Hey guys, I was thinking," Awinita said. "Halloween is coming up. Do you guys wanna try to find more haunted houses to walk through when it gets closer to the date?"

"Hmmm, that might be fun. If we can find some decent ones like the Haunted Cavern. My mates and I used to go to ones that were total rubbish," Rose said.

"We could always try to find an actual haunted house and spend the night in it," Alan said.

"Um, you couldn't stand Mary botherin' ya, why would you purposely spend the night in a real haunted house?" Rose asked.

"I was tired though and I wasn't in the mood to deal with her. I figure if we can find a haunted house, we could pretend we were in an episode of Most Haunted. I'd be Derek, of course."

"Yeah, I can just imagine you as Derek," Rose said, rolling her eyes. "I can just see you going through the bleedin' house saying, "I feel a spirit here!" in a melodramatic voice. I s'pose I'd be Yvette then?"

"Yup."

"Who am I then?" Awinita asked.

"Um, you're the insane American who follows us around and mutters, "You're all gonna die!" at inopportune moments," he said.

"Suits me," Awinita said as they laughed. "Actually, I have another crazy idea. How 'bout on Halloween night, we drive the van down a street in whatever town we're in and get Alan to go up to the door and trick and treat so we can get some candy."

Alan stared at her.

"I'm a bit old, aren't I?" he said.

She shrugged.

"My friends used to do that when they were well into their teens. They'd get dressed up and take a pillowcase and people would give them candy."

"Well, what would I dress up as?"

"Yourself, just tell people the truth, you're a half alien and see what happens."

Alan looked at Rose.

"Dare I?" he said as Awinita laughed.

"You wanna make a fool of yourself, go ahead," Rose said.

"Wait, you're not stopping me?"

"No, I'll be in the car and if we do this, I'll be sure to park in a dark area so no one can see me but I'll have a clear view of you," she said.

"Hmmm," Alan said.

"I know you're gonna go through with it, you have that gleam in your eyes," Rose said.

"It might be fun," Alan said. "Just to see how many people would actually give me sweets."

"And if they don't, are we gonna throw rotten eggs at the houses and put toilet paper all over their trees and bushes?" Awinita said.

"Nah, we won't go that far," Alan said. "No smashing pumpkins or anything like that. I'll just go up and say trick or treat and let whatever happens, happen. And whatever spoils I get, we'll split three ways."

"What if you get one sweet?" Rose asked.

"I'll tear it into three pieces," Alan said, shrugging. "Share and share alike, I say."

"If we do this, Rose, be sure to drive into the roughest neighborhood you can find so we can watch Alan dodge bullets and pit bulls."

"That's not a bad idea; I think I might do that. Make my fiancé work for his sweets."

"Do your worst, I will procure the booty without breaking a sweat."

Rose looked at Awinita.

"You know, the more we talk about this, the more I want to see it. I think we will do this on Halloween night."

"Brilliant," Alan said. "We can go trick or treat and afterwards onto a haunted house for some fun scares and follow that up with a night in a real haunted house somewhere."

"Well, I guess Halloween's all penciled in now," Rose said. "Now we just have to figure out what we're going to do on the other days."

They looked over when the waitress set their food down in front of them. They thanked her and she went away. Alan gingerly picked up one of his tacos and set it on Rose's plate.

"Thank you, dear," she said.

"No problemo."

"I'm surprised you were willing to give that up," Awinita said. "Knowing what an eating machine you are."

"Nah, I'm more than happy to share with the love of my life," he said. "I will happily starve just as long as she has a full little belly."

"You better not starve yourself. You already look like a famine victim now," she said as Rose choked on her Coke.

Alan gave her a stern look when Rose coughed violently. He patted her back until she calmed down.

"Now see, you were griping about me making you choke on liquids and you turn right around and do it to Rose," he said.

"Sorry, Rose, I didn't mean to make you choke," she said.

"S'alright, it was worth it just to hear the famine victim quip."

"What is it with people telling me and the Doctor that we're anorexic thin?" Alan asked.

"You are, you're the skinniest man I've ever seen," Awinita said. "I mean, I know you said the Doctor does a lot of running but both your metabolisms must be on warp speed or something, especially since you eat every chance you get."

"I can't help it, that's just the way this body is made," he sniffed.

"The Doctor wasn't quite this thin in his other life," Rose said. "As for the other lives before it, I have no clue."

"He's always been thin for the most part. His sixth life was when he was at his heaviest…so far," he said.

"Why? What'd he look like in his sixth life?" Rose asked.

"Well, he had curly hair and…"

"No, show me," Rose said.

"Um, I really don't want to," he muttered.

"Why not? Was he morbidly obese or something?"

"No, it's not that. It's his…clothes."

"What about his clothes?"

"My, it's really pouring down now," Alan said, glancing out the window at the rain.

"Alan, what about his clothes?" Rose said, emphatically.

Alan sighed.

"If I show you, please understand this. The Doctor was…a little barmy in that life and his clothing kinda reflected that, alright?"

"Alright," Rose said, shrugging.

"Make sure that your mouth is clear," he said to her.

Rose swallowed the bit of fajita in her mouth.

"Okay, mouth clear."

Alan sighed.

"I have a feeling I'm gonna regret this," he muttered putting his fingers up to her temples.

Rose closed her eyes as Awinita watched. There was a moment when nothing happened and then Rose's mouth dropped open.

"Oh my God, what the hell is he wearing?" she said.

"I told you," Alan said, leaning back.

Rose opened her eyes and stared at him.

"Whatever possessed him to wear that?" she said. "It doesn't even match, nothing matches. Forget the weight; I don't think anyone would get past the outfit to notice he was chunky."

"Show me, would you please?" Awinita said.

Alan did the same thing to Awinita.

"What?" she said, staring at the image in disbelief. "Yeah, I agree with you, Rose. He looks like he was in an explosion at a paint factory."

Alan took his hands away and went back to eating while Awinita opened her eyes.

"Wait, they didn't all dress like that, did they?" she said.

"No, trust me, they didn't," Alan said.

"That wasn't even a normal outfit," Awinita said to Rose. "Where'd he find it, Ringling Brothers? All he needed was the white face and the red nose and he'd be set."

Alan rolled his eyes when they giggled. Awinita laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, I'm so glad you have a better fashion sense than he did," she said.

"You aren't the only one who's glad," he muttered. "Trust me, I don't approve of the way he dressed. I don't approve of him in general. He was an oddball."

Awinita chewed on her burrito thoughtfully while she stared at him.

"So…" she said after swallowing, "once you change back into your full Time Lord self, you'll be able to regenerate and change your body?"

"Yes."

"And this right here, this will be gone forever?" she said, gesturing to his body.

"Yes, if I regenerate, nothing of this body will remain. Everything changes."

Awinita took another bite of her burrito while she thought that over.

"So," she said, "in essence, you'll be dead. The you, you here."

"In a manner of speaking, yes. There will still be some aspects of my personality that will carry over but for all intents and purposes, the man sitting here in front of you will cease to exist."

She looked at Rose.

"And that's what happened with his other self, he basically died and Alan's Doctor was born?"

"Yes. And he's right, there are some mannerisms in his Doctor that were in the other Doctor, but he became a completely different man when he changed."

"So in a technical sense, you've been with three men. You have Alan, had the Doctor and the other Doctor."

Rose nodded.

"Yes, especially since Alan doesn't act exactly like the Doctor so yeah, it's like loving three different men."

"So if he does become a Time Lord again and he does die, you'll end up being married to a different man then."

"Yes, but deep down inside I will still love her," Alan said. "That will never change because I won't let it. Besides I don't plan on dying for a long time yet, not as a half human and not as a Time Lord. So I don't think Rose needs to worry about waking up in bed and finding a different man there."

"Besides I'm gonna love him no matter who he is," she said.

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"You'll love me even if I don't have this fabulous hairdo?" he said, amused.

Rose considered that.

"Is it possible for you to change everything except the hair?"

"Um, no."

"Darn, on second thought, maybe I will fall out of love with ya then if you don't have your fabulous hair."

"I guess I'll have to stick you in the mind control machine then if that happens," Alan muttered under his breath.

"You what?" Rose said. "I don't think I heard ya right, something 'bout sticking me in a mind control machine?"

Alan feigned shock.

"I said nothing of the sort," he said as Awinita laughed. "Honestly, Rose, sometimes I wonder where you get these wacky notions that come into your head."

Rose tousled his hair affectionately and the three of them finished up their supper.


	77. Chapter 77

Chapter Seventy Seven

Alan drove on through the night towards Memphis. The rain was coming down at a steady clip but it and the wind weren't as severe as the night before. Rose was beside him and she was turned in her seat talking to Awinita. Alan was listening to them as they made small talk about their favorite things. A lot of what Rose was saying was new to him and it occurred to him that the Doctor had never really asked her much about her likes and dislikes.

_Keeping her at a distance, I suppose,_ he thought, _the less said, the better with him. But then again, he wasn't exactly spilling his guts out in return. I s'pose it also has to do with him being a full Time Lord, being half human I can relate more to this trivial stuff. And that is one of the few reasons why I'm glad I am the way I am right now._

"Alan?"

Alan glanced in the rearview mirror when Awinita said his name.

"Huh?"

"How 'bout you? What are some of your favorite things?" she said.

"Being here with you guys, that's my favorite thing," he said.

"Yeah, but do you have any favorite actors or singers or writers?" Awinita said. "I mean, you're trying to be your own person so you need to decide who and what you like."

"Good point. Um, I love Shakespeare," he said. "He's one of my favorite dramatists. Love Agatha Christie, I think she's brilliant. Hmmm…love Enrique Caruso and Pavarotti and The Beatles and Queen; those are some of my favorite singers. Um…blimey, this is tough…"

"Do you have any favorite movies?" Awinita asked.

Alan thought.

"Um…I have so many favorite movies it'd take all night to name them," he said.

"Well, what kinds of movies do you like, drama, comedy…"

"Mainly comedy but I like a good drama now and then or a historical film if it's done accurately."

"And you like cheesy, badly acted, low-budget sci-fi movies," Rose said.

He laughed.

"Yup, those too."

"How about...periods of history?" Rose said. "If we had the TARDIS here right now, where would you fancy goin'?"

"Oh God, there's too many to name. I like history in general and there's so many fascinating time periods," he said.

He glanced at Awinita.

"How 'bout you? If you're gonna be travelin' with us, then you need to help us out with places and people we could visit. If we had the TARDIS right here, right now and you could go anywhere in time and space and meet anyone, where would you like to go and who would you like to see?"

"Oh man, anywhere? Um…"

Awinita trailed off while she mulled that over.

"Anywhere in time and space, "she murmured. "Um…"

She chuckled.

"I would like to go see Andrew Jackson and kick him in the ass for what he did to my people," she said.

"You mean The Trail of Tears?" Alan said.

"Yes."

"Okay, so once we get the TARDIS, we'll take you back to the 1800's so you can give Andrew Jackson a swift kick in the bum for all three of us. Is there anything else?"

She thought.

"I'd like to meet Abraham Lincoln," she said.

"He's a nice guy. But he was very depressed when the Doctor met him, which was understandable since the Civil War was raging at the time. But a very, very sweet and caring man so we can definitely go see him again. Anyone or anywhere else?"

Hmm, I like Ancient Egypt, I've always been fascinated by it," she said. "I wouldn't mind seeing that and also go back to before Columbus came here and see what it was like when there were only Native Americans on the continent. Um…other planets…is it possible to go to any planet in the universe?"

"The TARDIS can go anywhere at any time," Alan said.

"Yeah, but I mean, are some planets not safe to be on?"

"How d'ya mean? That could mean any number of things," Alan said. "You mean atmosphere-wise?"

"Yeah."

"The TARDIS can protect us against any kind of environment. If there is a planet that we can't breathe the air on, we can observe it from the TARDIS or we can don spacesuits and explore that way. Same thing if a terrain is too hazardous to set foot on. The TARDIS has a special force field that can protect us if we open the door in deep space or on uninhabitable planets. Now, if you're talking government-wise, well there are some dangerous planets out there ruled by nutters who will torture and kill you if you get in their way but if we happen to go to any of those there are ways we can protect ourselves and of course, in time, you'll become stronger and tougher in body and mind. Just ask Rose. The Doctor took her under her wing and taught her how to be a fighter and I can do the same for you. Course you have to have inner strength and courage and a natural curiosity to travel time and space but I think you have that and both Rose and I can help bring that out even more. Don't worry; I won't let you get killed just like I won't let Rose get killed. I'm a professional or rather I'm the clone of a professional."

"Have any companions ever died?" Awinita asked.

He fell silent.

"Three," he said. "There was a man called Adric and two women called Astrid and River. Well…actually, to be fair Astrid was kind of a half companion since she died before she could travel in the TARDIS, but she did help the Doctor out so that's why I count her. But that's three people out of many that have traveled in the TARDIS. Nearly everyone else left at some point for varying reasons when they grew tired of traveling. I say nearly everyone because a few left the TARDIS because the Doctor decided they should go but those were in the minority because the Doctor loves for people to travel with him. When he first started out he traveled with just his granddaughter, Susan and then he met her teachers, Ian and Barbara and they became the first non-family companions. After that, he realized how fun it was traveling with others since he was able to experience planets and people through their eyes so he made it a habit to find people who were worthy enough to see the stars with him. Rose here is one such member of a very exclusive little club and if you want, you can be too. You can travel with us for as long as you like and if you feel the time has come to leave, just say so and I'll take you back home. I'll be sad to see you go but I won't force anyone to come with me just as the Doctor wouldn't. It wouldn't be fun for you or me if you were traveling with me when you didn't want to. So just so you know that I'm really not pressuring you to travel with us, I'm just extending the invitation because I like you and I think you're good companion material. If you don't want to, that's fine. All I ask is you let us keep in touch with you and drop in every once in awhile."

"It's a deal," she said.

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Finally they reached Memphis around nine at night and found another Holiday Inn. They checked in and found their room.

"I hope this room is ghost free," Alan said.

"Maybe it's got the ghost of Elvis in it," Awinita said.

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"If Elvis is haunting the Memphis Holiday Inn then he must be really bored or just slumming it," he said as she laughed. "Do you want the shower first?"

"It's up to you guys," Awinita said.

"Could you?" Rose said. "I want to talk to Alan in private for a moment."

"Sure."

She grabbed her rucksack and entered the bathroom. Alan watched as she closed the door and then looked at Rose.

"Okay--"

Rose held up her hand. She waited until she heard the shower running and then nodded.

"Did I say something wrong?" Alan said softly.

Rose shook her head. She sat down on the bed and indicated for him to sit down beside her. She glanced over towards the bathroom as he did and then gave him her full attention.

"I've been thinking about this all day and I wanted to wait until we could have some privacy," she said.

"Okay, we have privacy, so what do you want to talk about?" Alan said.

Rose sighed.

"Alan, I want you to show me…the Valeyard, what he looks like."

Alan felt his heart sink.

"No, Rose."

"Alan, please, I wanna know if those dreams are really dreams or visions of the future."

"Starlight, please, don't ask me to do this. I don't want you frightened and having nightmares again."

"I won't, I promise."

"How can you promise that? You can't control what you dream about."

She took his hands.

"Alan, I promise I can handle this. Please, I wanna know. I have to know if what I've seen are visions of the future. Please, do this for me."

Alan let out a defeated sigh.

"As long as you promise me that if what you see matches your dreams, you won't freak out and start preparing for something that may never come to pass," he said. "And even if it is in our future, some things can't be changed and if the Valeyard is going to appear at some point, there's more than likely nothing we can do to prevent that."

"I understand, I do. I promise I won't freak out."

"Alright, then I'll show you."

He hesitated a moment and then put his fingers to his temples. Again, there was a moment of hesitation and then he projected an image of the Valeyard into her mind. He heard her let out a gasp and his blood run cold when he heard her murmur…

"It's him."

He took his fingers away.

"It's him, Alan. That's who I've been seeing in my dreams."

He took her in his arms.

"Don't be afraid. If he comes here, I'll protect you from him," he murmured. "Just don't worry about it until if and when the moment comes."

"I won't worry, not as long as you're here with me."

Alan kissed the top of her head. Just then he heard the shower cut off. He tilted her head up to his and rested his forehead against hers secretly hoping that what Rose had seen would never come to pass. He was in no hurry to see the Valeyard but he knew that if he came, he would protect Rose and Awinita even at the cost of his own life.

"Guys, are you done talking?" Awinita called from the bathroom.

Alan looked at her.

"Was that it?" he asked.

Rose nodded.

"Yeah, we're done, it's safe to come out," Alan called out.

He stroked Rose's cheek.

"Shower with me next," he said. "I think both of us could benefit from it after this."

Rose nodded. She gave him a tight hug and kissed his lips before they broke apart, grabbed their rucksacks and went past Awinita into the bathroom.


	78. Chapter 78

Chapter Seventy Eight

Rose lay in Alan's arms staring blankly at the window. The curtains were slightly parted and she watched while the rain slowly streamed down the window. Every so often, lightning lit up the sky illuminating the faces of her lover and friend while they slept peacefully. She had tried to drift off to dreamland when the rest of them went to bed. But fears and worries plagued her mind, keeping her from joining the others in sleep. Still, she had kept her eyes closed and her breathing even so Alan would drift off and not worry about her. He worried about her enough without this on top of it. Besides, Rose wanted to have this time to herself, to reflect on everything that she had seen over the past few months. All the horrifying dreams, the Doctor being tormented and turned by the Valeyard, his soul being twisted and mutated beyond recognition, her first real love being turned into the very thing he was fighting against. It sickened her to think of that but nothing sickened her half as much as recalling the dream where the transformed Doctor had slaughtered Alan in front of her eyes. The light leaving her fiancé's eyes terrified her more than a million Daleks ever could.

She glanced at his face, the slight smile playing around his lips while he slept. Whenever lightning flashed, she could see his eyes moving back and forth under his eyelids and briefly she wondered if he was dreaming about her, about their wedding and their life together. She swallowed hard when the image of his cold, lifeless face flashed in front of her eyes and she snuggled up closer against him seeking some kind of protection from the disturbing visions. She felt him stir slightly and felt his strong, protective arms tighten around her body. She glanced up and noticed the muscles in his face slacken as he went back into a deep sleep. If the Valeyard did threaten them would his half human body be enough to stand up to him? She held no illusions about the fragility of his body, at least compared to the Doctor's. He only possessed one heart, one heart that could be stopped in a second and then Alan would be no more. Knowing that he still had the ability to read minds heartened her. What other abilities did he still have? She knew the Doctor had a respiratory bypass system, she had seen it in action a couple of times. Did Alan have the same thing even if he only had one heart?

This thought led to another. What if Alan could regenerate? He had thought that because he was half human he had lost that ability but that had only been speculation on both his and the Doctor's parts. What if they were wrong? What if they were wrong on the aging? What if Alan still had enough Time Lord DNA in him to allow him to have multiple lives? All they knew for sure was a huge portion of his mind had gone into Donna but what about the rest? Having the ability to regenerate didn't make his body any stronger or more resistant to the Valeyard but it did give him a safety net of sorts, as painful as it was to think about that. She would rather see him regenerate and be a new man than lose him forever.

A sudden crack of thunder made her gasp and she was shaken out of her reverie. She was startled when she felt Alan begin to rub her back.

"Shhh, it's alright, Starlight, I'm here," she heard him mumble.

She glanced at his face. For a moment, his eyes looked shut and then another lightning flash showed her that they were open the tiniest bit.

"Did the thunder wake you?" she heard him say in a barely audible voice.

"Yes," she whispered, not wanting to give away the real reason why she was awake.

His eyes opened a bit more and he slowly drew the covers up around her shoulders. Then he wrapped his arms around her body and lowered his head to hers.

"It's alright, it's just a thunderstorm," he murmured. "It's not the hurricane, go back to sleep, my love."

Rose heart overflowed with love for him. She shifted slightly and felt Alan adjust his arms until she was resting comfortably against him. Once she was settled, he adjusted the cover so it was covering her back up to her neck. Then, he slowly rubbed her back. Rose raised her right hand and put it against the side of his neck. They gazed into one another's eyes for a moment and Rose saw a loving smile on his face when the lighting lit up the room.

"So far, it's been a pretty active mornin'" he said, softly. "I guess we won't be doing too many outdoor activities today, eh?"

"I guess not," Rose whispered back.

There was another thunder boom.

"Knock it off, Mother Nature, my fiancée's trying to sleep," he murmured.

Rose laughed softly which earned her a kiss on the cheek. Feeling comforted and secure, she put her arm back around Alan's body and sighed softly while she closed her eyes and finally surrendered to sleep.

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The next thing she was aware of was the sensation of warm lips on her cheek. She opened her eyes and saw Alan gazing at her. He was fully awake with a huge grin on his face.

"I trust once you went back to sleep this morning, nothing else disturbed you?" he asked.

Rose nodded.

"Good."

It had been the truth. She couldn't even remember dreaming about anything which came as a surprise to her given her concerns about the Valeyard.

"The rain did stop," he said to her. "Whether it stays stopped is anyone's guess. I would check the Weather Channel but I'm having trouble getting to the remote because I'm nice and warm and comfy and you're snug in my arms. It's not giving me much incentive to move this mornin'"

Rose smiled. She put her head on Alan's left shoulder and reached over him for the remote on the bedside table, noticing as she did that Awinita was already out of bed. She was going to move back to her position when suddenly Alan put his hand against her cheek and held her face against his.

"That feels good right there," he said. "Have Awinita fetch a blowtorch so she can weld you to this spot."

Rose chuckled. She turned her head and gave his cheek a kiss before turning on the TV. She found the Weather Channel and Alan shifted onto his back so he could see it. Rose put her head on his chest and he put his hand on her back while they watched. As they did, the front door opened and Awinita came back in holding a small can of Coke in her hand.

"Rose finally wake up?" she asked, walking over to her bed.

"Yeah, I let her sleep in a bit. Thunderstorm we had last night woke her up."

"Huh, I didn't hear a thing," Awinita said, opening the can. "So, does that mean there's gonna be more rain today?"

"Yes, but later on in the afternoon," Alan said. "Bang goes the zoo if that happens but we can always go to Graceland and then just drive around the town looking for trouble."

"You mean causing trouble, don't ya?" Rose said.

"Of course not, I'm a perfect angel," he said.

"Rose snorted and Alan waggled his eyebrows at her.

"Weeeell, are you about ready to get out from under these covers into the cold air so we can go see Graceland?" he asked.

"Oh, if I must," Rose replied, groaning.

Alan grabbed the edge of the covers and with a flourish, flung them off their bodies. Rose shivered for a moment when the chilly air hit the skin on her arms but she quickly warmed up and sat up with Alan. The two of them got up together and headed towards the bathroom while Awinita finished drinking her Coke.

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The first thing Rose thought of when she saw Graceland was how huge the estate was. She had never been much of an Elvis fan. Her mother had several of his albums and used to play them constantly when she was growing up to the point that she had grown sick of them. So she had no idea just how elaborate Graceland really was until she saw it up close. It struck her that her step-dad's mansion paled in comparison to it, but then this universe's Pete Tyler didn't really feel the need to be ostentatious and advertise his wealth. Still, she couldn't help but admire the beauty of the place.

That impression quickly soured when she saw the interior. All the décor had been left as it was the day Elvis died in 1977 and it showed. Rose made a face at the '70's furniture and wall coverings. It was all tacky looking to her. She glanced at Awinita and noticed she had the same expression on her face but Alan was staring at everything with his usual look of interest.

"Amazing," he said.

"Not the word I'd choose," Awinita said.

Alan looked at her.

"Why?"

"I'm not into '70's retro looks," she said.

"Neither am I," Rose said, thankful her friend had expressed what she was thinking.

"Well, be fair, the man died in 1977. This was all current when he was alive, you know," he said.

"Yeah, but that doesn't make it any less ugly," Rose said. "The 1970's had some really daft color schemes, that's for sure."

They walked into the Jungle Room. Rose took one look at the lime green carpeting and shook her head.

"What were people thinking back then?" she said. "The carpeting is ugly and the furniture is weird. It's horrendous. You'd have to be blind not to see how mismatched everything is."

"I suspect massive wealth and eccentricity go hand in hand," Alan said, shrugging.

"Well, I mean I loved the dining room with the blue marble and the curtains and I loved the music room with the stained glass peacock windows but this, this is a bit much," Rose said.

"Now aren't ya glad the Doctor never decorated the TARDIS like this?" Alan said.

"YES! I don't think I would have stayed two seconds in the TARDIS if it looked this gaudy!"

He chuckled.

"Well, let's move on to the next room then and let others comment on how tacky the Jungle Room is," he said, putting a hand on her back.

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Rose let out a low whistle when they entered the Trophy Room. Lining both sides of the wall were framed gold and platinum records he had earned.

"Blimey, I knew he was successful, but wow!" she said.

They slowly walked through staring at all the awards and trophies and the elaborate rhinestone outfits Elvis had worn on stage in his later years. Rose's mind boggled at it all.

"This is just…wow, I'm just amazed at all this," she said, taking it all in.

"It's sad to think that he was successful and had all this and died young," Awinita said.

"Yes, a brilliant, talented human done in by drugs," Alan said, sighing. "Makes ya wonder how much more he would have done had he lived."

As they walked through Rose couldn't help but wonder if the Doctor would have as many awards if he bothered to collect any for his heroic deeds. She could easily see one and possibly two large rooms filled to the brim with plaques and awards that would be given to him from all the people he had saved over the centuries. All the times he could have stayed to bask in the accolades and adoration and instead he had gotten into his TARDIS and headed for the next great adventure, his only thanks knowing that villains had been thwarted and planets and people spared. No, there would never be a room like this on the Doctor or Alan's TARDIS and she was glad. Neither man needed a roomful of awards to demonstrate their worth to the universe. It saddened her to think that all these trophies had been heaped on Elvis in life and now they were here just gathering dust along with the rest of the memorabilia because, unfortunately, he couldn't take it with him.

Once they had gotten through the house they went outside. Rose glanced up and noticed the sky beginning to darken a bit but so far there was no sign of rain. They walked over to a museum housing Elvis's cars and once again, Rose was taken aback at all the makes and models he had owned including the famous pink Cadillac. It seemed so over the top to her. All these cars, more cars than any one man needed. She couldn't help but think of all the homeless and hungry people the money could have helped with the money he spent and now these cars were sitting here gathering dust and going unused just like everything else in Graceland.

"It's so unnecessary," Rose muttered.

"What is?" Alan said.

"This, all of this," she said gesturing to the cars. "It's just…sitting here now and it'll be sitting here for all time because Elvis owned them. Everything in the house is going unused because Elvis owned it. It's wasteful."

Alan nodded.

"It's the cult of celebrity," he said. "People put famous people on pedestals and treat their possessions like holy relics. There's nothing wrong with honoring achievement or having money and fame but people like Elvis are in the minority. There are many other humans out there who never get any honors or accolades yet they make as much of an impact on humanity as movie stars and singers do. You're right, Rose. No one will probably get to drive all these beautiful cars just because Elvis Presley sat in them. It is a waste. A life frozen forever in time because some people can't bear to think of them being put to use or auctioned off. It's almost the same as the Egyptians building huge monuments to their pharaohs. They were honoring god kings and this isn't that far off, to be honest. I admire the man and his music but I won't be building any kind of shrine to him in our TARDIS because he doesn't have that much importance in my life. If I were going to build a shrine to anyone, it'd be you. You helped saved the universe from Davros and the Daleks, not to mention the other acts of heroism you performed. You did more to benefit humanity than this man did in my eyes."

"I was thinking the same thing as you guys, actually," Awinita said. "Just thinking that Graceland is so beautiful and it is a shame that no one can live in it. It's like a tomb now."

"Exactly," Alan said. "It's exactly the same thing as Egyptians burying their kings with everything they used in life. Elvis is buried on this property and this is everything he used in life. You're spot on, Awinita. It's the modern equivalent of an Ancient Egyptian Tomb."

They walked towards the exit.

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After seeing the private jet he owned and the graves and meditation gardens the three of them were ready to leave. They glanced up at the sky and noticed the sky hadn't grown any darker.

"Do you guys wanna try the zoo?" Rose said. "Maybe we can see it before the rain comes."

"I don't mind," Awinita said, shrugging. "If you want to give it a go, that's fine."

Rose looked at Alan.

"I s'pose you wanna go find the giraffes," she said.

He gave her a huge toothy grin.

"Yup, that's what I thought," she said.

She glanced up at the sky.

"Okay, let's go and see if we can get it in before the rain starts then," she said.


	79. Chapter 79

Chapter Seventy Nine

To their disappointment, the rain started before they reached the zoo. The three of them decided to find a library so they could check email and look up what else they could do. After stopping and asking a female worker at a restaurant they finally found the main library and went inside.

"Hmmm," Rose said as she checked a website. "You know how Awinita was talking about Pigeon Forge? Well, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is right below it and according to the site they have hiking and horse riding and places to picnic. You guys wanna do that before we head into Nashville?"

"Sounds brilliant to me," Alan said.

"Me too. We never went to it when we went to Dollywood."

"According to the page about picnics, they have grills near the picnic tables. You guys wanna get some hot dogs and ground beef and have a little cook-out there?"

She smiled when Alan nodded his head rapidly.

"Well, I knew you would," she teased. "They also have a lot of waterfalls there, people can go and look at the wildlife…um, they have some historic buildings there. You can fish if you want…we could go here and make a day of it. Just hike and ride horses and have a picnic."

"I'm for that," Alan said as Awinita nodded in agreement.

"Hmm, they have a lot of parks in Tennessee," Rose said to herself.

She clicked on a link.

"They have a state museum in Nashville," she said. "Oh, they have an elephant sanctuary in…Hohenwald, wherever that is."

"Seriously?" Alan said.

Rose nodded. She clicked on the link and read the page.

"Bollocks, never mind, guys. It's closed to the public," she said, eliciting some groans from her friends. "That would have been neat to see too. Ah well, find something else to do then."

She glanced at them.

"Either one of you interested in the Grand Old Opry?" she asked.

"Is there anything to do there?" Alan asked.

"Um, it's basically just watching country music shows on stage. That's about all they got, at least that's all I see on the website."

Alan and Awinita glanced at each other.

"I like some country music, but not enough to go and watch it performed live," she said.

"Yeah, same here, maybe we should give that a miss."

"Gotcha. Well, so far we have the Smoky Mountain Park, Dollywood, The State Museum…hmm, they have a Children's Museum here in Memphis."

"Yeah, but we're not children," Alan said.

"Just a thought. Oh, Nashville also has a zoo," Rose said. "If we can't see the one here, we can go to the one there."

She clicked on another link.

"Toy museum..."

Alan perked up.

"Where?" he said.

"Nashville," Rose murmured as she stared at the screen.

"Hmm, that might be worth a look," he said.

"And you were poo-poohing the Children's Museum two minutes ago," Rose said, looking at him.

"Well that's because the Children's Museum is for children, the Toy Museum is most likely for everyone."

"Okay, well, we'll keep that in mind then."

She grinned.

"They have the Cumberland Science Museum," she said innocently. "But, I doubt anyone would wanna go…"

Alan slammed her hand over her mouth.

"We _will_ go," he said as she laughed through his hand.

He took his hand away and she tousled his hair. She had a thought and entered the Toy Museum into Google. She clicked on a link.

"Okay guys, this is what it says about the toy museum…Located near the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, the Nashville Toy Museum features all of your favorite toys, games, and trains from yesteryear in one of the most widely recognized private toy collections in the country! The highlight of the museum features a collection of working model trains that churn along the tracks throughout the museum. Other features of the museum includes antique dolls & toys, teddy bears, model ships & planes, toy soldiers, and much more! Century-old steamers are a favorite highlight of the museum, while enormous 10-foot ship models also draws gales of delight from visitors. Explore the wonders of vintage toys and trains with your entire family at the Nashville Toy Museum! How 'bout it?"

"I'm sold," Awinita said.

"Sounds like fun," Alan said.

"Yeah, it does. I'd love to see the teddy bears and antique dolls. Okay, we'll do that," she said, writing down the directions on a piece of paper. She scrolled down the page and found other attractions in Nashville. She smiled.

"They have a carousel in Riverfront Park. You guys wanna ride that?"

They nodded. Rose wrote down the directions.

"We might have to stay a couple of days in Nashville then if we're doing all this," she said. "Especially if we're gonna spend a day at the park. They…blimey, another park has a replica of the Parthenon."

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Wow, we can see the Parthenon early then," he said to Awinita.

"Well, guys, how's that for starters?" Rose said. "I think that might keep us busy for a few days."

"Sounds brilliant to me," Alan said.

"I agree, but I hope the rain stays away," Awinita said.

"Yeah, me too," Rose replied, nodding. "Especially if we go to the park. I would really like to explore that. The Smoky Mountains sound beautiful."

"They are," Awinita said. "They're gorgeous."

"Well, just remind me that we have to get picnic stuff before we get there," Rose said.

She thought a moment.

"I need to get a jacket as well since my other one was ruined. It's nearing the end of September and I'm sure it's gonna get parky soon. Alan, you need one too, don't ya?"

Alan thought.

"Not sure. The Doctor was able to deal with temperature changes which is why he never really wore anything except that coat of his. I don't know if I still have that ability so maybe I should get a jacket just in case."

"Okay, how 'bout you, Awinita?"

"I have a jacket," she said.

"Okay, well I'll just check my email and then we'll all head out, okay?"

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Before leaving Memphis they went to Southland Mall and headed to Macy's to see about some jackets. Rose found a black waterproof jacket that she liked. She walked over to Alan who was in the men's section examining some leather jackets.

"Find any you like?" she said.

"Not so far."

He looked at her jacket.

"That's nice," he said.

"Yeah, it's insulated. I figured I'm gonna need it in the next few months."

She fingered a couple of the coats.

"Too bad they don't have one that resembles the Doctor's coat. I like the way he looked in it," she said.

He shook his head.

"There are some long black leather coats that resemble his coat on another rack. I looked at them but they're too long and bulky. We won't have the car forever and I don't wanna carry it around with me everywhere we go," he said.

He took a tan jacket off the rack and held it up to his chest.

"That's nice," Rose said. "It looks nice and warm too."

"Yeah, I like it too. I think I might settle for this one."

He checked the price tag and made a face.

"Blimey, it's expensive."

"Don't worry about that. You want it, I'll get it."

Alan smiled.

"Your dad's gonna rue the day he decided to pay your credit card bill," he said.

Rose snorted.

"You oughta see what mum spends. Compared to her, I'm being frugal," she said.

She put a hand on his arm.

"I was also thinking that when we find Awinita, we need to go out in the mall and find a store that sells paper plates and plastic silverware for the picnic," she said. "Also, I wanna find a book shop so I can get a book and a puzzle book and you guys can get something as well."

"It's a good thing we have a car to transport all this stuff," Alan said.

"Yeah, tell me about it."

She took his hand and they went off in search of Awinita.

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"Everyone in?" Rose said when Awinita put the last of the bags in the back seat of the van and closed her door.

"Yup," Alan and Awinita said.

Rose started the car and pulled out of their parking spot.

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Awinita quietly read her book while Rose drove towards Nashville. She glanced up and noticed Alan was also reading.

"What are you reading?" Awinita asked him.

Alan looked back at her.

"Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness," he said.

"Sorry I asked," she said as Rose giggled. "Is it interesting?"

"Very. How 'bout you? What did you get?"

Awinita hesitated a moment.

"Um…it's a Harlequin Romance book. It's called…The Sheikh's Unsuitable Bride," she muttered.

Alan set his book in his lap and reached for hers. He stared at the cover which showed a man and woman embracing and kissing passionately. He turned it around and read the blurb on the back cover aloud.

"Zahir was surprised to find he had a beautiful new driver. This chauffeur did not blend into the background. Oh, no. Diana Metcalfe talked. She laughed. She took him on unplanned detours. And he had more fun than he'd had in years. But back in his desert kingdom, a dynastic marriage was being brokered for Zahir. Crazy though it seemed, he wished that this wonderful, vivacious, thoroughly unsuitable woman could be his bride instead..."

Rose giggled when Awinita turned redder than a beet. Alan chuckled and opened the book to the front page. He quickly read through the first chapter, his giggles increasing with each page. Suddenly, he bent over laughing.

"Oh God, Amo'tiri, listen to this line," he said.

He cleared his throat.

"Diana had never seen a man as gorgeous as Zahir. He was tall, dark, handsome and had a smile that could melt igloos."

He snorted out laughter as Rose fought to keep her composure.

"A smile that could melt igloos. Rose, darling, do I have a smile that could melt igloos?" he asked innocently.

Rose's body was shaking with silent laughter and even Awinita couldn't resist a giggle.

"Yeah, I admit the writing is pretty cheesy," Awinita said to him. "But that's part of the fun."

He continued to read with ever increasing amusement.

"Oh God, listen to this…" he said to Rose.

He cleared his throat loudly while Rose bit her lip. The giggles started when he started to read the passage in a breathy, seductive tone of voice.

"Then, as she stood up, he turned to her and everything went rapidly downhill as she got the full close-up impact of his olive-skinned, dark-eyed masculinity. The kind that could lay you out with a smile. Except that Sheikh Zahir wasn't smiling, but looking down at her with dark, shaded, unreadable eyes. It was only when she tried to speak that she realized she'd been holding her breath. "I'm sorry," she finally managed, her words escaping in a breathy rush."

He looked at Rose.

"Forget quantum physics. I need to start reading Harlequin Romances, these are much more interesting," he said as she laughed.

He handed the book back to Awinita with a huge smile on his face.

"Well, enjoy the tale of the chauffeur and the sheikh," he said. "Let me know when they get to the steamy desert sex, okay?"

"Will do," she replied.

Alan resumed reading his book. As he did, he glanced over at Rose and a mischievous grin spread over his face.

"Rose Tyler…"

Rose glanced over at him when she heard her name. She was about to ask what he wanted when he continued to speak in the same breathy voice he had used earlier.

"An innocent, naïve girl of 23," he said, "left alone on a beach in Norway with a dashingly handsome half alien clone and her irate mother. At first, Rose was repulsed by the freakish being standing before her but then she saw the enormous bulge in his trousers. Her breath quickened, her heart raced and she suddenly had visions of buying the alien a comb…"

"Shut up!" Rose said, between gales of laughter. "You're gonna make me run off the bloody road, ya git!"

"The alien clone advanced on Rose, his smoldering eyes burning like a bonfire at a boy scout weenie roast. "No," Rose said, backing away. "I cannot love you for I love another. I'm in love with the man who just booted me out the door and made me babysit you." The alien grabbed her roughly. "But I have a gi-normous womb broom and I'm not afraid to use it!" Rose suddenly saw him in a different light. "Well, since you put it that way…" she said, throwing him down on the sand, ripping his clothes off and scattering them to the four corners of the Earth."

Rose smacked him repeatedly on the arm.

"SHUT UP!" she said as Alan laughed hysterically. "You're gonna make me wet myself and then I'll grab the Harlequin book and beat ya to death with it!"

Both Alan and Awinita roared with laughter when Rose had to pull off the road just so she could get her giggling under control.

"Awinita," she said when she could get a breath, "do not ever let Alan near another Harlequin Romance book ever again!"

She took a breath and held her aching sides.

"God, Alan, you're gonna be the death of me, I know it," she said.

She took another breath and stared at him.

"Now you listen here, Stitch, you read your quantum physics book quietly and quit making me laugh so hard I can't drive, you got that?"

"Can I make you laugh when you get done driving?"

"Yes, you can, but until then, behave yourself. Don't force me to tie you up and throw you in the back."

"Fair enough," he said, shrugging. "I shall contain myself and refrain from quoting cheesy erotic romance fiction to you."

"Thank you."

She took another deep breath, checked for traffic and drove back onto the road. Alan opened his book and started to read. He grinned and glanced at Rose. Clearing his throat, he began to read aloud in the same breathy, melodramatic voice he had used earlier.

"Quantum theory is the most stunningly successful theory in all of science. Not a single one of its predictions has ever been wrong. Quantum mechanics has revolutionized our world. One-third of our economy depends on products based on it. However, this physics can look like mysticism. Quantum experiments display an enigma that challenges our classical worldview."

"Alan, damn it!" Rose said, laughing. "You're just like the Doctor; you don't listen, do ya?"

"Sorry, love, couldn't resist giving you one more giggle," he said, patting her arm.

Rose shook her head and looked back at Awinita.

"If I were you, I'd buckle your safety belt, I have a feeling you might need it between here and Gatlinburg," she said.


	80. Chapter 80

Chapter Eighty

They reached Gatlinburg a few hours later, checked into a hotel and settled in for the night. The next morning they drove to a local Wal-Mart and purchased some food and supplies for the picnic. After they did that, they drove out to the Smoky Mountain National Park. Driving through the park, they found one of the picnic sites and parked near it. Rose put some charcoal in the grill, poured a bit of lighter fluid on it and lit it. When it was ready, she made several patties and put them and a few hot dogs on the grill.

Alan sniffed the air taking in the aroma of the cooking meat.

"Oh yes, nothing beats a good barbecue," he said.

Awinita looked at the trees circling the picnic site.

"It's so beautiful here. But, it'd be even more beautiful if the leaves were silver though," she said.

"Yup, nothing beats the sight of silver leaves illuminated by the sun," Alan said, wistfully. "Still there's beauty here as well. Especially in the fall with the red and gold colors, that's just as magnificent."

He took another whiff.

"And speaking of magnificent…how much longer we got, grill lady?" he said, looking at Rose.

"Not long now."

He got up from the picnic table and stood beside her.

"Need any help?" he asked.

"Nope, I got everything under control."

"Where'd you learn to barbecue?"

"Dad, he taught me," she said. "We used to have backyard barbecues in the summer with a lot of mum and dad's friends."

"What about you? Didn't you have anyone there?"

She shrugged.

"Mickey and Jake, that was it."

"No one else?"

She sighed.

"I…I tried to make friends, I really did, but…it was hard to relate to people after everything I'd seen and done. Mickey and Jake understood because they'd known the Doctor but they were the only ones. Plus, I really wasn't in the mood to go back to idle gossip about famous people and significant others which is what most of the people of Torchwood chatted about on their breaks. And really, Jake was more Mickey's friend than mine. He was mates with me because Mickey was. You two are the closest friends I have now since Mickey went back to the other universe."

She looked at Awinita.

"I'm so glad I met ya because you're the only I know of that'd I want in the wedding. And you may be the only one standing up there with us."

"At least you have Awinita. I don't know anyone here who would be my best man."

"Jake probably would."

"Yeah, but I don't want Jake. I don't know him all that well, not enough to be a best man at any rate. Hate to tell you this, Rose, but I don't know if we'll be able to do a proper wedding since we don't have enough people. We might have to get married in a register office with just your family and Awinita present."

"Just as long as we get married, it really doesn't matter," she said, shrugging. "We could get married in the middle of a field standing in cow shite for all I care."

"Hmmm, bit messy and smelly but if that's what my fiancée wants, then a cow crap wedding is what she'll get," he said as Awinita laughed. "And speaking of cow, are the burgers done yet?"

"Yes, my little hungry man, they're done. Get a plate and grab some buns."

She gasped when Alan pincher her butt cheeks.

"Got my buns right here," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

Rose smiled and shook her head when he went over and put some hamburger buns on his plate. He came back and held the plate out to Rose while she used the spatula to slide the burgers onto the buns.

"Thanks muchly, Starlight."

"No problemo, Stitch," she said.

He passed Awinita on the way over to the picnic table. He put some cheese on his burgers along with some onions, mustard and ketchup. He took two handfuls of potato chips, grabbed a couple of pickles and poured some Coke into a plastic cup. Whistling cheerfully, he carried his meal over to the far side of the table, sat down and tucked into his hamburger with gusto. Awinita joined him shortly thereafter and Rose did too after she had finished cooking everything.

"I made extra to take back to the hotel room tonight," she said, gesturing to the plate heaped with burgers and hot dogs. "That way we won't have to worry about supper."

"Molto bene," Alan said through a mouthful of food.

He chewed his burger while he glanced around at the scenery. He noticed a squirrel nearby and threw a potato chip at him.

"Alan, be careful about that," Rose said. "You're not supposed to feed the animals because the bears might get used to human food and start coming into campsites. You can get in trouble for doing that."

"Gotcha," he said.

"And they want people to clean up the picnic area thoroughly for the same reason so we have to do that before we go horseback riding," she added.

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When they had eaten enough the three of them cleaned up the picnic area, put everything in the van and drove off towards the stable to rent some horses for the day.

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Alan rubbed the side of his horse's face after the attendant got through putting the saddle and bridle on him. It was a golden palomino. Rose's palomino was white and Awinita's was chocolate colored.

"Beautiful animal," Alan said.

He grinned at Rose.

"Isn't Arthur beautiful?" he said.

She groaned.

"Here we go again. Namin' the horse Arthur," she said.

"Arthur is a perfectly good name. After all, it's my middle name now," he said, proudly.

"Your middle name is Arthur?" Awinita said.

"Yup, Alonzo Arthur Timelord."

"How'd you come up with Alonzo by the way?"

"It's a long story," Rose said to her. "I'll tell ya later when we get back to the hotel."

They climbed up onto their horses.

"All set?" Alan said to them.

They nodded.

"Make sure you stay on the designated trails," the attendant said to them. "Going off them is strictly forbidden."

They nodded. Alan clicked his tongue and lightly kicked the horse with his trainers. The horse walked off and the three of them headed out of the stables and down the trail.

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An hour later the three horses were slowly walking along a dirt path next to a lush forest. The Smoky Mountains loomed in the distance, tall and majestic. As Arthur walked along, Alan kept his head turned towards them marveling at their beauty. He looked back at Rose who was taking a picture of them.

"I'm so glad you found this, Rose. This is wonderful," he said.

"Yes, it is. I love the mountains. I think this is going to become one of my favorite places to visit."

"Mine too."

He looked past her.

"You okay?" he said to Awinita.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. I--"

Suddenly her horse let out a terrified whinny and reared back. They watched, shocked, as the horse suddenly dashed into the woods.

"AWINITA!" Rose screamed.

"Stay here, Rose, I'll get her! YAH!"

Rose watched while Alan galloped off after her. As he urged the horse through the woods, he leaned forward and kept his head low. He saw Awinita up ahead hanging on to her horse for dear life and he urged the horse to go even faster.

"HANG ON, I'M COMING!" he screamed at her.

She hazarded a glance back at him but it was only for a second since she was trying desperately to stay on her spooked horse. Alan skillfully guided Arthur through the trees and over fallen limbs. Ignoring the occasional twig thwacking him in the face, he managed to find an opening and get his horse over beside his friend. He leaned forward even more reaching for the reins while he kept urging his horse to go faster. Finally the horse sped up enough that he could grab them and he tugged repeatedly.

"Whoa!" he yelled. "Whoa, boy, whoa!"

He breathed a sigh of relief when the horse finally slowed and stopped. He stopped his horse next to hers and hugged Awinita tightly.

"God, I'm so glad you can ride a horse," she said.

"Are you alright?" he said, letting go of her.

"Yeah, I'm just thankful I didn't fall off the horse. Now if I can just get my heart to stop thumping out of my chest I'll be fine."

She winced when she saw the scratches on his face.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just a couple of twigs in the face, I'll live," he said. "The main thing is you're safe and sound."

Alan took the reins and turned the horses around. He led her horse back through the woods towards Rose.

"Guys, be careful," Rose said when she saw them. "I know what spooked the horse. After you left, a huge snake slithered across the road. It might still be around here so watch out."

Alan nodded. He led their horses back onto the road.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked Awinita.

"Yeah, thanks to your fiancé," she said. "I owe him one, that's for sure."

"Nah, you don't owe me. I was happy to play the knight in shining armor," he said.

Rose noticed the scratches on his face and winced. Alan smiled and told her the same thing he told Awinita. Once everything was calmed down, he handed the reins back to her and looked all around them for any signs of snakes. Finding none, the three of them headed down the trail.

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As they rode on, the trail led deep into the woods. The three of them kept their eyes open for any snakes as the horses slowly walked it. Alan kept looking back over his shoulder checking for any signs of trouble but there was nothing. He eventually relaxed and enjoyed the view. Occasionally the trees would thin out and they would see a wall of stone beside them. Then the forest would become thick again. Alan smiled when he heard birdsong in the trees all around them. Fresh air filled his lungs and he felt peaceful and content. He definitely agreed with Rose. This was one of his favorite places on Earth now.

As the horses walked along, he suddenly spied some movement further up the trail. He stopped Arthur and sensed his friends doing the same. They sat on their horses and watched quietly while a doe and fawn walked across the road in front of them. They waited until they were safely across and into the trees before they resumed their pace.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After about a half hour, they heard the sound of rushing water. Alan looked back at his friends.

"I think I hear a waterfall," he said.

They urged the horses on and sure enough a waterfall came into view ten minutes later. They rode up beside it and stopped the horses to have a look. Crystal clear water fell down onto a mound of large rocks and cascaded down them to the river. Rose got out her camera and took a picture of it. She gave Alan a confused look when she saw him dismount.

"Where are you going?"

"Give Arthur a well deserved drink," he said, taking the reins.

They watched as he led him over to the river and stood beside him while the horse drank. The two women glanced at each other, dismounted and did the same. Alan patted Arthur's side.

"That's it, Arthur, drink up. You deserve it after helping me rescue Awinita," he said.

He rubbed his side and neck while Arthur drank. He had a thought and looked at Rose.

"I wonder if there are places you can rent horses the way you rent cars," he said. "You know, when we get tired of being in the car we can ride horses instead."

Rose glanced at Awinita.

"Um…I'm not sure, Alan," Rose said. "I would think you'd have to buy a horse if you wanted to do that. I'm not sure anyone would just rent us a horse to go across state."

"Eh, it's just a thought," he said. "I love horses. Horses are wonderful companions."

"Yes, I gathered that since the Doctor wanted to take the original Arthur with us."

"Arthur the First could have come in handy, you know," he said. "You lot would have treated him a lot better than the stableman would have. Come to find out, poor Arthur was in that ship because he was hiding. While the Doctor was exploring one of the time windows a man walked up and asked where he was and told him he was going to beat Arthur to within an inch of his life."

Rose's mouth fell open.

"Oh God, that's horrible," she said. "Poor Arthur, I hope someone else took care of him then and got him away from that bastard."

"Yeah, me too. A magnificent animal like this doesn't deserve to be beaten, do you, boy?" he said, patting his side. "No, you're a brilliant animal and don't let anyone else tell you differently."

"Alan?"

Alan looked over and saw Awinita peeking around Rose's horse.

"Yeah?"

"Could you do me a huge favor?" she said.

"Yeah?"

"Could you at some point in time show me exactly why you're considered such a threat to the universe? Because I still can't picture it," she said as Rose chuckled.

"Darling…can you hold Arthur's reins for a teeny tiny moment?" he said.

Rose took the reins and watched while Alan walked over to Awinita. He put his fingertips to her temples and closed his eyes. Awinita closed her eyes and saw Daleks bursting apart and exploding in flames one right after the other.

"You see that?" Alan said.

"The Daleks exploding?"

"Yup, that was all because of little old me."

He took his hands away. She opened her eyes and saw him giving her a pointed look.

"What you just saw is why I'm supposedly a threat to the universe," he said.

"Yeah, but those were Daleks," she said, shrugging. "They're evil, aren't they?"

"Yes."

"Well, no offense but from what I've heard and seen from you guys, they deserved that. I'm talking about you hurting innocent people. Have you ever done that?"

"Nope."

"Well, I repeat, I don't see how you're a threat to the universe. You destroying insane robot thingies that were designed by a maniac doesn't count in my book. And if I ever do see this Doctor, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind for punishing you for that. You just saved me, for Christ's sake. Maybe not from death, but more than likely from a broken bone or two. You saved Rose from being killed by that thing in New Jersey. You're a good person, Alan. Anyone with half a brain can see that."

He smiled at her.

"Thank you," he said.

She shrugged.

"Just being honest," she said. "But thanks for trying to convince me you're a threat. Didn't work, but thanks for trying all the same."

He smiled and gave her a quick hug before taking Arthur's reins away from Rose. He noticed the horse was standing quietly staring at the woods across the river.

"Finished drinking, boy?" he said, rubbing Arthur's neck.

He noticed the other horses had stopped drinking.

"Well, I guess they've had their fill, shall we move on then?" he said.

They nodded. All of them mounted their horses, turned them and headed back down the trail.


	81. Chapter 81

Chapter Eighty One

"Leave her alone!" the Doctor screamed. "Do what you want to me but leave her alone!"

The Doctor was in a clearing in the middle of a deep, dark forest facing several cloaked and hooded figures. River was lying unconscious in front of them while he struggled to break free of the vines that were holding his limbs against the trunk of a massive tree. They had been exploring the forest on the planet Razaria when they stumbled upon the hooded figures herding a bound and gagged woman towards a sacrificial altar. They surprised them and rescued the woman but the creatures had managed to track them down and kidnap River in order to replace the other woman. The Doctor pursued them but he had been so intent on getting River away from them that he hadn't seen the vines slithering out of the tree until it was too late.

"Let her go, I'm begging you!" he said, desperately.

"It is because of you that we lost our sacrifice to Lord Garos," the leader said, pulling a dagger from a sheath attached to his belt. "This woman must now take her place."

"No, take me, I'll be your sacrifice," he said.

The leader came forward and leaned into his face. The Doctor quickly switched to his respiratory bypass system when he caught a whiff of rot and decay coming from him. Then suddenly, without warning, the man's gloved hand seized the top of the Doctor's head. The Doctor felt him invading his mind and he quickly threw up psychic barriers to thwart him. But that only made the being angry and he grunted when an electric shock coursed through his body.

"Open your mind to me, outsider, or the female dies," the being said.

"I'll tell you anything you want to know," the Doctor groaned. "Just get out of my head."

He gritted his teeth when the shock became stronger.

"You might lie. Only a mind probe will tell us the truth of your identity," the being said in a dispassionate voice.

The Doctor cried out when the electric shock became stronger.

"Surrender your thoughts or the female will suffer!" he said.

The Doctor had no choice. He had to protect River at all costs.

"Alright, I surrender! Do what you want, I won't put up a fight!" he said.

He breathed a sigh of relief when the being let up on the assault. When he felt him invading his mind, he offered no resistance and stared numbly at River while random memories flashed through his consciousness.

"You are a Time Lord," the being said.

"Yes," the Doctor said wearily.

"That is impossible. No Time Lords exist now, they are all dead."

"I am the last."

The probe went even deeper into his memories. The Doctor glanced at River and his hearts sank when he noticed her beginning to stir.

"Ah," the being said, "you are the Doctor. We Garthok have heard of you. You are the one who meddles in time."

The Doctor said nothing.

"Why do you now meddle in our affairs?" the Garthok demanded.

"We didn't come here with the intention of meddling in your affairs. We were exploring and happened upon you and your group," the Doctor explained.

"Then why did you not leave us alone?"

"Because sacrificing someone is wrong," the Doctor said angrily. "I don't care who your god is, you have no right to take another's life!"

He grunted when the probe went even deeper.

"You yourself have taken many lives, Time Lord, and you dare to lecture us?" he said angrily. "I can see into your memories. I see you slaughtering hundreds, millions. Did they not have the right to live as well?"

The Doctor let out a weary sigh. Once again, someone was reminding him of his past, reminding him of things he wanted to leave buried deep within the recesses of his mind. He grunted when another electric shock coursed through him.

"Answer me, Time Lord, what is your justification for killing millions when we are not allowed to?"

"I had no choice," he said. "What I did, I did for the preservation of the universe. What you are doing is nothing but senseless slaughter."

The being laughed.

"Is that how you justify your deeds, Doctor?" he said.

The Doctor gritted his teeth.

"I don't need to justify myself or my actions to you or anyone else!" he hissed. "I'm ordering you now to let us go or I swear you will live to regret it!"

"We Garthok have no fear of you, Time Lord. We do not fear death because we have already conquered it. Look upon my face and see me as I truly am."

With one hand he reached up and pulled the cowl down around his head. The Doctor felt revulsion when he saw his decaying face. Now he understood where the smell was coming from.

"We have existed for over an eon, Doctor, just as you have," the being said. "Our god has provided us with the means to survive beyond a normal life span but in return he demands blood and flesh from others."

The Doctor grunted when he grabbed his face and slammed him back against the tree. He switched back to his respiratory bypass system when the Garthok leaned in close to his face.

"But even though Lord Garos in his mercy has seen fit to extend our lifespan we are not immortal and our bodies are not immune to the ravages of time," he said. "I am nearing the end of my lifespan in this corporal shell and my body is beginning to decay and weaken. I cannot let that happen. I cannot cease to exist. I must find another host so I can continue to lead my brethren. Therefore I will take your body, Doctor. It is young and fresh and will serve me for many years to come."

"I'd rather die."

The Garthok chuckled.

"Oh, but you will die, Time Lord. Our souls cannot exist in the same body so you will indeed get your wish. And the female here will become part of the rite that allows me to enter your flesh. She will be an offering to Garos for his mercy since he has seen fit to lead you to me.

"Leave her alone!"

He chuckled.

"I told you. She must be sacrificed in place of the other. But do not worry; her death will be quick and painless. I--"

Suddenly, without warning, River lunged up and slammed her fist into the back of his head.

"I don't think so, corpse boy!" she said, kneeling on his fallen body.

She reached over and wrenched the dagger out of his hands.

"River, get out of here!" the Doctor said. "Save yourself!"

"And leave you here to get possessed? Fat chance!" she said.

The others began to advance on her but she quickly put the dagger against the leader's throat.

"Stay back or I cut off his head!" she said to them.

The Doctor winced.

_You take ordinary people and you fashion them into weapons, _he thought.

"No, River, don't do it. Just get out of here before it's too late!" he yelled at her.

"Seize the woman!" the leader yelled.

"River, run!" the Doctor yelled.

River's eyes widened when the other Garthok began to circle around her. She leaped up and gave the Doctor a quick kiss on the lips.

"I'll be back for you, sweetie, I promise!" she said.

She quickly ran off.

"After her! She must be recaptured in order to complete the ritual!" the leader said, pointing.

The Doctor grunted when the leader seized his face again.

"Consider yourself lucky, Time Lord. For the moment, you still have your body but make no mistake the woman will be recaptured and when she is brought back here then the ritual will commence."

"Lovely, can I make some popcorn in the meantime?" the Doctor said sarcastically. "I always like a bit of a snack before I'm about to be sacrificed!"

The leader regarded him silently for a moment and then burst out laughing.

"You are brave, very brave. Good. From what I have seen in your mind you will be the perfect host. Young, strong, brave with so much power residing within you. A body fit for a leader such as myself."

"Don't count me or River out just yet. If you saw into my memories and saw what I've done then you must realize that I am extremely dangerous, especially when cornered."

"Ah yes, the slaughterer of millions. The destroyer of planets. He who proclaims himself superior to other life forms and acts as he sees fit, regardless of the consequences. Will you now destroy us as you have destroyed other races?"

"You don't know me. You can't even begin to know me and what I've been through so don't even dare to pass judgment upon me," the Doctor growled.

"And yet you willingly pass judgment upon others. You do not know us either, Time Lord. All you have witnessed is one act which you automatically deemed wrong and in that instant, you declared us evil and interfered with an ancient rite that has been performed since the dark times. Perhaps it is you who are evil, Doctor. Especially since you have slaughtered your own kind!"

The Doctor narrowed his eyes into slits as anger flooded his mind. His brown eyes turned obsidian and he gnashed his teeth.

"I'm warning you," he said. "Do not provoke me. Do not harm my friend; this is your last warning!"

The leader snorted.

"Threaten me all you like, I do not fear you," he said. "I can see into your mind, Doctor and I can use your memories to torment you and drive you insane before you die."

He leaned in and a twisted smile spread over his face.

"I saw them, Doctor. The lost ones, the one with hair of yellow and the one with hair of red. You cared for them both, didn't you?"

The Doctor's hearts raced and his throat went dry. He tried to avert his eyes but the Garthok grabbed his face and made him look at him.

"We Garthok possess sorcery that was passed down to us from our revered ancestors. I am a great magus among my people. The strongest of my clan which is why I was chosen to be the leader. I can force my way into your mind, Doctor, and make you see things that will horrify you. I can make you see them, Doctor. I can make the lost ones appear before you and trick your eyes and mind into thinking they are real. I can torture and torment them both and listen while you scream out in agony at their distress. So you see, Doctor, it is I you should fear, not the other way around."

He smirked.

"And not only can I summon them, I can summon others you have loved. Susan, Romana, your long dead family that lies buried deep within your subconscious. Would you like to see them scream for you?"

"Damn you!" the Doctor screamed. "I swear I will kill you when I get free!"

He chuckled.

"Threaten me all you want, I am still not afraid of you. The female will be found and once she is brought before me then I will take your body and you will be free to be with your lost ones again. But before that can happen I must bring you to our altar and prepare you. So, my anguished Time Lord, I bid you good night."

He slammed his hand on top of the Doctor's head. Electric shocks coursed through the Doctor's body, so intense that the Doctor screamed in agony for a full minute before he slipped mercifully into an unconscious state.

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River swallowed hard trying to calm her heart while she crouched inside a hollowed out tree trunk. She had managed to elude her pursuers by turning a hard left and running through a thick cluster of trees but she knew that it was only a matter of time until they found her again. She had to find a way to get back to the man she loved and free him before it was too late. Her blood ran cold when she heard the Doctor's screams echoing through the forest but it was even more disturbing when the screaming abruptly stopped and deathly silence fell over the woods again. Her mind raced, conjuring up a hundred different scenarios as she tried to imagine what might have happened to him.

"Please, God, let him still be alive," she murmured. "I can't lose him, not now, not like this."

She shut up when she heard the crunching of leaves just outside the tree trunk. She took deep breaths, trying to summon her courage while her hand tightly gripped the handle of the dagger. She glanced down at it taking comfort in the fact that she had managed to get it away from tall, rotting and ugly before he could use it on her lover. But judging from the anguished scream she heard, he had found some other way to harm the Doctor and she knew that every second counted now for both of them.

She pressed herself up against the back of the tree trunk when she saw the black robes of her pursuers through the tiny opening. She tried not to breathe too loudly as her hand tightened even further around the hilt. She prayed silently that they would just pass by, allowing her to slip away and get back to the Doctor. She held her breath when they just stood there in front of the tree muttering to themselves in low voices about finding her. Then, to her relief, she saw them walk away. She slowly let out her breath and sat there for a few minutes making sure they weren't going to return. She saw nothing so she tentatively inched closer to the opening, dagger at the ready. She paused near the opening, glancing out and making sure that no one was around. She heard birdsong off in the distance but that was it and finally she got up enough nerve to crawl out into the open. Once she was all the way out she quickly looked around but there was no one in sight. Grinning, she stood up and began to make her way back towards the Doctor.

Suddenly, she heard a slight snap of a twig. Spinning around, she saw one of the Garthok behind her.

"I knew you were hiding there," he said triumphantly. "I merely waited until you showed yourself."

"Well, congratulations, you were clever enough to find me. Now let's see if you're clever enough to deal with this!"

She lunged forward and slammed the dagger into his heart. The being laughed.

"We are kept alive by magical means, female. This dagger does not affect me!" he taunted.

Out of the corner of her eye, River spied a large limb lying nearby.

"Yeah, well let's see if a tree limb affects you in any way!" she said.

He reeled back when she gave him an uppercut to the jaw and hurried to grab the limb. With all the strength she could muster, she swung it around and hit him full in the face. She smirked when the Garthok fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Yup, I guess it does," she said.

She pulled the dagger out of his chest. Carrying it and the tree limb, she hurried off in search of the Doctor.

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The Doctor groaned and slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was the Garthok leader standing over him. He tried to sit up but he grunted when he saw he was bound tightly to a wooden alter with vines that came from several trees ringing the site.

"Fascinating, is it not? As a powerful and skilled magus, I can communicate with the living spirits of this forest and can summon them to do my bidding. The vines of the Taros trees are strong and eliminate the need for rope."

"Well it's nice to know you have a vine-ding contract with the spirits of the forest," the Doctor quipped.

He grunted when the Garthok raised his hand and the vines tightened around his body.

"You will not think it so funny when I enter your body and become one with you, Doctor. The time is nearly at hand."

"Yeah and funnily enough I don't see my friend anywhere nearby. What's the matter, your zombie mates can't locate one simple human?"

"She will be found."

"So you keep saying. But so far I don't see hide nor hair of her. Why don't you ask the spirits to go round her up for ya or are they too busy restraining me?"

"The spirits are not needed to find one weak female. My brethren will find her easily."

"Mmmm, do you have a watch then or an hourglass so I can keep track of just how long it takes?" he said. "Just out of sheer curiosity because I have a feeling you're underestimating the weak female. By now, she's made it back to the safety of my TARDIS."

"Are you so sure of that, Time Lord? Are you sure she is not coming back here to rescue you?"

The Doctor's hearts stopped. He quickly said a silent prayer that River had listened to him and gotten to safety. He adopted a nonchalant attitude despite the butterflies flapping around in his stomach.

"My companion isn't coming back here," he said, trying to sound more confident that he really felt. "She's obeying my instructions and once she makes it back to the safety of the TARDIS there'll be no way you or your buddies can get her. So bang goes the body transfer, eh? Guess you'll have to find someone else. How about a nice shop window dummy? I know some blokes called the Autons who might be able to accommodate you."

The Garthok stared at him quietly for a moment. Then he suddenly grabbed the top of the Doctor's head and held onto it with an iron grip. He smirked when the Doctor's eyes bulged from his head.

"What do you see, Doctor? Do you see your lost beloved kneeling in front of you? The pretty human with the yellow hair? Look upon her, Time Lord."

"Damn you!" the Doctor yelled.

The Garthok chuckled.

"You abandoned her, didn't you?" he taunted. "You abandoned her in another dimension and now look at her, look at how she weeps and calls out to you!"

The Doctor fought the tears that were threatening to come while he stared at the image of Rose weeping inconsolably and crying out for him to come back. He tried to look away but the Garthok forced his head back towards her. He tried to close his eyes but the moment he did electric shocks coursed through his body.

"Open your eyes, Doctor, and see what you have done to those that cared for you!" the leader said to him.

He gasped when another shock jerked his body and his eyes flew back open. His hearts stopped when he saw Donna in Rose's place begging him not to erase her memories. The tears began to fall down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he said in a hushed voice. "I had to do it, Donna. I had to, so you'd be safe."

Rose replaced Donna. The Doctor swallowed hard while he listened to her scream obscenities at him and curse him for leaving her behind. He tried to ignore it, tried to tell himself it wasn't real but something was trying to convince his mind that it was. He jerked around trying to fight the vines and the Garthok's grip on his head but it was no use. Jealousy raged in his mind when he saw his Rose in the arms of his clone, saw them kissing passionately on the beach.

"What have I done?" he murmured to himself. "Rose, what have I done to you?"

He gritted his teeth trying to throw up mental blocks as the Garthok roared with laughter. But no matter how hard he tried to construct the barriers they were destroyed without any effort. The Doctor felt the Garthok searching through his mind bringing up more images to torment him with. His breath caught in his throat when he watched Jenny being shot and falling to the ground dead in front of him. He watched while Adric was blown to bits. Then he saw his people screaming and convulsing in agony while fire consumed their bodies. He screamed out, teetering on the edge of insanity, feeling like he was going to plunge into madness any second. The Garthok's laughter mocked him as he fought with an animalistic fury to free himself and get away from the nightmarish visions before he lost his mind completely. Then suddenly, he felt the Garthok's hold on his head loosen and the visions faded away completely when he took his hand away. He looked up, confused, and noticed River was standing by his unconscious body with limb and dagger in hand.

"River, what are you doing?"

"I'm saving you, ya git, what does it look like?" she said. "And from the looks of it, you needed rescuing badly. Now keep your gob shut so we can get outta here."

She slashed through the vines with the dagger and the Doctor pulled them off his body when the hold on his arms was loosened. He sat up and stared down at the unconscious Garthok with unbridled hate. River gasped when he suddenly snatched the dagger from her hands and lunged off the altar towards him.

"No, what are you doing?" she said, following him down.

"I will show you what nightmares are really like when I get through with you!" he snarled at the unconscious being.

"Doctor, no, we don't have time for this! The others are coming back any minute!" River said, gripping his arm.

"Then I'll deal with them as well!" the Doctor said, his mind consumed by rage. "I'll show them what it means to mess with the Oncoming Storm!"

River was terrified. There was an insane look in his eyes that she had never seen before. His warm brown eyes were almost jet black and his face was contorted in rage.

"Love, we have to get outta here!" she implored. "They're gonna be here any minute!"

"No one messes with my mind and gets away with it!" he snarled.

"Doctor!"

She jerked on his lapels forcing him to look at her.

"Let it go," she said.

"I have to stop them," he said.

"Yes, but we have to get back to the TARDIS and come up with a plan before we both die," she said.

The Doctor stared at her silently for a moment before slowly nodding his head. River's heart broke when she saw the look in his eyes. He looked so lost and forlorn and her heart went out to him.

"Let's go," she said gently.

To her relief, the Doctor complied with her. Glaring at the unconscious Garthok, he gathered him in his arms intending to take him back to the TARDIS so he could imprison him while he figured out a way to stop him and the others. River tugged on his arm once more and he turned and ran with her back to the safety of the TARDIS.


	82. Chapter 82

Chapter Eighty Two

(One week later in Pete's World…)

After spending time in Tennessee and Kentucky, the three friends had entered Indiana and were making their way towards Indianapolis. Awinita was driving while Rose was stretched out and sleeping on the seat behind her. Alan was in the passenger seat reading a guidebook for Japan, trying to plan ahead. They were driving up interstate 65 from Louisville on a bright sunny day. Occasionally Alan would glance up and stare at traffic before turning his attention back to the book.

"Find anything interesting?" Awinita asked him.

"Lots of things. I think Japan is gonna be fantastic," he said. "I also think we can leave the car behind and walk around the country the way we planned. If we need to hitch a ride we can always take the bullet train. They have railways to every major city which will save us time and money."

"I can't wait," Awinita said.

"Me neither. China's gonna be interesting as well. I took a look at the guidebook for it. There's a lot of interesting cuisine I'd like to try out in both countries."

"Such as?" Awinita said.

He grinned and reached behind him for the sack containing the guidebook for China. He found the book and opened it to a page he had flagged.

"Listen to this," he said. "This is in Beijing. It says…a visit to the Guolizhuang Restaurant in Beijing is not for the faint-hearted. Here the menu consists almost entirely of penis and testicle dishes — made from the private parts of deer, snakes, yaks, horses, seals and ducks, among others."

Awinita made a face.

"You wanna eat at a penis restaurant?" she said. "I know you're sex obsessed but that's going a bit too far."

"Ah, come on, where's your spirit of adventure? Rose has eaten worse, ask her when she wakes."

"Rose has eaten worse than snake penis?"

"Mm-hmm."

"And did she eat this something worse than snake penis voluntarily or did the Doctor trick her into eating it?"

"Well, um…he might have fudged the facts a wee bit when he handed her the plate," he said. "But most of the time she seemed to enjoy eating the food that he gave her to try."

"Yeah, well I'll wait till Rose wakes up and get it straight from the horse's mouth. Somehow I don't quit believe that."

"There's more to the passage though, listen to this. The platters have names like "The Essence of the Golden Buddha," "Phoenix Rising," "Jasmine Flowers with 1,000 Layers" and "Look for the Treasure in the Desert Sand." Are such flowery names meant to prevent guests from prematurely running off? After all, the "jasmine flowers" are made of layers of thinly sliced donkey penis, and the "treasure in the desert" is actually sheep gonads on a bed of curry. Chinese eat anything with four legs, except tables. And everything that flies, except airplanes," says Zhaoran, quoting a well-known Chinese saying. This may be true, but even in China a penis restaurant is unusual. The Guolizhuang restaurant opened two years ago on the aptly-named Dongsishitiao Street. Word quickly spread among well-heeled Chinese, and today there are five franchises. The chain is even expanding outside of China — into the Chinatown in Atlanta, Georgia."

"Gee, it sucks that we forgot to go to the penis restaurant when we were in Atlanta," Awinita said, dryly. "You really wanna do this?"

"Indeed, I do. And that's not the only exotic thing I wanna sample. Asians eat a wider variety of foods and animal parts than people in the west do. Fancy trying fried seahorse or starfish on a stick, my friend?"

"Um…not really," she said.

"Ooo and not only can you order penises there, you can also order deer and sheep fetuses," Alan said with a wicked grin.

"Ewwwwww," she said as he laughed. "The night you go there, leave me back in the hotel room. I don't want to sit there and watch you eat a deer fetus."

She grimaced.

"Ugh, I'm gonna have that image in my head all night. Thanks, Alan," she said.

She frowned when the engine suddenly died and the speed began to drop. She stepped on the gas pedal a couple of times.

"Oh crap," she said.

She coasted off onto the side of the road. She tried to start the car but the engine wouldn't turn over. She sighed and looked at Alan.

"Nice," she said. "I suppose you don't know how to fix a car?"

"Not really, I know the names of car parts but I don't know exactly what goes where," he said. "Still, we can always take a look, I guess. Open the hood."

Awinita reached down and pulled the hood open lever while Alan got out. She looked back at Rose and gently shook her awake.

"Huh?" Rose muttered.

"Wake up, Rose, the car's broke down."

Rose's eyes snapped open and she sat up in the seat.

"Where are we?" she said.

"We're almost to Indianapolis, I think."

"Where's Alan?"

She pointed to the raised hood.

"He knows how to fix cars?" Rose muttered as she slid open the side door and got out.

She walked around to the front. Alan had his arms folded on the front of the car while he peered inside. Rose walked up to him.

"You know what's wrong?" she said.

"Absolutely no clue," he said. "We were talking and the engine suddenly died on us, that's as far as I know. I checked the oil and its fine and the water in the radiator seems to be alright."

"Well, I s'pose I'll have to ring for a tow truck if I can find a number for one. I…"

She trailed off and looked over when a white minivan suddenly slowed down and pulled off the road in front of them. It parked and a middle aged heavyset woman with graying hair got out of the car.

"Do you need help?" she asked, walking over.

"Do you know anything about cars?" Rose asked.

"A little, I can take a look if you want," she said.

Alan and Rose backed up while she leaned over and stared at the interior. Rose looked over; saw the passenger door open and Awinita slide out. She shut the door and walked over to their sides.

"Uh, your timing belt snapped," the woman said, looking at them.

"Is that bad?" Alan said.

She shrugged.

"No. You have to buy a new belt and have someone install it and the car will run again," she said.

"Are belts expensive?" Rose asked.

"Not really, usually they're between twenty and thirty dollars," she said.

Rose breathed a sigh of relief.

"Do you happen to know the number for a tow truck?" she said.

"I have AAA. They have a tow service," the woman said. "Are you covered by AAA?"

"Um, I don't think so, this is a rental," Rose said.

"Oh, well let me call AAA anyway, I'm sure they'll be able to help you or find someone who can," she said.

"I'd appreciate it," Rose said.

The woman went to retrieve her cell phone.

"Guess we can take the car to Indianapolis and rent a room for the night," Rose said, shrugging. "If that's all that's wrong with it, then we'll only have to wait a day."

"Thank God that's all that was wrong with it," Awinita said. "Although I suppose you could have swapped it for another van."

They stood around talking while the cars on the interstate zoomed past. Several minutes later, the woman walked back to them.

"AAA won't do it because you're not a member," she said to Rose. "But they gave me the number of a tow service who would, so I called them for you."

"Thanks, we appreciate it…"

"Margaret, Margaret Blass."

"Hi, I'm Rose Tyler, this is Alan Timelord and Awinita Harris," she said, shaking her hand.

She shook all their hands in return.

"So, where do you guys live?" Margaret asked.

"Well, Alan and I are from London and Awinita's from North Carolina. We're travelin' across the country and headin' towards Indianapolis."

"Do you have a place to stay?"

"We were gonna get a hotel room for the night while the car's in the garage," Rose said.

"Don't do that. My neighbor works on cars, all you have to do is get the timing belt and he'll put it on for you. Meanwhile, I can put you three up for the night at my house. Save you guys some money."

The three of them looked at each other.

"You sure it's not too much trouble?" Rose asked.

"No trouble at all. My father lives with me, he's 90 and a bit senile but that's it. We live out in the country near Shelbyville. It's not too far from here. And you can come with us into Shelbyville tomorrow. We usually eat lunch at a little diner and I can treat you guys to a meal. Afterwards, we'll go get the belt and my neighbor can put it on and you're on your way, how 'bout it?"

Rose looked at her friends.

"What'd you guys think?" she said.

"Up to you, you're the one in charge," Alan said.

"I'm not a serial killer and neither is my dad," Margaret said. "You have nothing to fear. Shelbyville isn't that far from Indianapolis so you'll be able to get back on the road."

Rose shrugged.

"Alright, I think it'll be a nice change of pace to spend the night in a proper house," she said. "Thanks for offering."

"No problem. Now all we have to do is wait for the tow truck to get here and we'll be on our way," she said.


	83. Chapter 83

Chapter Eighty Three

After the tow truck came, Margaret arranged for it to be towed to her house. The three friends grabbed their rucksacks and piled into Margaret's minivan. Alan sat on the passenger side while Rose and Awinita sat behind him. Margaret climbed in and shut the door. She checked traffic and eased back out onto the interstate with the tow truck right behind her.

"So, you guys are going across the country?" Margaret asked them.

"Yes, we are," Alan said.

"Wow, you must have a lot of time and money," she replied.

"Actually, my fiancée is on a long holiday from work," Alan said, indicating Rose. "We met Awinita while we were traveling and asked her to come with us."

She glanced back at her.

"You have a lot of time on your hands also?" she said.

"Yeah, I do," Awinita replied and leaving it at that.

"Well, I'm between jobs right now. My father and I used to spend the winter in Florida and our trailer got broken into and both of us got badly injured. I'm trying to recover from it and do therapy while I look for work I can do."

"Sorry to hear that," Alan said. "I hope you can find a job soon."

"Yeah, me too, because my father is driving me crazy."

She smiled at them.

"Like I said, he's 90 and getting senile and he's very argumentative. But don't let him bother you. He won't bite," she said. "If he says anything hateful, just ignore it."

A look passed between Rose and Awinita, but they didn't say anything aloud.

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After a half hour, they reached Margaret's house in the country. Margaret paid the man despite Rose insisting on it.

"It's fine. You guys need to save your money," she said, shrugging.

"That's very kind of you," Rose said.

They watched while the van was unhooked and set in the front yard.

"I'll call my neighbor tonight to come and take a look at it," she said. "In the meantime, make yourselves at home."

She opened the door of the house and the three of them followed her inside. They immediately walked into the living room. All three of them noticed an elderly man sitting in a lazy-boy chair watching TV.

"Daddy, I'm back!" the woman said loudly. "We have some guests."

"Huh?" the man said, keeping his eyes on the TV.

"I SAID, WE HAVE SOME GUESTS!" Margaret screamed.

"We do?" the man said, turning his head.

"Yes, this is Rose, Alan and Awinita," she said.

"Huh?"

Margaret sighed.

"His hearing aid's out," she said, rolling her eyes.

She walked over to him.

"DADDY, PUT YOUR HEARING AID IN!" she yelled.

"I don't want to!" the man protested. "I don't need to hear anything!"

Margret shot them an apologetic look.

"Just come with me and I'll show you where you can sleep," she said.

She led them out of the living room into a tiny guest bedroom.

"There's the bed and I have an air mattress I can blow up that one of you can sleep on," she said.

"I will, you guys take the bed," Awinita said.

"Bathroom is right next door," she said, stepping out and turning on the light. "Kitchen is down the hall and the other two bedrooms are beside it. And…that's about it. It's a small house so I apologize for the cramped quarters."

"Don't worry, we've been in the van and hotel rooms for about three months now," Alan said. "We're used to small."

Margaret nodded.

"Well are you guys hungry? I guess I could take you out to eat and get the belt tonight, that way you can be on your way as soon as possible."

"If it's not any trouble," Rose said.

"Nah, it's fine. My dad and I eat out all the time so we're more than happy to take you. Oh…and my dad's first name is Bill, just so you know. But, if you need to get ready, go ahead and I'll get the car ready and get my dad inside it."

They nodded. Margaret walked off while they took turns using the bathroom.

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The three of them were sitting in the back of the minivan while Margaret drove. They were sitting together directly behind her and Bill.

"So you two been to America before?" Margaret said, glancing back at Alan and Rose.

"Huh?" Bill said, looking at her.

"I'M TALKING TO THEM, DADDY!"

"Oh," Bill said.

"Um, no, we haven't," Rose said.

"I haven't been too many places. I used to live in Atlanta. I lived there for thirty years until I moved back up here to take care of my father," she said.

The car rolled over a shallow pothole.

"GODDAMN IT! I TOLD YOU TO QUIT HITTING THOSE DAMN POTHOLES! YOU'RE GONNA TEAR UP THE GODDAMN CAR!" Bill screamed at his daughter.

"I CAN'T HELP IT, THE POTHOLES ARE EVERYWHERE!" she yelled back. "THEY NEED TO FIX THE ROADS, DADDY, I KEEP TELLING YOU THAT!"

"Well, the government needs to get some Goddamn money for the counties so they can fix the damn things before the car breaks down!" Bill muttered.

Margaret noticed how shocked the three of them were and gave them another apologetic look.

Just then, they hit another pothole.

"GODDAMIT! QUIT HITTING THOSE POTHOLES!" Bill screamed.

Margaret sighed angrily.

"Anyway…I've been to London a couple of times before," she said to them. "It's one of my favorite places to visit."

"Huh?"

The three of them stifled their laughter when Margaret gave Bill an exasperated look.

"I went around Europe with a friend when I was younger," she said, trying to ignore him.

"Huh? I can't hear you. You're gonna have to talk louder."

"I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU, DADDY! PUT YOUR HEARING AID IN FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!"

Mercifully, Bill finally put his hearing aid in as Margaret breathed a sigh of relief.

"Anyway," she said. "I went around Europe when I was younger and I loved it. I…"

"See that house over there," Bill cut in, pointing to a dilapidated farmhouse. "I lived in that house right there and the one next to it and the one across the road from that one!"

"You did?" Alan said, trying to be polite.

"Yes, I did. I used to go fishing and swimming at a pond right behind it when I was little and my brother and I had a little pony cart that we would take into Shelbyville."

Alan nodded, not really knowing what to say to that.

"And that house right there," Bill said, pointing to a white two story farmhouse, "belongs to an asshole that owes me money."

They stared at him silently while Margaret looked over her shoulder.

"The man has owed him money since 1948 and he's been dead for about twenty five years now," she said.

"He's a Goddamn son of a bitch. I used to do electrical wiring for houses and I put the wiring in his house and the asshole never paid me!"

The three of them stared at him with wide eyes.

"Um…" Alan finally said, "the man's been dead for twenty five years, I don't think you're gonna get paid now."

"Well, I hope the asshole is roasting in Hell then."

Rose put her fingers up to her lips trying to hide the smile while Alan glanced at Awinita.

"See that," Bill said, pointing to a dirt lane. "My grandmother told me when I was a little boy that she walked with her two brothers down that road and stood with them while they waited for a carriage that would take them to the Civil War."

"Really?" Alan said, "That must have been interesting to hear."

Bill nodded.

"She's dead now, they all are. All them sons of bitches are dead, I'm the only one left and I'm gonna be goin' any time now if I'm lucky."

Rose put her head against Alan's arm trying to stifle the laughter while Alan and Awinita bit down firmly on their lips. They heard Margaret let out an exasperated sigh while she glared at him. While she was looking at him, she failed to see another pothole in the road and hit it.

"GODDAMN IT! YOU'RE GONNA RUIN THIS GODDAMN CAR GOING OVER THOSE GODDAMN POTHOLES!" he bellowed. "GODDAMN IT, CAN'T YOU EVEN DRIVE?"

"I didn't hit it that hard, Daddy."

"I don't care how hard you hit it; you're not supposed to hit them at all! You're gonna ruin the Goddamn car! I didn't work most of my life so you could tear up things!"

"I told you, Daddy, I can't avoid all the potholes, the road's filled with them."

"Well, the government needs to get some Goddamned money for the counties so they can fix the Goddamn things."

Alan turned his head and put his lips to Rose's ear.

"Suddenly, I'm regretting not getting a hotel room," he whispered.

Rose bit down on her lip so hard she was sure it was gonna draw blood.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Finally, they reached Shelbyville. Margaret drove to a little diner and parked in front of the front door. All of them climbed out. Rose noticed Bill slowly getting out on his side while he was holding onto the car door with one hand and his cane in the other. Rose saw it wobbling back and forth while he put his weight on it. Concerned for his safety, she walked up and took a hold of the side.

"GET AWAY FROM THE DOOR, I DON'T NEED ANY HELP!" Bill screamed at her.

Rose bolted from the door as Alan and Awinita bent over in silent laughter.

"Goddamn it," Bill said loudly as he slammed the door hard and leaned on his cane. "I don't need any Goddamned help to get inside. I can do it myself!"

"Geez, sorry I touched the bloody door then," Rose muttered under her breath as Alan patted her on the head.

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"Hey there, nice to see you again," a waitress said as they entered the diner.

All of them smiled at her except for Bill.

"How ya doin' hon?" she asked Bill.

"I'm not dead yet, I guess," he said, slowly walking towards a booth.

"Any chance we can get the booth behind them?" Awinita muttered to Alan and Rose.

They snickered.

Margaret and Bill sat on one side of the booth while Alan and Rose slid into the other side. They gave Awinita an envious look when she slid into the booth behind them.

"Just tell the waitress you're with us, dear," Margaret said, "and order whatever you want."

"Huh?"

"I was talking to her," Margaret said, gesturing to Awinita.

"Oh, well I don't know who you're talking to half the time, I don't have all my marbles like I did when I was young!" he said.

The waitress walked up and handed them some menus.

"That girl is with us too," Margaret said, pointing to Awinita.

The waitress nodded.

"Can I get you something to drink?"

"I'd like some coffee," Margaret said.

"I want some coffee too," Bill added.

She looked at Alan and Rose.

"I want a Coke," Alan said.

"Coffee for me," Rose said.

She wrote it down and moved to Awinita.

"How 'bout you, hon?"

"Coffee please," she said.

Rose smiled at Alan.

"You're the oddball in this group," she teased.

"Aren't I always?" he said, winking.

The waitress walked back to them.

"Do you need some time before you order?"

They glanced at each other and nodded. The waitress walked back to Awinita.

"How about you?"

"Yeah, I need a few minutes."

"Okay, I'll be right back then."

She walked away.

"So, are you two together?" Margaret asked.

"Huh?"

Margaret sighed.

"I'm talking to them, daddy."

"Oh, well I didn't know who you were talkin' to," he said.

"Yes," Alan said, "We're engaged."

"Really? How long?"

"A few weeks."

"Well, congratulations."

"Thanks," Alan said.

They looked at the menus.

"What are you gettin'?" Rose said to Alan.

"Huh?"

Alan fought to keep from laughing. He put his fingers over his mouth while Rose gave him a polite smile.

"I was talking to him," she said to Bill.

Bill stared at her.

"Who are you?" he said.

"I'm Rose."

"You British?"

"Yes, I am."

"I knew a British woman when I was stationed overseas during World War 2. I was on leave and I went to London and met her and we had sex every night I was there."

Margaret groaned and put her head in her hand while Rose stared at him, not sure how to answer that. Alan was shaking with silent laughter and she heard Awinita snickering.

"You're very beautiful," Bill said to her. "I got a girlfriend who's about your age. She's in Florida right now and I wanna go back to the trailer I have down there but my asshole daughter won't let me go down there!"

Rose glanced at Margaret who was mortified beyond belief at this. Alan was barely able to contain himself and Awinita was giggling softly.

Thankfully, at that moment, the waitress came back.

"You ready to order now?" she asked.

Rose took a quick glance at the menu. She had been so shocked at the whole conversation that she hadn't really looked.

"I want breakfast, you still servin' breakfast?" Bill said.

She nodded.

"I want two eggs and hash browns," he said.

She wrote it down.

"I'd like the chicken fried steak dinner with white gravy please," Margaret said.

The waitress looked at Rose.

"Um…I'd like a cheeseburger platter," she said.

"You, hon?" the waitress said to Alan.

He was still reading the menu.

"What's a pork tenderloin sandwich?" he asked her.

"They're good. It's deep-fried breaded pork on a bun," Margaret said.

"Hmm, I'll try that then," Alan said. "And some…French fries with it."

"I'll be back with your orders then," she said.

She walked over to Awinita.

"What do you want, hon?"

"I'll have the cheeseburger platter," she said.

The waitress wrote it down, gathered up all the menus and walked off.

"The pork tenderloin sandwich is good. I think you'll like it," Margaret said.

"Huh?"

Margaret ignored Bill and kept on talking.

"We also have sugar cream pie here in Indiana and as far as I know, this is the only state that makes them."

"Really? Sounds delicious. Do they have that here?" Alan said.

"Yes, they do and I'll be happy to pay for some slices if you wanna try it."

Alan looked at her.

"Interested?" he said.

"Yes, sounds good."

"Me too, I'll try it too."

"Excuse me; do we know you, weird lady behind us?" Alan said, looking around.

Rose giggled when Awinita flipped him off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan was in Heaven. Rose giggled at the ecstatic look on his face while he munched on his pork tenderloin sandwich.

"I take it you like it then?" she said.

In response, Alan tore off a piece of it and fed it to her.

"Mmm, this is good," she said.

Alan tore off another bit and gave it to Awinita.

"Yeah, it is," she said, looking around at them.

"I'll have to get this more often," Alan said.

"Me too," Rose replied.

"Have you guys ever had White Castle hamburgers?" Margaret asked.

Alan frowned.

"No, are they good?"

Margaret nodded.

"We'll stop and get you guys a sack of them."

"Thank you," Alan said.

"He loves when people buy him food," Rose said. "Buy him dinner and he's your friend for life."

Alan eyed her when she and Awinita giggled.

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Alan was now in seventh Heaven. The sugar cream pie melted in his mouth. He looked at Rose who was enjoying it as much as him.

"We definitely have to get this while we're in Indiana," Alan said.

"If you go to the store, they have Wick's Sugar Cream Pies that you can take home and eat. They're ready made."

"Really?" Alan said, delighted.

"Oh Lord, Awinita, now the back of the van's gonna be stacked to the ceiling with sugar cream pies," Rose said to her.

"I'll help em eat them," Awinita said. "This is good! I wouldn't mind having a bunch on hand to snack on."

Alan smiled graciously at them.

"Thank you so much for doing this for us," he said as Rose nodded in agreement.

"It's no problem. I'm always happy to help and I'm glad I introduced you to our local cuisine in the process."

The waitress brought over the check. Margaret paid it and waited while everyone finished eating.


	84. Chapter 84

Chapter Eighty Four

After they ate they all walked out and got back in the car. Alan giggled when Rose stayed as far away from the passenger side door as she possibly could while Bill was getting in. He grinned at her and put her hand on her back.

"Not the first colorful character you've met in your travels, Starlight," he said.

"I know, I just hope I can get the image of him shagging a twenty something woman out of my head tonight," she replied.

Once he was in, the three of them climbed in the back and closed the door. Margaret started up the car and pulled out.

"I'll take you to AutoZone to get the belt," she said, glancing back at them.

"Huh?"

"I'm talking to them, Daddy," she said.

"Oh."

"Anyway, as I was saying, I'll take you there and stop off to get some White Castles and I'll stop at the store for a Wick's pie so you can have some tonight."

Rose glanced at Alan who was grinning from ear to ear. She patted his leg and he put his arm around her shoulder.

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"See that house right there? That asshole owes me money!"

The three of them sat in the backseat shifting uncomfortably. On the way back, Bill told them everything he had said on the way over, word for word. In addition, he had screamed some more at Margaret about the potholes, even going so far as to scream at her when she hadn't gone through any at all. This was followed up a few times by his rant about how the Goddamned government needed to fix them all.

Once they were back at Margaret's house. She pulled the van up to the door so Bill could get out and go inside. She waited until he was inside before turning around in her seat.

"I'm sorry about that. He's senile and he forgets all the time what he's said. Trust me; I hear the same thing, day in and day out every time I drive that way. And I'm sorry for what he said to you in the diner, Rose."

"It's alright, I understand," she said, holding up her hand.

Margaret smiled.

"Well, I'll park the car and we'll go inside then."

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"Well…that was interesting," Alan said.

They were all in the guest bedroom with the door closed.

"I just hope granddad keeps his hands to himself around me," Rose said.

They giggled.

"Hey, the man has a pulse," Awinita said. "I assume he still has a penis so why shouldn't he have an eye for the ladies?"

"Well, I'm not Anna Nicole Smith," Rose said.

"Now, Rose," Alan teased. "Don't cut him off like that. You never know, he might be a billionaire and if you play your cards right…"

They laughed when Rose gave him a look of disgust.

"I'm don't fancy senior citizens, thanks," she said.

"Um…the Doctor's over 1200 years old as I recall," Alan said.

"Okay," she said as they laughed. "I don't fancy senior citizens who show their age, is that better?"

"Well, it's a good thing the Doctor was restored to his youthful self on the Valiant then," Alan said. "Course by the time that happened he was a dwarfy, pruny thing in a birdcage so I'm sure you would have been even more turned off than when he resembled Bill."

They shut up when they heard someone knocking on the door.

"I have the air mattress," they heard Margaret say.

Rose opened the door and she brought in a bright blue air mattress and a small air pump.

"I'm sorry, I know it's not much, but it's all I have," she said.

"That's fine. We appreciate it," Rose said.

They took it from her.

"I'll get you some sheets and a pillow and cover for it," she said to Awinita.

She shut the door behind her. The three of them spread out the wrinkled air mattress attached the small white air pump and plugged it in. The sat down on the bed together and watched while the mattress rapidly inflated. There was another knock on the door and Rose opened it again. She thanked Margaret as she took the white bed sheets, plump pillow and powder blue comforter from her. The mattress grew hard and firm and after putting her hand on it to test it, Awinita went over to the wall and unplugged the pump. She put the cover over the air hole and laid out on it.

"Not bad," she said. "Not a bed at the Holiday Inn but at least it's not the ground in the woods."

"Well, hopefully we can get the car fixed and get back on the road tomorrow before randy gramps steals my girl from me," Alan said.

"Trust me, you couldn't pay me to sleep with him," she said as they laughed.

The three of them sat together on the bed in silence. Alan sighed and lay back on the white cotton comforter.

"Well, you know, it would be awfully rude of us to stay in here all night long," he said, putting his hands behind his head. "Especially when these people have been kind enough to take us in for the night. Should we go out and chat with them?"

Rose leaned back against the wooden headboard.

"Will you wrestle gramps to the ground if he tries to feel me up?"

Alan laughed and patted her leg.

"I will protect you from the horny senior citizen at the cost of my own life," he said.

"I'm surprised he hasn't said anything about me," Awinita said.

"Weeeeell, maybe he fancies blondes. Plus, you were sitting in the other booth. He seemed to forget Rose was there for a moment so maybe he did the same for you."

"And you don't have a British accent which reminds him of the woman he shagged during World War 2," Rose said, rolling her eyes.

"Now, now, Amo'tiri, be polite. For all we know, he's this universe's Captain Jack minus the immortality and…minus the Jack moniker."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Rose muttered.

Alan sat back up and patted their legs.

"Well, let's go outside and be polite to our hosts, kiddies," he said to them.

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The three of them sat together on an overstuffed khaki couch in the living room sipping cups of tea while Margaret talked to them. Bill occasionally said something but for the most part his attention was fixed on a football game on ESPN. Earlier she had informed them that her neighbor would be over around 10 a.m. to install the belt. After that, they had made small talk. All three of them were careful what they told her about Alan and he for the most part remained silent so she wouldn't be tempted to ask too many questions about his personal life. Rose and Awinita, sensing what he was doing kept the conversation going. Thankfully, Margaret was more than happy to talk to them about her life in return.

"So, then I came back to Indiana," Margaret said, "and I'm hoping to retire here now. What about you? Are you wanting to stay in London after you get married?"

"Um…probably, but mostly we're going to travel," Rose replied.

"Really? Where to?"

"Oh, all over. Doesn't really matter as long as it's somethin' new to see."

"Are you gonna have enough money to be able to do that?" Margaret said. "Forgive me for saying so, but you're awfully young and I'm surprised you have the time and money to go across the US, let alone keep traveling."

Rose smiled.

"My dad is helping us out. You know the Vitex health drinks?"

"Yes."

"He invented them."

"Oh! I've had those every once in awhile, they're pretty good. I have a number of friends that drink them regularly and swear by them so I can imagine he's pretty rich."

Rose nodded.

"So, where did you two meet?" Margaret said, gesturing to Alan.

Rose hesitated while she tried to think up something to say.

"We met a few years ago," she said. "I was a PA at my father's company and Alan was a temp. We hit it off right away and a couple of months ago he proposed to me."

"So, where did you meet them?" she asked Awinita.

"I was in a McDonalds in New Jersey and they came in to eat and I went over to talk to them and introduced myself and we started talking and I had just lost my job and was trying to go back home to North Carolina and they offered to take me. Then we became friends and they wanted me to keep traveling with them, so I accepted."

"So, what are you gonna do when they go back to London?"

"Go with them and find a job there."

"Lots of beautiful women in London," Bill said, keeping his eyes on the TV screen. "I was on leave during World War 2 and had sex with a beautiful British woman."

Alan tried not to laugh but couldn't help himself.

"It's alright, I understand," Margaret said. "You have to have a sense of humor to live here; otherwise you'd fly off the handle every five minutes. He means well. He's just losing his memory, not to mention he's had a series of strokes in the past."

"Hey!"

They looked over at Bill when he cried out. Rose noticed he was staring right at her.

"Um…yeah?" she said, hesitantly.

"Are you related to Doris Meriwether?"

"No," Rose said, shaking her head.

"That's the name of the girl I had sex with. You look an awful lot like her. I was wondering if you were her granddaughter."

"Um…no, I'm not related."

"Well, you look like her," Bill said, turning his attention back to the screen. "Doris Meriwether. She and I had sex every night I was on leave. She was a virgin when I screwed her."

Alan bit his lip when he saw Rose stiffen. He leaned into her ear.

"Don't worry, I won't let him get into your pants," he said.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek when she rolled her eyes. Bill turned his attention back to her.

"Sure you're not related to Doris Meriwether?" he asked.

"No, I'm not."

"You look like her, I'm surprise you aren't. She had the same long blonde hair as you and the same brown eyes. She was a looker."

Alan and Awinita were about to lose it completely. Alan put his arm around her when she shifted nearer to him.

"You sure you're not related to her?"

"Daddy, leave her alone and watch your game!" Margaret said. "She's not related to the woman!"

"I'm just wondering," Bill said. "Doris was amazing. Had the tightest little twat I've ever seen on a woman."

Rose's mouth fell open as her friends clamped their mouths shut. Margaret sighed angrily.

"Come outside with me. We can sit on the patio and talk away from him," she said to them.

Alan thought Rose was gonna jump through the ceiling judging from the way she jerked up from her seat. He stood up beside her and smiled as he put his arms on her shoulder. They all turned and followed Margaret out to the patio.

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Alan and Rose lay together in bed, their arms wrapped around each other. Neither one of them could fall asleep in the strange house. They had caressed and fondled each other for awhile but eventually they stopped and just cuddled against one another in silence listening to Awinita's soft snoring drifting up from the floor.

"So strange being in a house again after all these months," Rose finally said.

"Not to me, I was only in your mansion for a few days, before that I was in the TARDIS and the Crucible. Rest of the time it's been hotel rooms and cars and moonlit forests," he whispered back.

Rose fingered the hem of his plum t-shirt.

"Do you think you'll ever get used to living in a house?" she asked.

"I s'pose I'll have to, at least for nine years," he replied.

"But even then, you won't like it, will ya?"

"No, living in a house doesn't appeal to me. What about you? Did you feel a bit antsy living in a house after you were first stuck here?"

"It took some gettin' used to, that's for sure," she replied. "I hated it. It was the closest I've ever come to what I'd imagine Hell being like. Being out there among the stars, seeing the universe and the next thing I know I'm separated from the Doctor and the TARDIS and stuck behind a desk at Torchwood. But, I s'pose all the other companions had to adjust to an ordinary life as well."

"There's no such thing as an ordinary life. And I'm sure the other companions did have a period of adjustment, but the difference is the majority of the companions went back home by choice. You didn't have that luxury."

"Can I ask you somethin' Alan?"

"Sure."

"If I had never come back to the Gamestation, if the Doctor had found a way to survive the Daleks, would he have tried to come back for me?"

Alan rose up in bed, bent his arm and rested his head on his hand.

"Dunno to be honest. He never got the chance to do that. You came to him and saved his life. I'm not sure what he would have done if you hadn't become the Bad Wolf. I would like to think maybe he would have tried to find you again. Perhaps if Jack hadn't been killed he could have used his vortex manipulator like he did on Malcasairo and came back for you. I know he would have been heartbroken just as he would have been heartbroken if you had stayed over here when he tried to send you away and the gap had closed. He tried to pretend that he could have gotten along without you but the fact is once you were really gone his world became a whole lot darker and a lot less kind."

"And now it's become dark again," Rose murmured.

"Not necessarily, he has Donna with him."

"Yeah, but you said…the drawing out her memories. What if he had to do that?"

He sighed sadly as he ran his index finger up and down her arm.

"I'm hoping he could find a way around it," he said. "If anyone could save her, it's him. I just hope he did. I would hate for Donna to go back to the way she was before. You met her after the Doctor had helped to bring her good qualities to the fore. Before he met him, sad to say, she was a bitchy little hag."

"I saw a bit of that side as well. I was with her in her parallel universe, remember?"

"Oh yeah, that's right. Well...that's what Donna would be like if the Doctor did have to take her memories away and it's heartbreaking to even think about that because Donna Noble is not like that at all. She's much kinder and loving and oh so brilliant."

He trailed off. For a moment he listened to Awinita's soft snoring and then he smiled.

"I think we better let Awinita drive first when we get the car back. We're gonna be knackered, come mornin'" he said.

"I just can't sleep."

"Why? You afraid Grandpa Stalker will whisk you away from my arms in the night?"

"No," she said, giving his arm a playful swat. "Just can't sleep in here."

"You've slept in dozens of hotel rooms."

"Yeah, but that was you and me and Awinita. I'm used to us. I'm not used to others sharing the same space."

He chuckled.

"Even more incentive for us to get our TARDIS?"

"Too right. If I knew how to make that lump of rock grow faster, I would make that thing grow and the three of us would be off planet Earth before we could blink."

"If Awinita comes with us."

"I hope she does."

"Yeah, so do I."

"Goddamn it!"

The two of them fell silent when they heard Bill shuffling outside the door. They frowned when they heard him muttering to himself under his breath.

"Goddamn sons of bitches," he muttered. "Damn those assholes!"

Both of them bit their lips.

"Stupid bitches leaving the toilet seat down," they heard him mutter as he walked into the bathroom. "Damn them! Can't even put the Goddamned toilet seat up for Christ's sake."

The bathroom door slammed shut.

"Um, okay, which one of you bitches left the Goddamned seat down?" Alan whispered.

They both snickered.

"It's probably me, I'm the stupid bitch," she said as Alan giggled.

"Blimey, is the poor man ever happy?" Alan said.

"He's 90 and infirm, Alan, I'm sure he's old and tired now. Plus he's senile and has had a bunch of strokes."

"Bloody Hell; get me the chameleon arch then. I don't ever wanna get to the point where I'm wandering around the house muttering about stupid bitches leaving the toilet seat down."

"The Doctor didn't do that after the Master aged him?" Rose teased.

"Um…no," he said as she giggled. "Not once during that whole year did he say anything about the toilet seat being down when it should have been up."

They heard the toilet flushing. A moment later the door opened back up and they heard him walk out.

"Goddamn the bitches for leaving the seat down. Stupid assholes can't do anything right."

Rose's eyes widened when she looked past Alan. He was confused for a moment and then he heard Bill coming into the room. He slowly turned in the dark and noticed he was standing there staring down at Awinita.

"Who is this stupid asshole on the floor?" they heard him mutter under his breath. "Goddamn it, get a bed like the rest of us."

Rose buried her face in Alan's shirt while Alan clamped his hand over his mouth. Bill stood there for a moment. Then he turned and walked out of the room.

"Goddamned bitch doesn't know how to use a bed," he muttered as he walked out.

They waited until they were sure he was gone and then they let out the giggles they'd been holding in.

"Shame Awinita slept through that. That's another thing I'm gonna have to show her," he said to Rose.

"Um, maybe I should go close the door now," Rose said.

"Good idea, Starlight," he said. "Next time we might wake up and find him beating her to death with the air pump for not using a bed like the rest of us assholes."

Rose swatted his arm.

"You gotta admit, Rose, this whole day has been mighty interesting," he said as she got up out of bed. "It's amazing the kind of people you meet when your timing belt snaps."

"Well, the quicker we can get back on the road, the better," Rose said, standing up.

Alan laughed softly when she ran around the bed and quickly closed the door and locked it. She ran back around and got back under the covers.

"Much better," Rose whispered. "I feel better already."

"Good, I'm glad. Now let's try to get some sleep so Awinita doesn't have to do all the driving, eh?"

She nodded and gave him a kiss.

"Good night, my love," she said.

"Good night, Doris."

She swatted his arm as he sniggered. She gave him one more kiss on the lips and then with a sigh, snuggled against him and slowly drifted off to sleep.


	85. Chapter 85

Chapter Eighty Five

"Thanks so much for all your help," Rose said to Margaret.

Earlier in the day, her neighbor Frank had come over and put the timing belt back on. Margaret took them to eat one more time and took them to get supplies. They had made sure to get two Wick's pies for them and a sack of White Castle hamburgers. Now the three of them stood beside their van saying goodbye to Margaret and Bill.

"It was so nice to meet all of you," Margaret was saying. "I hope you have a safe journey."

She pulled an index card out of her pocket and handed it to Rose.

"I copied this for you last night. It was my mother's recipe for sugar cream pie. I figured since you liked it so much you might want to make it yourself."

Rose glanced at Alan and saw the delighted look on his face.

"Believe me, this recipe will be used and used often," she said.

All of them hugged her and Bill and with one last wave, they got back in their van and shut the doors. Rose tried the ignition.

"Yes!" she said when it turned over. "Thank God, let's get outta here and get back to sightseeing."

Alan grinned at Awinita.

"She doesn't do domestic like me," he said.

"And I didn't feel comfortable sleeping in that room with Bill walking around muttering under his breath," Rose added as they drove off.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me, you missed something last night, Awinita," Alan said.

"I missed something?" she said as Rose snickered.

"Mm-hmm let me show you what happened when you were off in dreamland."

He put his fingers to her temples. Awinita was silent for a moment and then her mouth dropped open.

"Um, okay, I'm glad I was asleep during that," she said when Alan let go of her head. "Wow, um…okay, I'm glad he didn't get down on his knees and beat me up for sleeping on the floor. My great grandmother was in a nursing home and there were a couple of senile people there who got violent with the staff. I mean I'm sure the guy is harmless but you never know."

"Well, Rose got up and locked the door after he went to bed."

"Wondered why it was locked this mornin', thanks for showing me the reason."

She settled back into her seat with a sigh.

"So, on to Indianapolis, I guess?" she said.

"Yup, you found some stuff we could do, didn't ya, Rose?"

"Yeah, there's this place downtown called White River State Park. They have a bunch of things there. They have the state museum, the zoo, the Eitlejorg which is a Native American and western art museum. They have the baseball park there and a concert venue. They have a Congressional Medal of Honor memorial. All in that one spot. And then downtown they have another art museum and they have a children's museum, but according to the site there's a lot there for adults as well like a carousel and a steam engine and they have a huge dinosaur exhibit you can walk through."

"That sounds neat," Alan said.

"Plus they have a huge mall downtown with shops and restaurants," she said. "They have the motor speedway and an Indy 500 museum there and the State fairgrounds but that's closed now. So, what'd ya guys think?"

"I'd like to see the Eitlejorg thing," Awinita said.

"I think the Children's Museum might be fun," Alan added, "and the zoo and the Eitlejorg and the art museum as well. I love looking at artwork."

"They also have this place called Connor Prairie which is kinda like that Colonial Williamsburg we went to. It's what Indiana was like back in the 1800's with the actors and things."

"Hmm, that might be worth a look too," Alan said. "Williamsburg was pretty interesting."

"Are you gonna do the same thing you did there and walk around and ask everyone if you can use their mobile?" Rose said.

"Maybe, you know, they're supposed to stay in character. I was just testing them," Alan said as Awinita laughed. "I'm sure they've heard dumber questions before."

"Well, they also do little skits for the public like Williamsburg did."

"That must be interesting doing that," Awinita said. "It'd be hard to stay in character though. I'd probably slip up and say something I shouldn't."

"Alan wouldn't slip up, he'd say stuff on purpose just to mess with people's minds," Rose said.

"Yuuuuuuup, I would say anachronistic phrases like, yo, welcome to our village, biatches. You're gonna love our dope pioneer life, fo shizzle."

"See what I mean?" Rose said to Awinita. "I know the boy all too well now."

"And I know you," he said. "You'd roll those little eyes of yours and say in a world-weary tone of voice, Alan, grow up, will ya?"

"You're right, I would."

"See how compatible we are?" Alan said to Awinita. "We're starting to know each other inside and out now. Pretty soon we'll be finishing each other's sentences and then we'll be borrowing each other's clothes."

Awinita snickered.

"Somehow I doubt the whole borrowing clothes thing, Alan," Rose said.

She found her exit and got off on I-465. She eased the van into the heavy traffic and looked at them.

"So, what's first?" she said.

Alan and Awinita glanced at each other.

"You pick, Alan," she said.

"Sure?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, how about the Children's Museum then?"

"Children's Museum it is," Rose said.

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"Brilliant!" Alan enthused.

They were at the Children's Museum staring at the side of the building. There was a rounded wall with a brown skinned long necked dinosaur coming out of it as if it were breaking through the wall. In front of her were her two babies. All of them looked as if they were running away from the building.

"That is cool!" Awinita said.

Alan glanced at Rose who was taking a picture of it. He suddenly had an idea.

"Wait a tic," he said to her. "Awinita, follow me, we'll give Rose something to take a picture of."

Awinita followed him. He led her over in front of the dinosaurs. His eyes widened and he jerked his arm out and pointed at the statues.

"AAAAAAAAH! Dinosaur stampede! Run, Awinita!"

He turned and posed himself in a running position, his mouth hanging open in a silent scream and a look of wide-eyed terror on his face. Awinita laughed and threw her arms up while she mimed the same thing. Rose bent over laughing for a moment and then stepped back until she got all of them in the shot.

"Thanks guys!" she said after she took a couple of pictures. "That's ten times better than just the dinosaurs themselves."

She smiled at them.

"Ready to go inside?" she asked.

They nodded and all of them headed for the entrance.

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Alan stared transfixed at a large water clock just inside the entrance. He glanced at Rose who was in the queue waiting to pay admission and walked over with Awinita. It was 26 feet tall, suspended between the floor and the ceiling and the large pendulum in the middle of it glowed with a green neon light. On either side of the pendulum were little glass bubbles that the water flowed into. The left side marking hours and the right marking minutes. Red liquid flowed into each side telling the exact time. Alan was fascinated.

"Ingenious," he said to Awinita.

"Yeah, I wonder how long it took to make it?"

"I would think it took quite some time," Alan replied, "and a large set of lungs to blow all that glass."

He sensed someone coming up behind him and turned to see Rose staring at it in wonder.

"Wow," she said.

She took a picture of it. Alan grinned, got in front of it and did his running pose again. She laughed and snapped a picture of him.

"Are you going to be doing that for every exhibit?" she asked when he walked back to her.

"Nah, sometimes I'll just riverdance in front of them," he said.

"You riverdancing, now that's something I definitely gotta see," Rose said.

They took each other's hands and walked through the main entrance. They barely got through before they were once again stunned into silence. There were ramps leading up to the different levels that twisted up and around the sides and in the middle of the open area was an enormous glass sculpture that reached up to the ceiling. The sculpture was made of colored blown glass that was bent and twisted in S's and curly cues and corkscrews. All of the individual pieces had been fitted together and resembled a large multicolored glass tree. They stared at the glass shapes in awe, their primary colors a stark contrast to the white walls around it. Rose looked down and noticed the floor around the sculpture was made of transparent glass and had more glass shapes embedded underneath it. She stepped back and took several pictures of it.

"Wonder how long it took to build this one?" Awinita said.

Alan noticed a plaque nearby. He walked over and read it silently.

"This is 43 feet high," he told them. "It's got 2,500 individual pieces of glass in it. In the floor is 1,600 more pieces. Doesn't say how long it took him to blow all the glass but it took a fortnight to build the tower and get it in place."

"Blimey, "Rose said. "I hope whoever had to do it was paid well. All that glass to install, must have been a headache getting it done."

She opened the little map they gave her at the ticket counter and studied it.

"You guys wanna start on the lower level and go up?" she said.

They nodded and followed her when she walked over to the entrance to the Dinosphere exhibit. They headed down a long corridor to the lower level. Walking into it they saw that they were inside the circular room the dinosaurs had been breaking out of. What amazed them was the interior. It had been decorated to look like the outdoors with prehistoric plants and trees. There were sound effects coming from overhead. They could hear crickets chirping and water flowing and the grunts and roars of dinosaurs. They started at one end of the room and walked around in a semicircle staring at the dinosaur skeletons posed in different tableaus. They looked up and noticed the ceiling was lit up to resemble the sky with clouds and artificial sunlight. Rose took pictures of different things while Alan pointed to the skeletons and gave Awinita a few dinosaur facts. Suddenly, they heard thunder overhead and looked up to see the "sky" darkening. They stared at it, fascinated, as lights flashed and they heard thunder and rain. Alan looked at Rose and grinned.

"This is so cool," Rose said.

"I know," he replied.

The thunderstorm stopped after a minute and the ceiling went back to its blue color. All of them finished walking around the semicircle and headed off into a second area with glass cases displaying fossils. The rooms of the exhibit were divided into different geological times and they slowly passed through them studying the fossils. After they got through the last room, they walked out and down a long corridor to the other side. On the way out they passed by another enormous dinosaur skeleton. Alan paused by the plaque beside it and read aloud…

"From the blistering sands of the Sahara, University of Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno has pulled an incredible find: the nearly complete remains of Sarcosuchus imperator, one of the largest crocodilians to ever walk the Earth. As long as a city bus and weighing in at about 10 tons, "SuperCroc" lives up to its nickname. Sarcosuchus imperator, or "flesh crocodile emperor," lived roughly 110 million years ago when rivers coursed over what is now sub-Saharan Africa. Sarcosuchus prowled the rivers' banks, crushing fish and other creatures in its massive jaws. Sarcosuchus didn't walk with the dinosaurs; it ate them for dinner!"

"Jesus," Awinita said. "I'd hate to meet that thing in a dark alley. That's massive!"

"The Doctor has met things like that…maybe not in dark alleys, but he has met them," Alan said, walking over to her side.

"Did you ever see anything like this" Awinita asked Rose.

She shook her head.

"No, thank God, I don't think I would have been able to get away from it fast enough before it ate me."

"Nah, the Doctor would have wrestled it barehanded to save you."

Rose gave him a skeptical look.

"When we get the TARDIS, can we go back to when this thing lived so I can see you wrestle one barehanded? Just…you know, so I can picture the Doctor actually trying to defeat this thing."

"Nah, that's boring. It wouldn't be much of a challenge for me," Alan said, sniffing. "Besides I don't want to show off, I'm much too modest for that!"

His eyes widened when Rose let out an enormous, "HA!" Awinita grabbed the railing around the exhibit and laughed hysterically as Alan gave her an incensed look. Rose gave him an innocent look in return and walked off towards the exhibit at the end of the corridor.

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"Yay!" Alan said when he entered the room behind Rose and saw the life sized train. "A steam engine! I love steam engines! I've always wanted to drive one!"

Rose glanced at Awinita.

"Whatever train he drives, make sure I'm not on it, yeah?"

She ran away when Alan made a grab for her. They walked up to it and Alan read the plaque.

"The center of the All Aboard exhibit is this 35-foot long, 55-ton steam engine designed by Reuben Wells in 1868 to conquer Indiana's Madison Hill, the steepest railroad grade in the United States. This train is a one of a kind, built to push cars up the steep 5.89 grade. You can walk around to the front of this magnificent train and stand face to face with this mighty engine that used 12 tons of power to push, not pull, cargo up the hill in Madison, Indiana. Blimey, this isn't a replica; it's an actual steam engine!"

Grinning like a kid at Christmas, Alan took Rose's hand and they climbed the narrow steps up into the train. They went into the passenger car and looked around at the wooden interior. Rose noticed a sign fixed to the wall and read it.

"They have a little movie simulation every half hour," she said to them.

"Is it going to start?" Alan said.

"Dunno, it doesn't list any times. But it's twenty past, I s'pose it'll start in ten minutes then," she replied, shrugging.

They sat down in the wooden seats and rested. Alan glanced out the window and saw a huge movie screen.

"Come on, start! We wanna see the movie thingy!" he yelled at it.

He looked at Rose.

"They need to have sensors that detect when people are in here so it'll start instead of having to wait every half hour," he said. "We have a whole museum to see and other things to see after that."

"Just be patient, love, it'll start soon enough," she said, patting his leg. "In the meantime, just rest and relax."

Alan sat back in the seat and looked around the interior.

"I have a thought. I think I'm gonna become a trainspotter, Rose," he said.

He let out a melodramatic gasp and pointed around them.

"I spotted a train! And I've only been a trainspotter for two seconds, hurray for me!" he said as they laughed.

He grinned at her.

"I'm very good," he said.

Rose nodded.

"Yup, you are, you're an expert trainspotter," she said.

He sighed and looked out at the movie screen.

"Time?" he asked, looking at Rose.

"Two more minutes," Rose said, glancing at her watch.

Alan turned his attention to Awinita who was sitting in the seat in front of them.

"Howdy, little lady," he drawled. "What's a purdy lady like yourself doing on a train like this?"

Awinita smiled.

"I'm going out west to become a schoolteacher on the prairie," she said sweetly.

"Well, you shore are the prettiest little schoolmarm I ever did see."

"What am I then?" Rose asked him.

He studied her.

"You're Belle, the tart of the west," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

She smacked him on the back of the head as Awinita bent over laughing.

They heard the sound of a bell clanging and the hissing of steam from a speaker over their heads.

"'Bout bloody time!" Alan said.

They turned and looked out the window. The blank white screen was replaced by the image of a wooden train station.

"All aboard!" a man announced over the speaker.

"We've been aboard for ten minutes! Go!" Alan yelled at the speaker.

"Feel better now?" Rose asked.

"Tons," Alan said, smiling. "Nothing like a good yell at a speaker to relieve one's stress."

On the movie, the train pulled out of the station. Chugging sounds came out of the speaker while they watched fields whizzing by on the movie screen. Then the scene changed and the camera started to go up a steep hill. Alan looked at Awinita. His hand formed a gun and he held it up to her.

"Alright, this is a stickup!" he said in a menacing voice. "Give me all your money and jewels or I'll jump out, run several miles with you in my arms and tie you to the tracks. Then I'll stand there and watch your melodramatic distress while I laugh and twirl my long black mustache!"

"I thought the Doctor didn't carry a gun," Rose said.

He stared at her with wide eyes.

"Um…I'm not the Doctor, am I," he said.

"Sorta, kinda," she said. "In a technical sense you are."

He pursed his lips and gave her a stern look when she sniggered.

"Okay, changed my mind. Give me _your_ money and jewels, Belle, or you'll be the one who's tied to the tracks!" he said, pointing his finger gun at her head.

Rose stared at him calmly. She reached into her pocket, pulled out the recipe and held it in both hands.

"Put down the gun or I tear up the secret formula," she said.

They laughed when Alan quickly folded his hands in his lap. Rose kissed him on the cheek and put the recipe back in her pocket.

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The next exhibit involved three different things. There was another dinosaur exhibit, an undersea room and an ancient Egyptian room. The three of them walked slowly through it looking at everything. When they reached the Egyptian room, they paused at a glass case containing a mummy case. The case was divided into three sections showing the bottom of the sarcophagus, the mummy and then the lid.

"Cool!" Awinita said.

"I love how they painted the mummy cases," Rose said, snapping a picture.

"Would you like one?"

She looked at Alan.

"Huh?"

"Would you like one when you die?"

"A mummy case?"

"Yes, I can take the TARDIS back to ancient Egypt, have you professionally embalmed and display your sarcophagus in our bedroom for all eternity."

"No, thanks, I'll pass," Rose said.

"You don't wanna be preserved for all time?" Alan said.

"Nah, that's alright, I don't like mummy cases that much."

"Can I bury you alive then?"

Rose looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because I'm devilishly eeeeeevil!" he said, cupping her face and giving her a maniacal look. "I will entomb both you and Awinita alive and laugh long and loud while you scream and scream until you diiiiiie!"

Rose put her arms around his neck.

"You ever think about cutting down on caffeine so you're not a hyper little maniac 24/7?" she asked.

"You don't enjoy my eccentricities?"

"Mmmm…I do, but there's a time and a place."

"And the time and place would beeeee…"

"Somewhere where people aren't watching and thinking about ringin' the funny farm to come and collect their escaped mental patient?"

He cleared his throat.

"Starlight, I seem to recall a rainy day not too long ago. You and I were standing in a Wal-Mart car park and I told you not to give a flippity flying floo about people and what they might think of us…and then after that we sang together…and then I went splishing through several puddles like a giddy schoolboy…remember?"

"Yes, I remember, Alan."

"Good, keep what I said in mind then. This is our own little world here. The only one who matters besides us is Awinita and she's been with us long enough to know we're both mad as hatters. Ignore the rest of planet Earth."

Rose turned and looked at Awinita who had an amused look on her face.

"He's right, you're both mad as hatters," she said. "And nothing you two do surprises me anymore."

She looked at Alan.

"You sang in front of Wal-Mart?" she said.

"Yes, Rose once told me she was going to enter a singing contest and her daft little friends told her not to do it so I made her sing for me in the Wal-Mart car park so I could see if she was talented or not."

"Like I said, that doesn't surprise me in the least," she said to Rose. "Singing in a crowded parking lot fits Alan's personality to a tee."

"See, Awinita know what we're like, so no worries. We are one, all of us. No one else counts except us! We are the daft nutters club and our membership is closed until further notice."

"Cool, do we get membership cards?" Awinita said.

"Um, wait till we get back home," Alan said. "I'll have Torchwood make us some. They're ace when it comes to making phony documents look real."

"Say that a little louder, dear, I don't think the police heard ya," Rose said.

Awinita laughed when Rose slammed her hand over his opening mouth.

"Another human lesson, Stitch. Sometimes humans say things that aren't meant to be taken literally. It's called a sarcastic remark," she said to him.

"Moh, mee mee," Alan muttered through her hand.

She took her hand away.

"What?"

"I said, oh I see," he said.

Rose swatted his chest and he gave her a kiss. They held each other hands and went through the rest of the exhibit.

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They slowly made their way up the levels until they got to the top floor. On one side of the floor was a huge hall of science and on the other side was the carousel.

"Hmm, science or horsies, what's Alan gonna pick?" Rose asked Awinita.

"Dunno, I would think the geek in him would be drooling over the science stuff but then again he can't pass up a wooden horsey either. What will poor confused Alan do?"

They laughed when Alan shot them a look. He grabbed Rose's hand and walked towards the carousel.

"We're heading towards the horsies," Rose said, looking back at Awinita. "Guess he likes those better."

"That's a switch; I figured Mister Quantum Physics would have gone the other way. Guess we don't know him as well as we think we do."

Rose got some tokens for everyone and they stood in the queue. They slowly moved through the line listening to the calliope music while the carousel spun around and round. After about five minutes, they went through the entrance. Alan followed Rose while she chose a horse to ride. He waited until she found one before getting on the one next to hers. He looked around and noticed Awinita wasn't with them.

"Where'd she get to?" Alan said.

"She probably found something she liked on the other side of the carousel," she said.

Alan shrugged. Rose held her hand out to him and he took it while he wrapped his free hand around the pole. There was a moment of stillness and then the carousel slowly started moving while the calliope music started up. She gave his hand a squeeze and he smiled in return. He mouthed I love you to her and she nodded.

After two minutes, the carousel slowed and stopped. They climbed down and hopped off the platform. They found Awinita waiting for them at the exit.

"Where'd you get to?" he said.

"I found a giraffe," she said, smugly.

She giggled at the shocked look on his face and pointed to it.

"Now see, if you hadn't gone off with Rose, you coulda kicked its ass," she said.

"Blast, another opportunity squandered!" Alan said, looking at it.

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Come away from the wooden giraffe, "she said, taking his hand.

They walked through the exit.

"Did you guys enjoy the romantic ride?" Awinita asked.

"Yes, except there were all these damn potholes the horses kept falling into," Alan said. "Damn those potholes, the government needs to get in here and fix them before they tear up the carousel!"

He grinned when they bent over laughing.

"I wondered how long it'd be before he started making jokes about that," Awinita said.

"Me too. I thought it'd be sooner than this. I'm surprised he waited this long," Rose replied.

They walked out of the room.

"Well, onto the hall of science, I guess," Rose said.

They walked across the room and entered. Alan's face fell when he saw the exhibits. All of them were for little kids.

"Aw, hon. I'm sorry. I don't really think you can do anything in here," Rose said, patting his hand sympathetically.

"He can look at the huge diorama of the marshland," Awinita said, pointing to a large Plexiglas case.

"Whoop-di-bloody-do," Alan said as they laughed hysterically. "Wheee, fake swamp! That just makes my whole bloody day right there!"

He turned and walked out of the room. The women followed him as he walked over to the chest high concrete wall that enclosed the floor. He folded his arms on top of the wall and leaned over as stared at the glass sculpture.

"So, you guys wanna go over to the state park and do something there before we find a hotel room for the night?" Rose asked.

"Sounds good to me," Awinita said.

Rose looked at Alan who was gazing out at the sculpture.

"Alan? That okay with ya?" she asked, putting her hand on his back.

"No."

The two women glanced at each other.

"Why not?" Rose said.

Alan slowly turned.

"Because we're not finished here," he said.

Rose gave him a confused look.

"Yeah, we are, we've been to all the floors and saw everything. What's left?"

He grinned and grabbed her roughly.

"The lover's death plunge beside the huge glass sculpture thingy!" he yelled.

Rose gasped when he leaned her backwards against the wall.

"Alan! Quit it!" she said, half laughing.

"It's no use, my Starlight, let us flee this futile existence and shred our fragile bodies to bits on the blown glass below!" he said, melodramatically.

He gave her a kiss and winked when she laughed harder. He righted her and held her close to his body

"Yeah, we can go to the park," he said, giving her back a quick rub.

"Gee, Alan, I guess you really don't give a flippity floppidy floo who sees ya," Awinita said, pointing to a couple of people standing by the entrance to the carousel who were giving them odd looks.

"Nah, let them gossip all they want, they don't know any of us!" Alan said triumphantly.

"They're probably thanking their lucky stars right now," Rose said to Awinita.

She squealed when Alan suddenly picked her up off the floor and swung her around in a circle. He sat her back down and noticed the people were staring quietly at him.

"I'm happy!" he yelled to them. "It's a beautiful day and I'm having fun! You'd be happy too if you were with these people!"

"Alan, for Christ's sake, get goin' right now!" Rose said, pulling him down the ramp by his shirt.

Awinita looked at the people who had gone over to the concrete wall near the entrance to watch them. They looked at Awinita. She grinned, shrugged and followed her friends down the ramp.


	86. Chapter 86

Chapter Eighty Six

It took about twenty minutes to drive across the city to the White River State Park. Once they were there, Rose parked the van and all of them got out and headed for a couple of large buildings. Rose looked at them. The one on her left was the Indiana State Museum and the one on her right was the Eitlejorg.

"Well, we have these two here," she said. "You wanna try one of them or go look for something else?"

"What's in the State Museum exactly?" Alan asked her. "Anything interesting?"

"Just stuff about Indiana," she said, shrugging. "And I think the IMAX theater is in there too."

"Awinita, small conference," Alan said.

Rose frowned when he pulled her aside and began to speak to her in hushed whispers. She watched as he pointed back to the state museum and Awinita nodded. He then reached into his pocket, pulled out some money and showed it to her. Awinita nodded again and Alan walked back over to Rose.

"State museum," he said. "Awinita and I talked it over and we decided that since we really want to see the Eitlejorg, we'll save it for tomorrow when we're more rested. Plus, we were thinking that if the state museum has the IMAX that I would pay for a movie. We haven't seen a movie since New York and Awinita said she hasn't seen one in ages. So, how 'bout it?"

"That's fine," she said. "But you save your money. I'll pay for the movie."

"You sure?"

She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Very sure," she said.

They turned to the left and walked towards the museum.

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They entered into a large open hall. There were two floors above them. Rose spied the ticket counter and went over.

"Doesn't look as huge as the Children's Museum," Awinita said.

"No, it doesn't, hopefully it won't take long to get through so we don't miss the film."

A few minutes later, Rose walked back to them.

"The Dark Knight is playing, you guys wanna see that?" she said.

They shared a look and nodded.

"Okay, next show's in two and a half hours so that should be enough time to get through the museum."

She grinned at Alan.

"Good idea, the cinema. My man is always thinkin'" she said.

"That's why I'm the brains and you're the brawn of this outfit," he said.

"What am I?" Awinita asked.

Alan studied her.

"The keeper of my left kidney," he proclaimed.

"Okay, just checking."

Rose handed them both a large paper ticket.

"Keep this, we'll need to show them to get in to some of the exhibits here," she said.

They nodded and put the tickets in their pockets.

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Rose walked side by side with Alan while they went through an exhibit on Indiana's prehistoric past. She wasn't that interested in it but she could tell that Alan was, so she kept silent and just enjoyed his company. They went up a small ramp and stopped by a large, slowly spinning globe. A movie was being projected onto the surface of the globe that discussed the movements of the continents over the millennia and how Indiana had been affected by it. Alan rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he stared at it.

"Pangaea was the supercontinent that existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras about 250 million years ago, before the component continents were separated into their current configuration," the narrator said.

Alan pointed to the enormous landmass on the globe.

"At this time, Aliens from Andromeda did a little experiment in colonization," he said to Rose and Awinita. "They did manage to start a civilization which became the beginnings of the Atlantean and Lemurian civilizations. I doubt if it'll show it here but those were the two continents, Atlantis and Lemuria, which they settled on. Both of them were devastated by violent earthquakes before the time of recorded history. They were split apart, destroyed and consumed by the ocean hence their lost status. The survivors did make it to other continents and mingled with primitive man and interbred with them. Some survivors told humans of their civilization which is why it was passed down through word of mouth to the time of Plato. The pyramids, Egyptian, Aztec and Incan, were built with the help of Andromedan technology."

They watched as the continents drifted apart.

"Nope, didn't show Atlantis or Lemuria," he said when the landmasses shifted into their proper places. Lemuria was in the South Pacific and Atlantis was near the Mediterranean Sea. A lot of people still don't believe they exist which is why they're not here."

Rose looked at Awinita.

"Now see, this is the way to see a museum. With someone who has inside knowledge," she said as Awinita nodded.

"During the Pleistocene period of geologic time, also known as "The Ice Age" from about 2 million years ago until about 10,000 years ago, much of Indiana was covered by ice," the narrator said.

They watched as ice slowly trickled down across the continents. On the screen a small yellow outline of Indiana, indicating its position, could be seen on the US landmass.

"Ah, Neanderthals," Alan murmured. "They were around during this time and not as barbaric as people think. They actually did have a lot of very human traits like burial rites and family groups and a rudimentary language. They weren't a bunch of dumb savages. You need some smarts to survive in freezing cold temperatures. And the Doctor actually knew some Neanderthals personally. Nimrod and Enkidu, both of them were very intelligent, friendly men."

They continued to watch the film, watching as the ice receded back towards the poles. Rose looked at Alan and smiled when she saw he was watching the film with complete fascination.

"So, if the continents moved like this," Awinita said. "I suppose one day they're gonna move back."

"Oh yes," Alan said. "They'll move back and forth and go all over the Earth. Ramming each other and pulling apart over five billion years of evolution. It's a never-ending process."

"And then the Doctor and I come along and watch the sun destroy it all!" Rose said.

He chuckled.

"That was our first date," he quoted.

Rose smiled.

"We had chips," she quoted back to him.

"You saw the Earth burn up?" Awinita said.

"Yeah and I nearly got burned up with it," Rose said, rolling her eyes.

The movie ended and they moved on.

"That was my first adventure with the Doctor," she told Awinita as they came down off the ramp. "I was a real novice back then."

"How did you see it burn up?"

"We were on this space station called Platform One that was near the Earth. It was a shielded observatory and a bunch of aliens had come to watch the Earth get destroyed."

Alan looked through a glass case at some rock samples while Rose continued to talk about her first adventure with the Doctor. Alan knew that neither woman was very interested in looking at rocks so he let them talk while he studied the samples intently. Both women followed behind him and let him lead them through the exhibit.

"This Cassandra woman sounds bizarre," Awinita said to her. "I've heard of women getting too much plastic surgery but a flap of skin?"

"A bitchy, vain, evil flap of skin," Rose said. "That wasn't the only time I met her. I actually saw her again on the first trip with Alan's Doctor."

She told her the story while Alan finished up looking at the exhibits.

"Cat nun aliens experimenting on human clones?" Awinita said. "Now I've heard everything."

Alan was half listening to them. When Awinita said that, he became enraged for several seconds when he remembered the poor souls trapped in the cells, disease-ridden and unloved. He hoped they had been well taken care of in the aftermath of it all.

They turned a corner and Rose stopped talking. They were nearing the end of the exhibit and they had come upon a sculpture of a large wooly mammoth. It had fallen through a patch of ice and was trying to get out. Its trunk was raised up in the air as if it were trumpeting for help and there was a terrified look in its eyes. Fake ice crystals covered its fur.

"God," Rose said as the three of them got a closer look at it, "its so realistic. The look in its eyes, it's almost like its really dying. God, that would have been a horrible way to die."

"I know," Awinita said. "And there would have been no way for it to get out since it was so massive."

Rose wrapped her arms around her fiancé while they stared at it. Alan looked up at the massive tusks. Tentatively, he reached up and touched the one closest to him feeling its cold smoothness. He looked at the ice crystals on the mammoth's fur and involuntarily shivered recalling the Doctor's botched freezing of the living sun in the stasis chamber. He could see the Doctor's hands and torso which had ice crystals covering almost every inch of his body. He could vaguely remember the sensation of sub-zero temperatures on the skin and the feeling of helplessness the Doctor had knowing he was powerless to stop the possession and might kill Martha and the others at any moment. He shook those disturbing thoughts from his mind and looked at Rose.

"Ready?" he said.

Rose nodded and the three of them walked towards the exit.

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Now it was Alan's turn to be bored. They were looking at a quilt exhibit. The two women were oohing and ahing over them but he could possibly care less. Still, he let them look knowing that they were interested.

"Oh, this is gorgeous," Rose said as they looked at a multicolored patchwork quilt. "I wish I could do this. My mates and I tried to learn needlepoint when we were teenagers but I was complete rubbish at it."

"My mom taught me how to cross-stitch," Awinita said. "That's all I know how to do."

"Is that hard?"

"Not at all. You mainly just make X's with the thread and make a picture."

"You have to teach me, I'd love to make something for mum for Christmas."

"I'd be happy to. Then you can make all sorts of pretty things for Alan."

They giggled and turned to look at him for the first time. He quickly smiled at them but not before Rose caught the bored expression on his face.

"You're not enjoying this, are ya?" she said. "We can go to another exhibit."

"No, stay here and look. You guys didn't like the prehistoric rocks but you let me look; now I'm returning the courtesy. Don't worry about me, just look at the quilts. I'm just following you and listening to you talk. That's good enough for me."

Rose checked her watch.

"Just the same, we better speed this up anyway if we're gonna see the film" she said.

"Aw, guys, don't do this. I can tolerate you looking at quilts, honestly," Alan protested.

"No, Alan, we have about forty minutes left. Unless you wanna come back after the film and look at the rest of the exhibits and I don't know about you but I'm gonna be tired after that," she said. "We can go see something else. We're not exactly quilt enthusiasts, we just thought they were pretty, is all. Now come on."

She took his hand and they walked out of the room.

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Alan wasn't too thrilled with the rest of the exhibits. There was a fashion exhibit, a sheet music collection, an exhibit on Indiana history and a hands-on exhibit where you operated a butter churn, washed clothes with a washboard or spun a spinning wheel. The only thing he liked was the pop culture exhibit which showed different pop culture items from the 1940's until the present day. He kept quiet and let his girls explore but he could tell that even they were bored at times. Finally, they had fifteen minutes left until the movie started and they decided to go back to the IMAX theater.

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"I've wanted to see this for awhile," Awinita said. "I hope it's good."

"It's supposed to be," Rose said.

"Good because I've been waiting to see the further adventures of Gerald Vervoidia VI," Awinita said.

Rose choked on her Coke. They both giggled when Alan eyed her.

"Well, that's the name of the guy who lives in the cave, isn't it? The one with the polite butler that serves cucumber sandwiches?" Awinita said to him.

She laughed when Alan grabbed a piece of popcorn and lobbed it at her temple. She did the same in return and both of them had a mini popcorn battle, much to the chagrin of Rose who was sitting in the middle of them.

"Excuse me, I would like to watch the bloody film without being buried under a mountain of popcorn, so would you two knock it off?" she finally said.

"Sorry, Starlight," Alan said.

Rose watched while he picked the pieces of popcorn off her lap and ate them. Rose looked at him and he grinned and pressed the tip of her nose with his finger. He took a sip of his Coke and smiled at her.

"Good job we got the front row," he said. "Lots of leg room. Less chance of a low-rider wearing woman having her butt crack in our noses if she passes by."

Rose nearly choked on her Coke again. Alan gave her an apologetic look.

"When did that happen?" Awinita said.

"We went and saw the Indiana Jones movie in New York and we were up high in these stadium seats and a couple of rows below us this woman was trying to get through this row and she had low rider jeans on that showed almost her entire crack and these poor people were eye level when she was passing by them," Rose said.

"Ewwwwwww," Awinita said, making a face. "Glad I met you guys after that happened. Ugh!"

Rose chuckled.

"Actually that's where I got the idea to get tattoos because she had a tattoo right above the crack," she said.

"Odd time to decide to get a tattoo."

"Thank you," Alan said. "I thought the same thing. But she was so adamant about getting it..."

"And you couldn't say no?" Awinita said.

"Not really, not with Rose. Not when she makes the…face."

"Huh?"

"Like this," Rose said.

She leaned in and gave him her doe eyed look. Alan pointed to her.

"That's the face."

"And that's so mesmerizing that you can't say no?" Awinita said.

"Well…I mean….look at her…she has that look in her eyes and…I mean…look!" he said as they laughed.

"It's because he's hopelessly in love with me and he hates to deny me anything," Rose said to her.

"So, all you have to do to defeat the big, bad Oncoming Storm is look at him with wide anime cartoon eyes and stick out your lower lip, is that right? If I did that too would you be putty in my hands?"

"No."

Awinita glanced at her friend. She leaned across her and made the same face Rose did while Rose laughed.

"Alan, buy me a sports car," Awinita said to him.

Alan munched on his popcorn and stared at her calmly.

"Puh-leeze?" she said, sticking her lower lip out as far as it would go.

"What makes you think I have the money to get you a sports car?"

"Well, then steal one for me, puh-leeeeze, my little Stitch? I'll buy you a comb!"

Rose chortled with laughter at that. Alan swallowed his popcorn and yawned as he turned his attention to the movie screen. Awinita leaned back and settled into her seat.

"I guess it's just you then," she said, shrugging.

"Give it time, we'll have him wrapped around both our fingers," Rose said. "I just have to take you under my wing and teach you how to enslave his mind and bend it to your will."

Alan snorted and rolled his eyes when they giggled. They quieted down when the theater lights dimmed and the coming attractions came on screen.


	87. Chapter 87

Chapter Eighty Seven

They found a Day's Inn near the park and settled in for the night. Alan and Awinita sat down on the beds while Rose went into the bathroom.

"Blimey, it's gonna feel strange not havin' Bill around tonight," Alan said.

"Yeah and I'm gonna miss sleeping on the air mattress," Awinita said.

"How was the air mattress?" Alan asked.

"Um, it was kinda cold. I put a sheet over the top of it but that didn't help much and it was lumpy too. It had ridges which I guess were to help your back but it was strange lying on it. It took me awhile to get to sleep. All I can say is I'm glad I'm back in a real bed tonight."

"Yeah, me too. I'm the same as Rose. I'm used to being in a room with the three of us. It was strange having others around."

"So, I suppose when you get back to London and get your own flat, it'll be an adjustment not having me in the room with you," Awinita said.

"Yes, it will be."

He paused and smiled.

"You said flat by the way instead of apartment."

"I know, I think I'm getting used to the way you guys speak. I love a lot of the words and expressions you use. I really should start using some of those terms so you guys don't get confused. You know like saying crisps instead of chips."

"Nah, we know what you mean when you say chips. We're getting used to Americanese now. You don't have to change the way you talk to accommodate us. We're clever enough to cotton on to your meaning."

She smiled.

"See, like that, cotton on. I like that. And gobsmacked. That's a cool word too. It's fun to say."

He nodded.

"And chuffed. That's another neat word," Alan said.

"What does that mean?"

"Thrilled, pleased. As in…I'm chuffed that you're traveling with us."

"Cool. I really need to learn all these words anyway if I'm coming back to London with you guys so I'm not standing around scratching my head and being confused."

"Well, stick with us and keep your ears open and you'll be speaking like a native in no time."

"Hey guys?" Rose said, walking out of the bathroom.

"Yes?" they said in unison.

She paused.

"I know Alan's answer to this so I'll ask you," she said to Awinita. "Are you hungry?"

"A little. The popcorn filled me up a bit but if you guys want to eat I could eat something too."

"Well when I researched stuff to do here I was looking at restaurants that were downtown and there's this Italian restaurant that got good reviews called Bocca di Beppo. You guys feel like eating Italian?"

"I wouldn't mind," Awinita said.

"Me neither."

"Well, I have the directions and I was gonna ask the guy at the front desk to tell us where it is so if you guys wanna get ready we can get out of this boring room and do something else before we call it a night."

Alan looked at her.

"Ladies first," he said.

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A half hour later, they were setting down at a large wooden table in the crowded restaurant. The lights were dimmed giving the room a cozy feel and there were various Italian themed posters, flags and objects hanging on the white stucco walls.

"Like an Italian Applebees," Awinita said, looking at everything.

They studied the menus.

"All these dinners are for two people or more, yeah?" Rose said. "So we have to decide on a couple of things and then share."

"I'd like some spaghetti," Alan said.

Rose nodded.

"Okay, each one of us order something for the group and whatever's left over, we'll take with us," she said.

"You guys like ravioli?" Awinita said.

They nodded.

"Okay, I'll get the ravioli then."

Rose studied the menu.

"Hmmm, I'll get the lasagna, that okay with everyone?"

They nodded.

"Okay, so we'll get the spaghetti, ravioli and lasagna and I'll order some salad and breadsticks."

"Then we'll watch while Alan wolfs it all down in two big bites."

They giggled when Alan nodded rapidly.

The waiter came to the table. They ordered the meals along with three Cokes. They relaxed when he went away.

"Rose, dear, you heard that Awinita is trying to speak like us so you and I will have to start teaching her British phrases," he said.

"Yeah, I heard Alan giving you a little lesson. It's wonderful that you wanna learn the slang words and expressions."

She shrugged.

"Well, like I told Alan, I'm gonna be going back and living with you, I better know some stuff so I know what people are talking about."

"We oughta start giving her a word a day and make her use in a sentence," Alan said.

"Go right ahead, I'm eager to learn," she said.

"Brilliant, well then, chuffed was your word for today," he said.

"Okay, I'm chuffed that you guys let me come with you and see all the wonderful sights, how's that?"

Alan gave her a thumbs up.

"In return, I could give you a few phrases that we use…or at least, my family uses," she said.

Alan's eyes widened.

"Cherokee phrases?" he said.

"Yeah, but also just little southern expressions you might like," she said.

"Brilliant, a cultural exchange," Alan said. "Okay, we gave you a word, now give us one."

Awinita thought.

"Hmmm, hang on, trying to think of words my relatives use that you might not know," she said.

She smiled.

"Okay, got one, my grandmother used to say to us when our fly was down to close the barn door before the cow gets out."

Alan laughed.

"I love that!" he said.

He looked at Rose and pointed at her pants.

"Rose, close the barn door before the cow gets out!"

They laughed.

"Good," Awinita said, patting his back.

"Do you have another one?" Alan asked.

She thought.

"Hmm, I've heard people say that if someone is honest, they're all wool and a yard wide," she said.

"That's brilliant too. Yup, Rose is definitely all wool and a yard wide then."

"Thanks, Alan," Rose said.

The waiter came back with their Cokes, they thanked him and after inquiring if everything was alright, he left.

"So…"Alan said. "If that's the slang in North Carolina, how come we've never heard you say it?"

Awinita rolled her eyes.

"Because when I moved to New York I got tired of people pokin' fun at me or not understanding what I was saying, so I made a conscious decision to drop some of the more folksy expressions and fit in. Um…for instance, a lot of people in North Carolina say carry instead of drive as in; I'll carry you to your house. I used to say that too until I got to New York and got sick of people asking me why I was gonna carry someone all the way to their house. Which is why I'd like to learn British slang so I'm not asking idiotic questions like that whenever someone talks to me. But I guess if you're going to take me home for Christmas, I better school you guys on North Carolina slang because my relatives still talk like that."

"That's sad that you got laughed at for the way you speak," Rose said. "I'm sure people in New York have odd expressions too."

"Well, to a lot of people I was the hick, hillbilly mountain girl," she said. "Not just the slang, but my accent too."

"But I love your accent, it's pretty," Rose said.

Awinita snorted.

"Not to people in New York."

"Well, don't feel bad. We've been around some Americans who looked down on us because we're supposedly pompous, stuck up Brits," Rose said. "So, you're not the only one that has to deal with a stereotype."

"We're not gonna make fun of you or your family for the way you talk," Alan said. "We're not like that."

She smiled.

"I know you're not which is why I like you guys so much. You're both accepting of others no matter who they are."

"Well, traveling in time and space you have to be that way," Rose said. "You really have to have an open mind when you're meeting all these different aliens."

"I can understand that," she said, nodding.

She looked at Alan.

"How about you? You speak like a British person but is there any slang terms that Gallifreyans used?"

Alan thought.

"To be honest, no. Gallifreyans were very logical and direct about everything. There weren't all these colorful metaphors that they threw around, everything was said with a literal meaning. Earthlings have more imagination than Gallifreyans. You lot are able to think more abstractly and come up with slang terms. The Doctor began to speak Earth slang when he started visiting here but it took him awhile to get used to it since it was a new phenomenon for him. But trust me, you would never hear a Time Lord telling another Time Lord to close the barn door before the cow got out because then they would have run off in search of a barn…if they'd been able to figure out what a barn and a cow was, that is."

"No wonder the Doctor left and went travelin'. Sounds pretty boring to me," Awinita said. "Was there any sort of humor or joking around there?"

"Oh yeah, there were jokes and things of that nature. They weren't completely mirthless. There was fun and laughter on Gallifrey."

"Really? Tell a Gallifreyan joke then," Awinita said.

Alan grinned.

"Okay…here's a riddle for ya. What goes bang, thump, bang, thump, bang, thump, bang, thump, bang, thump, bang, thump, bang, thump, bang, thump, bang, thump, bang, thump, bang, thump, bang, thump?"

"I don't know, what?"

"A Time Lord committing suicide."

Rose giggled at that.

"I'm sorry, I don't get that."

"Time Lords can regenerate."

"I get that, what's with all the bang, thumps?"

"Time Lords can regenerate twelve times and have thirteen lives. So if they're going to commit suicide and they're on their first life, they have to shoot themselves twelve more times."

"Oh! Okay!" she said as Rose laughed. "Okay, like I said, I got the regeneration part but I didn't know you got thirteen lives."

She frowned.

"The Doctor's on his tenth life, right?"

"Yes."

"And if you use the chameleon arch thing, you'll get these lives back?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so will you automatically be on your tenth life like the Doctor or on your first life?"

Alan frowned.

"Um…I'm not really sure. That's a good point," he said. "Blimey, I didn't even think of that."

"Well, we could always shoot you and take a count," Awinita said.

Rose laughed when he eyed her.

"No, thanks, I'll pass on that if you don't mind," he said, a grin spreading over his face.

They looked over when the waiter brought their food and plates to their table. Alan salivated when he saw the large plates heaped with pasta.

"Oh yes, another brilliant idea, Rose," he said when the waiter walked away.

Awinita noticed the hungry look on his face.

"Um, I think we better get our food first, Rose, before hungry boy takes it."

"You think that's wise? He may accidentally eat our hands along with the food."

"Tee hee," Alan said when they snickered.

They grabbed the large silver serving spoons and put a little bit of each pasta on their plates along with the breadsticks and salad. They took a bite of each thing.

"Oooh, this is excellent!" Alan said. "Best pasta I've ever had!"

"Mmmm, I agree," Rose said.

Alan stabbed a meatball with his fork and fed it to Rose.

"We oughta make a note of all these places so we can all come back to them just like you and the Doctor did with all the chippies you went to."

"Chippies?"

"Fish and chip shops," Alan explained. "That's another thing we have to take you to when we get back. You need to try some good fish and chips."

"I'll try anything just as long as it isn't a penis restaurant."

Rose paused in mid-chew while Alan shook his head.

"Schtoom," he muttered to her.

"What's this about a penis restaurant?" Rose said, looking directly at Alan.

Alan shifted in his seat.

"Just something I found in the China guidebook," he said. "I was just trying to plan ahead so we'll have things to do when we get there."

"Uh-huh and when was I gonna hear about this? When we were through the front door of the restaurant?"

"Oh come on, Rose, it's an adventurous thing to do."

"They also have deer fetuses," Awinita said to her.

Rose made a face.

"You can go to the penis restaurant by yourself then. I'll be back in our hotel room or wherever we'll be stayin' eating regular food."

"Aw, Rose, don't do that. Be daring."

"I can be daring without doing that. I'll be giving that a miss, thanks."

"Aw, you're not fun."

"I'm sorry, I'll try different things while I'm there but I draw the line at eating another creature's cock. If Awinita wants to do it then have at it. I'm not interested."

"But you will try other things?"

"I'll try different foods, yes. But that's disgusting and I'm not gonna do it just to say I've done it. You want to do it, fine. Just don't expect me to do it with ya."

He shrugged.

"Eh, it was just a thought," he said. "How about starfish or seahorse on a stick?"

"I might try those," she said. "Is that alright?"

"Very."

"Okay, now let's drop the subject while we're eating, shall we?"

They nodded and switched to a different topic while the three of them finished their meal.


	88. Chapter 88

Chapter Eighty Eight

The next morning they headed out for another day at the park. They went to the Eitlejorg Museum first. Outside the large tan colored building was a bronze sculpture of several deer running through a pond. The pond had tiny fountains around the deer's feet simulating the splashing they would make going through the water. Rose got a couple of pictures of it.

On the way to the front entrance they noticed a large garden just off to the side of the building. They looked at one another and walked into it. Inside were numerous plants and follows and some Native American statues that were placed beside the winding concrete path. Rose smiled thinking to herself how peaceful it was as she and her friends slowly walked through it. Halfway through the garden she stopped to admire some blood red tulips. Kneeling down, she took a whiff, smiling at the sweet aroma. Unconsciously she reached out to pluck one but suddenly remembered where she was and drew her hand back.

"Go ahead, we won't tell," Alan said.

Rose looked up at them.

"Go on, it's only one flower," he said. "There's an entire patch."

"Yeah, but it's a public garden, I'm sure they have rules about people picking flowers."

Alan looked at Awinita.

"Human shield time. You take one side, I'll take the other."

"Gotcha."

Awinita walked around Rose while Alan walked up beside her. They crowded in, grabbed each other's upper arms and stood still.

"Shielded, go ahead and pick a flower," Alan said.

Rose glanced around, quickly plucked a flower near the middle of the garden plot and stood back up.

"There ya go," Alan said as he and Awinita dropped their arms. "Now you have a pretty flower."

He smiled, took it from her and put the stem behind her ear.

"Gorgeous!" he said.

Rose kissed him. They took each other's hands and continued on through the garden.

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Before Rose entered the museum she made sure to hide the flower in her purse, eliciting a disappointed groan from Alan.

"No one is gonna throw you in jail for nicking one lousy flower, Starlight," he said.

Rose didn't listen and kept it inside her purse all the way through the museum. Unlike last night, all of them enjoyed the exhibits. They loved everything from the paintings of cowboys riding their horses out on the prairie to the Native American dance masks and Kachina dolls. For once, Awinita was able to play tour guide, at least for some of the artifacts and both of them listened, enraptured, while she explained what some of the items were and their significance.

After they got done touring the museum, they headed outside. Rose immediately took the flower out of her purse and put it back behind her ear, delighting Alan. Then they walked to the van and headed on to the zoo. For the most part, it was just like the zoos they had visited in New York and Tennessee except they discovered that there was an underwater dolphin dome where visitors could go and watch the dolphins swim all around them. All of them headed down a long tunnel into it. When they got inside they were awestruck. The room curved around and was topped with a huge domed ceiling. The whole structure was made of glass allowing them to see in every direction. Rose pulled out her camera and took some pictures of the dolphins that swam up to the glass.

"Wow!" she breathed.

They walked up to the glass wall and looked out at a dolphin that was swimming nearby.

"Eek eek!"

Rose groaned and looked at Alan.

"Not this again."

"I am speaking Eek eek to my dolphin brothers and sisters, is that alright with you?" Alan said.

"Come again?" Awinita said.

Rose looked at her.

"He's being a pest again. He claims he can speak dolphin," she said.

"I can speak dolphin. It's Eek eek, it's their official language."

Awinita chuckled. She looked at the dolphin that was swimming several feet away from them.

"Gee, Alan, doesn't seem to be answering back," she said.

"It's because it's speaking in a high-pitched sonic frequency that only I can understand! I told Rose this before so I guess now I'll have to tell you as well."

"Can you speak lion too?" Awinita asked.

"Um…yes, but lions are rude little bastards who would sooner eat your face as look at ya, so I try to keep the chit chat to a minimum whenever I'm around them."

"Okay, here's your word for today, Awinita. Daft. It means him!" she said, putting her index finger on the top of his head. "Look the word up in the dictionary, it says Alan and has his picture right next to it."

"Here's a bonus word, Awinita. Chav. It means her!"

He ducked and bolted away when Rose tried to slap his head.

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After seeing all the animals, Alan and his friends headed back towards the exit.

"Another wonderful attraction to add to our list of things we have done on our worldwide journey," Alan said to Rose.

"And our third zoo."

"Yes but this one was extra special with the underwater dolphin room. All zoos need to have something like that."

They were passing by a gift shop when Awinita suddenly tugged on Alan's sleeve. He turned and gave her an inquisitive look.

"Hmmm?"

"Hang on a minute, I wanna run into the gift shop for something, be right back."

He nodded and they walked up to the wall and leaned against it while she ran inside. She emerged a minute later with a tan colored plastic bag.

"Alan, this is to say thanks for all you've done," she said handing him the bag.

"You…you didn't have to do this. You didn't have to spend your money on me," he protested.

"I wanted to. It wasn't that expensive anyway, now take a look."

He opened the bag and glanced down inside it. Rose noticed a huge smile spreading over his face and he reached in and pulled out a stuffed giraffe.

"There, now you can kick a giraffe's ass all you like," Awinita said.

Rose laughed as he grabbed the giraffe by the neck and looked it in its glass eye.

"This is for not eating out my hand, you stork-legged wanker!" he said with an intense look.

He pointed off in the distance.

"Awinita, go long!" he said.

Rose held her sides and laughed while Awinita ran.

"I'm open! Kick it to me!" she said.

Alan held the giraffe out, dropped it and lightly kicked it. He let out a disappointed groan when Awinita fumbled the catch.

"Aw, butterfingers," he said when she picked it up and dusted it off.

He hugged her when she walked back to him.

"Thank you for getting me this giraffe," he said giving her a huge bear hug.

"No problem, I know how frustrated you are at not being able to kick a giraffe's ass and now you can whenever you want."

He let go and held the toy firmly against his chest.

"Shall we proceed to the car park then?" he said.

They spent the rest of the day exploring downtown Indianapolis and seeing the sights and sounds. When it grew late, they stopped at a White Castle and got two sacks of the mini hamburgers before heading back to their hotel room for the night. Once inside, they each took a shower and settled down to relax in their beds while they watched TV. Alan held the giraffe against his chest, smiling to himself that his friend had been thoughtful enough to get it for him. Eventually all of them grew tired and could no longer keep their eyes open, so they decided to call it a night. Alan sat the giraffe down beside the bed, opened his arms and let Rose snuggled against him as Awinita turned out the light.


	89. Chapter 89

Chapter Eighty Nine

(One week later...)

After spending time in Indiana, the three friends headed up to Michigan, then swung back down and around Lake Michigan into Wisconsin. At the moment, they were in a Wal-Mart in Madison looking through the Halloween section. It was a week away and Awinita had suggested that perhaps they could find a Halloween party in addition to the other things they had planned. The three of them were looking through the costumes and getting other things before going on north to a theme park called Extreme World that was in Wisconsin Dells.

"So, I suppose by the time Halloween rolls around we'll be somewhere in Illinois or Missouri?" Alan said as he picked through the costumes.

Rose nodded.

"Yeah, but are you still gonna do that trick or treat stunt?"

"Course," Alan replied. "I'm curious to see if anyone will give me sweets or not."

"You'll be lucky if no one shoots ya," she replied.

"Oh, ye of little faith, I may be half human but I can still take care of myself," he said, winking. "I think I can handle an old lady holding a bowl of sweets."

He paused at a costume and pulled it out. It was a vampire costume.

"Count Dracula?" he said, holding it against his body.

"Nah, doesn't suit ya."

He shrugged and put it back. Rose pulled out a Snow White costume and showed it to him. Alan studied it.

"Ummmmm, that might look good on you," he said. "So I s'pose I'm Prince Charming then?"

"Um…yeah."

He smiled.

"Hey, Rose."

Rose looked around Alan when Awinita called her name.

"Yeah?"

She pulled out a purple harem girl costume and giggled.

"How 'bout this? I bet Alan would really love this on you."

"Too bloody right I would!" he said as she laughed. "Let me see that."

She handed it to him and he held it against Rose's body. Rose looked at his face and could practically see the drool cascading out of his mouth.

"You want me to wear this, don't ya?"

"Ooooh, in the worst way," he said as Awinita bent over laughing.

"What about other men? Aren't you scared they're gonna try to chat me up if I wear this?"

"No, because if any man so much as breathes on ya wrong, I'll knock em across the room."

Rose took the costume from his hand and hung it back on the rack. Alan groaned.

"Aw, come on, it'll look beautiful on ya," he said.

"No, I won't feel comfortable wearing it. I want something that isn't that skimpy. I'm sorry, Alan, I know you want more than anything to see me wear it but I don't like it."

He shrugged.

"Eh, just as long as I can see you in skimpy clothes in private, that's all that matters."

They went back to looking. Suddenly, Alan started to giggle.

"What?" Rose said.

He grabbed a maid's uniform.

"Remember the last time you wore something like this?" he said.

Rose rolled her eyes.

"All too well," she said.

"Why? When did she wear a maid's uniform?"

Alan turned to Awinita.

"The first time they came to this universe, they fell through a gap in time and space. In her original universe, her dad was killed by a hit and run driver when she was six months old."

"Oh God, that's terrible," Awinita said.

He nodded.

"But here in this universe, her dad survived and became successful. Rose wanted to see him badly and the Doctor didn't want her to at first because it wasn't her dad and he didn't think it was a good idea for her to go looking for him. But she gave him the….face."

Rose and Awinita giggled when he rolled his eyes.

"And he finally gave in. Pete was throwing a party for this universe's Jackie and in order to get inside she and Doctor posed as the catering staff. Rose was wearing an outfit much like this one that night."

"I see. Did you get to see your dad?"

Rose nodded.

"Yeah, but then the Cybermen showed up and all of us had to go and stop them," she said. "He freaked out when he found out I was his daughter in another universe because here Rose was the name of the alternate Jackie's yorkie."

She shot a look at Alan when he giggled again.

"But," she said, ignoring his snickers, "once I became trapped here, we went to live in the mansion with him and because the other Jackie had been killed by the Cybermen, he ended up marrying my mum and I became his step-daughter. We get along great now but it took some time to get used to it, especially for mum since he'd been dead for so long. But anyway, that's why Alan finds the maid's outfit so funny and no, I don't wanna wear that either."

"Well, speaking of past adventures, look at this one," he said, pulling out a werewolf costume. "I could wear this one."

"You guys saw a werewolf?"

Rose nodded.

"That's when we met Queen Victoria. We rescued her from one."

"Only technically, it was a lupine wavelength haemovariform," Alan said.

"A what?"

"An alien that possessed a boy and turned into a werewolf during the full moon," Rose said.

"Oh."

"You can wear that if you want," Rose said, shrugging. "It'd be better than Dracula."

"No, actually, I found something even better," he said.

"What?"

He snickered and showed her a cow costume.

"Moo," he said.

Rose looked at it. It was white with black spots all over it and huge plastic udders on the front. It had a soft fabric cow head that was tied onto the top of the head, leaving the lower part of the face visible. Rose eyed him.

"You're serious?" she said.

"Yes, and look…"

He pulled another costume off the rack. It was a farmer's overalls that had several colorful patches sewed onto it and a red flannel shirt.

"Wear this, you could be a farm girl and I'll be your moo cow."

Rose put her head in her hand while Awinita laughed hysterically.

"Come on, Rose, if it's a Halloween party they're sure to have a costume contest, we'll win first prize!"

"Do it, Rose, please!" Awinita said. "I have to see you guys dressed up like a farmer and a cow!"

Alan grinned and gave Rose the face. Rose stared at him for a moment and then rolled her eyes.

"Alright, I'll be a bleedin' farmer for ya," she said.

"Yes!" Alan and Awinita said in unison.

"The things I do for ya," Rose said, taking the costume.

"Now you have to find some black and white makeup," Awinita said, "and maybe some black gloves for your hooves."

"On it," Alan said walking to the other side of the aisle.

Rose looked at Awinita and shook her head.

"I think you'll look cute as a farm girl. We'll have to put your hair in pigtails and maybe put some makeup on you and…"

She giggled.

"You could get some balloons, blow them up and stick them down your shirt so you can have a big chest."

Alan laughed.

"Brilliant idea!" he said to her.

Rose walked over to her.

"What about you?" she said. "What are you going as?"

Awinita took a pirate girl outfit off the rack.

"I was thinking about this," she said.

Alan turned back to her.

"That's neat, get that one," he said.

"You think it's alright?"

Alan nodded.

"Yeah, I think it would good on you. I would love to see you as a pirate. Get it."

"Then you can put balloons down your shirt," Rose said.

They laughed.

"Okay, I've got mine then, so what should I wear with it? I guess I need a fake sword," she muttered.

They walked over with the shopping trolley to the other side and joined Alan who was grabbing some makeup off a hook. He looked at Rose.

"Do you need makeup?" he said.

"I have regular makeup, I can wear that," she said.

Alan took a hold of her chin. He looked down at the makeup.

"What we could do in addition to that is perhaps use some of the black makeup here to give you exaggerated freckles," he said.

"Do they have that tooth blackener stuff?" Awinita asked. "You could make it look like she has teeth missing."

"Hmmm, not a bad idea, how 'bout it?"

"Am I an ugly farm girl then?" she said.

"Well not ugly, per se, I've just kicked you in the teeth a couple of times when you tried to milk me."

Rose gave him a swat on the arm.

"Okay, tooth blackener then," she said.

They scanned the items and finally found it near the bottom. Alan located a pair of black gloves and put them in their trolley with everything else. Awinita walked up and put a fake sword in the trolley.

"I found a pitchfork. Unfortunately it's supposed to be for a devil," she said to Rose. "So I don't think it'll fit."

"Well, I could be an evil, demonic farm girl," she replied.

"Am I a demon cow then?" Alan said.

Rose thought.

"Nah, you're too sweet. You can be a sweet cow that I've enslaved."

He chuckled.

"Thing is, are you gonna change your shoes, Alan? I mean, you're gonna be a cow with half your hooves black and the other half maroon," Awinita said.

Alan looked down at his trainers and considered that.

"Nah, I don't need new shoes yet and I don't want to buy some just to do this. I'll just be an oddball cow."

"Got that right," Rose muttered.

She tried to run but Alan grabbed her around the middle and planted a wet, sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"So, is that it?" he said, keeping a hold on Rose.

"Do you guys wanna get some sweets? Just in case Alan's little trick or treat scheme fails?" Rose asked.

"Fails? It won't fail!"

"Okay, do you guys wanna get some sweets, full stop?"

"I wouldn't mind getting some candy corn," Awinita said.

"Oooo, love candy corn," Alan said.

"Okay, let's get that and a bag of chocolate or something, just so we can have something to celebrate with," she said.

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After paying for everything, they wheeled the trolley outside and loaded their stuff into the van. In addition to getting the costumes and candy, they also purchased some drinks, snacks, toiletries and a couple of new DVDs. Awinita volunteered to drive and she walked around to the driver's side while Rose climbed in the back seat. Alan got in the front seat and they both closed the doors. Awinita started up the car, backed up and they headed out of the parking lot.

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They reached Wisconsin Dells a short time later. In addition to Extreme World there were also several Water Parks, a riding stable, Cave of the Mounds, Raceway Park, a haunted house and several shows. They had decided to stay a couple of nights and take it all in. Rose had booked a room at the Atlantis Waterpark Hotel which according to the website had fantasy themed rooms with balconies, whirlpools and fireplaces. She had decided to get them a mermaid themed room with a whirlpool in it much to her friends delight.

"Well, I thought it'd be something different after all the ordinary hotel rooms we've been in," she had said.

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"I can't believe you talked me into this," Rose said.

They had just walked through the entrance of Extreme World. The theme park was dedicated to extreme sports with bungee jumping, sky coasters, an ejection seat, a ride called Terminal Velocity and go-karts.

"Come on, Rose, it'll be fun. You've done things that were far more dangerous than this."

"Not on purpose!"

"It'll be fun. Look, I'll go first, alright, just to show you how safe it is."

"It's not the safety part I'm worried about."

"Just…follow me," he said.

Rose glanced back at Awinita.

"Okay, your phrase for today is off your trolley, which is what Alan is," she said as Awinita laughed.

They walked over to the 130 foot tower that the bungee jumpers were jumping off. There was a chain link fence surrounding it. They walked over to the queue and got in line behind several others. While they waited, they watched other people jumping forwards or backwards off the tower and listened to their screams as they plummeted down.

"I'm not doing it backwards," Rose said.

"Me neither," Awinita replied. "I wish they could put the harness around my wrists so I wouldn't have to go head first!"

"You and me both."

"Aw, come on, you two!" Alan said, looking at them. "I told you I'd go first."

"And how is that supposed to make me feel better?" Rose asked.

Alan stared at her.

"You get to see me go first?" he said.

"I repeat, how is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Well, be fair, Rose. We can't go together otherwise I would take you. Just don't think about it, do it. If Awinita is gonna be our companion, she's gonna have to learn to deal with terrifying situations. This is a safe way to simulate that."

"I'm sure that makes her feel better too," Rose said.

It was finally Alan's turn.

"Wait here, I'll be right back," he said to them.

He stepped through the entrance and was escorted over to a scale.

"This is so we can figure out what strength harness to put on your legs, "they heard one of the men say.

Alan stepped on the scale.

"I wonder what type of harness they use for fifty pound men?" Awinita said as Rose giggled.

He stepped off the scale.

"Okay, sir, now step on it one more time so we can be sure we have the right weight for you."

He got back on and the man checked the readout. He nodded.

"Alright, just wait here and we'll get the harness."

They walked off. Alan looked back at his girls.

"What'd the scale say?" Rose asked.

"I refuse to discuss that. It's not polite for a man to disclose his weight to others," he said sniffing.

"What was it though? Ten, twenty pounds?" Awinita said. "Can't be more than thirty."

Rose bent over laughing when Alan flipped her off.

The men returned. They escorted him over to a metal platform. It was surrounded on all sides by waist high metal walls except for the front which had a gate covering the opening. They got inside and Alan stood and waited patiently while they wrapped the harness around his ankles and checked and double checked it to make sure it was on properly.

"Ready?" the man said when they were finished.

Alan nodded. The man pushed a button and the platform started to go up the tower. Alan smiled at his girls and waved. They waved back.

"You're completely barmy, you are!" Rose yelled as he laughed.

"Stay right there! I'll be back down in two shakes of a Judoon's tail!" he yelled back.

They watched as the platform climbed higher and higher.

"Oh God, Awinita, I don't know if I can do this," she said as she watched Alan getting further and further away.

"Do you want me to go next?"

"Do you want to?"

"I can."

"Could you? I mean, I really have to get my courage up."

"Sure."

"Aren't you scared?"

"Yeah, but I might as well do it and get it over with."

"I should do that but I really do need to have a minute to get myself ready. I'm probably gonna have my eyes closed too."

The platform finally stopped at the top of the tower. Rose put her hand over the top of her eyes, shielding them from the sunlight, while she watched the man talk to Alan. There was a moment when nothing happened and then he saw him opening the gate and walking Alan to the edge of the platform.

"Okay!" she heard the man yell. "Here we go! 1…2…3!"

Alan dived out without any hesitation. He had his arms out in front of him like a diver and was whooping and hollering all the way down. The bungee grew taut and snapped back and he bounced up and down for a few moments in the air, laughing and yelling as he did.

"You're crazy!" Rose yelled at him.

"Oh man, you gotta try this, Starlight! It's fun!" Alan yelled back.

They lowered him down to the ground and two men caught him and helped him onto his feet.

"You're next, dear!" he said to her as they undid the harness.

"Actually, I am. I told Rose I'd go next so she has more time to get ready," Awinita said.

"Oh, okay. Well, you'll like it. It's fun. Just jump out and enjoy the ride."

They let him out of the harness and he walked out the exit as Awinita headed in. He went over to stand beside Rose.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, really," he said to her. "It's an adrenaline rush. You're perfectly safe. That's why they weigh everyone and make sure they have the right harness."

"Sir?"

Alan looked over when a man walked up to the fence.

"We recorded your jump, would you like to see it?"

He smiled.

"Yes, I would, but can I wait till my friends are done?"

"Certainly, just let me know when you're ready."

"Thanks."

He walked away.

"I guess they film everyone then."

"Great, I can watch how terrified I am after it's done."

"You'll be alright; you're my strong, brave Rose."

They waved at Awinita when the platform started to go up. Alan laughed when she gave out a terrified squeal.

"Be brave! We'll be down here supporting you!" Alan yelled.

"Wow! That really fills me with courage, thanks!" she yelled back.

Alan let out a low whistle when the platform went higher and higher.

"Wow, from down here it really is high up, innit?" he said.

"Don't remind me."

The platform stopped. Alan and Rose laughed when they heard, "OH GOD!" coming from it. Both of them waved to Awinita who was now at the edge looking down at them.

"COME ON!" Alan yelled. "JUST JUMP!"

"I HATE YOU, ALAN TIMELORD!"

Rose bent over laughing. She patted his back when she saw the hurt look on his face.

"She was kidding, honestly," Rose said.

"Okay, are you ready?" they heard the man yell.

"No!"

They watched while the man talked to her for a moment. They could see Awinita shaking her head.

"If you cause our best friend to have a heart attack, I'm gonna kill ya," Rose said.

They saw her nod her head. The man held her and inched her towards the edge. They heard him count to three and then Awinita fell out. She screamed loud and long all the way down. She bounced a couple of times and then they lowered her down.

"She looks fine to me," Alan said, shrugging.

He gave her an evil grin.

"Your turn, my love," he said.

Awinita stumbled towards the exit when they released her from the harness. Rose flinched when they beckoned for her and Alan gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"You'll be fine," he said.

She walked through the entrance while Awinita walked over to Alan. Alan embraced her.

"I'm proud of you," he said.

"Yeah, so am I. I never thought I'd ever do something like that."

They finished hugging and Alan put his arm around her shoulder while they watched Rose being weighed. The man came to the fence and asked Awinita about viewing her jump.

"You can do that?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Wait until Rose gets done. Then we can all view ours together," Alan said.

"Can I do that?" Awinita asked the man.

"Sure, just let me know when you're all ready."

She nodded and he walked away.

Alan smiled when Rose was escorted to the platform.

"Brave heart, Rose!" he yelled.

"You're gonna think Braveheart when I rip your guts from your chest," she said as they laughed.

While they fitted her with the harness, Awinita glanced around. There was another tower nearby with a huge net suspended under it. She grimaced when she watched someone freefall into it.

"Oh my God, that person just did that without a bungee cord or anything," she said.

Alan looked where she was pointing. He watched while they lowered the net and helped the man out.

"He's got a harness on, it's around his body and crotch," he said, pointing.

"Yeah, but that's so they can suspend him out in the middle of the platform. When he dropped there was nothing between him and the net."

He shrugged.

"There's a net to catch him. I s'pose they don't need anything else," he said.

"I bet you wanna go on it."

"Yup!"

He glanced back up and turned Awinita when he saw the platform had stopped. Just like before, Rose was hesitant to go and the man had to give her a pep talk.

"At least she's not screaming out that she hates me," Alan said.

"I didn't mean that."

He smiled at her.

"I know you didn't," he said, winking.

He looked up.

"COME ON, ROSE! JUMP! WE'RE WAITING!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP, ALAN!"

They heard the man count to three and Rose jumped out. She screamed even louder than Awinita did and grunted when the bungee grew taut and snapped her back up. Alan and Awinita clapped when they lowered her to the ground and undid the harness. They looked at each other and walked back through the exit towards her. Alan embraced her tightly and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm proud of you," he said.

"Thanks, me too. Now if only my heartbeat will stop sounding like the Doctor's, I'll be fine."

The man walked up and asked them about the viewing. This time they all agreed and he led them to a room where they could view the footage. Alan grinned when he watched himself.

"I was very graceful," he noted.

"Don't rub it in, will ya?" Rose said.

He smiled when they showed Awinita and Rose both screaming like banshees. When they were finished the man looked at them.

"If you want these made into DVDs, the cost is 15 dollars."

"No thanks, I don't want Alan playing this over and over and over for the rest of my life," Rose said as they laughed.

They thanked the man and walked out.

"I want to do this one next," Alan said, pointing to the tower. "Awinita informs me that you don't have any harness when you go up, just a net."

"Oh Christ, just when I thought it couldn't get any worse," Rose said.

They walked over to the fence surrounding it and watched as a man sat suspended over an opening in the platform. The pulled a release on the harness and the man fell 140 feet into the net.

"You go first again," Rose said.

"Gladly."

They got in the queue.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan waved as the platform went up. He had a blue harness around his body.

"This one might not be so bad," Awinita said, looking back at Rose. "At least when you fall you're in a sitting position."

"Yeah, you might be right. I'd rather do that than dive headfirst."

The platform stopped at the top. A moment later, a trapdoor was dropped open and they saw Alan suspended in the harness above it. The man counted to three and they watched while he plummeted to the net below. They lowered it and he jumped out.

"Guys, this is even better," he said as they unhooked the harness. "You can't even really feel the net when you land."

Once he was out of the harness, a man asked him if he wanted to view his fall. He gestured to Rose and Awinita and asked if he could wait. The man nodded and he walked out of the exit as Awinita walked in.

"Seriously, you can barely feel the net, it's a soft landing," he said to Rose.

"Well, this one looks better than the other one. At least you aren't headfirst. I don't know about the slingshot one though."

"What slingshot one?"

"Over there, the one where you stand on the ground and they slingshot you into the air," she said, pointing to the one beside the tower. "Then the other one, they put you in a harness and you swing to the ground and up like a giant swing. But that one can have more than one person in it. I saw two people in it just now."

"Great, then we can go together on that one."

"You are nuts, you know that?"

"Yup, I am and I love it!" he said grinning.

They looked up when the platform stopped. A moment later the trapdoor was opened, they heard the man count to three and Awinita yelled as she freefell into the net. They lowered her to the ground.

"You're right, that one wasn't as bad," she said to Alan as they undid the harness.

She walked out the exit when they were finished. Rose took a deep breath and walked in.

"Couldn't feel the net, could ya?" Alan said when she walked up to him.

"No, I was surprised as fast as I was going. But you're right, I barely felt it."

"You wanna go on the huge swing one next? Rose said more than one could ride it. She saw two people on it but maybe they take three. That way we can be together."

"Where is it?"

Alan pointed back behind him. Awinita turned and watched while three people swung down to the ground and swung back up in an arc.

"I guess they do allow three, brilliant," Alan said. "Rose doesn't wanna do the slingshot one though."

"I don't either. I saw that as I was going up. No way am I being launched into the air like that."

"That's fine; we can do the swing and then go on the go-karts."

"Cool."

The platform stopped. The door was opened and Alan smiled when Rose screamed as she plunged into the net. He was surprised when she started to laugh as they lowered her down.

"I guess she liked it," Alan said.

"Either that or her mind snapped and she just went insane," Awinita replied as he chuckled.

They walked through the exit.

"Did you like it?" Alan said.

"Yeah, that was actually fun and you're right, the net was soft. Much better than the bungee jump."

They followed the man to the viewing room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, "the man said after they had fitted the three of them with flight suits, "one of you needs to pull the ripcord to start the freefall. Which one of you wants to do that?"

Rose and Awinita jabbed their fingers at Alan's face.

"I guess I volunteer," Alan said, grinning.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The three of them lay side by side while the men attached the harnesses to their bodies, checked and double checked to make sure they were safe. Awinita was on the far left, Rose in the middle and Alan was on the other side with the ripcord. There was a moment's pause and then they raised them up in the air to the top of the tower. The three of them grabbed each other's hands while they watched the ground get farther away.

"Boy, am I glad we can do this at the same time," Awinita said.

"Me too," Rose replied.

There was a moment of silence.

"Hey, guys?" Awinita said.

They looked at her.

"Um…if poop flies out my pants and hits you guys, I apologize in advance," she said as they laughed.

They reached the top and hung there while the men made a final check.

"Okay! All clear!" the man said, giving him a thumbs up. "Anytime you're ready, pull the ripcord!"

Alan gave them an evil grin and chuckled when he listened to them squeal with fear.

"Better get that shite ready, Awinita, because here we GO!"

He pulled it and they all screamed as they freefell towards the ground. When they were six feet from hitting the ground, the line became taut and the swing arced back up into the air. All of them screamed when it slowed and began to go backwards. They went back and forth a few times before it finally slowed enough that men could come and stop them. They let them out of the harnesses and they stood up.

"Well, I don't see any poo on my person," Alan said, looking down. "Well done, Awinita, you managed not to soil yourself and us in the process, bravo."

"I'm amazed I didn't," she said.

He slapped his hands.

"Well, I guess no one wants to do the human slingshot one, eh?"

"Not on your bloody life, three death defying things were enough for me," Rose said.

"Me too."

"Well then, let's go ride the go-karts then," he said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose laughed as Alan drove around the track. They were in a double car while Awinita followed behind them in a single one.

"This is much better," she said. "Finally something near the bleedin' ground!"

He smiled at her.

"I'm glad you did this with me though," he said.

"Yeah, me too. I never thought I would ever have the guts to bungee jump, but then again, a few years ago I never dreamed I would be travelin' through time and space with an alien."

"And not only did you bungee jump, you freefell into a net and you swung through the air. You have bragging rights now, Tyler. We all do."

"Well, just as long as we never have to do that ever, ever again. I did it once and that was enough!"

She laughed when Alan turned on a sharp corner and went down an incline. She took hold of his arm and leaned against him.

"We're gonna have to find something else that'll top the bungee jumpin' now," she said.

He grinned.

"Oh, we will, Starlight, we will. There's still a lot of adventures left on this journey and we're gonna find them all, I guarantee!"


	90. Chapter 90

Chapter Ninety

After eating out they returned to the Atlantis Hotel and checked in for the night. Alan and Awinita were awed by the huge water park just off the lobby. They groaned when they found out it was only for kids 11 and younger. Rose got the keycards and she led them to the room. When they opened the door to it they were awed again. The room was spacious and cozy. The walls were painted a powder blue. The beds had a pink and purple shell bedspread on them with a huge blue shell headboard. On either side of the bed were white curtains that were hung from a dark blue ceiling fixture that contained a mirror and two little lights on either side of it. The curtains were pulled back and tied in the middle. Beside it was a nightstand, a dark blue couch and next to the couch was the whirlpool. The closed off bathroom was beside that. On the other side of the room was a desk, a dresser with a TV and microwave on top, a mini fridge next to it and a table with two chairs that had a glass chandelier hanging above it. They set their rucksacks by the bed and closed the door. Alan walked over to the bed and ran his hand over the shell headboard.

"Brilliant," he said.

He grinned and poked Rose.

"That whirlpool is certainly gonna get used tonight, eh?" he said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Well, be sure to keep the passion to a dull roar so I can get some sleep, okay?" Awinita said, smiling. "You notice that it's right in the room with us."

"Yeah, that's a shame. You think they would have enclosed it like they did the bathroom," Alan said. "But yes, we'll keep the snogging as quiet as we can. In the meantime, let's take a test run together."

He went over and turned it on. It began to fill with water and he walked back over to his rucksack and pulled out his swim trunks while Rose and Awinita grabbed their bathing suits. All of them took turns getting dressed and by the time Rose had finished, the whirlpool was filled and ready. Alan pushed a button and smiled when the water began to bubble. He tested the water and sighed contentedly when he climbed in.

"Oh yes, this feels sooooo gooooood," he moaned as he sat down on a little bench.

Rose and Awinita laid some towels on the side of it, climbed in and joined him. Rose sat beside him while Awinita sat across from them. They all closed their eyes and relaxed, letting all the tension drain out of their bodies. Alan heard Awinita giggle and opened his eyes.

"What?" he said amused.

"I see Stitch," she said, pointing.

Alan looked down at his arm and quickly jerked his shoulder down below the water.

"Quit looking at that arm, Awinita," he said with mock sternness.

"Well, you shoulda put something over it before you came in here!" she teased. "Actually, you shoulda put a shirt on, period, scrawny boy!"

Rose laughed when Alan splashed some bubbles in her face. He looked at Rose.

"I see amo'tiri," he said, pointing to her tattoo.

Rose smiled at it.

"Unlike you, I'm not afraid to show it in public," she said. "I'm quite proud of it."

"Really? Then how come you haven't told your mum you have it?"

"Um…she doesn't need to know."

"Then I guess you're gonna have to wear a wedding dress with long sleeves," Awinita said.

"Yeah, you'll have to hide it at the wedding too," Alan said.

She shrugged.

"There are pretty wedding dresses with long sleeves," she said. "I'm an adult. I can do whatever I want and that includes getting a tattoo, piercings or anything else."

"Yeah, if you wanna go out on a Saturday night and get completely piss drunk, you can!" Awinita said.

Alan frowned.

"Um…have you ever been drunk by the way?" he said. "I don't think you ever were when you with the Doctor, were you?"

"No, I wasn't. Um…I've only been drunk once. When I was fourteen I stayed with my mate, Shireen, at her house for the night and her parents were out somewhere so we snuck into her dad's liquor cabinet and shared an entire bottle of scotch. Never again though because I hated the feeling of not being in control and she and I ended up puking in the toilet for a couple of hours. Luckily her parents came home long after we went to bed and they never said anything about the bottle being gone but there was a lot of liquor in there so maybe they didn't notice. I'm lucky mum didn't find out, otherwise I never would have met the Doctor because she would have killed me then and there."

"I did that too except I was twelve and it was a pint of Jack Daniels. My friend and I got drunk and my mom did find out and whooped me to within an inch of my life. I never did that again after that. I was the same as you. I didn't like stumbling around and throwing up not to mention watching my uncles also turned me off doing it. I drink alcohol but not to the point I'm passed out on a sofa. I've also tried pot that a friend of mine had and I didn't really like that either so I've only ever done that once."

"I've been drugged before by aliens but that wasn't by choice," Rose said. "Other than that I've never tried anything illegal."

She glanced at Alan who was listening quietly.

"Keep going, I'm learning more and more about you guys every day," he said. "It's nice knowing that now I know more than the Doctor does about ya."

"Well, it's just that the Doctor never seemed interested in stuff like this," Rose said.

"I know. But as I told you, I'm half human so I can relate more to this kind of trivia. Besides I love hearing about what you did before the Doctor met you. In the beginning you wanted me to keep talking about what the Doctor did but you barely told me anything in return. I guess you figured I was like the Doctor and wouldn't care about hearing it, but I do. If we're gonna be living together as husband and wife we should know each other's history and likes and dislikes. So don't mind me, just keep on talking. I'll listen and enjoy every moment of it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After awhile, the three of them decided to call it a night. Awinita took the bed closest to the door figuring the lovers would be using the hot tub later on. They bid each other good night and Awinita deliberately turned her body towards the door and drifted off to sleep. Alan and Rose lay quietly listening to her steady breathing in the silence of the room. Alan stroked Rose's back while they waited and after an hour and a half, he decided to get up and check. He slowly slid out of bed, tiptoed over and smiled when he noticed his friend was fast asleep. He walked back over, nodded to Rose and went to the hot tub while she slid out of bed. He turned the whirlpool jets on and paused a moment checking to make sure Awinita was asleep. He relaxed when he saw no sign of her waking up and he took a condom that Rose had gotten out of his rucksack. They both disrobed and laid their clothes by the side of the whirlpool, making sure they were far enough away that they wouldn't get wet. Alan put the condom on and after it was in place, he slowly got into the hot tub with Rose.

They sat together on the bench and caressed and fondled one another. Alan leaned in and began to suck and nip at her neck while she played with his balls. He moaned quietly into her neck and sucked harder. Both of them had gotten to be experts at private time to the point that they could engage in sex without waking their friend up. They had both learned to control the volume of their voices and the moans and groans they were making were barely audible.

Rose played with Alan's balls for several more minutes and then began to stroke his penis. Alan grinned at that and ran his tongue from Rose's neck up to her cheek where he gave her a soft kiss. Rose kissed his temple and forehead while Alan focused on her neck again. The hot water felt like heaven on Rose's skin and she moaned when Alan began to run his hands all over her breasts. She took her free hand around and caressed his backside while she continued to stroke his manhood.

"Ooooooh, Starliiiight," Alan moaned softly.

Rose grinned at that and began to stroke harder. Alan leaned his head back and his breath quickened. Rose stopped caressing his back and put the hand on his chest while she leaned forward to snog him. They moaned into one another's mouths while their tongues explored every inch of each other's mouths.

After about five minutes of this, Rose broke off the snogging and took her hand away from Alan's erect cock. She glanced back at Awinita who was still fast asleep. Standing up, she straddled Alan's lap and slowly eased herself onto his penis, moaning softly at the pleasant sensation of him being inside her. Alan watched her, a soft smile playing on his lips and complete love and devotion in his eyes. Once Rose was in position, she began to slowly ride him, her eyes closed in complete ecstasy. Alan had his arms on her sides watching his lover with the same slight smile, taking in every inch of her beautiful face and reveling in the fact that he was making her feel this good. Eventually, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back slightly enjoying the sensation as much as her. The frothy bubbles gathered around them in a heap hiding their underwater activities. Rose began to go faster causing Alan's breath to catch in his throat for a moment. He swallowed hard and leaned his head forward, continuing his ministrations on her neck. Rose's mouth hung open and she kept her eyes closed while she ran her hands all over his wet, warm back. Then, at the moment of climax, Rose's mouth slammed down onto his and they moaned loudly into each other's mouths. Then it was over and both of them relaxed in each other's arms.

Alan glanced around Rose and giggled when he noticed Awinita was still asleep.

"We are good," he whispered to her.

"Yes, we are," she whispered back.

"And to think, Awinita was concerned that we wouldn't be able to do stuff like this with her around," he whispered, winking.

Rose gave him a kiss on the lips and slowly stood up. Alan turned slightly when she sat back down beside him and they held one another close, fondling and caressing each other for another half hour before both of them decided to get out and join Awinita in sleep.


	91. Chapter 91

Chapter Ninety One

He couldn't take it anymore.

River had barely survived their latest adventure with a deranged alien scientist named Doctor Borolangelus who decided that both of them would make excellent guinea pigs. Well actually, he was the guinea pig at first but River had to go charging into the lab and get herself captured just as the good doctor was about to inject several different chemicals into his bloodstream. And because River was focused only on him she ended up being knocked out by one of his assistants and strapped to a table right next to him, giving the Doctor added anguish since Borolangelus decided it would be more fun to experiment with the human first. And so the Doctor had to watch while several chemicals were pumped into her system, making her violently ill and delusional. Several machines recorded her bodily functions while she shook violently and the Doctor's mouth ran dry when her heart alternated between racing like mad and slowing almost to the point of death. Rage gripped his mind and he fought like a wild animal to free himself from the leather straps while Borolangelus laughed and taunted him.

Then, just when he thought River was going to die, an antidote was pumped into her system and her body calmed down and went back to normal. He watched while Borolangelus calmly noted the reactions on a clipboard and thought only of getting free and tearing his head from his neck. River, mercifully, had fallen unconscious but he knew it was only a matter of time until he started up again with her or moved onto him.

After he was finished with his notations, he put the clipboard down and the Doctor tensed figuring he was next, but instead, he announced that it was late and he was too tired to continue on. He had given him the most evil of smiles when he told him that he would return bright and early to start the tests up again on the both of them. He made sure the restraints were tight on both his prisoners and with a chuckle, dimmed the lights and he and assistant left the room, leaving one guard standing vigil outside the door.

He had spent the better part of an hour staring at River's face, hoping that she stayed asleep for the rest of the night so she would have the strength to endure the horror in the morning. He could see in his mind that there wasn't that much time left until The Library, months instead of years. He had been naïve to think his future self had years and years until the dreaded moment. Years and years to think about how to save River. Why would he have needed years when he would have known from the start what was going to happen and what had to be done? Both Martha and Donna barely lasted a year with him so why should River be any different? Post Time War, Rose had managed to stay with him the longest out of all his companions.

_She would have stayed even longer with me if I hadn't sent her away again,_ he thought sadly.

God, he missed her terribly. He missed her beautiful face, her smile, her loving looks, her voice. He cared for River but it wasn't the same. Even thought it had been months since they first met, River was still very much a novice at time travel. He had been training her just as he trained all the other companions but truth be told, he was getting sick and tired of constantly starting over from scratch each and every year, tired of each new year bringing a new face to the TARDIS, tired of adjusting to constant change and upheaval and heartache. After 1200 years, he was finally beginning to feel his age and the heavy weight of his sorrows pressing down on his weary body and mind.

It was while he was thinking all this that he became aware of a thud outside the door. He turned his head and noticed the door opening and in she stepped. Borolangelus's daughter. She was young, probably in her teens with long black hair that reached to the middle of her back, a heart shaped pale face and beautiful piercing green eyes. As she came in the room, he noticed the guard was lying unconscious on the ground. He gave her an inquisitive look. He had noticed her when he was first captured. She had been standing off to one side when Borolangelus was making his customary villain, "I have you now and you will never escape," speech. He had briefly introduced her as Lyra, but that was as far as the meeting between them went. Why she was here, he had no clue, but the fact that she had knocked out the guard filled him with hope that perhaps she was not like her insane father after all.

Then, she did something that completely floored him. She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the lips. The Doctor, stunned, did not return the kiss but it didn't seem to matter since Lyra then began to stroke his cheek while she looked down at him.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered to him. "My father is a cruel man. You're not the first one he's done this to. I've tried to stop him before, begged him to stop but he's beaten me for talking back to him."

"Then why are you defying him now?" the Doctor whispered back.

She smiled as she ran her hand through his hair.

"Because I think you're handsome and I would hate to see you and your friend die like all the others. I'll free you both but you must go before he returns."

"No, I can't, I have to stop him."

"There's nothing you can do. There are guards all over the building. You'll be recaptured and suffer a horrible death. You have to run before it's too late."

"Then come with me."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"He'll kill me."

"He'll kill you anyway when he finds out what you've done," the Doctor said. "Come with me. I can protect you from him and find you a new home. Just free me and I will do everything within my power to keep you safe."

She leaned over and kissed him again and this time he returned the kiss in order to gain her trust. She then unbuckled the restraints from around him and River. He gathered River into his arms and ran with her and Lyra back towards the safety of his TARDIS.

Halfway there, they were ambushed by three guards who had spotted them and set off a klaxon. The Doctor quickly eased River down to the floor and he dispatched them all in a matter of minutes. He picked her up and ran but by that time the guards were closing in on them along with Borolangelus.

"We're nearly there!" the Doctor had yelled to Lyra.

"Go on! I need to do something!" she had yelled back.

Before he could stop her, she turned and ran down another corridor. The Doctor paused, trying to decide whether to follow her, but the guards were closing fast and with River unconscious, he figured it was better to get to the TARDIS, leave River inside so she'd be safe and go back for Lyra. He hurried on towards the storage room where they had landed. After a few minutes, he reached it and opened the door but Borolangelus had beaten him there. He was standing there in front of the doors of his ship with a smug look on his face and two guards positioned on either side of it. The Doctor had River in his arms and he was about to lay her on the floor so he could fight when the guards pulled out their blasters and aimed them at him. He stood there, his mind feverishly working, trying to figure out a way to get out of this.

"I don't know how you escaped my lab, Doctor, but rest assured, you won't make it back to the safety of your ship," he said. "You might as well surrender. You can't fight us with her in your arms and there's no way we'll let you put her down. Come quietly and I will show the human mercy if you will suffer in her stead."

The Doctor was stuck. He sighed angrily hating the fact that the TARDIS was only a few feet away and he couldn't reach her. He was about to surrender and buy him and River time when he suddenly felt someone coming in the room behind him.

"Lyra? What are you doing here?" Borolangelus demanded. "Go back to bed."

"No, father! You won't hurt these people!" Lyra said, stepping in front of the Doctor. "You won't hurt anyone ever again!"

"Lyra, step back," the Doctor said when he saw the murderous look in her father's eyes. "Let me handle this."

"No, it's time I stood up to my father and his evil ways," she said, squaring her shoulders.

"You dare defy me, little whelp?" Borolangelus said, stepping forward. "You are my flesh and blood, how dare you talk to me like this? I order you to obey me and be silent!"

"I've been silent for too long, father! I have stood back and watched you torture and kill people all in the name of science, but no longer! I have activated the timer on the fusion bomb you were working on and this whole place will explode in ten minutes. I have fixed it so you can't hurt anyone any more!"

Borolangelus stared at her in silent shock and then turned his attention to the Doctor.

"You! You have turned my daughter against me!" he said, grabbing a blaster from one of the guards. "You will die for this!"

The Doctor was about to drop River and lunge at him when Lyra did it for him. She slammed into her father knocking him back against the TARDIS. The Doctor bent down and quickly dropped River on the ground intending to help his new friend. He was going for the guards who were trying to pull Lyra off her father's body when suddenly there was a sickening sound of a blaster going off and everyone froze. The Doctor's breath caught in his throat when Borolangelus shoved his dead daughter off of his body. His throat constricted when he saw the smoking blaster wound directly under her heart. Rage consumed him and he lost complete control, knowing that he had failed to keep his promise to protect her and get her away from her father. The Oncoming Storm was unleashed upon the hapless occupants of the room and the Doctor screamed his fury to the heavens, stunning Borolangelus and the others, freezing them immobile for several seconds which rendered them incapable of firing their blasters in defense. The next two minutes were a blur as he laid into them, knocking the guns away from the guard and Borolangelus's hands and beating them all senseless. He merely knocked out the guards but Borolangelus bore the brunt of his violent anger and he beat and bloodied him, breaking his nose and snapping a couple of ribs before he finally had the presence of mind to remember where he was, what he was doing and what Lyra had done. Quickly opening the TARDIS doors, he grabbed River, laid her inside and managed to get everyone else in the room, Lyra included, inside his ship before he closed the doors and got the TARDIS back into the vortex, leaving the building and the remainder of its occupants to be consumed by the bomb.

After getting River back to the med bay and getting her stabilized, the guards and Borolangelus, safely imprisoned in a force field in the console room, were dropped off at Volag Nok. Although the Doctor, still in the throes of rage, seriously considered being that merciful to the demented scientist before deciding he wasn't worth the trouble and brainpower of thinking up a punishment he felt was more suitable. After dropping them off, he turned his attention to Lyra who was lying in state in a spare room. After sacrificing her life for his, he didn't want to leave her to be blown to bits. Instead, he decided to give her a proper Gallifreyan cremation as a way of showing his gratitude. He carefully washed the young woman's naked body, his bile rising in his throat when he noticed the bruises and welts all over her body. His hearts went out to the poor woman who probably never had one moment of love in her whole life and he wished that he could have saved her.

_How many more? Just think, how many have died in your name?_

The Doctor lowered his head to his hand, grief consuming him when that thought entered his mind. Another one who chose to give up her life so he could live. She had done this for him and he barely knew her. His hands shaking, he forced himself to continue washing her off, determined to give her all the respect she never had in life. Somehow, he managed to steady himself enough to finish washing her and he wrapped her in a white linen shroud and tied it securely around her. After that, he piloted the TARDIS to a forest much like the one he had cremated The Master in and stood silently by the wooden pyre he had built and watched while her body was reduced to ashes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That was a week ago and since then River's body had recovered from the punishment it had undergone, although she was still a bit weak. But the Doctor was still traumatized by it all and he knew he needed a break before his mind snapped. Whether or not it was the right time, he had to take River back home so he could have time to prepare himself for what he eventually had to do.

He found her lying in her bed in her room. She was snuggled under a big fluffy pink comforter reading a book. The Doctor stood in the doorway staring at her sadly for a moment before forcing himself to go inside. When he moved up next to the bed, River lowered the book and smiled at him.

"Hello there, pretty boy," she said with a wink. "How're you and that cute little freckle face of yours doing today?"

The Doctor smiled at that and knelt down beside the bed.

"I'm doing fine," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "How are you?"

"Well, considering I was the human chemical factory for awhile, I'm doing surprisingly well," she said.

The Doctor tried to smile at that, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He sighed.

"River, I…I think it's time we both had a break," he said.

"You mean we're going to some alien beach for a little relaxation?"

"No, I mean, I think it would be best if you went home."

River set her book down on her nightstand.

"What do you mean?" she said.

"I mean, I would like for you to go home for awhile and get some rest," he said.

"But…I can rest here in the TARDIS."

"River, you nearly died this time. You need a break."

She grabbed his hands.

"No, don't make me do this. I'm sorry. Really I am. I'll be more careful next time, I promise! Please don't make me go. I love traveling with you! I don't want to lose you!"

The Doctor's hearts stopped at that and he forced himself to stay calm.

"This isn't goodbye, River, not permanently," he said, surprised his voice was so steady. "I just need a break. I…do this on occasion. I let my companions go home to rest and recuperate and I do the same here in the TARDIS. It's nothing to do with you. You've been brilliant, River, and you've saved me numerous times but we both need some time to catch our breath and get our strength back."

"But, you'll come back for me, right?"

The Doctor swallowed hard and nodded.

"Doctor, what's wrong?" River said. "You look so sad. If this is a normal thing then why do you look so upset? I'm gonna come back, right?"

He forced a smile onto his face.

"Right," he said, expertly throwing the everything's okay mask on his face. "You'll be back traveling through time and space after a little R and R."

"Well, what will you do in the meantime?"

"I go into hibernation to heal and rejuvenate my body and mind," he lied. "The TARDIS will be in the vortex until I'm finished."

"And I can't do that too?"

He shook his head.

"No, it only works for Time Lords."

"And you come back and get me when you're done with this…hibernation?"

He nodded.

River sighed.

"Okay, I guess if this is what you do then I won't try to fight it. I just hate going back home after everything I've seen and done with you."

"I know, but you can go on a dig in the meantime or go to the cinema or talk to your friends and catch up on old times. I promise I won't be doing anything remotely interesting in the meantime. I'll just be sleeping in my bed and you don't wanna be here while I'm doing that, where's the fun for you?"

She smiled.

"Oh I don't know, I can think of a lot of interesting things I could be doing with you in bed," she said, winking.

The Doctor forced the smile back onto his face and he laid a hand on her cheek. He kept it steady when River took it and gave it a kiss.

"I'll be thinking of you every moment, love, until we're reunited again," she said.

He smiled and nodded but didn't say anything. River leaned over and kissed him on the lips, lingering there for a moment before pulling away. The Doctor felt the old familiar loathing resurface and he was so glad he had finally decided to take her home. Seeing her in the TARDIS filled him with constant pain and repeatedly brought back the memory of her death in front of his eyes. The universe had apparently chosen to give him one small mercy before he became her executioner and he was going to take it. He stroked her hair fondly and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.

"I'll give you time to get ready before I land at your house. There's one other thing I want to do in the meantime so that I can alert you when the time comes to get you. Do you have a mobile handy?"


	92. Chapter 92

Chapter Ninety Two

"One more day," Alan said to Rose and Awinita as they got ready for bed.

They were currently staying in a Holiday Inn in Rockford, Illinois. It was October 30th and they had been exploring Northwest Illinois, staying near Chicago after they decided that it would be the best place to find a Halloween party and some haunted houses. Rose had found both and researched a few other places they could go while they were there earlier that day at the local library. She smiled at her fiancé while she sat on the edge of the bed and took off her shoes and socks.

"One more day until you can wear your cow costume," she said to him.

"Yes and one more day until I can see you with big balloon boobs," he replied.

"I don't know if I'm gonna be doing that," she said.

"You have to, it'll be hilarious," he said. "You have to do something to stand out so the judges will award us first place. What better way to get their attention than to have big Dolly Parton breasts under that farm girl costume."

"I think you want me to do it just so you can ogle my chest."

"Well, that too but I'm also thinking about the contest as well," he said. "Other than that, the party you found sounds fun. It looks like it'll be a huge shindig."

He smiled.

"My very first Halloween party," he said, taking off his shoes and socks and lying back in bed.

"I s'pose since we're doing that and the haunted houses, that means you won't be pulling the trick or treat stunt," Rose said.

"No, I'm doing that too. I told you I would."

"Alan, you're gonna get shot or arrested especially if you show up at the door dressed like a bleedin' cow! You wanna get sent to the insane asylum?" Rose said. "I know you had your heart set on doin' that but we were just kidding. No one is gonna give you sweets. They'll be standing there in shock wondering why a man dressed as a cow is at their door trick or treatin'. Come on, be sensible!"

He sighed.

"Oh, alright. I just thought it would kinda funny to do that and see people's reactions," he said.

"Yes, but I wanna keep you safe. You don't know Chicago. You don't know the neighborhoods and I don't wanna watch you bleed to death from a gunshot wound. That's not how I wanna remember Halloween night. We have a party to go to and a couple of haunted houses, be happy with that."

He smiled and pulled her close.

"As long as you're with me, I'll be very happy," he said.

He kissed her. Rose breathed a sigh of relief, happy that Alan wasn't going to go through with his dangerous stunt. They turned on the TV and all of them lay on the beds watching it. The news was on. A man was talking about a Chicago ghost named Resurrection Mary.

"Hey, I remember hearing about that," Awinita said.

"Really?" Alan said. "Where?"

"A long time ago on Unsolved Mysteries."

They listened to the report. The man described how a woman got killed by a hit and run driver coming back from a party one night and how she would often get picked up by people by the side of the road and disappear from the cars when they reached the cemetery.

"Creepy," Alan said.

"Yeah, I remember seeing the show and they said several people have picked her up or seen her outside the cemetery walking around. We oughta drive by there before going back to the hotel and see if we can see her."

Alan glanced at Awinita and looked at Rose.

"What about it, Rose? Fancy going on a quick ghost hunt after the party?" he said.

"That doesn't sound too bad. I'll have to check again tomorrow at the library before we head into Chicago and see where Resurrection Cemetery is. Although…if they're talking about it on the news, I have a feeling there'll be a ton of people driving past there at all hours of the night. If there really is a ghost I'm sure she'll be scared off by all the commotion."

"It's worth a look though," Alan said. "It's probably an old graveyard with ancient gravestones. Just the thing to drive past on Halloween night."

"Actually, there's another thing I just thought of that I read about a long time ago. I think it's in Chicago if I remember right," Awinita said.

"What?" Alan said.

"Um, someone showed me this book when I was in high school. It was on American serial killers and the first one that they know of was some guy that operated a drug store, I think, and he would lure people into his house and there was this secret basement where he'd cut them up and dismember them and dump their bodies and I remember he had another secret room that he could put people in that was soundproofed and he could gas people in it. They think he murdered over 100 people at least before he got caught. But I though I read that they gave tours of where he murdered people and stuff."

"Hmmm, that might be interesting too," Alan said. "You don't recall the man's name?"

"Not offhand."

"I can try to look it up tomorrow too," Rose said. "But he was a chemist?"

"No, he had a drug store."

"That's what I mean."

"Oh, sorry, yeah…at least that's what I think he did. He had a shop and he'd lure people in. it was late 1800's."

"Okay, I'll see if I can find it then. What are we going to do until tomorrow night though? It won't take that long to drive into Chicago."

"How 'bout the Ferris Bueller tour?" Alan said.

Rose looked at him.

"Huh?"

He grinned.

"Have you seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off?" he asked her.

"Yeah."

"Well, he went all over Chicago. Let's do what he did," he said as Awinita giggled.

"Are we gonna hold hands as we go through the museum?" Awinita asked.

He snickered.

"If you want to," he said.

"Um, okay," Rose said, "so he went to the museum, the Sears Tower…"

"The ball park, the stock exchange, a parade," Alan said. "Wouldn't some of that stuff fill up the day?"

"I really don't fancy going to a ball game or the stock exchange and I seriously doubt we're gonna find a parade but the other two things sound okay," Rose said. "Especially the Sears Tower. I'd like to go up there and see the view."

"And take the lover's plunge into downtown Chicago?"

"What is it with you and wanting to jump off tall things?" Rose said as Awinita laughed.

"I just find it romantic, is all," he said, winking.

"If that's your idea of romance, leave me out of it."

"Besides I'm sure the windows are unbreakable up there."

Rose snorted.

"If anyone could find a way to break unbreakable glass, it'd be Alan," she said to Awinita.

"Why thank you, dear. I'm glad you have that much confidence in my abilities," he said.

"Well, I'm just taking the person you sprang from into consideration and that's all I'm gonna say about that," she said.

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

"Well, I told you I'd try to live up to him and I intend to keep that promise," he said. "If that means being forced to find a way to construct a hyper sonic laser ray light break unbreakable glass gun to break the window then I will do that."

"I'll come visit you in prison then," Rose said.

He chuckled and gave her a kiss. All of them got under the covers, turned off the light and drifted off to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, they woke bright and early and checked out. They went back to the library and Rose got online. She found Resurrection Cemetery and wrote down the directions. Then she did a search for the serial killer Awinita described.

"Okay, I found this guy named Herman Webster Mudgett," she said to Awinita. "Does that sound familiar?"

"No, but that doesn't mean anything. I just skimmed through the chapter on the guy."

Rose read on.

"This sounds like the guy. He did work as a chemist. But the actual house where the murders took place was across the street. He lured people into it during the Chicago World's Fair in 1890 when he set it up as a hotel. He put ads in newspapers offering employment or just looking for ladies to marry and that's how he was able to get them into the house and then they'd disappear right after they moved in with him. It says…The Castle was a three-storied building with turrets, bay windows for the various shops located on the lower floor. The top floor held the living quarters for Mudgett and "guests" of the hotel. On the second floor the police found 100 windowless, soundproof rooms of torture with secret staircases, false walls and ceilings. The basement held two huge acid vats, surgical instruments, rooms with gas vents, an overly large furnace that investigators believed was used for a crematorium, large chutes leading from the rooms to the basement, a variety of human bones and several complete female skeletons. It soon became evident Mudgett used the chutes to transport the bodies from the middle floor to the basement. Also in the basement investigators found a heavy metal door placed in the floor that opened into a giant lime lined pit. In all, officials felt there could be up to one hundred possible victims."

"Blimey, the man was certainly a busy guy," Alan said.

"When he was on trial, he changed his story and claimed he had murdered more than 200 people," Rose said. "They aren't sure because he disposed of them so thoroughly. But they did hang the bastard on May 7, 1896."

"Do they give tours?" Alan asked.

"Yes. But it's part of a tour package called Weird Chicago Tours where you see it and several other sites and it's 400 bleedin' dollars."

Alan and Awinita's mouth fell open.

"And there's nothing else? There's no single tour of just his house?" Awinita said.

"Hold on, let me look," she said, bringing up Google.

She shook her head.

"No, they don't offer anything else."

They groaned.

"What a rip off," Awinita said.

"Yeah, you can't see one house unless you take their entire tour?" Alan said. "That's idiotic!"

"I know, guys, but that's all they offer."

"That's almost as much as Disneyworld," Awinita said as Alan nodded in agreement.

Awinita sighed.

"Well, thanks for looking, Rose."

"No problem. At least we learned something. I had no idea who this guy was before today and I'm certainly glad I never met him."

She noticed the grin on Alan's face and guessed what he was thinking.

"And before you open your gob and say anything…No, as soon as we get the TARDIS we're not going back and pressing our luck with this guy."

Awinita laughed when he slammed his hand on the table in mock frustration.

"Can you guys think of anything else while I'm sitting here?" Rose said.

"Are there any other haunted places?" Awinita said. "I mean real haunted places."

"Yeah, any ghosts and ghoulies besides Resurrection Mary?" Alan added.

Rose looked it up.

"There's several. Do you mean Chicago or just haunted places in general?"

"Um…both," Awinita said. "I mean, we don't have to go to places like that just on Halloween. I'm just thinking of things we can do once we leave Chicago."

Rose read an entry.

"Hmmm, you know Springfield, Illinois? Well, Lincoln is buried there and supposedly he haunts his tomb among other things."

Alan glanced at Awinita.

"Something to check out once we get down there," he said as she nodded.

"Too bad this isn't April," Rose muttered.

"Why?" Alan said, "what happens in April?"

Rose read…

"The most interesting haunting surrounding Lincoln is the phantom funeral train. Said to be seen during the month of April on the anniversary of Lincoln's death, the ghostly train is said to ride those very same tracks that bore his body to Springfield in 1865. Reports indicate that this ghostly funeral procession is actually two trains, with the first steam engine pulling several cars draped in black, adorned with black streamers, and playing the sounds of mournful music. The second train is said to pull a flatcar that carries Lincoln's coffin. Unfortunately, the train is said to never reach its final destination."

"Cool," Awinita said. "That would be neat to see."

"Well, wait," Alan said, "the tour guide at the White House said Lincoln supposedly haunts it too. So…during the month of April, he goes on holiday over here?"

Rose laughed.

"I guess so," she said. "At any rate, we can check this at another time. We have enough to do today and I wanna get going so we'll have time to do them."

They nodded. Rose logged off and all of them got up and left the library.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After seeing the Sears Tower and the Museum of Contemporary Art, the three of them checked into another Holiday Inn and prepared to go to the Halloween party. All of them got showers beforehand and once that was done, Rose set down with Alan on the bed with the makeup he had purchased.

"Okay, what do you want to do with this?" she asked him. "You want a white face with some black spots?"

"Yes, I was thinking put a black spot around my right eye and put a little spot on my left cheek and then give me a little black nose and lips."

Rose nodded. She put her fingers in the white makeup, got a generous portion on the tips of them and began to spread it on his face while Awinita was in the bathroom putting regular makeup on her face.

"Wow," she said when she got most of it on. "This looks bizarre on ya."

"Is it that bad?" Alan said, frowning.

"Not bad, just weird. I've never seen the Doctor wear any makeup of any kind. Seeing your face all white is odd."

She finished with the white leaving a huge unfinished circle around his right eye and a smaller circle on his left cheek and she left the tip of his nose uncovered . She went to clean off her fingers and when she was done, she came back and did the black makeup. She giggled.

"Now you really look odd," she said.

She finished the eye, cheek and nose.

"Open your mouth wide so I can blacken your lips," she said.

Alan opened his mouth and she spread it on his lips. He closed his mouth and Rose giggled some more.

"Hey, Awinita, come in here and see cow boy," she said.

Awinita came around the corner and bent over laughing.

"Oh God, that's great!" she said. "I can't wait to see the rest of the costume on him."

She went back in the bathroom while Rose reached into the plastic bag for his cow costume. She took the cardboard backing off and instructed Alan to undress. Alan stripped down to his underwear and Rose handed him the main part of the costume. She giggled uncontrollably when he stepped into it and slipped it up onto his body. Rose walked around and tied it at his neck. She walked back around and laughed harder at the udders that were gracing his stomach.

"I don't think I'll be able to stop laughin' tonight," she said.

She handed him the head covering and Alan put it on and tied it around his chin. The back of it covered his hair so only his face was visible. She handed him the gloves and he put them on his hands.

"Oh…my….God!" Rose said when he was finally done. "I gotta get my camera. I gotta get a picture of this!"

Awinita walked back out, took one look at him and leaned against the wall laughing uncontrollably.

"That is so you, Alan!" she said, between fits of laughter.

Rose got the camera and turned Alan so he was facing her.

"You have to give me a copy of this picture, Rose," Awinita said.

"Don't worry, I will."

She took a couple pictures of him.

"Okay, now that he's done, I gotta get into costume and get made up," she said to Awinita.

They both took another look at him and held their sides laughing.

"You know it looks weird with him having that little face on the top of his head," Awinita said. "What you shoulda done was blacken his whole face so it looked like he was yawning or something."

"Well, I have to wear this," Alan said. "It has my horns and ears and the back is covering my hair."

"Yes but we're talking about the little face it has. We shoulda just done what Awinita said and blackened your face and let that be your face up there."

"Nah," Alan said.

They snickered when he walked past them into the bathroom. They laughed harder when they heard him laughing at himself. He walked back out.

"No, I like the way my face is now," he said.

"I just hope you win first place because you certainly deserve it," Rose said.

"Well, if you two don't finish up, we'll never get there in time so I can win," he said.

The two women looked at each other and hurried into the bathroom while Alan set down on the bed to wait for them.


	93. Chapter 93

Chapter Ninety Three

Alan sat on the bed waiting for his girls to get finished with their costumes. Eventually the suspense became too much and he wandered in to have a look. He grinned. Rose's hair was in pigtails and there were little black freckle marks all over her face. She had on the overalls and red flannel shirt and poking out beneath it was the balloon breasts. He frowned as he pointed to them.

"I thought you were gonna make those bigger," he said.

"I can't. My outfit wouldn't fit around them. Trust me, Alan. You can tell I have bigger breasts. I don't need to have em a mile long in front of me," she said as he giggled.

Alan looked at Awinita. She had on jet black pants with a white shirt. A blood red sash was tied around her waist and she had a black bandanna tied around the top of her head. An eye patch was over her right eye and the sword was tucked through the sash completing the look. Alan looked down at her tennis shoes.

"Bit anachronistic," he said, pointing to them. "I don't think pirates wore trainers."

"I wouldn't talk, Mister Maroon Converses," she said.

He glanced down at his feet.

"I'm a fashionable cow," he said, raising his right leg. "I like to paint up my hooves and look pretty."

He noticed Rose's teeth.

"You aren't blackening your teeth?"

"I haven't done it yet, I was just about to do it when you walked in," she said.

"Can I do it?"

Rose raised her eyebrow.

"Are ya gonna go ballistic with it?"

"No, I was thinking about blackening three fourths of your teeth though. I'm a very cranky cow that's prone to violent outbursts of mooing and kicking."

"No, you will do a few and that's it."

He shrugged and took the tiny bottle of blackener from her. He read the directions, unscrewed the top and looked at the tiny brush applicator. He got a generous amount on the tip and studied Rose's teeth for a moment before he applied the liquid to a molar on the top left of her mouth and two teeth down below.

"There, have a look," he said when he finished.

Rose stood in front of the mirror, bared her teeth and nodded.

"Perfect," she said.

He looked at Awinita.

"How 'bout you, Captain Hookette? You been in a few fistfights over the course of your pirating career?"

"Yeah, do a couple of mine," she said, walking over to him.

Alan studied her teeth and blackened one on the top right and another on the bottom diagonally from it. Awinita checked her mouth.

"Thanks."

"No problemo," he said, setting the bottle down beside the sink.

"Well, I guess we're ready now. Except I want us to bring along our regular clothes because I'll be damned if I'm gonna go to the haunted houses dressed like this."

"Oh, come on, Rose. It's Halloween night; you won't be the only one in costume. Trust me, if anyone makes any sarky remarks, I'll kick em in the teeth for real."

"I know, I know, who cares what people think," Rose said.

"Exactly. Let em laugh. They'll probably be laughing at me anyway."

"Can't argue with that," Rose said, nodding.

He smiled and winked.

"You know what we forgot to get for him?" Awinita said.

"What?" Rose said.

"A little bell to tie around his neck so he'd have a cowbell."

Rose laughed.

"Yeah, you're right. Damn, wish we would have thought of that sooner. Ah well, can't be helped now. I'm sure he'll win first place with this getup anyway. And on that note, I guess it's time for us to head out, yeah?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh God…" Rose said as they stepped out of the elevator into the lobby.

She had forgotten about the people manning the front desk. She could hear their soft laughter as they passed by.

"You guys look good," a woman said. "You going to a party?"

"Yes, we are," Alan said, smiling.

"Well, have fun then!"

They waved at them and the three friends waved back as they headed out towards their car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I think this is the place," Rose said, pulling into a parking lot.

She parked the car and all of them climbed out. In front of them was a large grey stone building. All the windows had been covered on the inside with black sheets and there was one door that had been covered in black crepe paper and decorated with a plastic gargoyle. Underneath it was a small sign welcoming people to the Halloween party. When they got within a few feet of it, the gargoyle came to life. Its eyes glowed red and it laughed in a deep booming voice. They stopped in front of the door.

"Do we just go inside?" Rose said, looking at them.

"Is the door locked?" Awinita asked.

Rose tested the door. It opened and she peeked inside while they listened to Monster Mash playing in the room.

"There's a bunch of people inside but there's nobody at the door," she said. "I guess we just go in."

She opened the door wider and they all walked inside. The room was dimly lit overhead and there were twenty tables arranged around the room with tiny jack-o-lantern candles burning on each one and little plastic jack-o-lanterns filled with candy at every chair. Halloween decorations were hanging on all the walls and black and orange crepe streamers crisscrossed the room above their heads. Music blared from speakers mounted on each corner.

"I hope to God this isn't a private party," Rose said to them as they sat down at a table near the front.

"If it is, no one's said anything so far," Alan said, looking around.

They ate the candy and looked at the decorations. People were still coming to the party in groups of twos and threes. Alan smiled looking at all the different costumes people had on. He was even more thrilled to see small children were also present. There were a group of them dressed as a ghost, a pink Power Ranger and Spider-Man running around near the back of the room.

"Ah, crap, his makeup's coming off his lips," Awinita said.

Alan turned his attention to her.

"You're eating and the black is coming off your lips," she said, pointing to his face.

"It's okay, I figured that would happen. I have the makeup kit in my purse," Rose said. "I figured there'd be stuff to eat and I didn't want Alan to just sit there and starve so he could keep his makeup looking neat."

"Well, thank you for thinking of me, Starlight," he said.

They watched as an interior door opened and several people came out carrying a punch bowl, a platter of bologna sandwiches and several colorful bowls filled with chips and pretzels and snacks. Behind that were a couple more people carrying paper plates and plastic cups. They arranged everything on a long table near the back of the room.

"Snacks are here everyone! Help yourselves!" a man yelled over the music.

The three of them waited until the crowd of people thinned out before they went up. As Alan walked to the table, he heard people commenting on his costume and children giggling at it. He smiled and nodded hello when he caught people's eyes. At the head of the table were the plates and cups. Alan grabbed one of each and walked down the table with Rose and Awinita following him. He grinned when he saw that someone had used a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter on the sandwiches.

"How cute," he marveled.

He grabbed a couple, a handful of chips and pretzels and a handful of candy corn and put them all on his plate. At the end was the punchbowl filled with fruit punch. He filled his glass and carried it all back to his seat. Rose sat down a minute later and he held up one of the sandwiches.

"I love this. It's another example of human imagination at work," he said.

"Yeah, it is a good idea especially since there are kids here," she said as Awinita sat down beside her.

She nudged her friend.

"Think they spiked the punch?" she said to Rose.

She giggled.

"I hope not since children are here," she said.

"Angie, get back here!"

Alan looked around when he heard a lady's voice. He smiled when a four year old girl dressed as Cinderella wandered over and stared at his cow costume in silent awe.

"Mooooo," he said and grinned when she giggled.

"Angie, get back here this instant!" the mother said. "Let the man eat his food."

Angie didn't move and the woman sighed as she got up and took her by the hand.

"Sorry, "she said to Alan.

"Nothing to be sorry about, she's not bothering me," he said. "Her costume's cute."

"Thanks, she's into Cinderella, she loves the movie," she said. "I like your costume."

"Thanks."

The woman smiled and led Angie back to their table. Alan turned his attention back to his food and took a bite of his sandwich. He examined the bite mark and made a face when he saw traces of his black makeup on the bread.

"Hope this stuff is non-toxic," he said, showing it to Rose.

"I bet it is. I'm sure a lot of kids have the same thing happen to them. Not to mention they probably touch their face and put their fingers in their mouth. Don't worry, if you get violently ill, I'll take you to hospital," she said.

He picked up a pretzel and popped it in her mouth. Rose did the same to him with a piece of candy corn.

"Hard to believe it's November tomorrow," Alan said.

"I know," Rose said. "We started in June and summer's already come and gone. I'm glad we're going back down, at least for awhile. I'm not looking forward to driving through ice and snow."

"Least we'll be down south for Christmas," Alan said.

"Um…I hate to tell you guys this, but it gets cold in Asheville in the winter. Just as cold as it does in the north. So, sorry, I hate to burst your bubble there. You want warmth for Christmas, you'll have to go back down to Florida and I'm talking about going all the way down to south Florida like Key West."

"Bollocks. Ah well, we can handle it. We can handle anything life throws our way," he said.

He looked over when the man who had made the announcement earlier came out and stood between the tables. The music was turned down so he would be able to speak in a normal tone of voice.

"Okay everyone, I want to welcome everyone to the party. I'm glad there was a huge turnout and I hope you're enjoying the food. There are gonna be games and a costume contest with huge prizes and also dancing for the adults and the kids who want to do it too."

The three of them laughed when a bunch of the kids groaned at that.

"Okay, to start off the night, I'm gonna tell all of you something that's truly shocking. You see, this is no ordinary building. This is a slaughterhouse. People have been lured here for years, murdered and disassembled and we have the gory evidence to back it up."

Several people emerged from the back room carrying little orange bowls. A lady walked up and stood beside the man.

"Okay, we were cleaning out the fridge for the party and we found a bunch of eyeballs!"

The three of them snickered when the kids all said, "Eeeeew!"

"Yes, it's true. Would you like to feel them?"

"Yes!" the kids yelled.

"Okay, we'll pass the bowl around, but you can't look inside. It's too horrifying, you just have to put your hand in and feel it!"

The woman walked over to a nearby table and held the bowl up just high enough so no one could look in. While she was doing that, a man walked up carrying another bowl.

"This one right here is brains! So we're gonna pass that around too."

The man walked to another table and did the same thing the woman was doing. Another woman walked up carrying a bowl.

"This one is different. This one is filled with dead worms! Pass it around, Monica, and let everyone feel."

Monica walked to another table.

"Now while they're passing around the grisly evidence, we're gonna have a game for anyone, old and young, who wants to join in. It's called Pin The Tail On The Black Cat and there's a prize for the one who comes closest to pinning the tail on to the cat's rear end."

"You guys wanna do that?" Alan asked.

Rose and Awinita glanced at each other.

"Yeah, sounds fun," Rose said.

"Might as well, it's a party, after all," she said.

"After we get done with that. We're gonna have the costume contest and that'll be divided into kids and adults and once that is done we'll have bobbing for apples and dancing," the man said.

Alan looked over when one of the women walked up.

"Would you like to feel the eyeballs?" she said in a sinister voice.

"I would indeed."

The woman held the bowl up and Alan put his hand in. He grinned when he felt something wet and slimy in his hand. He took his hand away and the woman held it out to Rose. She did the same and so did Awinita before she moved on to the next table.

"You know what that was, don't you?" Awinita asked him.

"No, what?"

"Peeled grapes."

Alan chuckled.

Rose looked at Awinita.

"Insert glowing praise about human imagination here," she said gesturing to him as Alan nodded in agreement.

"The next bowl came by and Alan put his hand in and felt the "brains." The man paused and let Rose and Awinita feel inside and went on.

"You know what that was?" Awinita asked him.

"Something squishy," he said. "Cooked broccoli?"

"Close, it's cauliflower," she replied.

"How do you know?"

She shrugged.

"Been to a ton of Halloween parties where they did this, they all do the same thing," she said.

The last bowl came by and Alan felt inside.

"I know what that is," he said when Monica got through with their table. "Cold spaghetti."

"Yup," Awinita said.

He smiled.

"You wonder why the Doctor loves this planet so much? That's a good reason right there. You never got stuff like this at Gallifreyan festivals."

"Because of the whole we have more imagination than they did?" Awinita said.

He nodded.

"Mind you, they had ghost stories. I told Rose one before we met you but they would have never thought of visual aids to go with that."

"Well, there's a whole bunch of different stuff they use to simulate flesh and body parts and things like that," Awinita said. "But nine times out of ten they will always have the eyeballs and usually the worms. I guess because those are easy to prepare. At least they've always had them when I've gone to friend's parties."

"We never really did that," Rose said. "We usually would just go to haunted houses or watch scary movies at the cinema or at home."

"Did you throw eggs or smash pumpkins?"

"Nah, we weren't into that. You?"

"I didn't, but my cousins and their friends did. Actually, when I was about…eight, I think, they talked me into going with them in my cousin's pickup truck so they could pitch rotten eggs at cars. I was sitting in the back with one cousin and their friends and my other cousin drove while they went down the road throwing the eggs. We hit one guy's windshield and he made a U-turn and started tailgating us and it scared the crap outta me. He followed us for about three or four miles before he finally turned off onto another road. We could see his face and he was pissed off. God, I thought the guy was gonna catch up to us and kill us. That's the last time I went with them."

"You're lucky he didn't kill ya," Rose said.

She nodded.

"They did all sorts of things like that. Pumpkin smashing, throwing eggs, TPing yards, soaping windows and windshields. That was thrilling for them. They also loved to put bottle rockets in beer bottles during the forth of July and hold the bottles while the rockets launched into the air. They weren't all there, still aren't."

"And we're gonna get to meet them for Christmas," Alan said.

"Yup, don'tcha feel privileged?" she said as he laughed.

"Okay everyone, we're done passing around the body parts so it's time to play Pin The Tail On The Black Cat!" the man announced as the men and women headed towards the door with the bowls. "So, everyone who wants to play go to the back wall and make a line!"

They stood up and walked over to the queue by the back wall. On the wall in front of them was a large drawing of a black cat. The man waited until they were lined up and then stepped in front of them.

"Okay, everyone here gets one try," he said. "We're gonna blindfold you, spin you around a couple of times and then you have to walk over and try to put the tail on the cat, but don't peek or you get disqualified. Okay, little lady, you're first."

An eight year old blonde haired girl in a ballerina costume stepped forward. They tied a black and white bandana on her eyes and spun her around twice before they gently pushed her towards the target. The three friends, who were near the back of the line, watched while she slowly walked towards the drawing. Her little hand was out, feeling around and when she felt the wall, she hesitated a moment and then pinned the black paper tail up near the cat's head. The man walked forward and took off the blindfold allowing her to see her tail.

"Nice try, sweetie," he said. "Now you have to wait and see if anyone gets closer than you. Go stand over here now."

He led her to a table on the left and made her stand beside it. A black woman dressed as a zombie stepped forward and they blindfolded her, spun around and let her walk towards the picture. She pinned the tail near the middle of the cat and groaned when they took the blindfold off. She went and stood beside the girl and the line got shorter and shorter until it was Alan's turn. So far no one had hit the mark.

"Go, Alan," Awinita said. "Get that tail pinned correctly!"

Alan grinned and nodded. The man blindfolded him and spun him around. Both girls giggled as he slowly walked towards the picture with arm outstretched. He felt the wall and both of them held their breath when his hand hovered over the back end of the cat.

"Come on, Alan," Rose murmured.

They groaned softly when he stuck the pin in just to the left of it. The man took off the blindfold and he groaned.

"Bollocks," he muttered as he walked towards the table. "I was so close."

It was Rose's turn. She was blindfolded and spun. Alan held his breath when she reached the wall and felt around the picture.

"Come on, Amo'tiri," he murmured. "You can do this."

He pumped his fist in the air when she hit the mark. The man took the blindfold off.

"Congratulations, hon," he said.

"Yes!" Rose said.

Filled with pride, she went to join Alan.

"I knew you could do it," he said to her.

They watched while Awinita was blindfolded and spun. She walked towards the picture, felt around and her friends groaned when she stuck it in just above the cat's back.

"Nuts!" she said when they took the blindfold off.

She went and stood beside the others while they waited for the rest of them to finish.

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"Okay, looks like we have a tie!" the man said when they finished. "The winners are the woman dressed up like a farm girl and the little girl in the witch costume."

"Yes!" Alan and Awinita said in unison.

They smiled as Rose and a Hispanic girl walked up to collect their prizes. The man gave each of them a CD and congratulated them. Rose walked back to them.

"What is it?" Alan said.

"Spooky Songs," she said, shrugging. "The same stuff they've been playing all night."

"Cool, now we can listen to it in the car and sing at the top of our lungs while you drive," Awinita said.

"I don't think so," she said as they laughed.

"Okay, now we're gonna have the costume contest. Kids are up first so anyone who wants to be in it, go up to the front of the room."

"Come on, Alan, I need to reapply your makeup so you'll be ready when the time comes," Rose said.

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Rose finished reapplying the makeup with an applicator. She managed to fix the damage done by the blindfold and give Alan his black lips back.

"Perfect, "she said, nodding. "You're all ready to win first prize."

"We're ready, we're a team, remember," he said.

They finished watching the judging for the little kids. There were several of them standing up front in an orderly line while they faced the audience. The pink Power Ranger was first in the line followed by the ballerina, Angie, a werewolf, a vampire, Spider-Man, the ghost, the witch and a hobo. The man and two other women went down the line examining them. Once they were finished, they stepped away from the group and conferred with each other in private while the kids fidgeted and talked to each other. After two minutes, the man stepped in front of the kids while the other two went to get the prizes.

"Okay, we're gonna go backwards from third place to first," he said. "In third place, we have…Spider-Man!"

Everyone applauded as one of the women walked over and handed him a large plastic bag decorated with ghosts and pumpkins.

"Second place is…the little princess!"

Alan applauded enthusiastically when a woman walked up to Angie and handed her a bag.

"And first place goes to…"

There was a long, dramatic pause.

"The werewolf!" he said as everyone applauded. "Let's give all the kids a big round of applause!"

Everyone clapped enthusiastically. The kids were sent back to their seats.

"And now will the adults who want their costumes judged please come up to the front?"

The three of them glanced at one another, got up and walked to the front with several others. They stood together at the end of the line as the man and two women walked up to Alan.

"We're together," he said, gesturing to Rose beside him.

"Sorry, we have to judge each one separately," the man said.

"Bollocks," he said.

They took a long look at him and moved on to Rose. They did the same with her and moved on to Awinita.

"Well, good luck then," Alan said.

"Yeah, you too."

"And you, Awinita," Alan said to her.

"You too, sucks that they aren't letting you enter together. That was the point of the costumes," she said.

"Eh, we can still both win prizes," Alan said.

"And even if I don't, I still won the CD," she said.

The three judges went down the line studying each entrant in turn. There was a witch, Darth Vader, Catwoman, a French maid, two zombies, a Ghostbuster and a gypsy. They finished their judging and went off to confer among themselves. Two minutes later, the man went up to the front.

"Okay, as before, we're going backwards from third to first. In third place….the pirate woman!"

Alan and Rose whooped while Awinita stood there with a stunned look on her face. They handed her an envelope and a plastic bag.

"In second place…we have…the gypsy!"

They smiled when the woman let out a cheer and several of her friends cheered with her. She received an envelope and a bag.

"And now…we come to first place. And the first place winner is…THE COW!"

Rose and Awinita yelled and pumped their fists in the air while Alan stood there with a grin a mile wide. The man came up to him with an envelope and a bag.

"Congratulations!" he said.

"Thanks," Alan replied, taking the prizes from him.

He and Awinita hugged one another. Rose laughed as they both hopped up and down and chanted, "Yes, yes, yes!"

"That's it for the costume contest. We're gonna take a short break and do the apple bobbin' next!" he said.

The three of them went back to their seats.

"Oh God, I knew you would win that thing," Rose said. "I would kiss you but you have black lips and white cheeks."

She put her arm around his shoulder and pressed her face against his arm.

"So, what'd you guys get?" Rose asked.

Alan looked at Awinita.

"You first," he said.

Awinita opened the envelope. Her eyes widened when she pulled out twenty five dollars.

"Oh yeah, this'll definitely come in handy," she said.

She set it down and opened the bag wide.

"Oh, there are several things in here," she said.

She laughed and pulled out another Spooky Songs CD.

"Here's a backup copy in case yours gets damaged," she said to Rose as Alan laughed.

She reached in and pulled out a tiny stuffed ghost.

"Awwww," she said, setting it on the table.

She reached in and pulled out another envelope. She opened it.

"Ooo, ten dollar gift certificate to Applebees," she said. "This'll come in handy too."

Last but not least, she pulled out a tiny mesh bag filled with candy corn.

"All and all, not a bad haul," she said. "Okay, Timelord, your turn."

Alan opened the envelope. His eyes bulged from their sockets when he pulled out a hundred dollars.

"Whoa!" Awinita said. "You're rich, Alan."

Rose laughed at the stunned look on his face.

"Most money you've ever had in your life," she said. "Just don't blow it all in one place, yeah?"

He set the envelope aside and opened the bag. He sniggered when he pulled out the exact same CD.

"Well, I guess we know what we'll be listening to day in and day out for the rest of the trip," Awinita said.

He set it down on the table, reached in and brought out a little stuffed cat wearing a purple witch's hat and cloak. He stared at it for a moment then sat it down in front of Rose. He patted her on the head while Rose picked it up and held it to her chest. He reached in again and brought out a pumpkin candle. He set down in front of Rose and patted her head.

"Alan, don't give me all your prizes."

"Dear, I don't want a cat and a candle. Take them," he said. "I have a hundred dollars. I don't think I'm depriving myself if I give you these two things."

"And you have a CD," Awinita pointed out.

"Yes, I almost forgot the CD that apparently they bought in bulk somewhere," he said as Rose laughed. "I have the hundred dollars and the CD; you can have the cat and the candle."

He reached in and pulled out an envelope. He opened it and Rose's eyes widened.

"Thirty dollar gift certificate to Applebees," she said. "At long last, you can buy me dinner!"

"Gladly."

She smiled.

"I'm kidding, Alan, you don't have to spend that on us."

"No, I want to. I wanna treat you both to dinner with this."

She smiled.

"Thanks, Alan," she said.

"Yeah, thanks Alan," Awinita added.

He smiled and nodded. He reached in and brought out a mesh bag of candy corn. He checked and smiled when he reached his hand in again.

"Wow, how much stuff did they give you?" Awinita said.

His grin widened when he pulled out an inexpensive digital watch.

"Whoa, cool," Awinita said.

"Yeah, now you have a watch," Rose said.

He looked in the bag.

"That's it," he said, putting everything back.

"Put my cat and candle in there too," she said, "I'll get them later. Do you want me to hold on to your money and gift certificate so they don't get lost or stolen?"

He nodded and handed her the envelopes. She put them in her purse.

"Could you do the same for me, Rose? I don't have any pockets in this getup."

She nodded, opened her purse and put Awinita's prizes inside. She closed it and looked over at the men and women who were slowly carrying a large metal tub filled with water into the center of the room. Alan munched on a pretzel while he watched them set it down. Then another man brought over a bag of apples, opened it and dumped the contents into the water.

"Okay, anyone who wants to do this, line up," he said. "You get two chances to get an apple!"

"You guys wanna do it?" Alan said.

"Are you?"

"Yes, indeedy."

"I'll do it," Awinita said.

"Okay, I will but you better take your hood thing off and leave it here since you'll be putting your head in the water."

Alan untied the hood and set it beside his bag. Rose grinned and ruffled his hair.

"There's the tousle I know and love," she said.

Awinita snickered when Alan rolled his eyes. They got up and joined the queue forming directly behind the tub. The three of them were in the middle of the crowd. Rose was first followed by Alan and then Awinita. They watched while the adults and kids in front of them stuck their heads in the water trying to grab the apples. One man was successful and pulled an apple out by the stem, but he was the only one. None of the kids managed to do it but the man fished around in the water and gave them each one. Slowly the three of them got closer to the front. Finally, it was Rose's turn.

"Come on, Rose, you can do it!" Awinita said.

Rose got down on her knees and put her hands on the rim of the tub. She took a deep breath and plunged her face into the water, rooting around for an apple. After thirty seconds she came up for air.

"You got one more try," the man said.

"Come on, Rose," Alan said, "get that apple!"

Rose plunged her face back in the water. Twenty seconds later she came back up for air without an apple.

"Nice try," the man said as she stood up and a woman handed her a towel. "Okay, Mister Cow, you're next!"

Alan got down on his knees and plunged his face into the water. He rooted around and came back up, apple stem firmly between his teeth. Everyone applauded as he stood up, opened his mouth and let the apple drop into his hand.

"Little show off," Rose said as he gave her a smug grin and took the towel from the woman's hands.

As he wiped his face, he turned and watched Awinita. Awinita tried twice but was unable to get an apple. She stood up and took the towel from Alan.

"You're gonna be bragging about this for the rest of the trip, aren't ya?" she asked him.

Alan shook his head vigorously and lobbed the apple up in the air catching it with one hand. Awinita grinned.

"You know that all of your makeup is gone now except for a few tiny splotches," she said.

Alan felt his face and looked at his gloved hand. There was no makeup on it. He shrugged.

"Eh, makeup served its purpose," he said.

He looked at Rose.

"All of Rose's freckles are gone too," he noted.

He gave her left cheek an affectionate pinch.

"Do you wanna stay for dancing?" Alan asked.

"I don't think so if we want to go to the haunted houses," Rose said.

"Yeah, we can skip the dancing," Awinita said.

"Easy for you to say, you don't have anyone to dance with," he teased.

"I'll dance with you then and make your fiancée jealous," she said, patting him on the back.

They went and collected their things from the table. Alan took a bite of his apple and shared it with Rose as the three of them headed for the front door.


	94. Chapter 94

Chapter Ninety Four

Rose drove a few miles away from the party to an old abandoned building.

"There were a lot of different haunted houses," she said to them. "But I chose two that were nearest to the party so we wouldn't have to go all over the city. This one is supposed to be a haunted insane asylum, I think."

"Well, Alan should fit right in with the cow costume then."

She ducked when Alan tried to grab her.

Rose parked the car and looked at him.

"You sure wanna do this?" she asked.

Alan gave her an odd look.

"Well, yeah, why would you think I wouldn't?" he said.

"Because you get bored at haunted houses."

"Yeah, but I'll just have fun listening to the two of you scream at the top of your lungs," he said, poking her arm. "Once again, I reiterate, I'm fine. I am more than happy to go through boring things with the two of you; I'm enjoying your company and the fact that you two are having fun. Now, are we gonna go in or are we gonna do something else?"

Rose turned off the ignition and put the keys in her purse. She glanced at the cow costume and giggled.

"Now you look ever more bizarre without the makeup and the hood," she said.

"It's quite comfortable, actually. You'd be surprised. It's nice and warm. Perhaps If I got rid of the udders, I could turn it into jimjams."

Rose grinned and pinched one of the udders. They laughed when Alan pretended to be aroused.

"Ooooh. Yes, Rose, milk me! Milk me now!" he moaned.

Awinita fell over in the back seat, laughing.

"Shut up, you pervert!" Rose said, slapping his arm. "I swear, you have sex on the brain 24/7."

He tousled her hair and leaned over to give her a kiss before all of them climbed out of the van.

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Rose was surprised at how much Alan could tune out when he really wanted to. There were several people pointing and laughing and snickering at him while they stood in line to get in but he seemed oblivious to it all as he talked quietly to Awinita. Rose couldn't understand why there were laughing at him when most of the people who were laughing were in costume as well and looked just as goofy. But she understood that to most people Alan resembled a scrawny, nerdy geek and she figured they were laughing at that as well. But even though the rest of the world might think he was a geek, Rose thought he was absolutely gorgeous and she wouldn't trade him for any steroid-addled muscleman. Still, she hovered nearby not entirely trusting the men who were ogling her. She had gotten rid of the balloons before they got out of the car but that didn't stop them from leering at her. It surprised her how little patience she had now for men like that but after being with two men who didn't do that to her, who treated her with respect and made her feel loved and cherished, it was an annoyance to her and she wished fervently that the assholes who were making crude remarks under their breath and sniggering would just grow up and act like adults.

She rolled her eyes and moved closer to Alan. She smiled when he put his arm around her while he continued to talk to Awinita. She focused in on the conversation ignoring the snickers and idiotic remarks about how a geek like Alan landed a babe like her.

_I'll tell you how, he acts like a gentlemen,_ she thought.

"Line's moving, Alan," Awinita said.

Alan glanced around him and moved up in the queue slightly. This was the opportunity the idiots had been waiting for.

"Hey, Poindexter, is the babe with you?" one of them said.

"Yes, she is," he said simply and turned back to Awinita.

Rose glanced over her shoulder and saw how peeved they were that he wasn't taking their bait. She gave them a smug smile and turned her head around. She smiled to herself when she neared closer to Alan's side and felt his arm tighten around her. There was a moment of tension when she thought they might cause trouble but then a man stepped outside and told them to go ahead and go inside the building. Rose relaxed when they went inside and she and her friends moved up to the head of the queue. She glanced at the entrance when she heard a woman's scream from somewhere inside.

"Hear that, Awinita?" Alan said to her. "That's a preview of what Rose is gonna do once she gets in there!"

"Oi!" she said as they laughed.

She rolled her eyes when she heard the jerks screaming obscenities at something.

"Grow the hell up, will ya?" she muttered.

"Huh?" Alan said, confused.

She shook her head.

"Not you, the gits that were in front of us. The ones with the IQ of a sponge," she said.

He frowned.

"It bothers you that they're in there being idiots?" he said.

"I just hate guys like that. The ones that need to act like adults."

"Tell me about it," Awinita said. "I noticed them giggling at Alan."

"They were?"

They nodded. Alan shrugged.

"Eh, I don't care, let them laugh," he said. "They don't know me and I don't know them."

"Well, I'm glad they're gone, they were trying to chat me up while you were talkin'"

"Well, it's a good thing they kept their little hands to themselves then because I would have broken them off at the wrists if they had touched you," he said.

He thought for a moment.

"Was that what they meant when they asked me if you were my girl?"

"Yes."

"Like I said, it's a good thing they kept their distance. If they lay hands on you; they'll live to regret it."

"Guys?"

They looked over and saw the man leaning out of the entrance.

"Your turn," he said.

Alan let go of Rose, turned around and put his other arm around her as the three of them headed inside.

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Rose wasn't that impressed. The Haunted Cavern had been scarier. So far, she hadn't screamed at anything, a fact that was not lost on Alan.

"You don't like this one?" he said.

"Not as much as Haunted Cavern. It's not as scary. So far most of the stuff we've seen is people lying in bed in the rooms and being pretend tortured. No one's really jumped out or tried to grab us or something like that."

"Well, it doesn't make that much difference to me but I hate that you're not enjoying yourself. How about you, Awinita?"

"Yeah, I agree, I wish there were more surprises. Haunted Cavern is more professional than this is," she said as Rose nodded. "This is just something that was put together for Halloween on a shoestring budget or something. I just hope the other one is more impressive."

"Yeah, me too. If the other one's like this, I'd rather go and find Resurrection Mary," she said.

They passed by one room and looked in. A man was lying on a gurney getting a pretend lobotomy with an ice pick while he screamed bloody murder. Alan sighed and turned away.

"I'm beginning to see your point. Where's the fun if it's not gonna be interactive?" he said. "Even if someone just jumps out in a sheet and screams boo, at least that's something."

The corridor got narrower, blocked off with sheets on either side. Alan put his hand on Rose's shoulder when she was forced to get in front of him and Awinita got behind him. They walked through the makeshift hallway while strobe lights flashed overhead. Suddenly without warning, a man in a straitjacket jumped out between a gap in two sheets and screamed at Rose. Alan giggled when Rose finally let out a scream.

"There ya go, someone finally did something," he said as they man went back through the sheets.

"'Bout bloody time," Rose muttered.

At the end of the corridor was a set of stairs. They climbed up to the second floor into total darkness.

"Alan?" Rose said, groping around.

"I'm right behind you, Starlight."

She felt his hand on her shoulder and he gave it a squeeze.

"Awinita? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm right at your back, I think."

"Are they gonna turn on the bloody lights anytime soon?" Rose said.

Just then, she felt someone reach out and grab her breasts.

"Alan?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you just touch my breasts?"

"No, I have my hands in my pockets."

There was a pause.

"Why? Did someone just touch you?" he said, angrily.

"Yes."

She heard his angry breathing and she suddenly had a pretty good idea who had just done the groping. Suddenly, the lights came on, blinding them momentarily as several people dressed as orderlies menaced them with fake knives and axes. Rose studied their faces. All of them had surgical masks on but she could tell none of them were the boys. She glanced around at Alan who was jerking his head around searching for them with murder in his eyes. Unfortunately for them, but fortunately for the boys, they were nowhere to be seen and the orderlies finally backed off letting them through a door into another corridor. As they walked along, Rose looked back and noticed Alan was scanning every inch of the hallway and rooms for any sign of them. He glanced back at Awinita.

"Stay close just in case the perv brigade is nearby," he said to her.

"Gotcha."

"Alan, you're not gonna hurt them if you see them, are ya?" Rose said.

"Rose, making fun of us is one thing. Fondling you in a dark room without your permission is another. I hope for their sake they decided to run out of here. If I find them, it won't be pretty because I_ will_ give them a taste of just what the "geek" can do."

To Rose's immense relief, they got through the rest of the haunted house without further incident and headed back out to their car. Once they were inside and the door was shut, Alan looked at her as she sat in the driver's seat.

"They touched your breasts? That's all they touched?"

She nodded.

"It's a good thing," he muttered.

She started up the car while Alan settled back in the seat and let the anger go. Rose glanced at him while she backed out and headed down the driveway. She could see him relaxing but there was still a trace of anger in his eyes. She smiled; glad that Alan knew how to treat her and didn't pull idiotic stunts like that except when he was doing his playful teasing. It made her feel secure knowing he was protecting her and would defend her from others if necessary. She thanked God that all they did was touch her breasts. She hated to think how berserk Alan would have been if they had done more. She used the Onstar and punched in the address for the other haunted house. It was nearing 9:30 now and she hoped it wouldn't take very long to get through it. They still had the cemetery to go see and she was exhausted and eager for a hot shower, preferably with the man she loved.

They reached the other haunted house ten minutes later. They parked and got out. This one was a large brick house. There was a tiny queue leading down a set of brick steps from the front entrance and Alan and the others got in line. A couple of the men further up in the line turned and looked at Rose but this time Alan caught them eyeing her with interest and gave them a warning look. They instantly turned back around and Rose took Alan's hand. He gave it a little squeeze.

Unlike the last one, the line moved quickly and they found themselves going through the house with less than a ten minute wait. This house was much smaller, more confined which meant the scares were more in your face and Rose actually found herself enjoying it more than the asylum. She heard Alan giggle every time she or Awinita screamed but she knew he was doing it out of affection and not because he was being an asshole. They turned a corner and headed upstairs. Once they reached the second floor they passed by a bathroom.

"Oh good, I gotta go in the worst way!" Alan said, starting to step over the rope that was strung across the bathroom door.

Just then a man dressed as a ghoul stepped into view and glared at him from the other side of the rope.

"Oh! Sorry, mate, didn't know this was occupotto. I'll find another loo then!" he said as Rose and Awinita laughed.

"Do you really need to go that badly?" Rose asked.

"Yes, I haven't been to the bathroom since before the party and the punch and snacks finally caught up with me. If I don't find somewhere to relieve myself, my bladder's gonna burst."

"Better speed up, Rose, he's gonna blow," Awinita said.

She laughed when Rose suddenly sprinted ahead.

"Oi! Get back here, missy! I can't run with my bladder filled to the brim!" he called out.

Rose stopped and turned. Just then a man dressed as Dracula leaned out of a room beside her.

"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" he screamed.

She studied him for a moment and then looked at Alan.

"Come on, you wanna get to the loo or not?" she said, ignoring the dirty look Dracula was giving her.

She looked at the incensed vampire.

"Sorry, mate, bathroom emergency. But you really are very scary, honestly!"

She stuck her tongue between her teeth and hurried off down the hallway. Alan and Awinita heard the man mutter to himself under his breath as they ran past him. Ignoring the people in the other rooms who were screaming and howling and trying their best to scare them, they followed Rose to the other end of the corridor and back down the stairs.

"Come on, love, gotta get your bladder emptied!" she called back.

"It's not that big of an emergency!" he yelled as Awinita howled with laughter. "You can slow down and see the house if you want, it's not gonna rupture in the next ten seconds!"

Rose stopped halfway down the steps and giggled as she let her friends catch up with her.

"I was only teasing about my bladder threatening to blow," he said, stopping right behind her. "I can wait until you get through the haunted house."

"Eh, I really do wanna get through here and get to the cemetery. I'm tired," she said. "It's been a long day of driving and partying and having fun and I'm ready to chuck it in."

Alan nodded.

"Then let's hurry this up so we can go see if we can see the ghost and then get back to base," he replied.

He put a hand on her back while the three of them went down. At the bottom they reached a landing and noticed that the doorway beside them was roped off and a door leading to the basement was standing wide open.

"Guess we keep on goin' down," Alan said.

They went down the creaky stairs. Reaching the bottom they found more sheet walls similar to what was in the other haunted house. They followed them to another door and entered a pitch black room. As soon as they entered, someone closed the door behind them leaving them alone in the dark.

"Okay, now what?" Alan said.

"Where do we go?" Awinita said.

They groped around in the dark looking for the way out.

"If I trip and break my neck, I'm suing em," Rose muttered.

They froze when they heard what sounded like a car motor starting.

"Okay…that's weird," Rose said.

They heard an engine rev, then suddenly there was a bright blinding light illuminating the stone wall in front of them. The three of them turned around and saw the front end of a Mack truck with its headlights on. Alan stared at it, bored.

"Is this supposed to be terrifying or something?" he said, putting his hands in his pockets.

Someone revved the engine for a minute and then they cut the ignition and the lights switched off. They looked around when someone opened a door and they were led out into a smaller room and up a short flight of stairs through cellar doors the led out into the yard.

"Wheee," Alan said, spinning his finger in the air. "I think I'm gonna make it my life's mission to find a haunted house that will actually scare me. So far all of them have been pants. But then again, I have worse things than that swimming around in my memories."

Rose patted his arm.

"Do you really need to go, love?" she said.

"Yes, I do."

"Okay, we'll stop at a restaurant then before heading on to Resurrection cemetery."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, this is it, I guess," Rose said when they came upon a darkened cemetery.

She slowed to a crawl and stopped along the side of the road. She parked the van and they all stared ahead looking for any sign of Mary. Alan looked over at the black iron bars of the fence that surrounded the perimeter. In the moonlight, he could make out a few old gravestones. He shifted slightly, scanning the inside of the cemetery, hoping he would be able to catch a glimpse of Mary walking the grounds. He sighed when he didn't see anything.

"Apparently Mary is out partying again," Alan said. "I don't see hide nor hair of her."

He looked back at Awinita.

"You said sometimes people pick her up along the side of a road?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe that's where she is then because she's certainly not here!" he replied.

Rose put the car in gear and very slowly inched along the road while Alan and Awinita stared into the cemetery. Suddenly, Alan saw a flash of light.

"Rose, stop!" he said, holding out his hand.

Rose hit the brakes. Alan looked at Awinita.

"See that?"

"The flash of light?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, it went behind a tombstone, I thought."

Rose parked the car and looked with them.

"Where?" she said.

"A ways back," Alan said, pointing. "Probably about halfway back in the cemetery."

"Bollocks and naturally I had my eyes on the road when it happened," Rose muttered.

She put her hand on Alan's back and leaned forward trying to catch a glimpse of it.

"I don't see anything," Rose said.

"Maybe that's it," Awinita said. "I…"

"Wait, I saw light on a tombstone for a second," he said. "And it wasn't the moonlight."

"Where?"

Alan pointed straight ahead.

"You don't really think Mary's wandering around in there?" Awinita said.

"I don't know. I…oh, crap!"

The two women looked at him when he gave out a frustrated sigh.

"What? What is it?" Rose said.

"Someone's in there with a sodding torch, Rose, I just saw their head bob up above a gravestone for a second. That's what the light was, their torch."

They groaned.

"I guess whoever's in there is trying to find Mary?" Awinita said.

"Or they're up to no good. Either way, it's not a ghost," Alan said. "Bollocks!"

Rose patted his leg sympathetically.

"Would have been a capper to the evening, Rose, if we really had seen her," he said.

He sighed and smiled at Rose.

"Come on, guys, let's get back to the hotel room. I'm knackered too and I doubt we're gonna see her," he added.

Rose nodded. She put the car in gear and eased the van back out onto the road.


	95. Chapter 95

Chapter Ninety Five

The next morning, Rose woke early when she felt Alan shifting against her. She opened her eyes and saw him smiling at her.

"Good mornin'" he said. "Happy November the 1st."

"Yeah, you too," she said. "Like I said last night, hard to believe its November already."

"Yup another month and three quarters and it'll be Christmas time with the Harris family."

"Happy, happy, joy, joy," Awinita mumbled from her bed.

"Remember we also have Thanksgiving to celebrate as well," Rose said.

"Oh yeah, we do. Can't forget that," he said. "When is it?"

Rose yawned.

"November 27th," she said. "We gotta be mindful of that since the date changes every year."

"November 27th is being filed away in my database for safe keepin'" Alan said, pointing to his temple.

"Oh, I know you'll keep track of it especially since turkey's involved," she said.

She looked at him and pulled the cover down slightly.

"I miss your cow costume already," she said as Awinita giggled.

"Well, maybe I can keep it and put it on for special occasions," he said with a wink.

"I hope you have enough room in your rucksack for it once we ditch the van."

Alan thought for a moment.

"Did you ever see the Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon?" he said.

"Years ago."

"I remember a scene where Lucy was threatening Linus with getting rid of his blanket because he wanted to keep it when he got older and when she asked him how he was gonna keep it around, he said, "Maybe I'll make it into a sport jacket."

Rose raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'd love to see that thing as a sport jacket," she said as Awinita laughed.

She kissed him.

"So, what's on the agenda today?" she asked him.

"I wanna use my gift certificate and take you guys out to dinner."

"Alan, you don't have to use it right away."

"I want to. It's time you were rewarded for being so good to us," he said.

Rose smiled and stroked his cheek.

"Okay, well, we'll try to find this Applebees then."

"You guys don't have it in England?" Awinita said.

She shook her head.

"No. Is it any good?"

"Yeah, it's pretty good. They have steak and chicken and seafood. It's like a family restaurant that's decorated with all these odds and ends on the walls."

"Yeah, I remember you saying that about Bocca di Beppo, how it was an Italian Applebees."

"Yeah, the walls were kinda like what they have at Applebees. Just tons of stuff all over the place, all kinds of memorabilia. It won't be too hard to find, there's tons of them in the US."

"Okay, well, we'll go tonight then for supper. What about the rest of the day?"

"I wish that one tour thing wasn't 400 dollars," Awinita said.

"Yeah, me too, it would be a nice change of pace from all the museums and things."

"You gettin' tired of seein' museums?" Rose asked him.

"I like museums but sometimes it's nice to have something different to do like last night."

"Do you have any ideas then?"

"Well, there's the El train. We could take a ride in that just to say we've ridden in it."

Rose shrugged.

"Okay, we can do that but to where though?"

"Just ride it and kinda see the sights that way," he said.

"Okay, we could do that. Um…there is something else but I don't think you'd be interested."

"Try me."

"They have all these shops lined up on one street. They call it the Magnificent Mile."

"You wanna shop?"

"Well, not go wild but just kinda walk around and look a bit."

He shrugged.

"I could do that," he said.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it'd be interesting. Plus, we'd be out among other humans listening to them and seeing them shop."

Rose smiled.

"More human lessons?"

He grinned.

"Exactly."

"Okay, we could go ride the El and see if it gets off at the shops or near the shops and go and spend some time there. Also…"

She rose from the bed and grabbed a booklet that was resting beside the TV. She brought it back to the bed.

"This lists things to do, maybe we can find something in here," she said, lying on her stomach.

Alan turned onto his stomach and looked with her.

"Hey," Rose said. "They have Wicked playing downtown. You guys wanna go see that tonight?"

"The show?" Awinita said.

"Yeah, the musical about the wicked witch and Glinda. You guys wanna see that?"

They nodded. Rose giggled when she read further.

"Or we can go see Mamma Mia and hear Alan's rendition of Waterloo," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, I'm a talented singer!" he protested.

Rose looked at Awinita.

"You missed that as well. That was in a hotel in New York. I was trying to make reservations for this steakhouse and Alan's in the shower singing ruddy Waterloo at the top of his lungs while I'm trying to talk."

"And once again, that does not surprise me," Awinita said.

"I don't wanna see Mamma Mia, I'd rather see Wicked if we're gonna see anything."

"Yeah, me too," Awinita said.

"Okay, let me call and see if I can get us tickets then. Hopefully they aren't sold out."

She got up and got into her rucksack for her mobile and credit card. They listened while she rang the box office and purchased tickets for them. After she finished buying them, she hung up.

"I got us balcony, they were 29 dollars each," she said. "The floor was 134 dollars so I hope you guys don't mind."

"Starlight, you could put me in an Extreme World harness and hang me from the chandelier, just as long as we are going, I don't care where we sit," Alan said.

"Yup, same here. You don't need to pay out the nose to get us in, just as long as we get to see it."

She nodded.

"Well, it's starts at 8 tonight, so if you want to take us to eat, it'll probably have to be around 6."

He nodded and kissed her.

"Thank you, Rose."

"Yeah, thanks Rose."

"You're welcome. I can't wait to see it too."

She looked back at the booklet.

"Lot of museums but you guys want something different than that…so…let me seeeee..." she murmured, flipping the pages.

She paused on a page and read an entry.

"Alan?"

"Yeeeeees?"

"How do you feel about classical music?"

"Love it."

"The University of Chicago has a concert tomorrow night. Their orchestra is playing selections from Beethoven and Brahms. All you have to do to get in is make a monetary donation of any amount. You guys wanna do that?"

"I do," Alan said.

"I can do that," Awinita said.

"That'll be fantastic! We can give them a penny and go see a show," Alan added.

Awinita laughed when Rose eyed him.

"You said they take any amount," he said.

She grinned.

"I think I'll donate more than a penny though just to be polite," she said. "They also have a museum on campus that has artifacts from different periods of history. That's free, wanna go see that?"

They nodded.

"Anything that'll save you money is a-okay in my book," Alan said.

She scratched her chin while she looked over the booklet.

"Aha!" she said.

Alan looked at Awinita.

"Aha, what?"

She grinned.

"Untouchable Tours, Chicago's original gangster tour."

Alan's eyes widened.

"How much?"

"Only 27 dollars per person!"

She touched noses with him.

"You get to see stuff like the building where the St. Valentine's Day Massacre took place. A violent dangerous threat to the universe like yourself should enjoy that!" she teased as Awinita giggled. "Interested?"

"Do I have one heart and a great big stomach?"

Rose pretended to think.

"Hmm, I don't know, do ya?"

He grinned and seized her around the middle.

"Yes and yes," he said.

"Because I realize it's not that serial killer house but it does involve killing. Or…I'm giving you a choice here…"

"And choice number two is…"

"They have a haunted Chicago ghost tour that is different from the 400 dollar thing. It's 28 dollars per person."

Alan and Awinita grinned at each other.

"Do that?" Alan said.

"Do that definitely," Awinita said.

"Sod Al Capone! I wanna see some corpses!" Alan said.

"Oh, but Al Capone is a part of the tour," she said sweetly. "Along with our good friend, Mary. And they also cover the site of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre which is where Al comes in."

"That's it, I'm sold," Alan said. "Ditch the gangsters and bring on the ghosts!"

"Yeah, I'd rather do that!"

"And according to this, they'll let you get out and explore the sites and see if you can find the ghosts for yourself…including Resurrection Mary's gravesite."

"So, if we pay good money, does that mean Mary will wake her decayed arse up and actually show herself this time?" Alan said. "Or are we gonna get another wanker with a torch?"

"Who knows? I guess we'll have to find out. You were the one who wanted to do our own personal Most Haunted show, right, Derek?"

He snickered.

"Yes, indeedy."

"Well then, we now have Wicked, the symphony, a museum and this ghost tour. See, I'm able to find more than museums when I really put my mind to it."

"You are brilliant, Rose. I will never get tired of saying that," he said. "You always come through for your friends!"

"I try," she said, shrugging.

"Well, what're we waiting for?" Alan said, "Let's get up and get movin'!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"After taking a ride on the El train and seeing some of downtown Chicago and the outlying areas, they found the Magnificent Mile and spent a day window shopping and wandering in and out of the stores looking at all the different items. As they walked around the stores, Rose began to think of what she could get Alan and Awinita for Christmas. She figured Awinita would be easy to shop for, but Alan? She wanted to give him something special, something just as unique as her Stitch ring. Something that was his and his alone. She made a note to look up personalized items online when she got the chance.

Around 5 p.m. they decided to go ahead and go to Applebees. They located one downtown a few blocks from the theater. They walked inside and looked around. The interior was dark with wood paneling and a bar that sat in the middle of the restaurant. Around it on all sides were raised areas that had the tables on them. It was fairly crowded but they were able to be seated quickly in a booth by a huge plate glass window. The waitress took their orders for Cokes and handed them menus before walking away. Alan looked up at the wall beside the booth. There was a huge framed movie poster of The Wizard of Oz and all around them in their section were different types of movie memorabilia. The waitress returned with their Cokes and left again. They scanned their menus.

"Get what you want," Alan said. "I have a thirty dollar gift certificate and a hundred and twenty dollars to boot."

"Good, in that case, I'll order everything on the menu twice," Awinita said.

"Correction, get what you want as long as I'm not forced to take out a small loan to pay for it," he said as they laughed.

He glanced at the menu and looked at Awinita.

"Burgers any good here?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I'll get that then," he said. "Cheeseburger and chips sounds good."

"I think I'm getting the chicken parmesan," Rose said, "that sounds good to me."

"I think I'll get the filet mignon with lobster tail and maybe some goose liver pate with some black caviar and sushi and…"

Rose giggled when Alan gave Awinita a long, hard look.

"Show me where any of that stuff is on the menu and I'll be happy to pay for it, Harris," he said. "Or are we special ordering it just for you?"

"We're special ordering it just for me."

"Uh-huh, well you can use your 10 dollar gift certificate for that then," he said.

"Oh alright, if I have to get something here, I guess I'll settle for the Grilled Chicken," she sighed.

Alan glanced at Rose.

"Yup, you've definitely rubbed off on her, Alan," she said as Awinita laughed.

The waitress returned five minutes later. She took their orders and left again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The three of them tucked into their meal, enjoying every bite of it. They chitchatted while they ate, making small talk and also brainstorming other places to go when they left Chicago. A half hour later, they finished and let out contented sighs. Alan leaned in to Rose.

"Okay, is there anything I have to do to this gift certificate such as sign it?" he asked her.

"No, just give it to her when they come with the bill and…let's see, we'll also have to tip so you have to wait till the bill comes to see how much to leave. And usually you leave 15 to 20 percent of the total bill."

"Yes but unfortunately people don't always do that," Awinita said.

"I know, which is why I do. Servers don't make much money and they work hard, they deserve a full tip," Rose said.

The waitress came back.

"Can I get you anything for dessert?"

They shook their heads. The waitress laid a small black tray on the table. Inside it was the bill.

"I'll be right back," she said.

Alan took the bill and studied it.

"29.76," he muttered. "20 percent of 29.76 is…"

"Alan, it doesn't have to be exact to the last penny. Just round up, it'd be much easier on ya," Rose said.

He nodded.

"So, 6 dollars then," he said, reaching into his pocket.

He pulled out a five dollar and one dollar bill and laid it on the table while Rose laid his gift certificates on the tray. Alan put the bill back on top of it and waited patiently while the waitress returned. She took the tray and returned a few minutes later with .24 cents in change. They thanked her, Alan pocketed the change and they left to go to the show.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The three of them sat in the balcony watching Wicked. Alan was in between his girls and Rose was lying against him, their hands were clasped together while they listened to the show.

He smiled as he listened to the woman playing Glinda sing…

I've heard it said  
That people come into our lives for a reason  
Bringing something we must learn  
And we are led  
To those who help us most to grow  
If we let them  
And we help them in return  
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true  
But I know I'm who I am today  
Because I knew you.

Alan smiled when he heard that and kissed Rose on the forehead. She smiled in return and snuggled closer to him.

So much of me  
Is made of what I learned from you  
You'll be with me  
Like a handprint on my heart  
And now whatever way our stories end  
I know you have re-written mine  
By being my friend.

They squeezed each other's hands. Alan's thoughts were kept on Rose during the song but oddly enough he found himself thinking of the Doctor when he heard…

And just to clear the air  
I ask forgiveness  
For the things I've done you blame me for  
But then, I guess we know  
There's blame to share  
And none of it seems to matter anymore.

He sighed inwardly wishing suddenly that he could talk to the Doctor and mend fences as much for Rose's sake as for their own. He briefly wished that he could see the Doctor again, to show him how much Rose had changed him and healed him and ask for another chance to prove himself.

_After all, he was willing to forgive the Master and he committed far more atrocities than I ever did,_ he thought. _It would be nice to bury the hatchet and be his friend instead of his enemy. _

He sighed softly.

_But that's probably just a pipe dream,_ he thought bitterly. _He's gone now and he probably won't be coming back. I need to just concentrate on what I have here and take care of the precious angel he entrusted to me. _

As if Rose could read his mind, he suddenly felt her lips on his cheek in a tender kiss. He looked at her and his heart swelled with love as he pulled her closer to him.

"I love you, Alan," she whispered.

"I love you too, Rose, now and forever," he whispered back.

They shared a brief kiss on the lips before both of them turned their attention back to the show.


	96. Chapter 96

Chapter Ninety Six

The next morning, the three friends set out again in search of adventure. Rose had made reservations for the ghost tour since the music concert started at 7 that night. They had been on the tour for almost an hour when to their surprise and delight they learned they would be going to Mudgett's house after all.

"Well, well, well, our wish came true after all!" Alan said to them.

They stood just outside the house listening to the sandy haired tour guide give them some basic facts about Mudgett, most of which they knew already. Then they were allowed to go inside and explore for awhile. They walked through the house marveling at all the secret rooms used to conceal and kill people.

"This is the Master's dream house," Alan said.

"I can't get over how huge it is," Rose said as they walked through numerous secret corridors into bedrooms and on through those into more corridors and secret rooms. The tour guide followed along behind him.

"Mudgett supervised the construction," the guide said to them. "He made sure no workman stayed on the job for more than a week. He would claim their work was second rate, fire them and refuse to pay for their services. At the same time, he'd ensure that no one knew the exact layout of the building. All the guest bedrooms are soundproofed and can only be locked from the outside and each one is connected to a gas line so he could gas them whenever he wanted."

"Jesus," Awinita said. "This guy was one sick, demented bastard."

"There are trap doors, sliding panels, stairs that lead nowhere and doors that open on to nothing but solid brick walls," the guide said." There are large greased chutes that lead straight to the basement where he kept an acid tank, a dissecting table and a crematorium. Once everything was in place, he opened it up as a hotel under the alias H.H. Holmes so he could lure people to their deaths."

"Blimey, this guy is more organized than most villains the Doctor's fought," Alan whispered to Rose.

She nodded.

They finished touring the top two floors and the guide took them down the back stairs into the basement. Rose held her hand over her nose when the pungent smell of damp and mold flooded her senses. All three of them looked with disgust at the dissection table that still had traces of dried blood on it, the huge incinerator mounted in the wall and a large pit that was filled with lime. Alan's stomach turned when he thought of the hundreds of poor souls who had their lives and bodies destroyed by one single solitary maniac. Awinita looked at the guide.

"Is this place haunted?" she asked.

"There have been strange noises reported by different people. Both the staff who maintain it and visitors. They've heard moans, groans, seen strange lights on occasion and some people have smelled gas in some of the guest bedrooms. I haven't seen anything yet but I only stay in here long enough to conduct the tours."

"You guys didn't smell gas in the bedrooms, did ya?" Awinita asked.

They shook their heads.

"Well, this concludes this part of the tour, if you're ready; we'll go to the next site," the guide said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This is the resting place of Resurrection Mary," the guide said as they stood outside the open cemetery gates. "She's the ghost of a young woman who was killed by a hit and run driver in the 1930's while she was walking home from a night of dancing. Several people have reported picking her up by the side of the road and giving her a ride only to have her disappear when she reached this cemetery. Unfortunately, no one is exactly sure who she was or if her name was really Mary. There have been several theories about who she might have been but none have been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. So, unfortunately, I can't point you to the exact spot of Mary's grave since no one is certain of her identity, but she has been seen wandering around both inside and out of the grounds."

They turned and looked through the gates. In the daylight, the cemetery looked more cheerful than it did two nights ago. They did a quick scan of the grounds but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Now if you come with me, I want to show you something that may be connected to Mary," the guide said.

He led them to a section of the fence and pointed to two of the iron bars. They were slightly bent as if someone had pulled them apart and the bars were scorched.

"Supposedly Mary did this in August of 1976. People have tried to repair these bars but so far, nothing has worked. If you look closely you can see handprints in the burned area."

They leaned over and looked. Sure enough, all of them could see fingerprints etched into the bars.

"The cemetery has emphatically denied the supernatural version of what happened to these bars. They claim a truck backed into the gates while doing sewer work at the cemetery and that grounds workers tried to fix the bars by heating them with a blowtorch and bending them. The imprint in the metal, they said, was from a workman trying to push them together again. But, if you notice, the fingers are too small to belong to a man and they're far daintier than what a sewer worker would have. The bars were removed to discourage onlookers, but taking them out had the opposite effect and soon, people began asking what the cemetery had to hide. The events allegedly embarrassed local officials, so they demanded that the bars be put back into place. Once they were returned to the gate, they were straightened and painted over with black paint so that the blackened area would match the other bars. Unfortunately though, the scorched areas continued to defy all attempts to cover them and they've remained like this to this day."

Rose glanced at Alan who was studying the bars in complete fascination. She knew the Doctor usually would have some handy dandy explanation to explain away things like this. She made a note to ask Alan and get his opinion on what he thought happened.

"Okay, if you follow me, we'll go on to our next location," the guide said.

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"This is the Museum of Science and Industry," the guide said as he led them up the stone steps. "It is home to at least three ghosts including Clarence Darrow of Scopes Monkey Trial fame. Darrow lived in the Hyde Park neighborhood that includes the museum. He died in Chicago in 1938 and his cremated remains were scattered in the Jackson Park lagoon as he had requested. In 1957 the bridge was dedicated in his memory and is now known as the Clarence Darrow Memorial Bridge. On one of my other ghost tours, I had a man take photos of the lagoon and there was a face in the photo when it was developed. He's also been seen here. People have seen an elderly man dressed in a suit, walking in the hall by the windows that overlook the lagoon. They say he matches the description of Clarence Darrow. He's there for just a moment, then he disappears."

"Get some pictures, Rose," Alan said, "Maybe we can catch him and the other ghosts."

Rose nodded and began to take some pictures while the guide led them through part of the museum. As they talked, Rose followed alongside Alan while Awinita followed behind them. The guide told them about the other two ghosts while they walked through some of the exhibits.

They passed by a huge steam locomotive and Rose chuckled when she saw the ecstatic look on her fiancés face.

"Excuse me, are we allowed to go inside this?" he asked the guide. "Not trying to delay the tour or anything."

"No, that's alright. Yes, you can go up in it so go ahead and take a look. I'll wait here."

Rose thought Alan's grin would split his entire face in two. He took her hand and they walked over and climbed up into the locomotive. Alan was like a kid at Christmas as he ran his hands over the controls and fiddled with everything. Awinita walked over to the little window beside the controls and looked out and down examining the outside of the engine. Rose looked around for a moment and then decided to go on to the passenger car. She told Alan what she was going to do and after he assured her he would catch up with her, she climbed back down, walked over to the passenger car and climbed up into it. She entered the car and noticed a beautiful young woman sitting by herself near the back.

"Hi," she said to her.

The young woman nodded hello. She had long black hair that was swept up in a bun and she was wearing a salmon colored shirt with a lace collar. Her face was round and soft with blue eyes. Rose looked around the interior and her eyes settled back on her. She frowned when she noticed the lady was still staring at her.

"Um…" she said hesitantly, "are you from around here?"

The woman nodded.

"Oh, this is our first time here. I'm traveling with my fiancé and friend. We're on a ghost tour this bloke is givin'. It's been pretty interestin' so far. Anyway, my fiance wanted to see the steam engine so I decided to come in here while they're lookin' at it."

The woman smiled and nodded. Rose frowned sensing something was not quite right. Casually, she made her way back to the woman.

"Starlight?"

She turned around and saw Alan coming into the car with Awinita.

"Finished looking at the choo choo," he said with a wink "Thought we'd come and see what kind of mischief you were getting yourself into."

"I don't get myself into mischief. That's your job," she said. "Anyway, I'm in here talkin' to this lady."

"What lady?"

"The lady behind…"

She trailed off when she turned and saw the seat was empty. She stared at it in confusion for a moment.

"Oh hell, no," she muttered.

"Rose?" Alan said. "What is it?"

Rose didn't answer him. She ran to the back of the car and tried the other door but it was sealed shut. She turned and saw her friends giving her odd looks.

"I think I just saw a ghost, Alan!"

Alan and Awinita looked at each other.

"Where?" Alan asked.

"Here, in that seat!" she said, pointing to it. "I came in here and this lady was just sitting here. I thought it was some woman taking a rest and I was talking to her. She didn't say anything back and I was going to go closer to her because I thought something was wrong, but then you called my name and I turned around and when I turned back, she was gone. This door is sealed shut, Alan; she couldn't have gone out it. You didn't see anyone sitting here?"

They shook their heads.

"You didn't see anyone vanish?"

"Nope, I only saw you," Alan said.

"Bitchin', Rose saw a ghost," Awinita said.

"I saw one too, you know," Alan said.

"Well, that leaves me then," Awinita said.

"Yeah, but you just saw mist, right? This wasn't mist, Alan. She was as solid as you were. I could see every detail of her body and her clothes!"

"I kinda surmised that since you didn't freak out and just stood here talking to her. But, apparently, she's gone now so why don't we go tell our lovely, patient guide that you had a close encounter of the spooky kind, eh?"

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After informing the guide of Rose's ghostly encounter, they finished up the rest of the tour. No one saw or heard anything further, much to Awinita's chagrin since she was now eager to have a ghost encounter of her own. After three hours the tour finally finished back where they started and the guide thanked them all and thanked Rose for being kind enough to tell him her story. After waving goodbye, the three of them headed back to the van so they could go get something to eat.

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"I hope we don't have to dress up to go to this concert," Alan said, looking down at his blue trousers. "We're a little too casual, I think."

"Yeah, but this is a college campus, not the Albert Hall and it's a student orchestra. I doubt if they care what people wear. I'm sure most college kids don't have fancy dress anyway."

They were wandering around the campus of the University of Chicago taking in the architecture. To their surprise a few of the buildings were build in a gothic style reminiscent of Oxford University. Those buildings were near the front, however, the further back they went the more modern the buildings looked. They found the free museum, The Oriental Institute, and went inside. The museum's collection was arranged from the beginnings of known civilizations up to ancient Egypt and Persia. The most impressive artifact was in the Mesopotamian section. A huge three dimensional sculpture of a human-headed winged bull took up the entire back wall of the gallery.

"Whoa," Awinita said when they all walked over to it.

The sculpture's human head had a serene expression on its face. It sported a long thick beard and had on a tall, narrow crown. Floppy Bull ears drooped down the sides of its face. The creature was standing still with its wings outstretched. Rose reached up and touched the cold, smooth granite marveling at the detailed sculpture. She reached into her purse and got out her camera. She stepped back and took a few pictures while Alan and Awinita stood just out of shot. When she was done, they went back to examining the statue. Rose went around the side and stared at the front part of it. Her eyes widened when she noticed the statue had, in reality, five legs. Looking at it from the front she could see one of the legs but the hidden fifth leg was raised up as if it were walking. She walked back around to the front and then back again, marveling at the sculptor's genius. She walked back around, got her friends and pointed it out to them.

"See, you can't see the lifted leg when you're standing in front of it and you can't see the other three legs from back here. It's brilliant sculpting it like this."

Alan nodded.

"This is a guardian statue. It would have been outside the palace entrance protecting the king," he said to her.

"You read that on the little plaque," Awinita teased.

"Yes, but I actually did know that already. The Doctor's been to Mesopotamia a couple of times and seen the real deal. The real thing guarded the entrance to the palace of king Sargon II of Assyria at his capital city, Khorsabad. It's called a lamassu, and it's supposed to be a spiritual being with the head of a human, the body and ears of a bull, and the wings of an angel or a bird. They were placed on each side of palace entrances to guard against evil spirits. So, there ya go, another fun fact courtesy of the Doctor-o-tronic."

"Is that what you're calling your brain?" Awinita said.

He shrugged.

"Might as well since 90 percent of my memories come from him," he said.

He put his arm around Rose. They took one last look at the lamassu and went back to the front of the gallery to look at the rest of the artifacts.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The three of them walked through the museum listening as the Doctor-o-tronic gave them some more fun facts. They marveled at the enormous seventeen foot statue of King Tutankhamen in the Egyptian section and the mummy resting in a glass case beside it. Everything was fascinating but they had yet another jaw-dropping moment when they walked into the Persian section and saw an enormous carved bull head that dwarfed all of them. It was missing its horns and ears and they could tell that some pieces of the bull had been reassembled in places. It stared down at them from a large pedestal and Rose couldn't help but wonder where it might have originally been and if it ever had a body. Judging from the head, she was sure that if it did, the whole thing would have been intimidating to look at.

"Which I suppose would be the idea," she muttered, finishing her thought aloud.

Her friends gave her a quizzical look and she told them what she'd been thinking.

"It's possible but they also used just the heads as a decoration. But you're right; it would be intimidating for outsiders to view something like this. But this was demonstrating the might of the Persian Empire to those who might think about conquering it.

Awinita read the plaque.

"According to this, it once guarded the entrance to the Hundred-Column Hall and when they found it, it was in several pieces. They glued back together what they could find," she said.

Alan pointed to a thin crack around the upper half of the bull's snout.

"Right here is one of the repair jobs and I see a couple of other places," he said. "They have quite an impressive collection for a college campus. The lamassu, the statue of King Tut, bully boy here…this is things that would seem more at home in the British Museum than the University of Chicago. Course I say impressive in the sense that they have all these artifacts. Archeology doesn't impress me in the least since I'm the clone of a time traveler."

Rose giggled.

"Yeah, I guess once you can go back and see a bull's head like this in its original glory, seeing it in a museum isn't as awe-inspiring."

"Nope. It's sad because I have memories of things like this in their natural setting and now here it is, collecting dust in a museum. Once a thing like this commanded respect and fear and now it's gawked at and photographed by people who don't have much of a clue of the history of it. Even the archeologists don't know the whole story, they can only guess at the big picture."

"Do humans ever get to time travel?" Awinita asked him.

"Um…yeah, but not for several centuries and then it's tightly controlled and regulated to prevent abuse and prevent people from messing up the timelines. Our friend Jack is a human from the Boeshane Peninsula in the fifty first century and he was a time agent but you had to be with the time agency to time travel, it wasn't for the general public."

"That's a bummer, but on the other hand, I understand about not letting just anyone do it," Awinita said as they headed back towards the front entrance. "So, besides that, are the Time Lords the only ones who could time travel?"

"No, there are others," Alan said. "Mind you, the Time Lords tried desperately to keep the secret of time travel to themselves, but in the end, they failed."

"Okay, so if a bunch of civilizations can time travel, that means those time agency regulations were useless since anyone can go back in time and mess things up," Awinita said.

"Which is precisely why the Doctor does what he does," he said. "He not only time travels to see the universe, he also defends it, sets things right and prevents maniacs from screwing up everything or ruling over everyone in the whole of creation."

"And that's what we're going to be doing when we get your TARDIS?"

Alan grinned.

"Yup, we're going to be this universe's defenders. I'm going to be following in my daddy's footsteps and making sure everyone is on their best behavior and everything is sweetness and light and songs and dancing and bunnies and kittens and…"

He snickered when Rose snorted.

"What? I can't make the universe all sweetness and light?" he said.

"If you're gonna make everything bunnies and kittens then be sure to let me have a front row seat," she replied.

"No way, you and Awinita will be right there with me making things all sunshiny-soft and sing-song-y great! I can't make the universe all smiles and rainbows by myself, you know!"

They walked outside and headed for the auditorium.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose made a donation to the music department and went inside. She gave them fifteen dollars, figuring five dollars apiece was sufficient. The three of them sat down in the plush red velvet seats about halfway between the back doors and the stage. The house lights were up and on the stage; chairs were arranged around the conductor's podium in a semicircle. The only instrument on stage was the huge kettle drum at the back. Alan handed Rose the little sack of popcorn they had purchased and she took a few pieces.

"Now," Alan said with mock sternness. "This is a sophisticated cultural event so you two will sit quietly and be on your best behavior."

They stared at him.

"Excuse me, Mister Hyper Blabby Blabber Butt?" Awinita said as Rose laughed hysterically. "You're telling us to sit still and behave? Did I just hear that fly out of your mile-a-minute motor mouth? Because I coulda sworn I just heard you calling me black, Mister Pot!"

Rose bent over laughing for a moment. She came back up for air and noticed Alan eyeing her. Tongue placed firmly between teeth, she stared right back at him. Alan stared at the tongue. Then he used his index finger, pushed it back in her mouth and pushed her jaw up, shutting her mouth.

"Put that back in there," he said to her. "It's undignified."

She opened her mouth and stuck her tongue back out as she gave him a pointed look. Awinita giggled when she put her head on his shoulder and stared at him with wide eyes, quietly daring him to do something about the tongue. She jerked her head away when Alan tried to bite the tip off. He grinned and whistled to himself while he grabbed the sack of popcorn out of her lap and put it down by his seat out of her reach. He gave her an innocent look.

"I'm sorry, was that popcorn meant for you as well? Too bad. As punishment for disobeying me and calling me blabby butt, I hereby confiscate this kernelled concoction in the name of me. Long live me!"

He picked the sack back up and casually flicked popcorn into his mouth while Rose and Awinita watched. She tried to make a grab for it and he held it out over the aisle.

"Apologize," he said, keeping the bag at arm's length.

"For what?"

"Insulting me. Apologize or you'll be denied every last morsel of this salty treat."

"I didn't call you blabby butt," Rose said.

"No, but you did stick your tongue out at me when I told you not to. You defied me so you get no popcorn. Now you and Awinita apologize and maybe you will get to eat this food along with me."

As he kept the sack out at arm's length, a couple of teenagers came down the aisle. They both stopped and stared at the sack and then they looked at Alan.

"Hi there. Would you like some popcorn?" he said, rattling the bag.

Laughing, they both took a couple of pieces of popcorn and moved on.

"Good job they didn't take it all," Rose said.

"Nah, I would have risen up outta the seat and opened up a can of Time Lord Human whoop-ass. Now back to the situation at hand. Apologies?"

Rose rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry I stuck my tongue out, Alan, please forgive me. I throw myself at your feet and beg your almighty greatness for compassionate mercy!" she said in a melodramatic voice.

Awinita snorted out laughter when Alan gave her a long, hard look.

"Well, you said you wanted an apology, you didn't say it had to be sincere," she said.

The tongue poked out between her teeth again as she gave him a defiant look.

"You're incorrigible, you know that?" Alan said.

"What's that, Mister Pot?" Rose said as Awinita laughed harder.

He smiled and put the sack back in his lap.

"Are you sorry?" he asked Rose.

"Yes, I'm very sorry," Rose said.

"Are you sorry, Awinita?"

She pretended to think that over.

"Kinda, sorta, but not really," she said, shrugging.

"Fine. Here Rose, have some popcorn," he said, handing her the sack.

His mouth dropped open when Rose immediately offered some to Awinita.

"You traitor!" he said.

Rose stuck her tongue out and Awinita laughed when Alan gave her a pointed look and did the same thing. The two of them froze and stared at one another with their tongues between their teeth. Awinita stared at them for a moment and then took the sack from Rose's lap.

"Keep it up, leaves more popcorn for me," she said, reaching into the bag.

They both giggled and kissed one another. Awinita passed the sack back to them and they shared it while the musicians trickled out on stage, sat down and prepared to play.


	97. Chapter 97

Chapter Ninety Seven

"Whew, another long, fun day," Awinita said as they entered their hotel room.

She yawned as the three of them sat down on their beds.

"Still no sign of Mary," Alan said, untying his shoes. "She must roam the roads a lot looking for rides."

He got up to go to the bathroom.

"Alan?" Rose said.

He turned.

"Hmmm?"

"I've wanted to ask you all day, what do you think caused the bars to burn and bend? Do you really think it was Mary?"

Alan folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall while he thought that over.

"I'm not sure," he said. "If no one saw it actually happening, it could be any number of things. People vandalizing the property for shits and giggles. Someone really did accidentally hit the fence; even aliens could have done it for some odd random reason. Just because there are women's fingerprints there doesn't necessarily mean a woman was the one who did that to the bars. A man could have done it and asked a woman to touch the bars so her fingerprints would be left there."

"Yeah, but if they're unable to fix the bars or paint over them…" Awinita said.

Alan shrugged.

"I'm not claiming to know with absolute certainty. God knows Rose and the Doctor and I have seen enough odd things in this universe and the other. Both of us have seen ghosts now with our own eyes although there's an explanation for that as well."

"And that is…" Rose said.

"Everything in the universe is made of energy, yes?" he said to her.

She nodded.

"Emotions can affect energy. The more intense the emotion, the higher the energy generated. A lot of hauntings occur after murders or other intense emotional events of that nature. Negative emotions like anger and rage and fear or intense states of ecstasy and pleasure and happiness can be left behind long after the person is gone. The psychic resonances can be absorbed into the surroundings and played back like a tape recorder or DVD player when the atmospheric conditions are right, which is why there is usually no set pattern for a haunting. I'm not saying all ghosts are fake or discount what you saw today or what I saw in that hotel room, I'm only saying that there might be times when it's not really a ghost, just an old recording of an event that plays on occasion. What the tour guide said about people hearing the moans and groans in Mudgett's house could be an example of that. People were tortured and murdered there and they were more than likely kept alive for a time in those bedrooms, alone and terrified. The energy of that was absorbed by walls of the house and it plays back and keeps repeating ad infinitum even though the original inhabitants might have gone over to the other side long ago. But it's just conjecture really, just a roundabout, long-winded way of telling you how gormless I am. I have no real clue what it was that bent the bars or if ghosts really exist or not but I don't wanna rule anything out in this universe and neither should you."

"Oh, trust me, after everything I've seen in four years, my mind is wide open and it's never gonna close!" Rose said.

"Mine flew open after that Jersey Devil thing and it'll probably never close again either."

"Well good, because a closed mind is a dangerous thing for anyone to have. Um... now is that all you wanted because I need to go to the loo before I burst."

She chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm done, go ahead and go."

"Brilliant. Be right back."

The two women looked at each other and grinned when he ran in and slammed the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose lay snuggled up against her lover's body in the darkened hotel room. Awinita had drifted off to sleep and they could hear her snoring softly. They had done their usual fondling and caressing and now they were almost ready to drift off along with her.

"I had a great day today," Rose whispered.

"So did I, but then again, every day's been great for me since we left London. So many wonderful things we've seen and done. It's been fantastic."

"Yeah and it'll be even more fantastic when we get the TARDIS working."

"That it will. But in the meantime, we better get some shuteye so we can go and see even more amazing stuff tomorrow. So, good night, my love."

"Good night, Alan," she whispered back.

They kissed each other and Rose sighed as she laid her head on the pillow beside Alan. He stroked her back while both of them closed their eyes and relaxed and in no time at all both of them were asleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(The year 50 trillion, somewhere in the Whirlpool Galaxy…)

The Valeyard chuckled to himself as he stood on the balcony just off his private quarters. Below him, the flat plains stretched for miles in every direction allowing him to see what was happening at a distance. He had been hiding here for awhile, far away from the prying eyes of his greatest nemesis, slowly drawing up plans to defeat him and conquer the universe. But as usual, he was not satisfied. He was still not physically complete, only a solid shadow self that longed to be real. In order to do that, he needed to change things, needed to go back and change the future so things would be turned to his advantage. He needed the Doctor to succumb and become him so that he would finally, truly exist. He had been constructing a machine for just that purpose with the help of a few loyal brainwashed slaves. One of those slaves was with him now. A young man in his twenties with shoulder length ginger hair, green eyes and a scar running down the right side of his cheek. He had been a runaway when he found him; although what he was running from he neither knew nor cared. Seeing the need for an assistant, he invited him to his compound and used his ability to charm people and get them to do what he wanted to seduce the young man and gain his trust. Then with the help of a special hypnotic frequency piped into his bedroom while he was asleep he was able to enslave his mind and hold him in his thrall. He turned and looked at him as they stood there in the moonlight.

"It is nearly time, Jenner," the Valeyard said to his slave. "The brainwashing machine is nearly complete and soon it shall be time to fetch the addlebrained tenth Time Lord and spirit him away from his miserable existence."

"But why him, master?" Jenner said. "Why not one of the others?"

"Because the tenth Doctor is the most sentimental and vulnerable out of all the incarnations. And because he is the one with the closest emotional connection to Rose Tyler."

He snorted and shook his head.

"His beloved Rose," he said with disdain. "How pathetic can you get? Out of all the things the Doctor could hope to attain in his existences, wealth, power, absolute rule over the universe and power of life and death over all in it, instead he desires the love of a human girl. A brain-dead ape who is completely enamored of the fool and he of her. Love, bah! Love has no use in this universe, no monetary value, no power. The Doctor was turned away from his true destiny just when he was about to embrace it and all because he decided to emulate those idiotic humans he loves and fall completely in love with one of them. That love must be extinguished if there is any hope of him becoming me once and for all. Therefore, she must die in order for him to truly live. Killing her will be the true test of his conversion. If he can destroy the thing he loves most in all the universe without hesitation or regret then I know that at long last he and I will be one and I will finally exact my rule over all of creation just as it was meant to be."

"What of the clone, master? The one you said he left her with. Will he die along with her?"

"Ah, yes, we cannot forget the halfling in all this. No, the clone can be turned as well once his human infirmity is fixed and then he will be set upon the parallel universe he now resides in. Once the brainwashing is complete they will use void crossers installed in their TARDISes to go from parallel to parallel, conquering all that exists and bending it to their will. Once both are turned and embrace their destinies, the universes will be thrown into a chaos the likes of which have never been seen and when the smoke clears, the Valeyards will be the masters of time and space."

"But when will you collect them, master?"

"Directly after the fool sends the Song woman to The Library. At that point in time, the time when he is traveling with her, he is fast approaching the breaking point; his mind has been stressed and strained with all the heartache and pain and torment he has undergone. Fighting the Time War and enduring the aftermath, losing his precious Rose, the deaths of close friends and innocent ones, finding his Rose and being forced to give her up and the forced wiping of Donna Noble's Time Lord mind, all of it slowly wearing him down and making him despair and hate life. Every day he sees more and more the futility of fighting the darkness and resisting his true self and now he must live with the knowledge that he will soon send another of his precious companions to her death. All of this makes his mind susceptible to my influence. All the emotions he feels now, love, hate, rage, despair, jealousy…all these and more will I use against him to mold him into the person he was meant to be. All I need is for my servants to fetch me a few more parts from planets scattered around the galaxy and then I can install the machine in my TARDIS and finally leave this miserable barren planet behind for good."

"But what if the Doctor and his clone fight the conversion?"

"Then I will destroy their minds and turn them into puppets that will do my bidding without question," he said. "But hopefully it will not come to that. It's so tiresome controlling others manually and making all their decisions for them. I have better things to do with my time than to play babysitter with them."

He chuckled at that.

"But, enough talk for now, I wish to rest. Leave me," he said.

"Yes, master," Jenner said, bowing.

The Valeyard put his hands behind his back as Jenner walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.

"Wherever you are, Doctor, enjoy your last moments of freedom for soon you will be mine and as for your clone, I hope he enjoys the time he has left with that backwards ape because soon, very soon, everything will change…forever."


	98. Chapter 98

Chapter Ninety Eight

(November 26th…)

It was the day before Thanksgiving and three adventures were heading towards San Antonio, Texas. The warmth was a welcome change after the chilly air up north. As Rose drove along the highway, they had the windows rolled down. Alan was sitting beside her and Awinita was behind them. The car radio was blaring and all of them were singing as loud as they could while they relaxed and enjoyed the bright sunny day. Whenever they stopped at a light, they kept right on singing earning them a few bemused looks from people in the other cars, but they were having too much fun to care.

Alan grinned when Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway came on the radio. Several days ago he had been in an impish mood and made up his own lyrics much to his friend's delight. Now all of them sang his lyrics whenever the song came on. They grinned at each other when they heard the intro to the song and began to sing loudly.

Livin' in a small jar,  
In a ship that went near and far.  
I would stare out my window.  
Dreamin' of what could be  
While I eyed Donna's booty,  
Day after day.

Trying hard to reach out,  
But when I tried to speak out,  
The dumb gits couldn't hear me.  
Wanted to be a real boy  
And make Rose my sex toy.  
Then a moment of bliss,  
Human biological metacrisiiiiiiiiis.

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly  
And blow those damn Daleks right out of the sky.  
And I'll…push a button,  
Flip a switch,  
Giggle and point  
As the Daleks burn away.  
Davros is helpless as I flip the switch.  
My God he's one ugly son of a bitch.  
I'll…push a button,  
Flip a switch,  
Giggle and point  
As the Daleks burn away.

They giggled hysterically and continued to sing at the top of their lungs as they swayed back and forth in their seats.

Wanna feel a warm breeze,  
See tons of palm trees.  
Feel the rush of the ocean.  
But I'm here in Bad Wolf Bay  
Stuck in bloody Norway.  
Freezin' my boo-tay!  
While the Doctor's gone awaaaaaaaaaaaay.

I'm stuck in this hellhole,  
Oh God, I'm bored.  
Nothing to do 'cept climb a fjord.  
And I'll…buy a comb.  
Have some sex.  
Snog and snog  
With Rose all daaaaaaay.  
Rose is gonna help me and teach me what's right,  
She is my beautiful, lovely Starlight. I got her.  
I have her now,  
She is mine,  
Get your own  
And go away!

Building with a hundred floors,  
Dumpin' bodies through trap doors.  
Man, that bastard was craaaaazy!  
But, gotta keep movin' on, movin' on,  
Laugh and play,  
Cross the USA!

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly.  
Though it's not easy to be a human guy.  
Gotta…be a human,  
Live on Earth,  
Have one heart,  
Till ten years pass awaaaay!  
I'm gonna marry the love of my life,  
Then I will get to call her my wife.  
I Gotta…grow the coral,  
Get a TARDIS,  
Get inside  
And breakaway, breakaway, breakawaaaaaaaaaay!

They applauded each other.

"We need to record our version of Breakaway on a CD for posterity," Alan said. "That way if we do have any kids we can pull it out at parties and embarrass them forever more."

"Somehow I don't think our kids would appreciate us doing that," Rose said.

"I would hate to see your kids after Hyper Boy gets done raisin' em," Awinita said. "They'd literally be bouncin' off the walls, not to mention you wouldn't get a word in edgewise with all the gabbin' and singin' and general craziness."

"It wouldn't be boring though," Alan said. "And we would be a close-knit family. Course you seem to be conveniently forgetting that you will be with us through all this. Can't have a family without a babysitter, you know."

"P'eh, no thanks, I don't wanna have a nervous breakdown before I'm fifty," she said as they laughed.

They reached San Antonio.

"Well, now all we gotta do is find a hotel, check in and get ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow," Rose said. "We gotta ask someone and find out if any restaurants will be open tomorrow."

"There should be, there were always a few restaurants open for people who didn't want to cook," Awinita said.

"Rose, can we stop off at a Wal-Mart or something? I need to get a few things," Alan said.

Rose nodded and kept her eyes out for one while she was driving along the interstate.

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She finally found one and got off the interstate. They pulled into the parking lot, parked and went inside. Rose grabbed a shopping trolley and headed over to the grocery section while Awinita went towards the DVDs. Alan looked where she was going and followed Rose.

"I'm glad Awinita is going off on her own because I had an ulterior motive for getting us in here," he said.

Rose frowned.

"And the motive is?"

He smiled.

"I want to get her a little gift for Thanksgiving. Something she can wake up to, a little surprise."

She smiled.

"That's nice of you to do that," she said.

"Yeah, 'cept what do I get her?"

She shrugged.

"Just get her a greeting card and put a bit of money in it," she said. "I'm sure she won't care what you get her as long as you thought of her."

"Well, I just feel sorry for her having all these memories of crappy holidays and I want to give her some happy memories for a change."

Rose smiled.

"Me too. I just hope she really doesn't mind us taking her home for Christmas. I mean, if she doesn't feel comfortable doing that, she shouldn't have to go."

"I know, I just think she should see her gran at least since she's so sick," Alan said. "Especially if she doesn't have that much longer to live."

"Well, that's up to her. If she doesn't want to go home then we can celebrate together somewhere," she said. "We're as much her family now as they are."

He smiled.

"Yup, Awinita is like a little sister to us now," he said.

She grinned.

"Don't ya mean big sister since you're only five months old?"

"Okay, big sister then. I…hullo…"

Rose noticed he had trailed off and was staring at a thanksgiving display near the grocery aisles. There were all kinds of thanksgiving items on the shelves. Everything from turkey and pumpkin candles to stuffed turkey and pilgrim boys and girls. She watched while Alan picked up a small stuffed turkey that was wearing a little black pilgrim hat. He brought it back over to Rose.

"How about this?" he said.

"I think she'll like that, do you want me to hide it in my stuff so she won't suspect?"

He nodded and put it in the trolley.

"Now, did you really need to get something else or was this the only reason you wanted to come in here?" Rose asked.

"Eh, I can always get a couple of bottles of Coke or something so it won't be a wasted trip for you guys."

He put his hand on her back and walked with her while she went down one of the grocery aisles.

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After getting a few snacks, Alan gave Rose enough money to pay for the turkey and she quickly walked up to the check-out while he went to find Awinita. She quickly paid for the purchases and breathed a sigh of relief when the turkey was put into one of the plastic shopping bags just before they joined her. She took the bags and walked with them out to the car.

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The next morning, Alan woke early and got out of bed. Rose opened her eyes and watched with a smile when he went over to the bag, got out the turkey and gently sat it on Awinita's chest so it would be the first thing she saw when she woke. He tiptoed back to bed and got back in. Rose wrapped his arms around him and they shared a brief kiss before they closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep.

"Okay, who's the wise guy?"

Alan's eyes snapped open. He turned onto his back and grinned when he saw Awinita was staring at the turkey with total confusion on her face.

"I'm the wise guy. That's why I wanted to stop at Wal-Mart last night. I got you a little something special for Thanksgiving."

"Alan, you didn't have to do that," she said.

"I know, but I wanted to. Just a neat little way to kick off your holiday."

She smiled and hugged the turkey to her chest.

"Thanks, Alan," she said.

"You're welcome, happy thanksgiving," he replied.

"And a happy Thursday to you," she replied.

"Nah, you can wish us a happy thanksgiving," he replied. "We have just as much to be thankful for as you do."

"Well, happy thanksgiving then."

"You too," they both said in unison.

She smiled and reached for the remote.

"Now, if you don't mind, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is on right now."

"Ooo, turn it on," Alan said. "I love a parade."

She turned on the TV and found the parade. All of them lay in bed watching it.

"What time does this end?" Rose asked after a half hour of watching it.

"Noon."

"Cool, then we'll go get thanksgiving dinner afterwards. I asked the woman at the front desk and she suggested a place called Ryan's," she said.

"Ryan's is good. It's a huge buffet style restaurant. You pay one price and you can choose whatever you want and have all you can eat."

Rose jerked her head around and giggled when she saw the ecstatic look on her fiancé's face.

"Okay, we'll go to the all-you-can-eat place then," she said, winking.

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"Blimey, there's a lot more people in here than I'd thought there'd be," Alan said as the three of them entered the enormous dining room. "I guess there are a lot of people who don't like to cook their own turkeys."

He looked over at the huge metal buffet carts filled with food. He got a whiff of the mingled smells and began to salivate. They found a table near the carts and put their things down on the seats before heading off to fill up some plates.

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Alan was in heaven. The turkey was savory and there was enough food to feed a small army. In addition to the turkey, he had some ham, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and a couple of dinner rolls that were dripping with melted butter. Rose and Awinita had the same thing except Awinita had also gotten some yams and Rose had a small salad.

"Yup, we need to celebrate thanksgiving more often," Alan said to Rose as he speared a bit of ham on his fork.

"You just love to eat," Rose teased.

"Yes, that too."

He took a sip of Coke and smiled at Awinita.

"Since this is thanksgiving, I want to say how thankful I am that I have you both in my life," he said. "I'm thankful that we were able to go on this worldwide trek of ours and that for the most part we've remained undamaged from our adventures. I'm thankful you had enough presence of mind to come over and talk to us in that McDonalds because otherwise we would have missed out on having you as a friend."

"Here, here," Awinita said, clinking glasses with him and drinking a swig of Coke.

He smiled at Rose.

"And I'm especially thankful for you, Starlight. You have been the best thing that has ever happened to me in my short life and I'm looking forward to many more years of wedded bliss with you!"

"I second that wholeheartedly," she said.

They clinked glasses, drank their Cokes and shared a kiss.

"I also want to say how thankful I am that you came into our lives," she said to Awinita "For the past couple of years my life has been nothing but complete chaos and heartache and this journey has been the greatest thing to happen to me in two years and quite possibly the best thing that's happened to me, full stop. I've seen and done so much these past few months and had so much fun and it was great having my two best friends at my side while I'm doing it. I can't wait to see what's in store for us next, on this journey and when we finally get our TARDIS."

Alan and Awinita nodded and all of them clinked glasses and drank.

"I want to say the same thing back to you and thank you for allowing me into your lives," Awinita said. "And allowing me to share in your secrets and hear about your amazing adventures. You guys have opened my eyes to all that's out there. And even though it sounds dangerous, I want so much to go in the TARDIS with you guys when it's ready. I want to see what's out there…plus, I really don't think it'll be the same being by myself in London while you guys are somewhere in time and space. And I'm thankful that you offered to let me come with you and think I'm worthy enough to share in the adventures to come. You guys are incredible. The best friends I have ever had and I hope to God I can be a part of your lives for a long time to come."

"Here, here," Alan said as all them clinked their glasses and drank.

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"Oh God," Alan said when he slid into the passenger side of the van. "I am stuffed like a turkey."

Rose giggled when he closed the door, let out a sigh and patted his bulging belly.

"You had three plates full," Rose said, climbing into the driver's side. "You oughta be ready to pop now even with that large stomach of yours."

"He's not the only one, my stomach is bulging too," Awinita said from the back seat. "I think we should just go back to our room and sleep it off."

"Sleep sounds heavenly at this moment," Alan said, yawning.

"It's the turkey. It's making you sleepy," Awinita said.

He shook his head and looked at her.

"No, that's a myth. The tryptophan in the turkey doesn't make you drowsy. It's just the fact that you have a nice, full belly, that's what's making you knackered."

Rose started up the van and backed out.

"We'll go back to the hotel for today since I'm pretty sure nothing will be open. But tomorrow we can go to Six Flags here in San Antonio. They have a Christmas village that starts tomorrow in addition to the rides," Rose said.

"Brilliant, wake me when we get to Father Christmas then," he said, yawning and slumping down in his seat.


	99. Chapter 99

Chapter Ninety Nine

The next day the three of them headed over to Six Flags. The radio was on and Carrie Underwood's Just a Dream was playing. Neither Alan nor Rose knew it but Awinita did and she was sitting behind them happily singing it.

Baby, why'd you leave me, why'd you have to go?  
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know.  
I can't even breathe.  
It's like I'm looking from a distance, standing in the background.  
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now,  
This can't be happening to me.  
This is just a dream.

Alan smiled while he listened. Just like Rose, Awinita had a beautiful singing voice. He was thrilled that he was around a couple of talented little songbirds. He enjoyed hearing both of them, especially since he knew it meant they were happy. The song was beautiful too. He hadn't heard anything by Carrie Underwood but he had to admit she had a beautiful voice.

_Although not as beautiful as my two girls,_ he thought.

They applauded when the song finished.

"Bravissimo!" Alan said. "Molto bene!"

"You oughta sing professionally," Rose said.

"So should you. You have a great singing voice too," Awinita replied.

"What about me?" Alan teased.

"Hmmm, I think you could sing professionally, "Awinita said. "I'm sure people would pay to see the human dog whistle break a few glasses."

She ducked and laughed when Alan tried to grab her.

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The three friends looked around at the decorated park. It was a warm Texas day and none of them needed their jackets. But the holiday decorations were a stark contrast to the warm, sunny day. It seemed surreal to Alan to see Christmas trees, nutcrackers and snowmen and no cold or snow to go with it. But, he was glad it was a warm day since it allowed them to enjoy the rides without constantly shivering while they waited in line.

The other thing Alan liked was the Christmas carolers who walked through the park in groups serenading everyone. They were dressed in Victorian clothes and Alan wondered how they made it through the day without sweating to death. A group of them were nearby and the three of them stopped and listened to O Come All Ye Faithful while Rose took a couple of pictures. They lingered there for a moment and the carolers moved on, prompting them to do the same. As they walked, Alan noticed unlit Christmas lights strung around some trees.

"Are we staying until after dark so we can see the Christmas lights?" he asked Rose.

"Yes, I noticed that too and I wanna see what it looks like with the Christmas lights on," she said.

They passed by a nutcracker standing on a huge purple circular dais that looked like a gift-wrapped package. Rose got a picture of it too.

"Guys, can you stand in front of this thing so I can get a picture of you?" she said.

They walked past her, stopped in front of the dais and turned. Alan put his arm around Awinita's shoulder while they smiled for her. Rose took a couple of pictures.

"Thanks, guys," she said.

They walked on. A couple of minutes later they passed by a Christmas gift shop. The three of them went inside. Christmas music was playing from a speaker mounted in the ceiling while several other people walked through the aisles looking at decorations and Christmas trees and figurines. They decided to start at the back and found a tiny dark room that housed several lighted ceramic Christmas villages.

"Mum had a friend back in the other universe that had something like this," she told Alan as she pointed to a Charles Dickens Christmas Village. She didn't have every single one of these buildings but she had Crachet's house and Scrooge's house and Fezziwig's house and she had all the ghosts and carolers and townspeople. She'd put cotton under the buildings for snow. I loved looking at it when I was growing up."

"Did you see this one, Rose? It has a working train."

They turned. Awinita was pointing to one on the other side of the room. The buildings were modern looking with a train track encircling them. A little black train with lighted windows went around the town.

"That's cute," Rose said as they walked over and looked at it. "I don't like the modern houses though. I'd rather have Victorian houses if I was gonna collect these things."

"Then you could find a tiny TARDIS and pretend it's parked in an alleyway beside the houses," Alan said.

She laughed.

"That would be cute too. And maybe have a tiny you standing outside it caroling? You know, since you love to sing so much."

"Then we could have tiny figures of us standing nearby and holding our ears in pain," Awinita said.

She ducked when Alan tried to grab at her again.

They walked out of the room and headed for the Christmas trees on the far right side. There were all artificial. Three of them were green trees and the other one was white. Rose looked at the white one. It had a metallic blue garland, white lights and blue Christmas ball ornaments. As she gazed at it, Alan came up behind her.

"You like white Christmas trees?" he asked.

"They're alright. I like them when they have the blue decorations and garland with the white lights," she said.

She stood and thought for a moment.

"I really should get something to send back home to mum and dad and Tony," she said. "Since I'm not gonna be there this year."

"I s'pose your mum is upset with me for not bringing you back for Christmas," he said, bitterly.

"Nah, she understands. She knows it would cost a fortune to go back to London and come back here again. She's not mad at you, Alan. This whole journey was as much my decision as it was yours. Quit thinking mum has it in for ya every second. You might be surprised to hear that she actually does like ya."

Alan blinked.

"She does?"

"Yes, when you're not being a pest to her. Trust me; you're an angel compared to how the ninth Doctor treated her."

"Heh, well, I can't argue with that."

Awinita walked up to them and showed them an ornament. It was Bugs Bunny dressed as Santa Claus.

"Would this be okay to ship home to your folks?" she said. "Tony would like this, wouldn't he?"

She smiled.

"Yeah, this is cute."

She checked the price.

"Yeah, I'll get him this and something else like a soft toy or something."

"I guess I'll have to get the pollywog something too," Alan said. "Course we also have the stuff from Disneyworld we could give him."

"Oh yeah, remind me to send that too. That way we can take it off our hands and lighten our load," Rose said.

She walked over to another tree that had cartoon character ornaments on it. She chuckled and pulled a Superman ornament off the tree.

"Here, I'll get you this for Christmas," she said.

"Why would I want Superman?"

"Superman came from a planet that was destroyed and he was the last living survivor who came to Earth and became its protector. You have a lot in common with him."

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Okay, I have to admit I really didn't make that connection until now. But I still don't fancy Superman. I like Batman or Spider-man more."

You mean Gerald Vervoidia the VI or Spider-man?" Rose said, giggling, as he swatted the back of her head.

She hung the ornament back up and looked at some more.

"Alan?"

"Huh?"

"What do you want for Christmas?"

"You beside me."

"Seriously."

"I am being serious. I want you beside me, that's it."

"You don't want a present?"

"Um…you've been paying for me to go places and do things for five months now. That's more than enough for me. Just focus on your family and Awinita. I'm going to be marrying you, I consider that my Christmas present."

"Would you get mad if I did get you something?"

"No, I can't very well stop you, I guess," he replied.

"I just…I want you to have at least one thing to open. I don't want you to be sitting there watching everyone open presents and be left out. That's something the Doctor would do. If he hadn't regenerated and been forced to stay at mum's flat, I'm pretty sure he would have avoided Christmas mornin' like the plague."

"Not necessarily, he did enjoy being with you. He and I are the same; we enjoy your company no matter where we're at. Now if you hadn't been there, it would have been a different story and trust me, you are the only one he ever did that for. He never went to any other companion's Christmas celebrations, not even Donna's family. So that should tell you something right there about how dear you are to him and to me."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek before they moved on. They walked over to Awinita who was looking at the soft toys. She smiled at them and held up a reindeer. She squeezed it and Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer played softly.

"That's cute," Rose said, taking it from her.

Alan grabbed a stuffed Santa and held it. He smiled at Rose and pressed it against her face, letting it give her an imaginary kiss. Rose giggled and took it from his hands.

"I think I might get this for Tony," she said, putting the reindeer back. "I think he might like Father Christmas better besides mum might not approve of him playing with something that talks about grandma getting run over."

"You know, if we're gonna do Christmas shopping, we'll have to pick a day when we can go to the mall and maybe split up so we can shop for each other," Awinita said.

"Good idea, maybe we could do that tomorrow. I'll have to go online anyway and see if there's anything else around here we could do."

"So all of us are going to be going our separate ways tomorrow?" Alan said.

"Yeah, I wanna get you something and I'm sure you wanna get me something. It won't work if you're at my side like usual," she said.

She smiled when Alan's face fell.

"It's just for half a day, my little Siamese twin," she said. "I promise we'll be alright during that time. If anyone tries anything, I'll knock their teeth out. And you'll be alright too. I have faith that you can navigate your way around an unfamiliar mall."

"That's not the point. I'll be alone. I need to look over and see you there because I'm a very needy clingy boy and I'm afraid if you go more than five feet away from my side I might start to shiver and shake and cry like a little lost boy."

He smiled and winked when Rose rolled her eyes.

"If we're gonna do that then," Rose said to them. "Do you wanna wait until tomorrow to go shopping so we don't have to carry a bunch of things around?"

They nodded. Rose put the stuffed Santa and the ornament back and they left the shop.

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They spent the day riding the rides and having a blast. Once it was night, they walked around and looked at the lights on the trees and the buildings.

"Beautiful," Alan said.

"Yes, it is and this is officially your first Christmas."

"I know, I'm so excited!"

Rose squeezed his hand.

"We'll have to get us a first Christmas together ornament," she said, "to mark the occasion."

He chuckled.

"I don't need an ornament to remember that or anything else about this trip. No matter what happens I'll remember this for the rest of my life and beyond," he said.

He looked at Rose.

"Does this park have fireworks?"

"Yeah, you wanna stay for them?"

"Course, I can't pass up a romantic fireworks show," he said, nuzzling her head.

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Rose yawned as she made her way back to the van with the others. They had finished watching the fireworks and she was completely exhausted. Alan had volunteered to drive, which was a relief since she didn't think she could keep her eyes open for very much longer. Alan unlocked his door and let everyone else in. Rose slid into the passenger seat and leaned her head back against the headrest as she shut the door.

"Tired?" Alan said.

"Very."

"Well, just relax and we'll be back to our room in no time," he said.

She smiled and closed her eyes while Awinita shut her door and lay down on the seat. Alan glanced around at her and with a smile, started up the ignition and backed the car out of the parking space.


	100. Chapter 100

Chapter One Hundred

The next morning they drove over to the Crossroads of San Antonio mall. Rose found a cash machine and withdrew a hundred dollars. She gave fifty to each of her friends.

"Just giving you guys a little extra so you don't run out," she said.

They thanked her and she smiled and nodded. After that, she headed on to the mall. They parked in front of the Super Target and walked up to the front door.

"Okay, since we all have watches now, I s'pose we can meet back here in a few hours?" Rose said. "It's 11:30 now so we check back at 2 and then we'll decide if we need more time, yeah?"

"Two and a half hours Roseless?"

Awinita giggled when she gave him a sympathetic look and patted his cheek.

"You'll survive, little Stitch," she said. "I promise I'll be alright without my bodyguard looking after me. So, there's no need to stand in the middle of the mall bleating like a little lost sheep."

"Baaaaaa!" he bleated.

She giggled and kissed his cheek before all of them went inside the store.

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The three of them separated as soon as they got in the door but Alan chose to stay within the Super Target and see if he could find anything for his girls and Rose's family. He briefly wondered if he should purchase anything for Awinita's family as a courtesy but he realized he had no clue what they would like. He decided to scrap that idea, figuring they would understand if he didn't give them a gift.

He stuck his hands in his pockets while he wandered around the store. He really had no idea what to get anyone, let alone Awinita's family. He had gotten to know Awinita pretty well in the four months she had been with them, but still, he wasn't sure what would be suitable for her. He really didn't want to get her another stuffed animal and he wasn't sure what DVD or CD she might like. He paused by a shelf that had ceramic figurines on it and studied them. He picked up a little angel figurine and smiled. It had long black hair like hers and was wearing a long purple robe with large white angel wings jutting from her back. Alan held it in his hands for a moment before deciding that she might like it. He checked the price, then laid it in the bottom of his shopping trolley and walked on. He looked left and right and grimaced.

"I wish I had inherited an ability to shop for people from the Doctor," he muttered. "Course I can't inherit something that's not there. Of all the people I had to spring from, I get the one who's total rubbish at shopping for others."

He walked into the electronics section and slowly walked through the CD aisle. He scanned the different CD's wondering if either one of his friends would like any of them. Then he suddenly had an idea. He found the soundtrack section and looked through until he found the Tarzan soundtrack. He smiled when he turned it over and saw You'll Be In My Heart was listed. He put it in the cart and looked for something else. He had another thought and went to another section. He found the Carrie Underwood CD and got it for Awinita.

"I hope she doesn't have it already," he muttered. "I think that'll do for her. Now I gotta find something else for Rose and something for Tony."

Figuring Tony was easier to shop for; he headed over to the toy section. He slowly walked down the aisles trying to find something suitable for him. He smiled when he remembered the nursery on Gallifrey and how the Doctor used to play with roentgen radiation blocks and play algebra games with the other children. So different from what human children did.

He turned down an aisle and saw toys for babies and toddlers. He slowed his pace further trying to decide what to get him. He saw a stuffed Elmo. It was wearing clothes that had buttons and zippers and shoelaces that taught children how to dress themselves. He chose that and put it in the trolley. He walked back out of the toy aisle and went to the house wares section. As he walked down the aisle, he saw some framed pictures in a rack. He paused by them wondering if he should get something for Jackie and Pete. He looked through the pictures and found one of a lighthouse on an island out in the middle of the ocean. He pulled it out and stared at it. He smiled briefly thinking of the time the Doctor and Rose landed at Ynys Du and fought Morton and the Cynrog. The lighthouse looked similar to the one by the Welsh fishing village. He held it in his hands for a moment and then finally decided to get it for Jackie. He laid it in the trolley and went on.

He looked for another twenty minutes but couldn't find anything else he liked so he decided to go out into the main part of the mall. He checked his watch, noted the time and headed up to the checkout lanes with the items.

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Alan strolled through the spacious mall, shopping bag in hand, looking around at the various stores. Now he was more clueless than ever. He wanted to get Rose something special, just as special as her engagement ring, but where to go and what to get? He was completely gormless. He noticed a bookstore a few stores up on his right and headed for that. He entered the store and paused when he noticed Rose was near the back. He grinned.

"Baaaaaaaa!" he cried out.

Rose jerked her head around and smiled.

"Well, there's my little lost lamb," she said, walking towards him.

She noticed the bag in his hand.

"And look, he's actually gotten something," she said. "You were able to shop on your own without my help. I'm impressed!"

She laughed when he gave her a proud look.

"So, how are things going for you? You decided to come in the book shop and have a look?"

"Yeah, I was…seeing if there were any more Harlequin Romances for Awinita."

He chuckled.

"Yeah, cause I'm sure she'll wanna read about more desert sheikhs falling in love with their female chauffeurs."

He set his bag down and rifled through it. He got out the angel and unwrapped the tissue paper that the cashier had put around it.

"For Awinita," he said.

"Oh my God, that's gorgeous. She'll love that!" Rose said.

"Yeah, I got her that Carrie Underwood's CD too. I hope she doesn't have it."

"I'm sure she'll love it," she said.

He wrapped up the angel and put it back. He pulled out the Elmo and showed it to her.

"Oh, I love that. Tony will definitely love this. He loves Sesame Street," she said.

He put it back and pulled out the picture.

"For your mum," he said.

Rose looked at it and smiled.

"That's sweet of you, Alan. I love it and so will she," she said.

"I was thinking of Ynys Du when I saw it. It looks like the lighthouse there."

"It does," she said, nodding.

She shook her head.

"God, it seems like a lifetime ago since that happened, Alan. Everything that's happened since then. It seems like a long ago dream."

She smiled.

"And I guess that would be an appropriate thing to say given what happened there."

Alan put the picture back in the bag.

"I would show you what I found for you but I have a feeling you wouldn't want to see it."

"No, I wanna be surprised," she said.

He noticed her empty hands.

"You haven't found anything?"

"I'm not sure what to get everyone. I didn't think of an angel figurine for Awinita but that's a good idea. I need to find something like that for mum."

"Well, I need something for Pete; I have no idea what to get him though."

"Um, you can get him some cologne. I can show you what to get," Rose said. "That's about all I can think of, he's even harder to shop for than mum is."

"Do you need help?"

She grinned.

"You wanna walk around with me again, don't ya?"

"Baaaaaaaa!"

She giggled and kissed his cheek.

"I have to admit I was kinda lonely without ya too. If you want, we can help each other and then when it's time for me to get you something, you can go get something to eat or find something else for me or whatever you wanna do."

"Really, you don't have to get me anything. I have you, that's worth a hundred Christmases," he said.

"Well, there is something I wanna get for us. If you want, we can get it now."

"What is it?"

"The first Christmas ornament I told you about last night. I want to have something we can put on our Christmas tree every year. But I would like for us to pick it out together, okay?"

"Fine with me," he said, shrugging.

She took his hand and led him back to the books.

"Actually, if you want to get Pete something, he likes thrillers and spy novels," she said. "That might be better than the cologne."

"Do you know what he has?"

"No, but I'm sure he'll appreciate whatever you get for him."

Alan looked around and noticed the thrillers on the other side of the room.

"Keep looking for Awinita, I'll be right back," he said, walking across the room.

He stopped in front of the bookshelves and his eyes scanned the rows, reading the titles. He chose a paperback that sounded interesting and walked back over to Rose who had chosen a couple of romances. Rose looked at the book he had chosen and nodded.

"I think he might like that," she said.

"Well then, I think I'm finished, except I wanna get one more thing for you," he said.

"Lucky you, wish I was finished."

She took his hand and they walked up to the front to pay for the books.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"How about this one?" Rose asked Alan.

They were in the Hallmark Store looking at the Christmas ornaments. There were several first Christmas ornaments. She held up a box. On the front was a picture of the ornament. It was a man and a woman sitting by a Christmas tree opening presents. On the base were the words, OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS. Alan smiled.

"That's nice, I like that," he said. "Only the couple should be shagging like mad if it's gonna represent us."

She swatted his arm when he waggled his eyebrows at her.

"But, that is pretty. If you wanna get it, that's fine."

"I think I will," she said.

She scanned the other ornaments and saw a teddy bear dressed as Santa Claus.

"I think I'll get this for Tony so he can have an ornament of his own," she said. "Then I'll get him a toy to go along with it."

"That's cute. What about your mum? Would she like an ornament?"

"Hmmm, maybe."

"Cause you know ornaments are just all-purpose gifts."

"Yeah, tell me about it," she said as he snickered. "Throw a few ornaments at them and you don't have to worry about putting much thought into their gifts."

She found a Christmas tree.

"This is nice. If you plug it into the Christmas lights the little lights on the tree light up, mum might like that," she said.

She sighed.

"Well, at least I can cross some people off my list now," she said. "I just need to get a few more things and then this headache will be over. Still, at least I don't have that many people to shop for. It isn't like I'm overflowing with friends and family in this universe."

"Well Starlight, I have even less than you do so don't feel bad."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"We have each other," she said.

"That we do."

He checked his watch.

"It's about time to check in. You wanna go ahead and go back and then come back here to finish up?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, let's go pay for these and head back," she said.

Alan put his hand on her back and the two of them walked up to the front of the store.


	101. Chapter 101

Chapter One Hundred One

Awinita was waiting just outside the front doors when they finally caught up with her. She was holding a medium sized plastic bag in her hand.

"Hey guys, have any luck?" she asked.

"A bit. Alan found some stuff and then when he helped me out when he found me again."

"Really? So, how long did it take for you to go back to her again?"

"About forty minutes."

"You went that long without Rose? I'm impressed. I figured it would only be two minutes before you started looking for her. Congratulations on being able to resist not being with Rose for so long," she teased.

"It was hard but I managed to restrain myself while I shopped," Alan replied. "But eventually the little sheep had to go in search of his shepherdess."

"Actually, he was going in the book shop and found me there," Rose said. "So, be fair, he wasn't intentionally looking for me, but as soon as he saw me, he immediately stuck himself back on my hip."

She laughed when Alan bumped her right hip and smiled.

"So, are you guys finished?"

"Not entirely," Rose said. "You?"

"I still have a couple of people to shop for," she said.

"Well, do you wanna give it another hour?" Rose asked.

She nodded.

"I still need to get a couple more things and Alan might want to as well. The sooner we can get this over with, the better."

Awinita nodded. They checked their watches and went back inside. Awinita took a trolley and went off to the left while she and Alan did the same and went to the right.

"I guess I can look in here," Rose said to him.

As they walked along an aisle, Rose heard Christmas music being piped in on the store sound system. She slowed and stopped. Alan stopped behind her and gave her an inquisitive look. She looked at him.

"Come with me, I just thought of something."

Alan followed her as she led him back to the CDs. She found a display of Christmas CDs near the back.

"That music gave me an idea. I think I'll get a Christmas CD so we can listen while we drive, help us to get into the mood."

"Good idea. Then I can spend my time making up raunchy lyrics to all the songs."

He snickered when Rose gave him a long, hard stare.

"What? You don't like my rendition of Breakaway?"

"No, I'm just wondering what your mind will come up with next," she said.

"I'm just thinking that it would be fun to personalize the Christmas carols and make them fit our lives. You know, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to fry the Daleks all damn day! See?"

She laughed.

"Just as long as you keep the Christmas carols between the three of us. Don't go scarin' Awinita's family," she said.

"Scare? Why would I scare them? I'm as harmless as a kitten."

She giggled when Alan gave her a maniacal look.

"Yes," he said in a deep, sinister voice. "Perfectly harmless. Heh, heh, heh."

"Just help me find a CD, ya nut," she said.

He picked up one of the CDs, turned it over and studied the songs listed.

"Any particular song you want?" he said.

"Just the classics," she replied.

"Like deck the halls with Rose Tyler's knickers?" he muttered under his breath.

"I heard that," she said.

"Damn, I was hoping you wouldn't, I was gonna get really raunchy with that one."

"I would say you're going the right way for a smack bottom but that would make you even randier so I'll keep my mouth shut before I find my kit thrown all over Super Target," she said as he snickered.

He put the CD he was holding back in the rack and picked up another one.

"So with regards to your family's Christmas gifts, how are we gonna get it to them? Are you waiting until we get back to give it to them?" he asked.

"No, I was gonna pack it up in a box and ship it back to them."

He nodded.

"Well then I have a thought," he said.

"Yeah?"

"If you're gonna do that, maybe we can send home some of the stuff we've collected so we can keep our load light."

"That's a good idea. I'll just write a note to mum and tell her what's ours and what's theirs. We need to do that now and just before we leave the US since we won't have the car anymore."

She picked out two CDs and she and Alan walked away.

"That way we won't have to give up any of our souvenirs and mementos," she added as they walked down an aisle. "We really should send back our summer clothes too so we can get another winter outfit. Although…if we're gonna be going through the desert eventually…we might need them. Maybe we oughta leave off doing that until we're ready to leave the US, just in case."

"It's up to you, whatever you think's best," he said.

They walked back down the toy aisle. Rose stopped when she noticed a stuffed Bob the Builder.

"I'll get this for him. He looooves Bob the Builder," she said, putting it in the trolley.

She paused a moment and thought.

"Okay," she mused. "Got Tony, Awinita, something for mum, just leaves you and dad, hmmm…"

She turned the trolley around. Alan followed her as she left the toy section.

"I s'pose I'll be the one to get dad the cologne," she said as they walked. "I don't know what else to get him. He's got a lot of money and he can get anything he wants."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he won't want something from you."

"I know, but it's just that…"

She stopped and Alan did the same.

"He's a nice guy, Alan, but I think there's still that little bit of him that still doesn't accept me. I mean we both were thrown together and even though it's been two years I still think he sees me as the child of a dead man. He has a lot more affection for mum and Tony than he does me so you know, I just don't know him all that well."

"That's why the Doctor was cautioning you the first time you came here. He foresaw that Pete might do that."

"Yeah and now I see that. But, you know, at the time I was just so happy because my dad was alive and I figured that if he gave me a chance he might grow to love me and I think he does care, but it's not the same as a father loving his daughter. Truth be told, the Doctor was more of a father figure to me than he is."

They started walking again.

"These past two years have just been total chaos," she said. "Not just for me, for everyone. Me, mum, dad, the Doctor, seems like all of us have had our lives turned upside down and inside out. And now you've come into the middle of all of it. I think it was good that we went on this trip because I'm not sure if dad's gonna accept ya either. He was kinda leery of the Doctor because he wasn't entirely truthful with him the first time he met him. He always thought he was a bit daft which I s'pose he is but I don't think he liked that this weird man and this girl that claimed to be his daughter invaded his neat and orderly world. He's never said but I think he blames the Doctor for his Jackie's death, thinking perhaps he could have done something to save her. I could tell he was relieved when the void closed and left the Doctor on the other side away from him. But now you're here and I'm sure he thinks the chaos will start up again. So, I'm just warnin' ya, Alan. He will be civil to ya but I don't think you'll ever be true friends."

He shrugged.

"If he doesn't, he doesn't. There's nothing I can do about it. I can't force him to like me. I'll be civil but that's all I can do from my end. I hate that he doesn't accept you fully but I guess I can see why he won't. He must love you though. He's paying for you to do this and he's gonna pay for the wedding when we get back. Like you said, Starlight, it's been hell on everyone. Now maybe things will calm down at last and he'll grow closer to you now that there isn't all this other stuff swirling around our heads. If he doesn't, you have me and Awinita and your mum and little brother. We'll more than make up for him."

She patted his cheek and smiled. They turned down an aisle and Rose looked at the men's colognes. She picked up a gift box that had cologne, aftershave and soap on a rope in it. She handed the box to him.

"You ever hear of this brand of cologne?" she asked him.

"Taurus?" he said, frowning. "No, I've never heard of this."

"Neither have I. I used to buy cologne for Mickey for Christmas and his birthday and I've never seen this brand in the shops in the other universe. I think this is one of those alternate universe things. Dad loves this stuff though which is why I wanted to show it to you when I thought you were gonna get him cologne. I knew you wouldn't know what to look for."

She took it from him and put it in the trolley.

"Are there a lot of things that are different from the other universe?" Alan asked. "Besides this and the zeppelins and President Schwarzenegger."

"Um, there are some differences. I've noticed there are some actors and singers that I've never heard of and there are some buildings that are new to me and some familiar buildings have different addresses from their counterparts in the other London. That's what I've noticed. I've been so busy working at Torchwood that I haven't really had time to take a close look around and count all the differences. Same with most of the other universes the dimension cannon shot me in to. The biggest difference was that totalitarian government I told you about. It was horrifying. It was kinda like what you described when the Master took over the Earth. I feel sorry for the people that were living there."

They turned down another aisle and Rose saw some calendars. She stopped and took a look at them.

"I guess I could get mum a calendar too," she said, shrugging.

Her eyes scanned the different choices. She picked a puppy and kitten one and put it in the cart.

"Dunno what else to get," she said to him. "Dad gets her anything she wants. Now she's just as hard to shop for as he is. It isn't like we can go to an alien bazaar and get her another bezoolium. I guess this'll have to do."

"I think she'll understand if you don't get her a ton of stuff," Alan said. "After all, you're out on the road. She'll like anything you get her, Rose, because she loves you."

She nodded and checked her watch.

"It's almost time to meet Awinita again so let's get this paid for and go back to the entrance."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh, I'm so glad we did that," Awinita said as she settled down on her bed in their hotel room. "Got that out of the way."

"Did you find something for everyone?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, I did. What about you?"

"I found something for everyone except Alan," she said.

"I found something for everyone and Rose," he said smugly

Rose raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah, rub it in why don'tcha," she said.

She looked at Awinita.

"We were talking earlier and I'm gonna send a big box filled with the gifts off to London and we're gonna put in any extra stuff we don't need like the souvenirs," she said. "That way we can lighten our load."

"That's a good idea, maybe I should do the same," Awinita said.

Alan frowned.

"You can't wait until we go back to your house?" he asked.

She sighed.

"I don't know if I wanna go," she said. "I mean I appreciate you guys paying to take me home but…I'd rather be with you guys than I would my family. Seriously, I dread going home to see them. If I did, I would stay by you guys the whole time because I know there would eventually be drunken fights."

"Well, if you don't wanna go home, that's fine. We don't want you to feel uncomfortable," Rose said as Alan nodded in agreement.

"If it's all the same to you I'd rather just do what you're doing and send a box home. It's not just my drunken relatives and the fights; it's having to explain to my mom why I lost my job and why I'm going around the country with you two instead of looking for another."

"You're gonna find one as soon as you get back to London," Alan said. "This is just a holiday for you, same as it is for us."

"Yes, but my mom doesn't believe in that. She thinks that a person should spend their entire life just working non-stop same as my grandmother. It's what she did until she made herself too sick to work, but even now she tries to keep busy because she can't stand to be idle for long. She's a workaholic and she won't accept me going off and having fun, at least not for months on end. I went to New York to look for work, but also because I wanted to get out from under her thumb so I could do what I want without her being nosy. You guys are the first people I've met who didn't put work above absolutely everything else and I love that about you. You guys will live a hell of a lot longer than my family will because you know that every once in awhile you have to stop working and have fun. And it's not just me, guys; she'll be on you too, getting in your business and asking you why you don't have jobs. I mean, seriously, it'll be uncomfortable for all of us. And the other thing is I don't want you guys to double back. We've already been through North Carolina and we've come this far. We should just keep going so we can get through the US and go on."

Rose and Alan glanced at each other.

"It's your choice, Awinita," she said. "Whatever you wanna do, we'll do it."

"Then I just wanna go on," she said. "I can have a lot more fun with just you two than I will with a whole room full of people."

She nodded.

"Okay then, we'll get some boxes and pack up our stuff. We can send ours back to London and you can send yours home. And we were thinking we'd do it again just before we left the US so we'll be sure to start again in another country with just our rucksacks."

Awinita nodded.

"We can go to a UPS store and get the boxes and then send them there," she said.

"Let's go ahead and find one then today, then we can go ahead and go eat. Just gather up what we don't need so we can take it with us," Rose said.


	102. Chapter 102

Chapter One Hundred Two

December 18th

_Making another entry in my journal while we're resting in our hotel. It's a week till Christmas and we are currently in Omaha, Nebraska. We are in a warm room which is good because it's colder than hell outside. At the moment it's only 3 degrees Celsius and I am so missing the warm Texas weather we had a few weeks back. We're staying very briefly in this state because the weather report is predicting an enormous snowstorm in a few days and one thing I don't want to do is drive through a bloody blizzard. _

_Despite that we managed to see a few attractions. We went to the Kool-Aid museum. It had tons of Kool-Aid memorabilia and the first suit that the Kool-Aid wore but they didn't have any free samples which upset Alan since he had his heart set on having some when he got to the end of the museum and he complained to both of us for twenty minutes straight afterwards. We also saw this gravestone in Nebraska City that was in the shape of a desk with open books on top that listed the names and dates of the dead people. It was odd looking but kinda ingenious too (Alan's words). We also saw the World's Largest Time Capsule that some nutter made in 1975 because he was scared that no one would remember he was here after he died. So he buried 5000 different items from the '70's including a couple of cheap rusted cars. Anyway, the pyramid shaped capsule is supposed to be opened in 50 years in 2025. Alan told me that once we get the TARDIS we would be going to the opening ceremony. I told him no thanks._

_We also asked the hotel staff if they knew anything else of interest and found out that there is a haunted site a couple of miles from our hotel room. Apparently there's a section of railway track that is haunted by some guy who was murdered and decapitated in the 1800's while he worked as an engineer. Supposedly he searches for his head every night and you can see the light of his lantern while he looks for it. They assured us that if you go to the tracks and wait long enough you'll be sure to see it. Poor Awinita is still waiting to see a ghost sighting so we decided to go and check it out. Alan is curious anyway. He wants to see for himself what this light is and if it's a real ghost or not. My Alan, always the skeptic. Anyway the light show supposedly starts right after the sun goes down so at the moment we are just relaxing and trying to stay warm until it's time to go._

"Ah, man!"

Rose looked over at Alan. He and Awinita were lying in their beds watching a football game on TV. Rose closed her journal and put it back in her rucksack.

"What's wrong?"

"Bastard fumbled the ball, that's what's wrong!" Alan said. "Only fifteen yards from scoring a touchdown too."

Rose smiled. Awinita had been teaching Alan the rules of American football and the two of them tried to watch games whenever they could. They were currently watching a game on ESPN. Once Alan was able to follow what was going on, he had tried to teach Rose the rules but Rose wasn't interested in it like he was and after two attempts to explain it without success, he gave up.

"Who's playin'?" Rose asked, lying down beside him.

"Nebraska Cornhuskers and Iowa Hawkeyes," Alan said.

"Cornhuskers? That's the name of the team here?"

"Yeah, not very intimidating, eh? Their mascot is this big, burly cowboy guy. Don't ask me what a cowboy has to do with cornhusking though. I guess that's more menacing than a big ear of sweet corn walking around the pitch."

"What's the other team's mascot look like?"

"A Hawk."

"Makes sense. So, who are you for?"

"Whoever wins," he said, shrugging. "I just watch these games for the sheer fun of it. I'm not a team supporter like Awinita is."

"Go Panthers!" she said, raising her fist in the air. "North Carolina rules!"

"So are we still going tonight on this little ghost hunt?" Rose said.

"If you want to," Alan said.

"Well, if we go, it better be tonight because that blizzard is gonna hit here in a day or two."

"Don't worry about it. I drove us through a hurricane, I can drive us through a snowstorm and…YES! TOUCHDOWN!" he said when a Cornhusker player crossed the goal line. "Anyway as I was saying, don't worry about the blizzard. We'll get through it alright."

He smiled at her.

"So, what time are we leaving to go see this spectral light?"

"Probably about six o'clock. We'll take one of our sleeping bags and sit out there and pray a train doesn't come along and kill us all."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They reached the train tracks around 6:30 p.m. The sun had set and the moon was slowly rising in the sky. Rose carried her sleeping bag while Alan used a torch to light the way. To their surprise, they found several other groups were already sitting on the track and around it on an incline that sloped away on either side of the tracks.

"I guess this is normally something bored people do in Omaha," Alan noted.

They walked a few feet up the track and spread the blanket down between the rails directly over the wooden ties and gravel. They sat down making sure they were sitting on the ties and not on the gravel. A few feet ahead of them two teenage men and a woman sat on an old, faded blanket, eating some potato chips and drinking Mountain Dew while they talked quietly amongst themselves.

"Blast, we forgot to bring a picnic lunch while we sat here and ogled the headless dead guy," Alan said. "There's nothing like sipping wine and eating cheese while you watch some poor bugger locate his missing head," Alan said.

Rose huddled closer to her fiancé when she began to feel the chill of the night air. Alan wrapped his arms around her and held her close. They sat there as the moonlight shone down on them waiting for the ghost to appear. The only sound was the scattered chitchat of the men and women around them. After five minutes of watching the railway tracks, Alan cast a bored glance at his surroundings. The track was surrounded on both sides by a dense forest but there was no activity that he could detect. Everything was serene and Alan found himself actually enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. He turned his attention back to the tracks.

"Is ghosty gonna appear or is this gonna be another Resurrection Mary?" he muttered to Rose.

"How long do you guys wanna wait?" Rose asked.

"Not too much longer, it's colder n' snot out here," Awinita said.

"Yeah, unfortunately I don't have the Doctor's ability to withstand temperature extremes. I'm getting cold too and I don't wanna wait all night."

Rose pushed a button on her watch illuminating the time.

"We'll wait another twenty minutes and after that we'll go out to eat or something. I…"

"Rose," Awinita hissed.

Rose glanced at her. She was pointing straight ahead and Rose looked in the direction she was pointing. Her eyes widened when she saw a bluish white light hovering over the tracks about 30 feet away from them. Everyone fell silent, watching while it bobbed through the air.

"No way," Awinita said.

They watched while the light danced over the tracks, going to one side and then the other. Then suddenly it dipped down into a patch of grass by the right side of the rails and disappeared. As soon as it vanished from sight, the excited whispers of the people around them started up. Rose glanced at Alan and saw the perplexed look on his face. He looked at her.

"There has to be a logical explanation," he said.

"Really? Let's hear it then," she replied.

"Working on it, I'll get back to ya."

She heard some gasps and everybody fell silent. She turned her head back around and noticed the light was back. She glanced at Alan and noticed he was staring intently at it with the same expression the Doctor had whenever he was trying to solve a difficult puzzle.

"Couldn't be swamp gas," she heard him mutter. "We're not anywhere near a swamp. Reflections from headlights of passing cars?"

Rose watched as the light dipped down towards the wooden ties and then rose back up.

"Gee, Alan, I've never seen headlights do that before," she said. "I don't think that's the answer."

He shook his head.

"Gotta be something besides a headless ghost," he muttered.

She saw his eyes widen and looked back towards the light. She noticed a young teenager with a lean body and close cropped brown hair had stood up and was slowly walking towards the supposed ghost. Everyone watched quietly while he inched towards the dancing ball of light. He was almost beside it when suddenly the light dipped back down in the grass and disappeared. The teen cursed as his friends let out disappointed groans.

"I was this close," he said to them.

"Well, what were you gonna do if you caught it?" a teenage girl asked him.

"Who said I wanted to catch it? I just wanna get a closer look at it. I…"

His friends pointed behind him. He turned and saw the light rising up from the grass.

"Hey!" he yelled, waving his arms around. "Hey! Say something!"

The light darted past him to the other side of the tracks as his friends snickered at him. He began to follow the light around.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! Are you the guy who lost his head?" he said to the light.

"How's the guy gonna answer him with no head?" Awinita muttered to her friends.

They giggled.

The light continued to dart through the air, seeming to take no notice of him. The teen held his hand out and waved it back and forth under the light when it stopped moving for a moment.

"Did you feel his guts?" a man yelled.

"No!" he said as everyone laughed.

They watched as the light floated down the short incline and into the woods. The teen looked at everyone before he slowly walked down the incline and went into the forest. Everyone stared at the spot he had entered listening for him.

"Fiver says the dumb git trips on a fallen log and breaks his leg in two places," Alan muttered to Rose.

"Ten dollars says he's in there planning to jump out and scare us all," Awinita said.

"I wouldn't doubt it," Alan replied.

Just then the light reappeared over the tracks.

"Well, there's his friend," Alan said. "But no sign of him."

"Maybe the ghost ate him," Rose said, shrugging.

"HEY DUMBASS! THE GHOST IS UP HERE NOW!" someone yelled.

The man emerged from the trees and walked back up the incline.

"Gee, you musta just missed him," one of his friends said. "He doubled back and came out here."

The teen flipped him off and went to sit back down. Everyone sat and watched the light as it bobbed up and down. Alan leaned down in Rose's ear.

"Had enough?"

She looked at him.

"Why? You figure out what it was?"

"No, I'm sitting here freezing though. I would like to go back to the hotel room now."

"Yeah, me too," Awinita said. "I'm chilled to the bone and the wood I'm sitting on is hurting my ass."

She nodded.

"Okay, we'll go back to the room then and call it a night. But I want a full report in the morning of what you think you saw," she said to Alan.

"I will get my brilliant brain right on it," he replied.

She smiled and all three of them slowly got up from the ground. They shook the blanket getting all the dust and rocks off of it and then wadding it up; they carried it back to the van.


	103. Chapter 103

Chapter One Hundred Three

They rose early the next morning hoping to beat the blizzard. They quickly dressed and checked out trying to get a head start but when they got outside they gasped when freezing rain poured down on them.

"I'll drive," Alan said.

Gingerly, they walked over to the car avoiding the patches of ice that were forming around the wheels. They opened the doors and got inside.

"Please be careful, Alan," Rose said. "The roads are slick."

"No worries, Starlight. I'm not gonna get in an accident, just relax," he said, pulling out of the parking space.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan kept his eyes squarely on the road as he slowly drove along the highway. They had crossed the border into Iowa and he was heading north on I-80 towards Des Moines. They had planned to go up to Minnesota and then over to North Dakota, down to South Dakota and then back up into Montana to compensate for the uneven spacing of the states. He cursed softly. Even though they were out of Nebraska the freezing rain still fell making the roads treacherous. He tried to keep a safe distance away from the other cars but they were going just as slow as he was and more often than not he found himself tailgating the car in front of them.

No one spoke while they drove. Both Awinita and Rose read books so Alan could concentrate fully on the road. Occasionally Rose would glance up to see where they were but she quickly went back to reading. Eventually she got bored with that, grabbed her sleeping bag and tilted her seat back so she could go to sleep. Alan smiled, knowing that she felt safe enough to sleep and it filled him with pride knowing they trusted him so much.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After about a half hour, the freezing rain still hadn't let up and the road was like ice. Alan's speed slowed to a crawl and now Awinita had stopped reading and was nervously watching the traffic in front of them.

"This is getting worse. We may have to find somewhere to park," Alan said, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. "I'm barely moving now because I'm terrified of sliding off the road. I'm gonna take the next turn off and find a restaurant or something. Then I'll wake Rose up and see what she wants to do but for the moment I'm just wanting to get us off the…"

He trailed off and his eyes widened in horror when he saw an Accord in front of them begin to lose control and slide all over the road. He hit the brakes and both of them gasped when the Accord slammed into the ditch with such force the back end flew up and slammed back down. Alan quickly guided the car up beside them and they both jumped out to see if the driver was alright. Both of them fought to keep from falling to the ground as they made their way to the ditch and slowly went down the incline. Alan's heart stopped when he noticed the woman driver's head was resting on the steering wheel and there was no movement from her. He tried the door and cursed when he found it locked. He knocked on the window trying to rouse her but there was no response.

"Blast, I wish I had a screwdriver," he muttered.

He looked at Awinita.

"Wake Rose and have her use her mobile to call for help," he said. "And be careful going back."

She nodded and carefully went back up the slope towards the car. Alan tried the back door and sighed angrily when he couldn't open it either. He slowly made his way up and around the car, noticing as he did that Rose was now awake and on her mobile while Awinita went back to help Alan. He tried the other doors and couldn't get them open either.

"Damn it!" he said.

"Is she alright?" Awinita said, slowly coming down the hill.

"I don't know, she's unconscious but I don't think we have any way to get to her. The doors are all locked and there's no way we can pick it. Damn it, what I wouldn't give to have a sonic screwdriver right now. At least Rose is…"

They jerked their heads around when they heard Rose cry out and saw her slip and fall on her right hip on the asphalt.

"Rose!" Alan said, going past Awinita. "Are you alright?"

She grimaced and slowly sat up. Alan carefully stepped over to her.

"That was a dumb move," she groaned.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded.

"I think so, my hip just hurts."

Alan grabbed onto her and helped her to stand. They gasped when she slid again but she managed to hold onto Alan and keep her footing. She pushed strands of wet hair away from her face as Alan helped her down the slope into the ditch.

"The ambulance is on the way," she said. "Is she alright?"

"I don't know, she's unconscious," Alan said. "And the doors are all locked."

"Are you okay, Rose?" Awinita asked.

"Yeah, I fell hard on my hip and it aches, but I'll live," she said.

She stared through the rain soaked window at the woman. She pounded on the window and smiled when she noticed she was beginning to stir.

"Thank God," Alan said, looking in the window.

They continued to knock on the window while the woman came to. She raised her head up and they saw a thin trickle of blood coming down the right side of her face. She turned her head when she heard the knocking and stared at them, dazed.

"Can you unlock the door?" Alan said to her. "We're here to help!"

The woman gripped the steering wheel with one hand while she slowly leaned over and unlocked the passenger side door. Alan opened the door and leaned inside.

"My name is Alan," he said. "Are you alright?"

"Head hurts," the woman mumbled.

He nodded.

"The ambulance is on its way. Can you move everything else?"

She tested her limbs and nodded.

"Good, well we'll stay here with you until help comes."

"Thanks. My name is Bridget, by the way."

He smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Bridget. This is Rose and Awinita. We were behind you when your car went into the ditch."

"Well, thanks for stopping. Not everyone would," she said.

She stared at the rain dripping down their faces.

"You guys better get out of the rain," she said.

"S'alright, we're more concerned about you right now," Alan said.

She smiled at that.

"Thanks, but I think I'll be alright. I just have a headache right now," she said. "I guess I went a bit too fast but my husband's expecting me and I wanted to get home to him and get out of this weather."

Alan glanced out the back window when he saw the ambulance pull up.

"Well, you're safe now and the ambulance is here so hopefully they can get you mended and home to him in no time."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After talking to the police and paramedics, the three of them slowly made their way back to the van and sat there watching while Bridget was helped onto a stretcher and loaded into the back of the ambulance. By this time there were police cars, the ambulance and a tow truck clustered around the wrecked car leaving only a thin opening for them to drive around. Rose looked at Alan.

"We better find a hotel before we end up like Bridget," she said.

"Well, I wanna do that anyway so you can rest your hip. Is it still hurting?"

"A little, but I'll be okay. I'll be more careful in future," she said.

"Guys, I've been thinking. Why don't we head back down south instead of going towards Minnesota. I have a feeling it's gonna get worse now that winter's started."

Rose nodded.

"I was thinking the same thing. I hate this. I'm scared being out on the road like this and I'd rather go where it's warmer so we don't have to worry about driving through snow."

"So, head down to Arizona and New Mexico then?" Alan asked.

"Yeah, go through the southwest and give the north a miss," Rose said. "We've been through almost the entire US; we can afford to skip a few states."

He nodded.

"Then could you get the atlas out, Awinita so we'll have it handy when we get to the hotel?"

"Yup."

He looked over when a policeman walked up to their car and he rolled down the window.

"You can go now, we don't need anything further from you," he said to Alan.

"Will she be alright?"

He nodded.

"She's got a concussion and she's a bit dazed but she'll be fine."

"Good."

"You be careful," the policeman said. "We don't wanna have to come and pull you out of a ditch further up the road."

"Trust me, we're finding somewhere to spend the night."

"Good. Then drive carefully. There's some hotels further up the road about fifteen miles."

Thanks. You guys drive carefully too."

He smiled and walked back towards his squad car. Alan rolled up the window and started the car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan sighed when they opened the door to their room and walked inside. He rubbed Rose's back.

"Just rest and I'll warm up some food for you," he said.

"Thanks."

"I'm going to take a shower and try to warm up while you're doing that," Awinita said.

They nodded and she took her rucksack into the bathroom. Alan grabbed a fish dinner they had gotten from Long John Silvers just before they came to the hotel and put it in the microwave so it would warm back up.

"I'll check the atlas and see what route I have to take to get to New Mexico," he said. "Just rest in the meantime and watch the telly or something."

He pulled the food out, grabbed one of the forks and handed the meal to her.

"Thanks, Alan," she said, taking it.

"Do you need anything else?"

"Do you have any paracetamol left?"

"Yeah, in my rucksack, I'll get it for you."

"Thanks."

She reached into a plastic bag, pulled out a bottle of Coke and opened it while Alan rummaged in his rucksack for the pain medicine. He shook two of the pills out onto his hand and gave it to her. She thanked him again and he put the bottle back. Grabbing the atlas, he walked over to the table while Rose ate her meal and checked the Weather Channel. He studied the US map tracing out a route to Albuquerque with his finger.

"Hon?" he said, looking up.

"Yeah?"

"Are you wanting to give the entire north a miss now?" he said.

"I'm not sure. I'd really just like to go to California and move on to Japan. We've seen two thirds of the country."

"So, go to New Mexico and over to Arizona and up to California?"

"Yeah and then that's it for the US."

"How far do we go in California? Up to LA?"

"How far up is it?"

"About a quarter of the way. If you want to go about halfway, there's San Francisco."

Rose stood up and slowly walked over to Alan. She looked at the atlas with him.

"See, LA is here," he said, pointing, "and San Francisco is here."

"I definitely wanna see LA," she said. "Maybe we can see San Francisco as well. They have cable cars there, yeah? After that, we'll fly over to Japan."

Alan nodded.

"Sounds good to me."

Rose frowned.

"You're not eating?"

"I will in a tic, I just wanted to check the map and figure out what roads I need to get on to get to New Mexico."

He smiled at her.

"Well, we made it almost across the entire US, that's quite an accomplishment," he said.

"Yes, it is! And now we have the rest of the world to see."

"And there's no one I'd rather see it with than you and Awinita."

She smiled and embraced him from behind. They heard the shower shut off.

"You wanna take a shower before you eat since she's done?"

He nodded.

She gave him a kiss on the cheek and ruffled his hair before she walked back to the bed and finished her meal.


	104. Chapter 104

Chapter One Hundred Four

After they informed Awinita of their decision, they all settled down on their beds to watch TV.

"So where are you heading to in New Mexico?" Awinita asked.

"Albuquerque," Alan said.

"What? You're not going to Roswell so you can see your alien cousins?"

Rose laughed when Alan eyed her.

"Come on, Alan, we could go to Area 51 and do a big alien rescue," she teased.

"Area 51's in Nevada," Alan replied.

"We're not going to Nevada?" Awinita said.

Alan frowned and looked at Rose.

"Do you wanna go to Nevada?" he asked.

"No, I don't wanna go rescue aliens from Area 51."

"I didn't mean that. We could go see Las Vegas," he said.

She considered that.

"We could go up from Arizona to Las Vegas and then back down to LA," he said when she didn't say anything.

"Do you want to?" she asked Awinita.

"I don't have anything to gamble with," she replied.

"We could see a couple of the shows though and just look around a bit," Rose said. "I don't think it's that far in Nevada."

Alan hopped up, grabbed the atlas and lay back down. She stared at the US map.

"Yeah, it's in the south of Nevada," she said. "Actually, we could go to LA and then go northeast up M15 to Las Vegas. Then go up to M80 and follow that back over to San Francisco. Reno is on M80 so we can see that as well."

"And then after that, we head on to Japan?" Awinita asked.

She nodded.

"Cool! I can't wait to see it," she said.

They glanced over when they heard the rain hitting the window.

"If we can get outta here in one piece," Rose said.

"We will, I'll be extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra…"

"Okay, Alan, I get it," she said as he giggled.

"I can't wait to get back down into the warm air," Awinita said.

"Yeah, same here," Rose replied.

"And I can't wait to see Alan rescue his alien cousins from Area 51," Awinita teased.

"Um, I don't think I can even if I wanted to."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't have a way of breaking into it."

"Ram the minivan through the gates," Awinita said.

"Oh yeah, that'll work. Especially when the guards open fire and riddle us with bullets. We'll last all of two seconds with your ingenious scheme, Harris."

"Well, you were talking about using that some screwdriver thing. Can you get one?" Awinita said.

Rose looked at him.

"Can you make a screwdriver, Alan?"

"Why? You wanna break into Area 51?"

"No, I was just wondering if you can make one is all."

"Um…I could…but it would be a very rudimentary screwdriver because I need a special part from Vega in order to get the thousands of different settings the Doctor has on his. If I just built one without it, it would at most have two or three settings on it so it wouldn't be as versatile as the Doctor's screwdriver is. It needs a number of different parts too. You gonna lend me the money to get all of them?"

"Would it be dear?"

"Um, not sure."

"Do you know what you need?"

"Yeah, I know what I need and what parts I would need to substitute ones that come from other planets. It will look very crude when I get it finished but it would work."

"I don't understand. Do you mean you buy a screwdriver and put other parts on it?"

"No, it's a tool that the Doctor uses. It can't kill or hurt anyone but you can open and close doors and do a lot of other nifty things with it. Here I'll show you," Alan said.

He got up and put his fingers to her temple. He projected an image of the sonic screwdriver into her head for a moment and then took his hands away.

"Weird," Awinita said.

"Yeah, well, that's his screwdriver. Like I said, mine won't look like that but at least I can do some things with it. I really should have one on hand just in case something else happens where I might need it like the accident today. Bridget was lucky she was only knocked out and didn't need us to open her doors right away."

"Well, if it's not too dear I'll take you around and you can get what you need," Rose said.

He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Thanks," he said. "I'll make up a list and figure out where the parts might be so you won't have to waste time looking. Mind you, I'll have to wait till we get to another hotel room so I can use a table like that one over there and work on it."

He chuckled.

"I oughta make you one. The Doctor made a sonic lipstick for Sarah Jane."

Rose stared at him.

"Sonic lipstick?"

"Yeah, it's more feminine than a screwdriver."

"Oh blimey, now I've heard everything," she said.

"Do you want one though if the parts don't cost that much?"

Rose thought.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind having one," she said.

"Okey-dokey, I'll make you one too."

"Make mine a lipstick so it'll match Sarah Jane's" she said.

"Um, I'll have to see, you might just have to settle for a screwdriver."

"No, I want lipstick!" Rose whined.

They laughed when Alan feigned exasperation.

"Rose Tyler, never happy with anything," he muttered as she kissed his cheek.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning they left to collect the parts for the sonic screwdrivers. Rose decided to stay one more night in the hotel since the temperature was supposed to warm up the next day and she wanted the ice to melt. She also wanted to give Alan time to build the screwdrivers. Alan, list in hand, climbed into the passenger seat and told her where he thought she would need to go as she pulled out of the parking lot.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fortunately they were able to find everything on Alan's list and the parts were relatively cheap so Rose got enough for him to make two. Then they got some more meals at Long John Silvers and headed back to their room so Alan could work on them.

The two of them used the nightstand in between the beds to play poker while Alan spread the parts out on the table and used a tiny soldering gun, tool kit and hammer to build the screwdrivers. He slowly and painstakingly built one while Rose and Awinita finished playing poker and watched TV. Occasionally they wandered over to watch his progress. Awinita marveled at his skill. She knew Alan was a genius but she had never seen him build anything complicated like this.

"Wow, you're good," she said. "I can't even build a house of cards without it falling over."

"Thanks. Thank God I still have enough of my Time Lord mind to be able to do this," he said. "I wish there was a way to get some psychic paper but I guess that'll have to wait till we get the TARDIS."

"Psychic paper?"

He smiled at Awinita.

"Special paper. I can project my thoughts onto it and show people whatever I want them to see," he said. "It's handy for getting into restricted places, among other things. But unfortunately you can only find it in one place. Caronto Faros in the shadow galaxy and since our car can't go there; we're out of luck for the moment."

"If there's even a Caronto Faros in this universe," Rose said.

"Yes, that too or if there is, would they have it there," he replied.

He finished attaching a wire and settled back in his chair. He rubbed his eyes.

"Ugh, this is tedious. The Doctor always hated making a new one and I'm the same way. It's a bunch of tiny delicate parts that have to be assembled together and it's giving me a headache. Plus, I need to go to the toilet. So if you'll excuse me, ladies..."

He got up from his seat and went to use the restroom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Aha!"

The women were lying on their beds. They looked at Alan who had a triumphant grin on his face.

"I've finished one," he said, holding it up.

They stared at it. It resembled the Doctor's screwdriver, except it had a metal casing and was more primitive looking. Alan got up from his seat and beckoned to Rose and Awinita.

"Field test," he said. "Follow me."

They got up and followed him out of the room. He locked the door behind them and turned towards it. He held the screwdriver up to the key card lock and turned it on. There was a tiny humming, the little light on the lock turned green and then Alan tried the door.

"Yes!" he said when it opened. "Oh, I am good! It's amazing what you can build with parts from a DIY shop!"

He made sure the door was unlocked and shut it. He used the screwdriver on the lock and tried it. He grinned when he couldn't open it.

"Works, Rose," he said to her. "We have a screwdriver now."

"Brilliant!" she said.

"Here, this is yours, my dear, Merry Christmas," he said. "It's not a lipstick but at least you have one now."

Rose took it from him.

"My first sonic screwdriver!" she said, thrilled.

"When do I get one?"

"When you've proven yourself as a companion and my eyes stop hurting from staring at small parts for hours on end," he said to Awinita.

They headed back into the room. Alan heated up a fish dinner, grabbed a Coke and went back to working on the other one. The girls lay back down on the beds. Rose examined her new screwdriver. Instead of a button, Alan had used a light switch. She flicked it on and smiled when the tip glowed blue. She flicked it back off. She stared at for a moment and then she had a thought.

"Hey Alan, can I use this to get universal roaming back?"

"I doubt it. That setting was one of the ones that came with the part from Vega."

Rose shrugged.

"I'll give it a go anyway, just to see if it works," she said.

"What are you gonna do?"

She smiled at her friend.

"The Doctor could use the screwdriver on a mobile and give you unlimited calling range through time and space."

Awinita's eyes widened.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, you could ring anyone you wanted anywhere in time and space and I'm gonna try it on my mobile and see if it works."

"It probably won't, so fair warning," Alan said.

Awinita watched while Rose pulled her mobile out of her pocket. She opened it up and glanced at Alan.

"How do I do it?"

"Aim the screwdriver at the keypad, turn it on and hold it there for thirty seconds. If it works, you should see the words, universal roaming activated on your display," he said.

Rose flipped the switch and held the tip against the keypad while she stared at the screen.

"Is it working?"

"No."

"Told ya," Alan said, keeping his eyes on his work.

After thirty seconds, Rose switched off the screwdriver and closed her mobile.

"Eh, it was worth a try," she said. "I wouldn't know who to call anyway. It's not like I'm travelin' through time and space now and need to ring mum from the fourteenth century or something."

She put the screwdriver in her pocket along with her mobile and concentrated on the TV while Alan continued to work on his screwdriver.


	105. Chapter 105

Chapter One Hundred Five

The next morning, they checked the weather again. Satisfied that it was warm enough for the ice to melt and that the blizzard would hold off long enough to get out of time, they gathered up their things and checked out. Rose put everything in her rucksack including the sonic screwdriver. She took one more look at it and smiled to herself when she thought that Alan considered her worthy enough to possess one.

_Not that there's much I can use it on right now,_ she thought. _But you never know, it might come in handy one day._

She zipped it up, slung it over one shoulder and followed her fiancé and best friend out the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose thought she was gonna wet herself. She was sitting on the passenger side while Awinita drove. Alan was behind them sprawled out on the seat with his back against the window. They were listening to one of the Christmas CDs she had purchased and Alan was making up crude lyrics to the songs leaving both her and her friend in hysterics. Rose was surprised Awinita could still drive since she was nearly in tears from her laughter.

"Deck the halls with Rose's knickers! Fa-la-la-lala-lala-lala!  
Ring the clergy and invite the vicars Fa-la-la-lala-lala-lala!  
Rose has taken off all her apparel Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-lalala,  
Now she's forced to wear a barrel! Fa-la-la-la-la-lala-lalaaaaaaa!"

"Alan, will you stop, I'm gonna wet my knickers in a minute!" she said when she could get a breath.

"Well, I figured you've heard these carols a billion times before. I thought I'd give you a fresh interpretation of them!" he said innocently.

"Maybe you better take the CD out before we get in a wreck and your apparel really is all over the place," Awinita said.

"No, don't do that, come on, have some fun! It's a couple of days to Christmas! Let's get in the mood!"

"How? By singing about Davros the big ugly asshole who had a very shiny eye?" Rose said to him.

"That was brilliant!" Alan said pointing his finger at her. "I oughta submit that to an agent and flog it to the record companies. I could make a mint off it! Davros The Big Ugly Asshole is a zillion times better than Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer! Ask anyone!"

"If you say so, dear," Rose said, shaking her head.

He leaned up and rubbed her cheek affectionately.

"Come on, give it a go, make something up," he said.

Rose looked back at him.

"You want me to make up rude lyrics?"

"Well, they don't have to be rude, just make this a travel game of sorts. Make up a parody song for one of the Christmas carols. Help us to pass the time while we head south."

Rose thought. She turned the CD over and studied the song titles.

"You gonna try?" Awinita asked.

"Yeah, just figuring out which one to use and what lyrics I could make up for it," she said.

She cleared her throat as Alan leaned forward in anticipation. She hit the reverse button until she found the track she wanted and looked at Alan who was waiting expectantly.

"Ooooh, the weather outside is snowy,  
It's whirling and it's blowy,  
And since there's nowhere to go,  
Alan's gonna blow, gonna blow, gonna blow."

She smiled when Alan laughed loudly at that.

"I like that. That was absolutely brill," he said. "See, you can do it too. I'm not the only one who can make up clever lyrics to existing songs."

Rose had to smile at that. She turned her head and caught Alan's lips, giving him a deep kiss.

"And you made it just as smutty as mine, I'm impressed," he said, tickling her under the chin.

"Well, I know that's what you like to hear," she replied.

He winked at her and nuzzled her cheek.

"Okay, Awinita, your turn," he said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A couple of hours later, they stopped for a toilet break and Awinita switched with Alan. The three of the decided to keep driving straight to New Mexico since they had already seen all the states they were passing through. They had stopped at a KFC to use the restroom and got some chicken dinners before all of them climbed back in and got back on the interstate.

"While I think of it," Alan said. "Is everyone done with their Christmas shopping? We had two days of going to the shopping center, is that enough?"

"I'm done," Awinita said.

"I am too, thankfully," Rose said.

"And we managed to send the presents and extra stuff that needed to be sent, so no worries there," he said. "Everyone should have their gifts by now, I hope."

"Yeah and now that you mention it, maybe I should ring mum and see if the package did make it there in one piece."

She grabbed her rucksack, got her mobile and dialed her mother's number. There was a three ring wait before the phone was picked up.

"Mum? Hey, how ya doin'...Fine, we're all fine. We're headin' down to Albuquerque, New Mexico right now. Did you get the package we sent...Good, I'm glad. Well, I sent a letter and we wrapped the gifts so hopefully you were able to sort them out from our stuff…"

There was a long pause and then Rose giggled.

"Well, um, the cow costume is Alan's actually," she said.

"Oh bugger, I knew I shoulda kept that with me," Alan muttered. "Now I'll never hear the end of it."

"Well, we went to a fancy-dress party in Chicago on Halloween night and that was his costume. He won first place in the costume contest, actually. Mine is the red shirt and coveralls. I was a farm girl…no, I didn't win anything in that. I won this pin the tail on the cat game and that Halloween CD is my prize. Oh yeah, we had a blast. We've had fun this entire trip. We were up in Iowa but it was gonna snow and they had freezing rain so all of us decided to leg it back down to the warm southwest. We're taking turns driving down there and we'll probably be celebrating Christmas somewhere in New Mexico. So, how's everyone?"

There was a very long pause. Alan glanced at Rose.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

She nodded.

The silence continued. Then, Rose's eyes bugged out.

"Mum, you don't have to do that," she said.

Alan looked at her and glanced at Awinita.

"All of us?" she said.

Alan and Awinita exchanged another look.

"Mum, really, you don't have to do this. I mean, you don't have to send us anything, honestly!"

"What's goin' on?" Alan said when the suspense became too much to bear.

"Wait a tic, mum," she said.

She took the mobile away from her ear.

"Mum wants us to stay in Albuquerque for a few days."

"Okay…" Alan said. "Any particular reason why?"

"Yes, she's sending us Christmas gifts…all of us," she said, giving Awinita a pointed look.

Awinita was taken aback.

"Me? She doesn't have to get me anything. I don't even know her," she said.

"I know, but she knows that you're travelin' with us and she wants to give you a Christmas gift so you'll have a proper Christmas with us," she said.

"Um…wow, tell her thanks then," she said.

Rose put the mobile back to her ear.

"Awinita says thanks," she said. "And we will stay in Albuquerque long enough to pick up the gift."

Alan glanced at her.

"How? Are we supposed to give her the address of the hotel we'll be staying at so she knows where to send the package?" he said.

"Wait a tic, mum."

She took the phone away.

"It's not a package. Mum is gonna wire us 600 dollars and each of us gets 200 of it."

Alan and Awinita's mouths fell open.

"Your mom's giving me 200 dollars?" Awinita said in disbelief.

She nodded and put the mobile back to her ear. Alan grinned at her.

"It's a good thing her step-dad's rich, eh?" he said.

Awinita was floored.

"Yeah, but 200 dollars and she barely knows me."

"If I were you, I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth," Alan said. "Trust me; her mother isn't always this nice."

"Yeah, we're on our way there now so we'll probably get there sometime tomorrow," Rose said.

There was another pause.

"Okay, we'll find a Western Union then when we get there and…"

She took the phone away from her ear.

"Awinita, can you get in my rucksack and get me the pad of paper and a pen?"

"Sure."

She rifled through her rucksack, found the paper and pen and handed it to her.

"Okay, I'm ready, give me the information then," she said.

She wrote down a series of numbers on the paper while Alan glanced over at it.

"Okay, I've got it," she said, handing the pen and paper back to Awinita. "Thanks so much, mum; you didn't have to do this for us. Especially not Awinita. She's sitting behind me, dazed. She can't believe you're sending her 200 dollars."

There was another pause and Rose handed the mobile to Awinita.

"Mum wants to say a couple of things," she said.

"Um…hi, Mrs. Tyler."

"Jackie, love, it's Jackie, alright? Rose just told me about your reaction and I know that I don't know you properly but you're with my daughter and future son-in-law and I want you to have a Christmas present, same as them. You've no way to earn money out on the road so this'll give you some spending money while you're on holiday."

"Thank you so much, I really appreciate this!" she said.

"I know you do, sweetheart, just look after yourself and look after them and have a happy Christmas."

"You too, Jackie and say hello to the rest of the family."

"I will. Now, if he isn't busy, could you put Alan on the phone for me?"

"Alan? Jackie wants to talk to you."

Alan took the mobile from her.

"Yes?" he said.

"How are ya, love? Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. We're all fine," he said.

"Good, well, I'm sure you know by now you're getting 200 dollars along with everyone else."

"You don't have to do that, Jackie."

"I know, but you'll be a member of this family in a few months time and I want to do this to let you know that I do care about ya even if you don't believe that. You have treated my daughter like gold and I know that she adores you completely. This is my way of saying thanks for looking after her and making sure she's safe. I want you to finish up your trip safely and I want you all to have a happy Christmas."

"Thank you, Jackie, you too."

"Well, I hope this proves I'm not all bad. I would like you to be a part of our family even after you marry and get the TARDIS. I don't wanna be known as the stereotypical wicked mother-in-law. I want us to be friends, alright?"

"I would like that as well."

"Well, good, I'm glad. You just look after yourself and Rose and Awinita and have a very happy Christmas and I'll see you all when you get back. Now let me say goodbye to Rose."

"Here she is, goodbye, Jackie."

"Goodbye, love."

Alan handed the mobile back to her. Rose finished the conversation and put her mobile away.

"Mum said that you and her are burying the hatchet," she said. "I'm glad you're gonna finally see her as your friend and not some mean mother to be avoided and mocked."

"Rose, I'm sorry, but I was taking a leaf from the Doctor. He hasn't had the greatest rapport with his companion's mothers. Yours, Martha and Donna's mums all gave him hell. So I'm sorry if I'm a little wary of being best mates with your mother."

"Well, I think she realizes she's been hard on ya too and that's why she wants to apologize and end this silly feud once and for all. You're gonna become family soon and she doesn't want a war with me stuck in the middle of it."

"I don't either. I don't wanna prevent you from seeing your mother," he said. "If she wants to be friends then I will extend the hand of friendship in return. I don't want constant tension either."

She gave his hand a squeeze.

"Well then let this Christmas be the start of peaceful relations between the two of ya," she said.

He nodded and she gave his hand another squeeze.

"So, I guess now we have something to look forward to in Albuquerque," he said. "Between that and the gifts we got one another, I think this is gonna be a fantabulous Chrimbo, eh? I can't wait till the big day comes! But until then let's have another singsong and make up more raunchy Christmas carols, what'd ya say?"

The two women laughed and nodded. Alan grinned and grabbed the CD.


	106. Chapter 106

Chapter One Hundred Six

(December 25th…)

"Deck the haaaaaalls with Rose's knickers…"

Rose giggled when she heard Alan singing directly in her ear. They had been staying in a Holiday Inn in Albuquerque going in and around the city while they waited for Christmas to come. Rose loved the view around the city. She loved the majestic looking mesas towering above the desert floor. They had even been treated to a thunderstorm yesterday while they were driving around outside the city and the sight of the lighting bolts striking the sides of the mesas was breathtaking.

They had managed to get in one more day of shopping since picking up the Christmas money and each of them had gotten a haircut. Rose had teased Alan about touching his hair and Alan had promised in a melodramatic voice that he would not touch the tousled part of his gorgeous doo on pain of death. Each of them took turns in the salon while the others went off to pick up a few more items for the one who was getting the haircut. Alan had gotten his back and sides trimmed back to the way they were the day he was born which Rose heartily approved of and both she and Awinita had gotten about an inch taken off the bottom to get rid of the split ends and even up their hair. Alan was relieved when he saw that Rose hadn't trimmed it drastically like she did when she first started traveling with his Doctor. He loved longer hair on her and thought it made her look beautiful.

After they had finished with that, they ate at a Mexican restaurant in the food court and headed back home for a rest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Rooooose, it's time to wake your sleepy head and come get your gifts," Alan said into her ear.

"What time is it?" Rose mumbled.

"Time for you to wake your sleepy head and come…"

"What is the exact time, smart ass?" she said, opening her eyes.

"Time all dogs are dead, aren't ya glad you're a pup?"

He grinned while Rose rolled her eyes. Awinita had taught him that phrase along with "Tastes so good, makes your tongue smack your brains out," and he had been enthusiastically using them ever since. Knowing she wasn't going to get a straight answer out of him, she rose up and looked at the tiny travel clock she had brought.

"9 a.m. Good, just as long as it wasn't two minutes after midnight."

"Don't be silly, it's light out," he said, gesturing to the drapes. "Besides I knew if I did wake you up two minutes after midnight, I'd get a beating."

"Too right you would," she said.

She groaned and rose up onto her elbows. Alan leaned over and kissed her lips.

"Happy Christmas, my love," he said.

"Happy Christmas, Alan."

He turned to Awinita who was staring up at him while she lay on her side.

"I'm awake down here, so there's no need for you to poke or push or shake me," she said.

"Well, good, because this is my first Christmas and I'm anxious to start the celebration. Happy Christmas to you, my best mate."

She smiled.

"Back at ya, alien boy," she said.

"Half alien boy," he corrected.

She smiled and nodded. She looked over at Rose.

"Merry Christmas, Rose."

"Merry Christmas, Awinita," she replied.

Both of them groaned and slowly rose up to a sitting position while Alan stood at the foot of the beds and watched them. Behind him on the top of the TV was a little decorated Christmas tree and Alan and Rose's first Christmas ornament. Scattered around the TV were all the wrapped presents. Both women yawned. Awinita reached down into her rucksack for a Coke while Rose rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Now," Alan said when they were sufficiently awake. "I've been thinking and I want to start a Christmas tradition of our very own. Something we can celebrate every December 25th with and I have just the thing."

The women glanced at each other.

"What? A smutty Christmas carol?" Rose asked him.

"No, a special dance in celebration of the holiday season. I have christened it…The Christmas Rhumba."

"The…Christmas Rhumba," Rose said slowly.

"Yes, I have decided that every Christmas starting with this one, no one will do anything Christmassy until I have danced the Christmas Rhumba for you."

Awinita snickered.

"Uh-huh and what does the Christmas Rhumba look like?" Rose asked.

Alan cleared his throat and stepped back a couple of paces. He took a deep breath.

"I MUST DO THE CHRISTMAS RHUMBA!" he yelled.

The two women watched as he began to kick his legs around while he jerked his body spasmodically. He finished up his manic dance with a series of bunny hops in a circle.

"There!" he said, "now the day can officially begin."

Awinita bent over the nightstand laughing as Rose put her head in her hand and slowly shook it.

"Wow, I'm just so thrilled you thought of that," Rose said, dryly. "And to think I spent 23 years being deprived of the Christmas Rhumba on Christmas mornin'."

"Yes, you were deprived. But no longer, this will become a Timelord Christmas tradition that will be passed down through the ages."

"Wheee," Rose said as Awinita laughed harder.

He grinned and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, time's a wastin'. I'll play Father Christmas and hand out the gifts, so come and sit under the Christmas tree," he said.

The two women looked at each other and eased down onto the floor by the desk while Alan sorted through the presents. He started handing them out, laying his beside Rose since he planned to sit beside her. Both women waited until he had passed everything out and sat down.

"So, do we go one at a time," Rose asked, "or do we just tear into them?"

"I vote we go around in a circle and open one present so everyone can see what everyone received," Alan said. "It'll last longer that way."

"Fine with me," Rose said.

"Me too. Who's going first?"

"I vote we let the kid open one before he starts whining," Rose said as Awinita giggled.

"I'll ignore that sarcastic mark and open one of my gifts," he said.

He rummaged through the tiny pile of presents and found one from Rose. He tested it and found it was soft. He stared at the shape of it.

"Clothes?" he said.

"Open it and see."

He tore the wrapping off and smiled when he saw it was a neatly folded salmon colored t-shirt.

"How nice," he said.

"Unfold it and look at the front," Rose said.

He took the sleeves and with a flourish, snapped open the shirt. He stared at the front of it for a moment and then gazed at Rose with eyebrow raised. She giggled.

"What? You don't like it now?" she said.

"Why? What's on it?" Awinita said.

Alan turned it around. On the front was a drawing of Mario from the Super Mario Brothers. He was dressed as a doctor and beside him in big white block letters was the phrase, LET'S PLAY DOCTOR. Alan's eyes went back to his fiancée.

"Exactly what do you mean by playing doctor, Rose? You mean that in a kinky way or are you implying I should act more like my sire?"

"Um…six of one, half a dozen of the other," she said, shrugging.

Alan looked at Awinita.

"I think she means you're supposed to make up your own mind about what she means," she said as Rose sniggered.

"Well, I'll play doctor with you in a kinky sense but I'm not about to play at being the Doctor," he said.

"Blast!" Rose said.

He swatted her on the back of the head and grinned while he set the shirt aside.

"Your turn," he said to her.

She picked through her presents and found the CD. She stared at it.

"Hmmm, I wonder what this CD shaped package could possibly be?" she said to Awinita.

"I don't know, but I've got one too," she said, holding up hers.

"Is yours from Alan?"

"Yup."

"Isn't that weird, so is mine, hmmmm," she said. "I wonder what it is?"

She opened the wrapping and smiled.

"Aw, the Tarzan CD. Gee, I wonder why you got me this?" she teased.

"So you can stare at the nearly naked ape man on the front?" Awinita said to her.

Rose pretended to ogle the drawing of Tarzan.

"Wow, he's well fit. Much fitter than my fiancé. I'll enjoy lying in bed and looking at this 24/7 and…"

She laughed when Alan snatched it out of her hand.

"I changed my mind. I think I'll return this as soon as possible," he said, throwing it on top of his shirt.

Rose grinned and gave him a kiss.

"Thank you, love," she said.

They looked at Awinita.

"Well gee, might as well open my CD shaped present too," she said.

She opened it up and let out a little squeal.

"Oh my God, you got me the Carrie Underwood CD. I've been wanting this," she said to him.

"Well good, because I enjoyed listening to you sing that song of hers."

"Aw, thanks Alan," she said, leaning over to hug him.

He smiled and returned the hug with two quick pats on the back.

"Your turn," Rose said.

Alan looked at the pile and pulled out a book shaped package from Awinita.

"Gee, I wonder what this book-shaped gift could be," he said, imitating Rose.

He tore off the wrapping and stared at the book with a smile on his face.

"What is it?"

"It's entitled, Lonely Planets: The Natural Philosophy of Alien Life."

"I didn't know if you'd read that before or not," Awinita said. "It sounded like something you'd be interested in."

"No, I haven't read it and yes, it sounds very, very interesting. Thank you so much."

He laid it aside and watched while Rose looked through her presents. She found a small green envelope from Awinita. She opened it up and smiled when she pulled out McDonald's gift certificates.

"I got those the other day when you were in the bathroom," she said. "I figure as much as we eat there, they'd come in handy."

"They will, thanks," she said.

Awinita picked through her presents and pulled out a book-shaped one from Alan. She opened the wrapping and laughed.

"What is it?"

"Divided By A Common Language: A Guide to British and American English," she said.

"There ya go, now you can continue learning our lingo," Alan said. "I had a dekko at it and it has both American and British phrases and words and some tips on what to expect when you're in the UK. If you open it up, I left a note right inside the cover."

She opened the book and grabbed the little note. She read it aloud.

To Awinita:

I thought this might come in handy for you since you're coming back to London with us. And just to start you off and give you something to look up, I have included the following phrase. Please translate it…

Piss off, you barmy slag!

Love and kisses,

Alan.

Rose laughed when Awinita swatted Alan's arm with the book.

"What? You mean you figured out the phrase already?" he said, laughing.

"I don't know what slag means but I know the other words in the sentence so I think I can guess what you just called me," she said.

Rose leaned back when Awinita rose up and gave him a few more swats on the arm and back with the book before she broke off the assault.

"You're right, this book'll come in handy when I need to pound your scrawny ass to a pulp," she said.

Alan looked at Awinita hesitantly feigning fear and when he noticed the smile he relaxed and grabbed a tiny present that was from her. He opened it up and sniggered as he held up the little black comb for everyone to see.

"Is this a come-on, Harris? Because we all know what buying combs leads to," he said with a wink.

"Well, I figured you could keep that on ya as a kind of signal to Rose whenever you get in the mood."

"Oh trust me, he'll be signaling me constantly with it," Rose said.

She picked up a tiny gift from Alan. She opened it and saw a dark blue box. She opened that and gasped when she pulled out a necklace with a sterling silver rose pendent.

"Oh my God, that's pretty," Awinita said.

"I love it so much!" Rose said. "Thanks, Alan."

He smiled and took it from her. Rose lifted her hair when he put it around her neck and fastened the clasp. She lowered her hair back and gave him a kiss.

When they were finished, Awinita grabbed one of Rose's gifts. She unwrapped it and laughed when she saw the romance books.

"Oh yeah, both me and Alan are gonna enjoy these," she said as he laughed.

Alan looked at his gifts and grabbed one from both Rose and Awinita. The two women grinned at each other as he opened it. There was a tiny grey box and when he opened it, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. He pulled out a man's sterling silver ring with three tiny birthstones mounted diagonally in the center of it.

"It's a birthstone ring," she said. "It has all three of our birthstones. Pearl is yours, Aquamarine is Awinita's and mine's Diamond. We thought it would be symbolic of how close we've all become over the past few months. We wanted something personalized for you like my engagement ring."

"This is absolutely brilliant. I love it!" he said.

He frowned.

"Okay, I was born in June, so pearl is June's birthstone, I take it and yours is…12th of April? So, what month is aquamarine then?"

"March. My birthday is March 26th," Awinita said.

"Good, I was afraid we might have missed your birthday. I'm glad we didn't."

He put it on the ring finger of his right hand and stared at it with a huge smile on his face.

"Thanks, guys, this is never leaving my finger," he said.

"Better not because it cost a pretty penny," Rose teased.

"Really? How much was it?"

"I'm not gonna say," she said as he snickered. "Just be thankful I had a credit card."

"I am thankful, very thankful," he said.

Rose picked up a small rectangular gift from Awinita. She opened it and smiled when she saw it was a Chelsea Dreams perfume gift box.

"Alan said he thought that was the perfume you wore," she said.

"It is. Thanks, I need some more and I'm sure Alan will appreciate it as well."

"You're darn tootin' I will," he said.

She grinned and opened the box. She took the bottle out and sprayed a bit on her wrists. She rubbed her wrists and then held them out for Alan to smell. He smelled it and they laughed when he imitated Homer Simpson's drooling sound.

"Thanks, Awinita," Rose said, setting the bottle and the box aside.

Awinita picked up the last present from Alan. She opened it up and saw a brown cardboard box. She opened it up and peeled away the tissue paper. She let out a gasp when she held up the angel.

"Oh my God, this is gorgeous! And it's wearing a purple robe. I love purple."

"You do? Oh good. I mainly got it because she has long, black hair like yours."

"I love it, Alan. I love angels. Thank you!"

He smiled and accepted another hug from her. She leaned back and they looked around them at the torn wrapping paper piled around their bodies.

"Is that it?" Rose said.

"Not quite, I have a special gift for Awinita," Alan said.

"Oh, really? What?"

He smiled and took Awinita's hand.

"I want Rose to conduct a Gallifreyan bonding ceremony between us. You see, these past few months we've grown close like a brother and sister and I would like to officially adopt you as my sister, kind of the Gallifreyan equivalent of being blood brothers. On Gallifrey, everyone was sorted into different houses after looming and everyone in the house considered each other cousins since no one was really related by blood. But a few individuals bonded with others on a more personal level for different reasons and adopted them as brothers or sisters to set them apart from others in their family circle and show everyone how special they were to them. I would like to do that with you, if you want."

Awinita was speechless.

"You want me to be your sister?" she said.

"Yes. Mind you, it's not legally binding on Earth in any real sense. Here on Earth you wouldn't be considered my actual sister, this ceremony is strictly for us. But once it's finished, I will for all intents and purposes think of you as my sister forever more. And when Rose and I marry, then she'll be your sister-in-law in my mind. So what'd ya say? Would you like to adopt a daft and hyper little half alien brother?"

Awinita's eyes misted over.

"Yes, I would love to be your sister," she said in a choked voice.

Rose also became misty eyed when the two of them leaned forward and embraced.

"This way you can have a loving family that's not fighting or getting drunk and causing you needless stress and strife," he said as they broke apart.

"Oh God, this is…this is the best Christmas present I could ever get!" she said, wiping a tear away.

Alan smiled and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a folded piece of paper and unfolded it.

"Rose, would you read this please?" he said, handing it to her. "You're the one who will help speak the words that will bind us as brother and sister and also be a witness to this."

"I'd be honored," she said, taking the paper from him.

"Okay, take my hands," Alan said to Awinita.

Both of them held each other's hands. Alan looked at Rose.

"Just read what I've written and when you see my name, stop and let me say what I need to say and then when it's Awinita's turn after me, hold it up so she can read it."

Rose nodded and cleared her throat.

"I, Rose Tyler am a witness to the bonding ceremony of Alan Timelord and Awinita Harris. These two have chosen to be united through the unbreakable bonds of kinship from this day forward. Both have chosen to swear an oath of familial loyalty to the other, an oath that cannot be broken until the end of time. So as I bear witness to this ceremony, I call on Alan Timelord to swear the ancient oath of kinship."

She looked at Alan. He cleared his throat and looked Awinita in the eyes.

"Awinita Harris, I am here today to swear an oath of kinship to you, binding you to me as my sister. I swear this oath willingly and freely with the understanding that I will provide support, comfort and friendship now until the moment of your death. I will be loyal and steadfast in every way possible and if I break this solemn bond between us, may I suffer greatly for it. So, I declare here and now that you, Awinita Harris, are my sister forever more."

He nodded at Rose.

"I'm finished, now it's her turn," he said.

Rose turned the paper around and held it at eye level. Awinita glanced at it.

"Alan Timelord, I am here today to swear an oath of kinship to you, binding you to me as my brother. I swear this oath willingly and freely with the understanding that I will provide support, comfort and friendship now until the moment of your death. I will be loyal and steadfast in every way possible and if I break this solemn bond between us, may I suffer greatly for it. So, I declare here and now that you, Alan Timelord, are my brother forever more."

Rose turned the paper around when she finished.

"Both parties have sworn the sacred oath of kinship," she read. "Let all who know them consider them brother and sister from this moment on. I, Rose Tyler, witnessed it and proclaim it so."

She put the paper down. Alan smiled.

"Merry Christmas, sis," he said tenderly.

"Merry Christmas, bro," Awinita replied softly.

Rose felt her heart warm when she watched them embrace yet again. She put her arms around them both and they stayed that way for a few minutes before breaking apart.

"There's one more thing I want to do before we go to Ryan's for our Christmas dinner," he said. "As you know, I call Rose Amo'tiri and now I want to offer you a similar term of endearment and give you one that you can use with me. If you want me to, I can call you Te'lesu which means beloved sister and you can call me Te'lesau which means beloved brother."

"I'd like that." Awinita said.

"Brill, well, Merry Christmas then, Te'lesu."

"Merry Christmas, Te'lesau," she replied. "But don't expect me to get that tattooed on my body."

They laughed.

"Fair enough. Don't expect me to get Te'lesau tattooed on my body either. One tattoo is enough."

He looked around at the wrapping paper.

"So, I guess we'll clean this up and go to dinner then?"

They nodded and all of them gathered up the rubbish and threw it away. Then they put their gifts up on the desk so they wouldn't be stepped on and after that was done, they quickly got dressed and made themselves presentable before they went out to eat.


	107. Chapter 107

Chapter One Hundred Seven

It was quiet, so quiet.

The Doctor lay on his bed staring up at the ceiling. It had been nearly a month since River went back to her house and for the first time since he had met her he realized just how comforting it had been to have her with him. Now that he was back to being alone, the silence and emptiness of the TARDIS overwhelmed him and he found himself thinking constantly of Rose and Donna and missing them with every fiber of his being. He glanced at the calendar on his wall. He had put one up when Rose first came on board to keep track of chronological time since she still wanted to mark the passing of time and the holidays. He had thought it silly and had told her numerous times that it didn't matter what day it was since they were in a time machine, but he understood his companion had a human's need to keep track of the passing of time even when they were spinning through time and space. He kept up the practice with Martha and Donna and now it had become a habit of sorts. He even crossed off the days with a huge X because he also got confused from time to time.

He glanced at the calendar. October 13th. Only a few more months until Christmas.

Rose's favorite holiday.

A hint of a smile passed over his lips when he remembered that first Christmas after he regenerated. He had been hesitant to celebrate at first with her and her family but after he sat down to Christmas dinner, he found himself loosening up and laughing along with them. That was the first and last Christmas he had celebrated. By the next Christmas she was gone and holiday hating Donna had taken her place in the TARDIS and he spent that Christmas battling a gigantic alien spider. Then the next Christmas rolled around and Astrid was killed in front of his eyes. He sighed, wondering what this Christmas would bring. More Daleks? Cybermen? The Zygon? God forbid, maybe even Omega although he felt sure he had been defeated and died after their last encounter. All he knew was that he was beginning to understand why Donna hated Christmas so much because he was beginning to feel exactly the same way.

He turned on his side so he wouldn't have to look at the calendar any longer. He closed his eyes, resting them but the moment he did, Rose appeared in front of his eyes and he quickly opened them again. He focused on an armoire across the room trying to concentrate on it so he could block out any images of Rose that dared to creep into his consciousness. But they kept on coming. Flashes of that Christmas with her. Blast! Why did he even think of that in the first place? He took a deep breath and brought up a complicated math problem to solve in his mind. A very difficult and prolonged math problem that he would need to give his full attention to. He smiled when he thought of one. Staring at the wall, he carefully went through the steps one by one, slowly solving the equation, thankful that at last he something to divert his mind from Rose and Donna and how empty the TARDIS was without their presence. But just when he neared the end of the equation and almost had it solved, there she was again. His mind betrayed him once more and brought back the image of her standing on the beach at Bad Wolf Bay with his clone watching him, Standing there asking him to tell her three simple little words that he hadn't been able to say two years ago and couldn't say now.

"Bollocks! I'm tired of thinking of Rose Tyler every minute of every hour of every day!" he snarled as he sat up in bed. "It's getting to the point where I wished I'd never met her! Damn it, why did she have to come back? I had almost gotten over her and here she comes, swanning back into my life, nearly getting me killed in the process. What the Hell was I thinking? Running towards her like some daft fool in a romantic movie? If I hadn't been doing that, I would have seen the Dalek in time!"

He leapt up from the bed and stormed out of the room. He muttered to himself while he walked down the corridor, not caring that the TARDIS could hear every word of his one-sided tirade.

"If she hadn't come back, I would never have regenerated and never siphoned off the energy and that damn clone would have never been born!" he said. "Then Donna wouldn't have touched the jar and become half Time Lord with a screwed up mind and she'd be here right now traveling with me and we'd be having some laughs. It's all his fault!"

The Doctor walked into the console room, walked over to the jump seat and slammed his butt down onto it. Rage filled his mind when he thought over all the events that had led up to his being alone. If Rose had just left well enough alone…if she hadn't messed with the dimension cannon…if she didn't care for him so much…he was doing so well before she showed up. He and Donna were having a blast. Donna had been the ideal companion. She didn't want a complicated relationship, she didn't throw any jealous fits when he refused to return her unrequited love, she didn't demand things of him and expect him to give his love and undying devotion to her. She was just a mate, his best mate who did what every companion did before Rose walked into his life, travel with him and see the sights of the universe as friends. Every companion before Rose had settled for a platonic relationship. They didn't expect him to be the Romeo to their Juliet. He had kept everyone at arm's length whether or not they really did have feelings for him. And he cared for them. He cared for all his companions, but NOT IN THAT WAY! Thinking back, it had started with Grace. Why he had fallen for Grace, he had no idea. One minute he had been talking to her and the next his lips were on hers and then…he actually did it again when she asked him to. After Grace left him, he had dismissed what had happened figuring it had been a fluke. Just a weird little quirk that came with his old age. After her came several more companions before he fought in the Time War. Then the Time War consumed every moment of his life until the moment Gallifrey was incinerated and after that he was suddenly left alone with nothing to do to fill his time, no missions, no rescues, no battling the Daleks in an all or nothing battle for sake of the universe. Nothing.

The emptiness was the worst part. It tore at his soul and nearly drove him insane. The emptiness in his mind that was created when his people died was almost as large and desolate as the void and he felt himself reaching out, wanting to connect with someone, anyone who would understand, who could ease his suffering and help him find a reason to live again.

That was his first mistake. It was the neediness, the longing that had led him to Rose and it was that longing that compelled him to go back for her after she had rejected his offer. If he had possessed any sense, he would have done what he'd always done whenever someone refused to travel with him, just go on with his adventures and forget about them completely. But looking back on it something had compelled him to go back and get her just like events were orchestrated to bring Donna into his life so she could become the DoctorDonna and now the same thing was happening with River. The fact that he had been powerless to stop all these people from coming into his life filled him with a white-hot rage. He liked being the one in control, the one who ran the show and made the decisions concerning his life and the fact that he had no control over who traveled with him in the TARDIS made the rage that much stronger. But at the same time he was consumed with guilt over the fact that he was wishing that people he had grown to know and love had never been a part of his life. But if they had never entered his life, he wouldn't have all the torment now. He allowed himself to become close to two of his companions, much closer than he had ever allowed himself in the past, one in a romantic way and the other platonic and naturally the universe couldn't leave well enough alone and let him be happy. No, he had to be a part of the bigger picture, a warrior in a war between good and evil. And inevitably, in every war there must be casualties.

Jenny once called him on being a soldier like she was and at the time he had denied it vehemently, equating soldiers with people who dressed in fatigues and carried guns onto the battlefield. But now he could see the wisdom of her words and knew that was exactly what he was. A battle scarred, war weary, shell-shocked soldier who keeps pressing on, fighting the good fight against insurmountable odds even when his comrades have been lost or killed and he's the last one standing. Jenny, who could see him for who he truly was…just like Davros, just like Caan. No matter how hard he tried to hide and deny the Oncoming Storm part of him, the tempest within always found its way to the surface. And more and more it was becoming harder and harder to shove it back down into the deep recesses of his soul. He had nearly lost it in front of Rose when they were imprisoned on the Crucible. Almost slipped up and let his rage burst forth, much to his enemy's delight. Perhaps if he had shown his true self long ago, Rose might have been scared enough to leave him and end up safe and sound working an average job in London instead of being trapped in a parallel universe with a carbon copy of himself, fighting aliens that had no qualms about kidnapping, torturing or killing her.

_But I suppose even if I did do that, Rose would still have stayed with me,_ he thought. _She would have tried everything in her power to heal me. And…I suppose whatever force led her to me would have ensured she'd stayed in order to carry out her destiny. After all, every time I thought it would be the last time I would lay eyes on her, she always managed to find a way back. _

He glanced at the central column and the time rotor slowly oscillating within it. His faithful ship. His girl who remained the only constant through all of this. He listened to the soft wheezing for a moment before glancing up at the ceiling.

"Did I do the right thing, old girl?" he asked.

He felt that familiar affectionate nudge at the back of his mind and sensed the TARDIS was upset watching his anguish.

"I had to do it," he said to the TARDIS. "I was protecting Rose and Donna and keeping them safe. I did what was best for them…didn't I?"

The TARDIS grunted out an affirmative and nudged his mind again. The Doctor sat there lost in his thoughts for a moment and then he got up and walked over to the console. He put his hand against the central column and stroked the shaft, soothing himself along with his ship.

"Rose is happier now," he said aloud as he continued to rub the column. "I can't give her what she really needs. It was only a matter of time before she realized that and left me. And if she didn't….she would have ended up dead just like Adric, Astrid…and River. I just wish I knew for sure if she were happy or not. I wish I had a way to see across the void and make sure she isn't wasting away and pining away for me. I wish I could be sure that the clone will truly take care of her and be there for her in my stead."

He stopped rubbing the column. Keeping his hand there, he stared down at the console playing the "What if?" game over and over in his mind, tormented by the fact that he had no idea if Rose was alright or not.

"Please, if there is a god of some kind watching over the universe, please tell me that Rose is safe and happy with my clone," he murmured, "and please tell me I've made the right decision…for all our sakes."


	108. Chapter 108

A/N: For those who don't know what twee means, it means nauseatingly cute. Slag means whore and minger is an ugly person.

Chapter One Hundred Eight

"Aaaaah," Alan sighed as he rubbed his full belly. "That was a delicious Christmas dinner."

All of them had just got done eating at Ryan's and were heading back to the minivan so they could go back to their room and rest. He climbed into the passenger seat while Rose got into the driver's side and Awinita climbed in the back.

"You have enough to eat?" Rose said,

"More than enough! They have some scrummy food, that's for sure. At least they're kind enough to stay open on the holidays for those of us who are far from home."

"Well, when we get back to the hotel, I better ring my mum and wish her a merry Christmas," Rose said, backing out of the parking spot. "I'm sure she'll wanna wish us all a Merry Christmas as well."

Alan put his hand on her shoulder.

"You know what else is wonderful about this day?" he asked.

"What?"

He grinned.

"So far there have been no killer robots, no insane aliens trying to bomb the city or enslave the population. No trouble as far as the eye could see. For once, just a peaceful, quiet holiday."

"Is that a problem?" Awinita asked.

Rose laughed when he looked around at her with wide eyes and nodded.

"Trouble follows the Doctor around like a stray dog and it seems like the holidays are especially chaotic. The last time he had fun at Christmas was two years ago after he regenerated when he had Christmas dinner with Rose and her family and that's only after he defeated the Sycorax. When I woke up this morning, I half expected some monster to leap out at us the moment we left the hotel but so far, so good. The only problem is nothing else is open so there's nothing to do today."

"Well, you have a new book now so just relax for a day and do some readin' or watch a movie," Rose said.

"I s'pose. I'd rather just go ahead and go. We've already spent a few days in Albuquerque; I wanna see what else is out there."

"Yes, but you wanna see more of New Mexico, yeah?" Rose said. "And if we go anywhere in the state it's gonna be the same thing. Everything is shut down for the holidays. Just calm down. Tomorrow will be here sooner than ya think."

"Besides we gotta come up with something to do for New Year's Eve," Awinita said. "I assume we're gonna go and watch the ball drop somewhere?"

"We could always go back to Time's Square," Alan said.

"Um…no, I'd rather not go there and stand in the freezing cold with thousands of other people," Rose said. "I'm sure they have their own version of the ball drop somewhere around here. We'll check at the library tomorrow, for now let's just relax and enjoy the holiday."

She pulled into the Holiday Inn parking lot.

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For the rest of the day the three of them relaxed in their room. Rose and Alan watched A Christmas Story on TNT and Awinita read her British/English dictionary while she half listened to the movie. Alan was giggling insanely at the movie. He had never seen it before but he thought it was one of the most hilarious things he had ever seen in his life.

"You know, Starlight, I'm surprised the Doctor didn't tell you you'd put your eye out when he saw you carrying that big shiny gun of yours," he said.

"He probably would have if he hadn't been shot by that bloody Dalek," Rose replied, rolling her eyes. "It's too bad Jack destroyed it because I wanted to rip its metal casing apart and tear that squid a new asshole for doin' that."

He chuckled and nuzzled her cheek before he turned his attention back to the movie. They lapsed into silence for the most part, broken only by their giggles when something funny was happening on screen. Then suddenly Awinita let out a loud laugh. Alan turned his head towards her.

"What?" he said, amused.

"Oh man, I found the perfect word to describe you," she said.

"Really? What?"

She gave him an evil grin.

"Twee."

Rose laughed when Alan's mouth fell open.

"I am not," he said.

"Oh, yes you are, you're very twee. You're the most twee thing I've ever seen in my life."

"I am not twee, Awinita Harris!" he said as Rose held her sides laughing. "I have never been twee and I never will be twee. You take that back!"

"Nope. You're definitely twee and no matter how loudly you deny it, it's still the truth."

He looked at Rose.

"I'm not twee, am I?"

"Ummmmm, well…"

Alan gave her an incensed look when both women laughed hysterically.

"See, even Rose thinks so. You're nothing but a little tweety bird."

Alan eyed her while Rose chortled.

"Oh! And while I think of it…"

Awinita got up from her bed. Alan gasped when she smacked him hard on the chest with the book.

"What's that for?"

"I looked up slag first thing," she said. "And that's what you get for calling me that."

She lay back down. Alan stared at her for a moment and then looked at Rose. Rose shrugged.

"Serves ya right, Tweety bird."

Awinita roared with laughter when Alan's mouth fell open. He grinned and tickled Rose for a moment before he stopped. Then he went back to watching the movie while Awinita resumed reading.

"Heh," Awinita said five minutes later.

Alan looked at her.

"What?"

"Knock up means to wake someone up in England. You do know what that means in America, don't you?"

"Yes, which is why I've never offered to knock you up," he said as Rose giggled. "I don't think I fancy getting my arse kicked because you were under the impression I wanted to mate with you. There are some things Rose and I have refrained from saying while we're in America because we know it'd be taken the wrong way. It'll be the same thing for you when you go to England. Such as, don't ever tell a British person you'll spank their fanny because fanny in England means vagina and you'll get your lights punched out before you can blink."

Awinita gave him a thoughtful look.

"So I guess buying a fanny pack is out, huh?"

"Yes. In England, you'd call it a bum bag."

She laughed.

"Bum bag, I like that. It's a more colorful description than fanny pack. I gotta say this is a very interesting book and I'm glad you got it for me. I'm learning so much."

"Well, I'm glad you appreciate it," he said. "The last thing I want is for my sister to try to chat someone up and tell them they have a nice fanny and then watch her body fly across the pub and land on some poor drunken bastard who's nursing a pint of lager."

"Well, I don't want that either because I know if that happened my little brother would come to my rescue and then he'd be laying on the floor of the pub with his little twee face damaged beyond repair."

"I AM NOT TWEE, DAMN IT!" he said as Rose laughed. "Arrrgh, if I knew you'd start calling me that I would have scribbled that entry out."

"Hey, if the shoe fits, Tweebo."

She laughed and leapt up from the bed when Alan made a grab for her. She tried to run to the door but he caught up with her and tickled her while she howled with laughter.

"I don't believe I made myself clear when I told you not to call me twee!" he said, tickling her furiously. "Maybe this will drive home my warning! Now be a good sister and read your book and let me watch my film before I take the book away and burn it!"

He let up and giggled when Awinita slumped against the door gasping for air.

"Let that be a lesson for ya," he said over his shoulder as he walked back to his bed.

"Fine," Awinita said when she got her breath back. "I'll find something else I can call ya."

She flopped back down on her bed and gave him an evil grin when she grabbed the book.

"I'm warning you, my fingers are armed and dangerous," he said, pointing. "So, just keep that in mind while you're searching for a cute little epithet for me."

She went back to reading. Ten minutes later she was giggling insanely again.

"I'm warning ya, I will not hesitate to tickle you," Alan said as Rose sniggered. "So whatever you just found in that book, you better keep it to yourself if you know what's good for ya."

"Okay, I will…minger!"

She leapt up at the same time Alan did but this time she managed to reach the door, fling it open and run out.

"And don't come back!" Alan yelled at her before slamming the door.

He locked the door and walked back to the bed.

"D'ya hear that? The utter cheek! I am not a minger," he said to Rose.

"Well, you didn't want to be twee, so I guess you're a minger then."

Alan glared at her while she rolled over and hugged herself tightly so she could protect her armpits.

"You wanna be tossed out in the cold with my sister you just keep running that mouthy gob of yours," he said.

There was a jiggling of the handle and then a knock on the door.

"WE DON'T NEED ANY HOUSEKEEPING AT THE MOMENT, CHEERS!" he yelled.

"Alan, let me back in," Awinita said through the door.

"Well gee, if I'm such a minger wouldn't you rather stay out there where you wouldn't have to look at my disgusting face?" he said.

"Open the door!"

"Apologize for insulting me and I may consider your request."

"I'm sorry, Alan, you're not a minger."

"AND?"

"And what?"

"What else am I not?"

"You're not twee! Now please open the door."

Alan walked over, unlocked the door and opened it.

"Thank you," Awinita said, stepping into the room.

She smirked as he closed the door behind her.

"Tweebo!" she yelled.

She ran over to her bed, flung herself down and threw the covers up over her head while Alan smacked her arms and body repeatedly.

"Now see, because of you and your gob, I missed my movie!" he said.

Awinita pulled the covers down to her eyes.

"Um…I wouldn't worry; TNT runs the damn movie for twenty four hours straight. I guarantee it'll be on again right after this."

Alan stared at her.

"They show the same movie over and over for a full day?" he said in disbelief.

"Yes, they do."

"Why?"

"Um, cause they're idiots who think people don't want to watch anything else?" she offered.

"Blimey, I like watching some movies more than once but not the same bloody film twelve times in a row," he said. "When did they start?"

"Um, probably about 8 o'clock last night."

Alan looked at the travel clock. It was 1:47 p.m.

"So, assuming this film ends at two, we have three more showings to go?"

"Yup. So, I wouldn't worry about me causing you to miss your movie."

Alan lay back down with Rose.

"I can't believe they show one film for twenty four hours straight," he said to her.

"I guess they want to make sure people are able to enjoy Christmas and be able to see it when they get a chance," she said, shrugging.

"Yeah, but isn't that what VCR's are for and don't they have Tivo as well?"

"Don't you mean Tweebo?" Awinita said.

Rose howled with laughter as Alan threw up his hands.

"I am gonna start a bloody bonfire and reduce that thing to ashes!" he said.

"Aw, come on, little bro, let it be my pet name for ya. Rose gets to call you Stitch and I wanna call ya Tweebo."

Rose snickered when he gave her a long, hard look.

"I'm sorry; Alan, but you do have a cute, baby face. Isn't that better than being known as a minger?" she said.

He looked at Rose.

"She has a point," Rose said, shrugging. "At least she's calling ya cute."

"Yes, but she's calling me sickeningly cute."

"Well, ya are," Rose said. "You're as cute as a teeny tiny button and I love that about ya."

Alan considered that.

"Tweebo?" he said to Awinita.

"I could call you Twee-3PO," she said.

"Um, no," he said as Rose laughed. "If it came to that, I'd rather be known as Tweebo."

He sighed.

"I'm just never gonna get away from the whole pretty boy image, am I?" he asked Rose.

"Nope, you're gonna be a pretty boy for the rest of this life," she said.

He thought for a moment.

"Alright, you can call me Tweebo, but not Tweety Bird or Twee-3PO or any other clever thing you might think up that uses the word, twee. And…you are the only one who will use it and you will use it in an affectionate sisterly manner."

"I was going to anyway," Awinita said, shrugging. "I wasn't gonna be malicious about it. If I did, I would stick with minger, which…you are not, by the way. I mean Tweebo in a very loving manner."

Alan glanced at Rose.

"D'ya notice that I let myself get talked into things that the Doctor would do only after he poked his eyeballs out with a fork and rammed his sonic screwdriver up his ass?" he said to her. "I got a tattoo, I let my fiancée call me Stitch and now I'm letting my sister call me Tweebo. If there was any doubt in my mind that I wasn't the same as the Doctor, its gone now."

"You are definitely your own person now," Rose said.

"Yup, I am. I'm a little twee half alien with a Stitch tattoo. I shudder to think what I'll agree to next."

Awinita got up from her bed, bent over and kissed his cheek.

"You agree to all of this because you love us," Awinita said.

He smiled.

"Yes, I do. I love you both with all my heart and you're right, I do let you get away with things like this because both of you mean everything to me. Anyone else who called me Stitch or Tweebo would get a knuckle sandwich but because it's my fiancée and sister, I'll put up with it willingly."

"Aw, thanks Tweebo," she said, ruffling his hair.

He smiled.

"You're welcome, Te'lesu," he said affectionately. "Now leave me alone right now because the movie is coming on again and this time I wanna see the whole thing."

Awinita smiled, gave him a little peck on the forehead and went back to her bed while Rose snuggled up against him and watched the movie with him.


	109. Chapter 109

Chapter One Hundred Nine

The three friends spend five days exploring New Mexico. They visited Taos Pueblo and marveled at the city that had been inhabited continuously for a thousand years. They went to Roswell where Alan had to endure the good natured teasing of his lover and sister who kept pestering him to go and visit his relatives while he was in town. They went to Chaco Canyon and looked at the ruins of the ancient Anasazi city. They toured the cities of Santa Fe and Gallup and went and hiked through the Carlsbad Caverns national park.

Now it was the 30th of December and the three of them decided to see the sights on the enormous Navajo reservation that covered parts of three states, particularly the Canyon De Chelly National Monument in Arizona that had ancient Anasazi pueblos built into a natural gap in the side of a cliff. They decided to first spend the night in a Navajo Hogan near Monument Valley and do some hiking and horse riding through it. After spending a few days on the reservation they would head over to the Grand Canyon and ride mules down to the bottom of it after which they would do some whitewater rafting down the Colorado River.

Rose had called ahead to Monument Valley Trailhandler Tours and made reservations both for the tour and the Hogan. After getting directions, she programmed it into Onstar and they were off on another adventure.

"We're gonna be meeting a man there named John and his two daughters, Rain and Amber," Rose said as she drove. "John is the one who's going to do the tour and since we booked the Hogan, they're gonna cook us a huge taco supper and sing us Navajo songs and tell us stories around a campfire."

Alan and Awinita smiled at that.

"Brilliant, this is gonna be fun," Alan said. "The chance to spend the night in an authentic Navajo Hogan. And stories, songs and a taco dinner to boot. You know, the American Southwest has to be my favorite part of the country. It's so beautiful here."

"Yes, it is, I love the desert and mesas and cliffs," Rose said, nodding. "It's nothing like England. And the people have all been friendly and open so far. I feel the same way. I love it here."

"And it's got a very spiritual aura also," Awinita added. "I can sense it flowing through everything. I guess maybe it's because I'm Cherokee and grew up with Native American traditions and mindsets and I feel in tune with all that, but when we toured the old Anasazi sites I could sense the spirits of the people who used to live there and sense the sacredness of the land. It's wonderful. North Carolina has a special place in my heart but I feel the same way you guys do. I love it out here. I can't wait to sleep in the Hogan and see if I can feel a connection with the past there too."

Alan smiled at her.

"Let us know if you do," he said.

"I will and you guys tell me too if you get any vibes."

"Will do," he said as Rose nodded.

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After about an hour they finally arrived. They parked in front of a one story wooden building that was painted white and had a huge red sign on the front of it that said Monument Valley Trailhandler Tours in big black letters. While Rose was shutting off the ignition, the front door opened and a man stepped outside onto the porch. He was a Navajo man in his late forties with long black hair that hung down in two braids on either side of his head. He was wearing jeans, a red shirt and had on a belt that had silver engraved Conchos encircling the leather. As they got out, the door opened again and two women in their early twenties stepped out behind him. They also had long black braided hair except both of them had it in one long braid down their backs. Both of them were wearing dresses that went all the way down to their ankles. One woman was wearing a black dress and the other red. Both of them were wearing a large turquoise necklace around their necks.

The man nodded at them.

"I'm John Niyol," he said. "The one in the black dress is Rain and the other is Amber. Welcome to the Navajo reservation."

"Thanks," Rose said. "My name is Rose Tyler; this is Alan Timelord and Awinita Harris."

"It's nice to meet all of you," John said.

His eyes settled on Awinita.

"What tribe do you belong to?" he asked her.

"I'm three quarters Cherokee."

He smiled.

"Oklahoma or North Carolina?"

"North Carolina, 'round Asheville."

"I know a couple of people who live in North Carolina. Do you know Randall Starr and James Bushyhead?"

"Um…no, I don't, sorry."

"Well, consider yourself lucky because they're both scoundrels with an eye for the pretty ladies," he said with a wink.

He turned his attention to Rose and Alan.

"And you two are British?"

"Yes, we are," Rose said.

"Well, welcome all of you. I hope you find your stay enjoyable. We'll try to make you as comfortable as possible. Now if you'll follow me, we'll take you to the Hogan you'll be staying in. We provide you with sleeping bags, wash pans, soap and towels. There's a toilet behind the Hogans at the back of the circle and there are picnic tables beside each dwelling. We provide you with a taco dinner with drinks and there's a continental breakfast in the morning. We can also give you a private sunrise or sunset jeep tour. Which would you prefer?"

They looked at each other.

"What'd you guys wanna do?" Rose asked.

"Let's go when the sun is rising," Alan said.

"Yeah, I'd love to watch the sun rise," Awinita added.

Rose nodded.

"We want the sunrise tour," she said.

John nodded.

"Okay, and one more question. Would you like your taco dinner to be vegetarian or non-vegetarian?"

Rose gave a pointed look to Alan.

"I think we want non-vegetarian," she said as Alan stifled his laughter.

"Okay, well, that's all I need to tell you right now. So get what you need and then follow us."

They grabbed their rucksacks and followed him and his daughters while they led them away from the house out into the desert. About a half mile away they saw several Hogans. They were arranged in a circle with about ten feet space in between each one. John led them to one at the back.

"This is yours," he said, gesturing to the rectangular opening in the front of the red dirt structure. The top of it was domed and when John led them inside they saw it was lined with logs of desert juniper trees and ponderosa and juniper bark for insulation. A small wood burning stove sat just underneath a large smoke hole in the top of the dome.

"We'll let you get settled in and be back a little later with your dinner," John said. "In the meantime, feel free to look around. I'm afraid you're the only ones staying here at the moment but you're more than welcome to come and talk to us if you get bored and lonely. We'll be up at the house preparing the meal and getting things ready so just knock and we'll let you in for a visit."

"Thank you," Alan said, smiling.

They smiled back. Bending over slightly, the three of them walked out the door leaving them alone. They set down their rucksacks.

"So, you guys wanna look around a bit and then go up and talk to them?" Alan said.

"Sounds good to me," Rose said as Awinita nodded in agreement.

Each of them grabbed bottled water in case they needed it and Rose grabbed her camera and went out the doorway. About ten miles from them were mesas and buttes that rose majestically above the red earth. Rose took a few pictures of them while Alan and Awinita stood beside each other and silently contemplated them. They sky overhead was blue with a few wispy clouds and there was a slight breeze that whipped Awinita and Rose's hair around their heads.

"This is gorgeous, "Awinita said. "It's too bad we're not staying."

"It's too bad we can't take this back to London with us," Alan said. "I think London would be quite picturesque with a few of these mesas scattered around it."

"Not to mention this gorgeous weather," Rose said. "It's so heavenly. I can't wait to take the sunrise tour. The mesas will be beautiful in the early morning."

"Once again you've come through for us, Rose," Alan said. "You always know the most breathtaking and fun places to go."

"Yeah, screw Torchwood, you need to be a travel agent," Awinita said.

"Hey, now there's an idea! Rose Tyler Tours. And since you're out here touring the world, you'd be an expert at telling people where to go."

"Believe me, I'd rather do that than work at Torchwood any day," she said.

She took a few more pictures and then looked at them.

"You wanna go talk to John and his daughters?" she asked them.

They nodded.

"Okay, let's go to the restroom and then we'll walk up there."

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"Wow, already? Are the mesas that boring?" John teased when he opened the front door.

"Not at all, but all of us like to talk to people whenever we can," Alan said. "Unless you're busy?"

"Nah, we're not too busy to talk. Come inside."

He stepped aside and they came inside the house. They were in a large white room with a couple of wooden chairs, a TV, a battered blue recliner and an old brown sofa. Family portraits hung on the walls along with some paintings of Navajo men and women and one that showed a cowboy on a palomino about to lasso a steer. He led them through a hallway to a large kitchen. His daughters were sitting at the wooden table preparing the ingredients for the taco dinner. They smiled when they came in the room.

"Please sit," Amber said, gesturing to the empty chairs around the table.

They sat down while John left them to go into the other room. Alan was at the end of the table with Rose and Awinita on either side of him. The women were sitting on the other end.

"So," Rain said as she chopped some tomatoes up on a wooden carving board, "is this your first trip to Arizona?"

"Yes, it is," Alan said. "It's very beautiful out here."

"Yes, it is," Rain said. "We've lived here our whole life and I don't think I could live anywhere else."

"But," Amber said, grating some cheese. "I would like to travel and visit other places."

"That's what we're doin'" Rose said. "We're going around the world."

Both of them paused in their work and stared at them with wide eyes.

"Seriously?" Rain said.

They nodded.

"Wow, I wish we could do that. But, at the moment, we're enrolled in college here on the reservation."

"Really? What are you studying?" Alan asked.

"I want to get a degree in elementary education," Rain said.

"And I want to get a degree in computer science."

"Cool, good luck," Awinita said.

"Thanks," Rain said.

She finished chopping the tomatoes and put them in a small red bowl.

"What about you guys?" Amber asked. "I assume you're not in college since you have time to travel the world."

Rose chuckled.

"No, we're all on vacation," she said.

The women glanced at each other.

"Wow, I wish I could find a job that offered me that much vacation time," she said.

"Tell me about it. We work here right now while we're going to school, helping our dad take care of the visitors and cooking the meals. There's another man that's usually here helping us but he got pneumonia and he's in the hospital recovering at the moment."

"Sorry to hear that, I hope he recovers fully," Alan said.

"He will. He's eighty years old but he's a tough old man. He's in better health than we are," Amber said. "I don't think he'll be dying anytime soon."

Rain cleaned off the carving board and took it back to the table with a head of lettuce. She began to chop it up.

"So, when you get finished with this vacation," she said to Awinita, "are you going back to North Carolina?"

"No, I'm actually going with them to London. They're gonna get me a job where they work."

"Oh wow, that sounds cool," Rain said. "I'd love to visit London someday. Did you know them then?"

"I actually met them in New Jersey. I was traveling on foot and we met in a McDonalds and they let me come with them. And we've all become very close and they can't bear to get rid of me now."

Rose and Alan laughed.

"But there's really nothing for me here," she continued. "I'd rather take my chances in London than live in North Carolina. I was in New York for awhile and I'm used to big cities now."

"We wouldn't know what that was like," Amber said. "Like Rain said, we've spent our entire lives on the rez growing up among the mesas and hills of Monument Valley. I wouldn't mind visiting a city like London, but my heart and my people are here and that's where I want to stay."

They heard the sound of a car engine drifting through the open kitchen window and saw an old red pick-up truck pull up. Rain and Amber glanced at it and shared a glance.

"Hey look, creepy George came to pick up his sack of flour," Rain muttered to her sister.

"Now, Rain, be silent. We have guests with us," Amber chided.

Rain shot them an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry," she said to them, "it's just that…"

She looked around and leaned forward over the table. The three of them did the same.

"George is a shaman. He's in his seventies now and he usually comes over here for supplies or if he needs assistance. I'm sorry for what I said. I know it's not polite but I can't help it. He's…odd."

They looked at each other.

"Odd in what way?" Alan said, intrigued.

Just then John came into the kitchen and all of them leaned back up. A man followed behind him and the three of them got a good look at him. He was old with long silver hair that was braided the same way as John's. His face was wizened with age but his eyes were dark and held a fierce intelligence in them. He nodded at Rain and Amber and they gave him a polite nod in return. He looked at Awinita then Rose and finally his gaze settled on Alan. Alan smiled and nodded hello but the man didn't smile back as his eyes bored into him. He looked at Rose and she shifted uncomfortably when he gave her the same scrutinizing look. To their surprise, he suddenly looked upset and angry as if they had done something wrong. Alan suddenly felt uneasy and he could understand why Rain thought him odd because he was picking up the same vibe. The man continued to glare at him and Rose while John walked over and picked up a big burlap bag filled with flour.

"Here you go, George," he said, handing it to him.

He grunted in reply when John gently placed the bag in his hands. He turned, took one more look at Alan and Rose and then walked out of the room. John gave them an apologetic smile.

"He's not very friendly with strangers," he said. "Don't pay him any mind."

He walked out of the kitchen.

"He's not friendly with anyone," Rain muttered.

They turned their attention back to her.

"What were you goin' to say?" Alan whispered.

Amber gave her a warning look.

"Don't say anything," she said in a low voice.

The three friends glanced at one another.

"Why? What's wrong?" Alan said.

Rain glanced over at the window. She watched while George put the bag in the back of his truck, got inside and drove away.

"It's…nothing," she said. "He's just a weird old man who keeps to himself. Don't worry about it. Forget I said anything."

Alan wanted to press her for information but Rose gave him a look of warning and reluctantly he held his tongue. But he could sense there was something more to the man than they were saying. He just hoped that Rain would eventually feel comfortable enough to finish whatever it was she was going to say. For the moment though he was content to make small talk with the sisters while they prepared their dinner.


	110. Chapter 110

A/N: There is a Navajo Hoop Dance and Basket Dance mentioned in this chapter. If you want to see what they look like, go to you tube and search for Navajo Hoop Dance and search for Navajo Basket Dance and click the very first links that come up to see both of them.

Chapter One Hundred Ten

After talking with the sisters for another twenty minutes, the three of them decided to leave them alone so they could prepare their meal without any interruptions. They excused themselves and left the house. They walked back to their Hogan, entered it and settled down on the top of the sleeping bags. It was around 65 degrees and a light wind was blowing through the open door making the interior of the Hogan pleasant.

"You two think there really was something odd about George?" Alan said.

"I got why Rain and Amber thought he was creepy," Awinita said. "The moment he entered the room it was like the temperature dropped. It gave me the willies."

"I felt the same way," Rose said. "And the way he was staring at me and Alan, like he could read our minds. I was so glad when he left."

"I wonder what Rain was trying to tell us," Alan said. "Whatever it was her sister seemed scared about her mentioning it."

"We have shamans," Awinita said. "Some of them are quite powerful and can do all kinds of amazing things like communicate with nature and the spirit world and heal people when they're sick. They're highly respected in the tribe. That may be why they were reluctant to talk about him."

"It didn't seem like respect though," Alan said. "More like fear. Did shamans command fear as well as respect?"

"Yes, some did. There were some in the past who were supposed to be evil witches and wizards and they practiced black magic and used owls as their familiars and sometimes even took on the form of owls. I'm sure the Navajo have the same kind of thing among their people but that doesn't mean that George is evil. It could just be that he's very powerful and people are reluctant to deal with him for very long because his aura would be picked up by others and give off a weird vibe."

"All the same, I hope that Rain will tell us what's going on. I have a feeling that George is someone to be avoided, full stop."

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All three of them took a nap in the Hogan figuring that they would need the energy for later on. They woke up just before John and his family came with their meal and he led them out to a small roaring fire he had set up several feet behind the house. They all sat down on some logs and their hosts set the plates down in front of them along with large glasses of iced tea. The taco was a large circular piece of fry bread topped with refried beans, ground beef, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion, green chilies and sour cream. All of them took a bite of it and immediately loved the taste. They graciously thanked their hosts who returned the thanks with smiles. John excused himself and left for a moment. He returned with a handmade wooden flute and played it while the three of them ate their meal. He played a couple of melodies and then he told them some traditional Navajo folk tales while the three of them listened, enraptured. He continued to talk while they finished up their meal. Once they were done, Rain grabbed a turtle shell rattle and Amber grabbed a hand drum. They shook the rattle and beat the drum while John sang some traditional Navajo chants. The three of them were mesmerized by it all. After he had sung a couple of chants, he them grabbed a series of wooden hoops and showed them the Navajo hoop dance. Rain and Amber chanted and played the drum while he danced around and stepped in and out of the hoops lying on the ground, bringing them up with his feet, spinning them with his hands and jumping through them. He kept his body in continuous motion while he used the hoops to make designs like a tree, butterfly, flower, wings and a globe. When he was finished, they applauded enthusiastically. Next Rain stood up with a shallow woven basket and performed the Navajo Basket Dance for them. She held the basket in front of her and stepped in place and back and forth while she raised the basket to the sky and lowered it back to her body. Amber chanted and shook her rattle while John beat the hand drum. When they were done the three of them clapped even louder.

"Thank you," John said. "Now just let us get our breath back and we'll tell you a little bit more about the Diné."

They sipped their ice tea while John and his daughters rested for a moment. When they were finished, they began to talk about some of the Navajo history and culture. The three of them were riveted, hanging on every word. They talked for about a half hour and then John neared the end of his lecture.

"The last thing I want to talk about is something that the Diné know as Yenaldlooshii, but are more commonly known as Skinwalkers. Yenaldlooshii translates as, "With it, he goes on all fours." A Yenaldlooshii is a powerful shaman who has been initiated into the Witchery Way and practices black magic. They have the ability to become any animal they wish but they commonly take the form of coyotes, wolves, owls, foxes, or crows. If the shaman wishes to become a Yenaldlooshii, he must sacrifice a member of his own family in exchange for the evil power. Instead of using their medicine to heal, they use it to curse and harm and kill others. They are thought to possess the ability to read people's minds, to be able to mimic any voice, human or animal and be able to enter another's body and control their victim's minds, enslaving them and making them do evil. Sometimes the Yenaldlooshii will try to break into the house and attack the people inside, and they often bang on the walls of the house, knock on the windows or climb onto the roofs. Sometimes, a strange, animal-like figure is seen standing outside the window, peering in at the occupants. Other times, a Yenaldlooshii may attack a vehicle and cause an accident. They are fast, agile, and impossible to catch. Sometimes one will be wounded and then turn up later with a similar wound which reveals their identity. It is said that if a Diné knew theYenaldlooshii they had to pronounce the full name, and after three days that person would either get sick or die for the wrong that they have committed. It is said the Yenaldlooshii still roam the deserts preying on the unwary, even now one could be nearby listening to us so keep your eyes and ears open for anything strange so you don't fall victim to them."

Rose felt chills run down her spine and she cast a nervous glance at the darkness surrounding them. She felt a hand on her back and looked over to see Alan smiling and winking at her. She relaxed and inched closer to him listening while John switched topics and spoke about something else.

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"Thank you so much for a wonderful evening," Rose said when they finished.

John smiled.

"It was my pleasure. I'm glad you enjoyed the meal and everything that came with it. I hope all of you have a peaceful night's sleep and I'll see you tomorrow morning just before dawn for our tour. Goodnight, my friends."

"Goodnight," they said in unison.

They bid Rain and Amber goodnight and watched while they gathered up their things and walked back to their house. The three of them sat around the fire gazing up at the starry sky and listening to the animal sounds around them. Rose stared off into the darkness and she suddenly shivered when she thought of the Skinwalkers.

"Cold?" Alan said.

She looked at him.

"Nah, I'm just rememberin' what John said about the Skinwalkers. Gave me the creeps hearin' 'bout it."

"Yeah, me too," Alan said. "Course the Doctor's dealt with shape shifters before so it wasn't a new thing for me."

"Do you believe in them then?" Rose said.

"I wouldn't discount anything in this universe," he replied.

"You…you don't think that George is a skinwalker, do ya?"

Alan looked at her. He had been thinking the same thing but had been reluctant to give voice to his thought figuring it sounded ridiculous.

"Do you think so?" he asked.

"Dunno. It's just that…all John said 'bout them and how creepy George was and the way he looked at us, it felt like he really was reading our minds."

Alan looked at Awinita.

"What about you?"

"I believe in them. As for George being one, I don't know about that but I'm with you, Alan, I wouldn't dismiss it, no matter how weird it sounded. I've seen quite a few strange things in my life and like I said before, after that Jersey Devil thing I'm willing to buy that someone could shape shift into an animal and harm others with black magic."

"D'ya think we're safe sleeping out here?" Rose said.

"Yeah, I think we'll be alright. I'll sleep closest to the door just in case but I'm sure there's nothing to be afraid of," Alan said. "For all we know, we became spooked by the story and we're making assumptions about a man who may just be old and grumpy and antisocial. I'll look after the both of ya just like I swore I would. And on that note, maybe we should go ahead and retire so we'll be awake enough to watch the sun come up over Monument Valley."

They nodded and stood up. Alan took Rose's hand, gave it a squeeze and all of them walked back to the Hogan.

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All of them fell asleep relatively quickly. Alan slept near the door while Rose and Awinita slept near the back. Around two in the morning, Awinita awoke needing to go to the restroom. She slowly shimmied out of the sleeping bag and stood up. Quietly, she walked towards the door.

"Where do you think you're headin' to?"

Awinita looked down when she heard Alan mumble and noticed he was staring up at her through half closed lids.

"Have you been awake all this time?" she whispered.

"No, I was asleep but it was more of a kip since I'm keeping my mind alert for anything suspicious," he whispered back. "I heard you walking by me and it woke me up fully."

"I'm sorry; I have to go to the bathroom."

He nodded.

"Just be careful out there," he whispered.

"I will."

He closed his eyes while she bent over and walked out of the Hogan. She walked around the circular structure and headed through the moonlit desert towards the portable toilet. She opened it, wrinkling her nose when the smell of feces and stale urine hit her nostrils, and climbed inside it. Fingers pinching her nose shut, she urinated. Once she was finished she wiped herself, threw the toilet paper in the hole and used a hand sanitizer mounted on the wall beside her to sanitize her hands. Then she pulled up her underwear and jeans and stepped back outside. She took two steps towards the Hogan.

"Awinita!"

She froze and looked off to her right when she heard Alan's voice.

"Yeah?" she said, trying to find him in the semi-darkness.

There was a medium-sized hill a few feet away from her but there was no sign of Alan.

"Alan?"

"I'm over here behind the hill. I heard a noise while you were in the restroom and I found something. Come over here!" he said in a hushed voice.

Frowning, she headed towards the hill wondering what her brother had found.

"Alan?" she said, climbing the hill.

"Over here. Hurry, you have to see this!"

Awinita reached the top of the hill. She looked around but couldn't see Alan anywhere.

"Alan?"

"Over here!"

She looked off to her left towards a huge boulder and walked down the hill towards it.

"Are you behind the rock?"

"Yes."

She walked around the rock…and froze.

Instead of Alan, there was a coyote standing there staring up at her with coal black eyes.

"There you are, Awinita," the coyote said in Alan's voice. "Look at what I found!"

Awinita gasped. Spinning around she started to run but was quickly seized from behind. She had just enough time to let out a scream before a human hand slammed down on her mouth.

The last thing she heard before losing consciousness was a man's voice chanting a spell into her ear.


	111. Chapter 111

Chapter One Hundred Eleven

Alan jerked his head up and his blood froze in his veins when he heard his sister's scream.

"AWINITA!"

Rose grunted and jerked her head up.

"Alan? What's goin' on?" she murmured.

He didn't answer her as he fought to get out of his sleeping bag.

"AWINITA!" he screamed when he finally got free and tore thought the door.

Behind him, Rose was pushing herself out of her sleeping bag. She finally got it off her and took off after him. Alan was running all around calling out for Awinita while he tried to find her. He ran off to the right and Rose headed for the left calling out her name along with him. She ran up the hill, panic gripping her heart when she couldn't see her best friend anywhere. Thoughts of the skinwalker plagued her mind along with guilt that she had let Alan talk her into spending the night out in the open. She reached the top of the hill and ran down it.

"AWINITA! ARE YOU HERE! ANSWER ME!" she screamed.

She reached the bottom of the hill and looked all around before running towards the boulder. The moment she got behind it, she skidded to a stop and looked at the ground.

"ALAN!" she screamed.

"ROSE! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Alan said, panicking.

"OVER HERE, I FOUND SOMETHING!"

Alan spun around and ran hell for leather towards the hill. He bounded up and over it.

"Rose!"

"Behind the rock!"

Alan sped down the hill and turned a sharp left. He ran around it and grunted when Rose slammed her hand into his chest, stopping him short. She pointed to the ground in front of them. They could see several tracks on the moonlit ground, one set were Awinita's trainers, one set were bare feet and the other looked like animal tracks. Alan swallowed hard fitting all the pieces of the puzzle together in his mind.

"No, no, no," he said, looking around him. "AWINITA!"

He paused but there was no answer. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed Rose's hand.

"Come on, Rose, I believe our hosts have some explaining to do," he said as they ran off towards the house.

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John grunted awake when he heard pounding on his front door.

"OPEN UP!" he heard Alan screaming.

John slowly eased himself out of bed and slid his feet into his slippers.

"ALRIGHT! I'M COMING! QUIT IT BEFORE YOU BEAT THE DOOR DOWN!" he yelled.

He stepped out of his bedroom and noticed his daughters were leaning out of their bedroom doors listening to the ruckus in complete confusion. John picked up his pace, reached the door and flung it open. He stepped back when he saw Alan's enraged face.

"I want some answers and I want them NOW!" He yelled at him.

"Wha? What's going on?" John asked, stepping back to allow them in.

Alan kept his eyes directly on him.

"George, the shaman, where does he live?" he snarled.

"Two miles up the road, why?"

"He has my sister!"

For the first time, John noticed that Awinita wasn't with them. He looked at Alan who had fire in his eyes.

"Take me to him NOW!"

John flinched at the anger in his voice. He felt his daughters coming up behind him and looked over his shoulder. Both of them had night robes on and were staring at Alan with shock and confusion on their faces. Alan went around John and grabbed Rain's arms.

"He's a skinwalker, isn't he?" he said. "That's what you were afraid to tell me earlier!"

"We…we d-d-don't know, it's never been proven," she stammered out.

He spun around and glared at John.

"He has my sister and I want you to take me there before he does something to her!" he snarled at him.

John saw how enraged he was and quickly ran back into his bedroom for his shoes and coat. The women stared at Alan silently while he kept his eyes squarely focused on John's bedroom door.

"I swear," they heard him mutter under his breath, "if he's hurt her, I'll kill him with my bare hands."

They noticed how black his eyes had become and flinched thinking what he might do to George once he saw him. Rain tentatively put her hand on his arm and he focused his attention on her.

"George may not have done this," she said, gently, trying to calm him down.

"Rose and I saw three sets of tracks out in the desert. One pair belonged to my sister's trainers, one pair was a set of human footprints and the other was an animal, most likely a coyote. That's what John said they like to change into, isn't it? Coyote? When George was here earlier he was looking at us almost like he could read our thoughts! He stared at us with pure hate, both me and Rose. And now Awinita's gone missing and I want to talk to him myself. If he doesn't have her then I'll bid him goodnight and leave him alone. But if he does…"

Rain gulped when she saw him quaking with silent rage. She looked past him and noticed Rose was standing a few feet behind him, arms folded across her chest, glaring at the bedroom door while she waited for John to appear. Thirty seconds later, he emerged from his room, fully dressed and carrying a shotgun.

"Stay here and wait for us to come back," he said to his daughters.

He walked past them and Alan and Rose turned and followed him out the door. He led them to his driveway where his battered and rusted pick-up truck sat. He climbed into the driver's side while Rose climbed in the other side and Alan got in beside her. They slammed the doors, John rested the butt of the shotgun on the floor beside him and leaned it against the seat while he started the ignition and pulled out of his driveway. Rose took Alan's hand in hers, her heart racing while she prayed to God that Awinita was alright. She looked at her fiancé and saw his face, hardened with rage as he stared out the windshield. She gave his hand a squeeze and he squeezed back but he kept his eyes on the road.

Five minutes later, John was pulling into George's driveway behind his pick-up truck. As soon as he hit the brakes, Alan jerked the door open and slid out, hitting the ground running. Rose slid out after him and followed him as he made a beeline for George's front door. He flung himself toward it and pounded on the door with all his might.

"OPEN UP!" he screamed. "NOW!"

He paused a moment and listened with Rose and John. There was no answer and he tried the door. He gritted his teeth when he found it locked.

"That's not gonna stop me!" he said.

He reached into his trouser pocket, pulled out his screwdriver and aimed it at the lock. He turned it on, tried the door and flung it open. It hit the wall with a loud bang while he sprinted through the doorway.

"WHERE ARE YOU? SHOW YOURSELF!" he screamed, holding his screwdriver at the ready.

They went through his darkened house, running through the living room and barreling into his kitchen. Alan, his face contorted with rage, looked around it for a moment before running through a door on his right into a hallway. He tried the first door, found it locked and used the screwdriver on it. He flung it open and gasped when he saw Awinita sitting on the floor in a corner beside a large dresser, bound and gagged as moonlight shone down on her from a nearby window.

"Awinita!" he yelled, running. "Oh God, Te'lesu!"

As John flicked on the light switch, he fell to his knees beside her, relief washing over him while he hugged his sister tightly.

"It's alright, we'll get you out of here now," Alan said, rubbing her back.

He aimed the screwdriver at the rope that was tied around her chest and stomach. He quickly burned through the layers and pulled it from her body. He loosened the gag, tore it off and hugged her again.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" he said, holding her close.

"No, I'm alright," she said.

Alan felt like he was on the verge of tears.

"Thank God," he breathed.

His relief was quickly replaced by pure rage.

"Where is he, Awinita? Do you know where he went?" he said to her.

She shook her head and he let out a curse.

"Come on, we'll get you back to John's house where you'll be safe," he said.

He helped her to her feet and turned to see John standing in the doorway holding the gun across his chest.

"I want him found!" he snarled at him. "I want him punished for this! No one threatens my loved ones and gets away with it!"

Rose was watching him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Awinita squat back down beside the dresser. She looked directly at her and her eyes widened when she came back up with a machete in her hand and an evil look on her face as she aimed it for Alan's back.

"ALAN!" she screamed and pointed.

Alan spun around. He had a second to register what was going on before Awinita plunged the knife towards his chest. His hands shot out, caught her wrist and squeezed it tightly.

"Awinita! What are you doing?" he yelled.

"You must die, Time Lord!" she snarled at him.

Alan looked into her eyes and noticed a glazed look in them. Gnashing his teeth, he leaned into her and used his full body weight to knock her back against the wall. He kept her arm above her head, pressing it against the wall while he squeezed her wrist tighter.

"Drop it!" he said through gritted teeth. "Drop it, Te'lesu!"

He squeezed almost to the breaking point and Awinita cried out in pain as she opened her hand and the knife fell to the floor. Rose ran forward, snatched it up and quickly stepped back. Alan kept his body weight on her as he looked into the vacant expression in her eyes.

"What has he done to you?" he said.

"You must die, Time Lord!" Awinita said in a deep voice. "You and the Wolf Child must die along with this female!"

"Why?" Alan snarled.

"Because all of you are destined to fight against the darkness and I cannot let that happen! Light must never prevail against the darkness!"

"Let Awinita go!" Rose yelled.

"Te'lesu, come on, fight this," Alan pleaded.

She laughed at him.

"I have her mind, Time Lord, and there is nothing you can do to save her!" she said mockingly.

"Oh really? Well, never let it be said that I wasn't a sucker for a challenge!"

Keeping his body pressed against hers, he put his fingertips to her temples and closed his eyes entering her mind. He quickly sensed George's presence dominating her thoughts and he fought against him, using the power of his superior mind to push him out of Awinita's thoughts and memories. He smirked when he heard George screaming with rage when he finally got a foothold and began to force him out. He continued to push while at the same time erecting numerous psychic barriers to prevent him from gaining back any ground. He could sense how powerful George was and it took all he had to match that, but he was determined to see him leave his sister's mind for good.

Finally, with one final push, he felt George leave her mind completely. He quickly put up one last barrier denying him any entry. Then and only then was he able to relax and take his fingers away. He opened his eyes and noticed Awinita staring up at him, terrified. He leaned back so she could have room to move and took her into his arms, holding her tight against him while she wept quietly.

"I'm sorry, Alan, I'm so sorry. I couldn't help myself. I didn't want to hurt you, but…"

"Shhhh, my Te'lesu, it's not your fault," he soothed. "You had no control over your actions. I blocked your mind from him. He can't control you any more."

Rose walked over to them and threw her arms around them both. Alan pulled back his right arm and wrapped it around her back, hugging both the women he loved.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Awinita sobbed.

Alan kissed the top of her head.

"There's no need for apologies," he said softly. "You've done nothing wrong. You couldn't stop yourself. I'm not angry at you, Awinita, not for one single, solitary second."

He stepped back and let Rose embrace Awinita while he turned to face John who was still standing in the doorway with a shocked look on his face.

"How? How did you break his hold on her mind?" he said.

"Oh, he's not the only powerful one around here, not by a long shot," he said. "Now, do you know where he is? Where he might have gone?"

"I'm not sure; he could be anywhere now, hiding somewhere out in the desert."

"I want him found! I want him brought to justice for doing this to my sister! One way or another, I want him to answer for his crimes!"

"I honestly don't know where he went. He's a skinwalker; he can assume any shape he wants. He could hide out in plain sight, be a mouse or a bug and you wouldn't know it was him."

Alan balled up his fists.

"I want you to contact whoever's in charge around here and tell them what he did. I want them to find him! I want them to put surveillance on this house 'round the clock. I want him caught, do you understand me? He enslaved Awinita's mind and forced her to be an assassin. She nearly killed me and now she's torn up inside because of what he did. I don't want him getting off with just a slap on the bloody wrist. I demand he be located, no matter what it takes!"

"I understand but shouldn't we get her out of here before he comes back?" John said.

"Not till the police come. If he is a little mouse or a bug, I don't want him to wait until we leave and make his getaway. Make the call to the police and once they're here and the house is secure, then and only then will we leave!"

John nodded.

"Wait right here while I call them," he said.

He walked out of the room and Alan turned back to Awinita. Rose had her arm around her shoulder trying to comfort her while she sobbed quietly. The rage instantly left his face and he gave her a loving look as he embraced her.

"You're safe. I won't let that monster have you again," he said. "Once the police come and all this is sorted, I'm going to make sure no one can enter your or Rose's mind and do this ever again. I'll make barriers so strong around your minds that no one but me will be able to penetrate them."

He glanced at Rose.

"We've been lax on the aikido for a long time now. Far too long. We're starting up again and Awinita's gonna learn it with us. I'm not having this again, not ever."

Rose nodded. She threw her arms around them and leaned her head against Alan's shoulder listening as he soothed her while they waited for the police to come.


	112. Chapter 112

Chapter One Hundred Twelve

Alan kept Rose and Awinita close to his side, keeping a protective watch on them and their surroundings while they waited for the police to arrive. Awinita was still shaking from her ordeal and Alan led her into the living room and set her down in an old recliner while John made them all some hot tea. Rose sat across from Awinita on a leather couch while Alan knelt at his sister's side and rubbed her lower arm trying to calm her rattled nerves. By the time John was finished with the tea twenty minutes later the police had arrived. The officers talked to Alan and John while Rose and Awinita sat and sipped their tea. Rose glanced at Alan before she grabbed her cup and moved over to the other side of the room. She knelt down at Awinita's side.

"Hey? You alright?" Rose asked gently.

She nodded.

"I just…I can't get over how close I came to killing Alan, Rose," she said. "I could see myself doing it but I couldn't stop."

She nodded.

"I know how you feel, Awinita. That's how I felt when Cassandra possessed my body. I could see what I was doing but I was powerless to stop it. But Alan won't let this happen again, to either of us. After Cassandra finally left my body, the Doctor placed psychic barriers around my mind to prevent others from getting in and that's what Alan did for you just now. And now he's gonna make sure there's no chance of it ever happenin' again. And he's gonna train you to defend yourself as well. We were training when we were out walking but when we met you and got the car we got sidetracked and haven't trained in months."

"What does he want to teach me?"

Rose glanced at the officers and lowered her voice.

"It's called Venusian Aikido. It's a martial arts technique from the planet Venus. The aliens there taught it to the Doctor and Alan was teaching it to me. It's not easy to learn but it's worth it. We're gonna start our trainin' sessions up again and you're gonna train with us."

She nodded.

"I'll do anything just as long as I don't have to go through that again," she said. "Oh God, Rose, I'm so glad Alan was able to stop me. I don't know what I'd do if I really ended up killing him."

She nodded and gave her a hug. As they did, Awinita felt a hand on the top of her head. She looked up and saw Alan giving her a loving look.

"We're done here," he said. "We're gonna go back to John's house and spend the night there. John and I will keep watch over you while you sleep. Are you ready?"

She nodded and Rose moved away so she could stand up. He smiled at her and put a hand on her back.

"Before you do sleep I want to finish putting in the psychic barriers in both your minds so they'll be completely secure and you'll never have to fear this happening again."

Awinita threw her arms around his chest and Alan wrapped his arm around her.

"Come, Te'lesu, we need to go back to John's house so we can finish up this fun New Year's Eve adventure we're all havin'," he teased.

He snickered when Awinita snorted.

"What? You don't like sending off the old year with a big ol' thrill?" he said, rubbing her arm.

"No, I think I'll be able to get along nicely without something like this happening again," she said.

Alan kissed the top of her head.

"I won't let it happen again," he said. "Not while there's a breath left in my body."

He reached out and took Rose's hand and she turned so she was on the opposite side from Awinita. He nodded to John and they followed him out the door. Alan opened the passenger side door and stepped back as Awinita got in.

"Get in with her, I'm gonna ride in the back," he said, gesturing to the truck bed. "I want you safe inside with John."

"Alan, please be careful and be mindful of your surroundings," she said.

"I will, Amo'tiri," he replied.

He gave her a kiss on the lips. She stroked his cheek and then climbed into the cab beside Awinita. She closed the door while Alan walked around and climbed up into the bed. He walked to the back and set down in front of the window. Awinita turned her head to look at him and he winked at her. She turned back around when John started the ignition and put the truck in gear. He slouched down against the cold metal and looked around him, searching for anything unusual. The cold wind whipped against his face, blowing his tousled hair around, and he sighed, relieved that his sister was safe and on her way back to John's house.

Then he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head towards it and he tensed when he saw a coyote running across the desert towards the truck.

"Well, well, couldn't leave well enough alone, could ya?" he muttered as he got up on his knees.

The coyote kept his eyes right on him as he sprinted towards the truck bed.

"Come on, ya sick bastard, come and get a taste of the Oncoming Storm," Alan muttered to himself.

The coyote angled his run and sprinted onto the road. Once he was directly behind the truck he sped up while Alan tensed his body and readied himself for the attack.

Then when the coyote was right behind the truck, it suddenly launched itself into the air like a furry missile. Alan's eyes widened when the coyote shape shifted in mid-air into a panther. Everyone in the cab screamed as the panther collided with Alan smacking him back against the glass. Both Rose and Awinita screamed while Alan grabbed a hold of the panther's neck and muzzle trying to prevent the animal from biting him. He grunted when he felt his back claws rake across his left leg. Ignoring the pain, he kept his hands where they were and shifted his body until his foot was positioned underneath its stomach.

"Bye bye, puss!" he said.

He grunted and kicked his leg out throwing the panther off his body. He cursed when the panther smacked against the front of the truck bed instead of going over the side onto the road. He could hear Rose and Awinita screaming at John to pull over but he forced himself to concentrate on George who had recovered and was crouching, readying himself to spring. Alan got up on his haunches readying himself for a counteroffensive. The cat tensed its muscles while it eyed Alan hungrily.

Suddenly, there was a sudden lurch as John slammed on the brakes knocking both of them off balance. George sprung up intending to take advantage of the situation but just then the driver's side door swung open and John hopped out. He raised his shotgun and aimed it at George's head.

"Don't try anything stupid, George, or I'll blow your goddamned brains out, I swear I will!" John said.

George looked at him and then at Alan who was crouching and keeping himself ready for an attack and then his eyes went back to John. He laughed.

"You don't scare me. I don't fear death! I am more powerful than you can even imagine. Put the gun down and back away before I do to you what I did to the Cherokee woman and possess your mind."

His cat eyes shifted to Alan.

"And then I will order him to kill you, Time Lord," he said.

"Leave them alone. Deal with me," Alan said.

He laughed.

"Do you really think you can defeat me? You are a powerful being, one who is not of this world. But there is a part of you that is weak and frail and oh, so human. You are not like the one you came from."

"At least I am capable of a fair fight," Alan said. "At least I don't send other people to do my dirty work for me. At least I can fight with this weak, frail half human body unlike you, Puss. You have to resort to changing your form in order to battle me. What's wrong? 'Fraid If you fight me as a human I'll get the upper hand? Look into my mind, skinwalker; you'll notice that the man I sprang from has fought thousands of foes without resorting to shape shifting or black magic. I may not be exactly like him but I'm close enough in every way that counts. See into my surface memories, Shaman. See the enemies he bested who were far bigger and fiercer than you are. I am the Oncoming Storm and it doesn't matter if I am half human, I will defeat you just as I defeated your little mind control over my sister. Even now I feel you trying to gain control over my mind. Not workin' is it? Even with my human frailties I'm still able to repel your psychic assault. Do not underestimate me, Kitty Cat, or you may find yourself at the vet sooner than you think!"

What passed for a sneer spread over the panther's face.

"You are an arrogant fool, Halfling. It is you who is doing the underestimating. I will kill you as easily as a cat kills a mouse and then afterward, I will make quick work of the Wolf Child, the Cherokee and John. And as for fighting fair… if I believed in being fair, I never would have become a skinwalker. So now, Halfling, prepare yourself. Let's see how good you really are!"

Alan tensed his muscles when the panther crouched.

"I mean it, George, I'll shoot you!" John said.

He ignored him, eyes solely on Alan. He licked his muzzle hungrily while he tensed his muscles.

Suddenly, there was a huge bang on the side of the truck. The panther jerked his head towards the noise. It was all the opportunity John needed. There was an enormous BANG and the panther was knocked onto its side with a gaping hole near its hip. Alan frowned in confusion wondering what had made the first bang and then suddenly he saw Awinita's head as she stood up and looked at the injured panther over the side of the truck.

"Awinita?" Alan said.

She looked up at him and held up a large rock.

"I wanted in on this too," she said. "I didn't want my little brother dying in the back of a rusty pick-up truck in the middle of Arizona."

Alan jerked his head around and saw the passenger door was ajar and Rose was standing by the hood with a huge grin on her face.

"You lot didn't notice the door openin' and us gettin' out?" Rose said to him.

"Um…no, I was too busy trying not to become kitty food and he must have been dreaming about making me his cat toy."

"Alan!"

Alan turned his head at the sound of Awinita's voice and looked at George. He had reverted back to his human form and was now lying naked and bleeding while he moaned softly. Alan stood up and stared at him dispassionately while John walked up to the front of the truck bed and gazed at him.

"I was gonna blow your brains out but I decided to be merciful and let you stand trial," he said. "I'm sure Alan and his friends aren't the first people you've tormented so I'm allowing everyone to have their day in court."

George laughed.

"You still don't get it, do you?" he said. "I'm not going to have my day in court because I'm not going to be here. You really don't have any idea what you're up against."

He looked at Alan.

"Cherish the ones you love while you can because there is an even bigger threat than me in your future and when it comes, your little psychic blocks won't be able to save them or you from torture and death."

Before anyone could act, he muttered a quick incantation. There was a sudden burst of light that blinded everyone and when it faded, George was gone. John cursed loudly.

"I'm sorry, the bastard got away," he sighed as he looked at Alan. "But if it's any consolation, he's severely wounded and if he survives it, he won't be a threat to any of us, at least not for awhile."

Alan said nothing. He glanced down at Rose and Awinita who were standing at the side of the truck staring up at him. He noticed the anguished looks on his faces and looked down at his ripped pant leg.

"It's alright, "he reassured them. "The scratches didn't go that deep. It's nastier than it looks."

John sighed.

"Well, I guess there's nothing more we can do. We might as well go back home," he said to them. "So everyone get back in the truck before something else happens."

Alan lowered himself back down. He smiled at his girls and squeezed their hands before they got back in the cab and shut the door.


	113. Chapter 113

Chapter One Hundred Thirteen

Rain and Amber looked out the living room window when they saw John's pick-up truck pulling up in the driveway. In the time they'd been gone; they had both gotten dressed in t-shirts and jeans and had combed their hair, leaving it loose down their back. They hurried to the door and watched while John, Rose and Awinita got out of the cab and Alan climbed out of the back.

"Dad? Are you alright?" Amber said as she and her sister hurried over to them.

"We're fine for the most part. Alan's been injured. Can you get the first aid kit from the bathroom?"

Amber nodded and ran back inside.

"What happened?" Rain asked. "Is it true? Is George a skinwalker?"

John held up his hand.

"We'll tell you when we get inside. Just go and put some water on for tea and let these people get inside. They're exhausted."

Rain nodded and ran back inside while the others followed her.

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"There, ya see, it's not as bad as it looks."

Alan gestured to his leg while Rose and Awinita sat beside him on the couch. He had his trouser leg pushed up to his thigh and was gently cleaning off the scratch marks.

"See, didn't even really scratch the surface. My trousers took most of the damage."

He smiled at Rose.

"So…that's one set of scratch mark scars for you and one ruined jacket and one set of scratch mark scars for me and one ruined pair of pants. Two out of three ain't bad, eh?"

Rose chuckled softly. She smiled and kissed him on the lips.

While this had been going on, John and his daughters sat quietly in the recliner and a couple of the kitchen chairs listening quietly to their exchange and giving them time to rest a bit and get cleaned up. Finally, John cleared his throat loudly and Alan looked at him.

"I want you to explain some things if you don't mind," he said. "I want you to explain what George was talking about when he said you were not of this world and what you mean when you said you were half human and what did he mean when he called Rose Wolf Child? And…how were you able to counteract a skinwalker's mind control?"

Alan sighed and glanced at his girls.

"It's…very complicated," he said to him. "And it's an extremely weird explanation."

"I just got done shooting a skinwalker, I think I've gone beyond weird," John said. "So, try me."

Alan nodded and he explained who he really was and why George had called Rose a Wolf Child. John and his daughters listened quietly to his story not commenting on any of it until he finished.

"Normally, I would be hard pressed to believe you," John said after a moment's thought. "But I do believe there are star children living on other planets. If anyone could possess enough power to counteract a skinwalker's mind control it would be one. And as for this Bad Wolf, I also believe in guardian animal spirits that protect a person throughout their life. You claim that this "Doctor" took the Bad Wolf out of her but there must be some of it still residing within if George could see it. All three of you possess much power and strength within your bodies. I could sense that even before all of this happened. I can also see your hearts and I know they're good so it doesn't matter to me if you are human or star child or a combination of both. I am thankful that all of you are safe. Not everyone can claim they faced a skinwalker and walked away from it."

"Well, thank you for being so understanding," Alan said. "Obviously, we don't go around telling this stuff to just anyone for fear of someone locking us up in the funny farm and throwing away the key."

John smiled.

"If you had to tell your secret to someone, the best choice would be a Diné. We are a very open minded people. And very trustworthy…at least, most of us are. Your secret is safe with me, Star Child."

"Thank you," he said.

"Now, I suppose you won't feel like taking the tour in a few hours but after all that's happened, I want to offer you our house and hospitality. You may stay here free of charge for as long as you need to."

The three friends smiled.

"Thank you," Alan said. "We would appreciate another day at least. All of us are exhausted and I want time for my leg to mend a bit before we move on."

"Take as long as you need," John said. "Our home is open to you."

"Again, thank you," Alan said as Rose and Awinita voiced their thanks.

"You're very welcome. It's not every day someone has a star child and his human…sister…as their guests."

Alan chuckled.

"Awinita and I grew very close and I adopted her as my sister and Rose here is my fiancée."

John grinned at his daughters.

"My, my, this is getting more and more interesting by the minute," he said as his daughters giggled. "Suddenly, I'm very thankful the Great Spirit directed you to come here. I look forward to getting to know you better over the next day or so. For now, I would like to go back to bed. Feel free to use anything in the house and you can use this recliner and the couch as beds. I regret that I don't have a third couch or comfortable chair but I have some spare bedding I can bring out if one of you wants to sleep on the floor."

"I'll do that," Alan said.

He nodded.

"Then if you will excuse me, we'll go and get some pillows and blankets for you," he said, rising.

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After they gave them the bedding, John and his daughters bid them good night and went back to bed. Alan sat down on the end of the sofa.

"Come here, Te'lesu, and let me finish blocking your mind," he said to her.

Awinita walked over and sat down in front of him. Alan put his fingertips to her temples and closed his eyes. She sat quietly while Alan sat up an intricate network of psychic barriers, so thick and complicated that only he knew how to get through them. The whole process took about twenty minutes before Alan finally opened his eyes and took his fingers away.

"It's done now. No one but me knows how to breech the blocks I've set up in your mind and I would never harm you, so you're safe now and for the rest of your life."

Awinita embraced him and he hugged her tightly smiling as he silently thanked God that she was safe. He gave her another kiss on her head before they broke apart.

"Okay, Starlight, now it's your turn."

Awinita switched places with her and sat down in the recliner while Rose sat down in front of him.

"I know the Doctor set up powerful barriers in your mind but I want to reinforce what he did and make damn sure no one can control or hurt you," he said.

She nodded and relaxed when Alan put his hands on the side of her head and closed his eyes. He sensed what the Doctor had done to her and added his own blocks, interweaving his mental barriers with his double's handiwork until Rose's mind was just as impenetrable as Awinita's. When he was finished, he took his hands away.

"I'm finished, my love, you're safe."

Rose embraced him and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you," she said.

He smiled.

"You're welcome."

"What about you though?" Awinita asked.

He looked at her.

"I already have natural barriers in place but I can reinforce those manually and make them stronger so I'm just as protected as you are."

He looked back at Rose and noticed she had a disturbed look on her face.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"What George said…about one in your future who was more powerful than him..."

"Starlight, no. Don't start worrying, alright? He might have been bluffing."

"But what if he's not?"

Alan gave her a resolute look.

"Then we prepare," he said.

He looked up when he felt Awinita's hand on his shoulder.

"Prepare for what? What are you guys talking about?" she said, kneeling down beside them.

Alan sighed and glanced at Rose.

"Guess John isn't the only one we have to be open with tonight," he said.

"Tell her, Alan. If he is in our future, she deserves to know so she can prepare," Rose said.

Alan nodded. He smiled at Awinita when he saw the perplexed look on her face.

"First off, let's spread all the blankets down on the floor and lay there together so I can be comfortable while I tell you. I think once I get through you'll feel like lying down anyway."

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They spread the blankets and pillows out on the floor and stretched out on them. Alan lay near the edge; Rose was directly in front of him and Awinita was lying beside her on her side and turned toward him. Once they were settled, Alan took a deep breath and explained the Valeyard to her.

The more he talked, the more dumbfounded Awinita looked. He spent an hour telling her everything he had told Rose. Everything he knew about the Valeyard, all the while doing what he did with Rose, reassuring Awinita that what he was saying wasn't set in stone. When he finished, Awinita was speechless. She stared off over Alan's shoulder processing what he had told her while her friends watched her quietly.

"Is this why the Doctor dumped you here?" she finally said. "Is he afraid that just because you destroyed the Daleks that you might be the Valeyard?"

Alan considered that.

"I never thought of that but that could very well be. But, I assure you, I'm not him."

"Oh, I have no doubt of that," Awinita said. "The person you just described is about far from your personality as you can get."

She fell silent again as Alan took her hand and held it.

"And is this one of the reasons you want us to practice the Venusian aikido?" she finally said.

He nodded.

"And we will make time for it from now on. I don't care if we have to go out of our way to find a park and do it there. I want both of you able to defend yourselves, not just from him but from nutters like George as well. I told Rose that in addition to it I can teach you how to do other things like withstand torture and interrogation. I know that's unpleasant to hear, Te'lesu, but you've seen that traveling with us can get dangerous and both Rose and I would be devastated if you were killed or went insane. You're a strong woman and you're more than capable of handling anything that comes your way but I want you and Rose to have a few extra coping tools so you'll be able to come through dangerous situations unscathed. I love you both more than anything and if we're gonna travel in the TARDIS together I want to make sure you are safe, sane and in one piece so you can enjoy it."

He gave her hand a squeeze.

"But until the Valeyard shows his ugly face I want you to do what I told Rose to do, not worry about it and enjoy our time together so you won't have nightmares like she did after she learned about him. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Well, now that that's sorted, I think we should all just turn in for the night. Awinita, why don't you take the sofa? Rose can take the recliner and I'll sleep right here so you'll feel protected. Sound good?"

They nodded.

"Brill. Well then, goodnight to both of you, my beloved angels, and sleep well. Tonight is the end of one year and the beginning of another."


	114. Chapter 114

Chapter One Hundred Fourteen

They slept until almost ten o'clock. Awinita woke first, needing to go to the bathroom. She yawned and slowly sat up. Then she stood and rubbed the sleep from her eyes while she headed for the hallway.

"Do I need to go with you this time?"

Awinita turned around and saw Alan staring up at her with an amused grin on his face.

"Did I wake you?" she whispered.

"Not really. I was doing the whole light sleep thing again just in case George came back."

He gave her a concerned look.

"Are you alright? Did you have any bad dreams?"

She smiled and shook her head.

"No, I passed out the moment my head hit the pillow. I don't remember a thing."

"Good. So are you going to the lavatory then?"

"Yeah."

"I repeat, do you need me to come with ya?"

She laughed softly.

"Nah, Te'lesau, I'll be fine."

He smiled and nodded.

"Once Rose wakes up I want all of us to walk back to the Hogan, collect our things and then do our aikido training out in the desert for an hour or two."

"Okay," she said, nodding.

"I'm awake now if you wanna get started."

They looked over and saw Rose staring at them.

"And before you say anything, I was already awake," she said. "I woke up a couple of minutes before Awinita did."

"Well, I'll go to the bathroom then so we can go out," Awinita said.

He nodded.

"I'll find a paper and a pen while you're doing that and write a little note for John so he won't worry about us," he said.

Awinita nodded. She turned and headed towards the bathroom while Alan and Rose got up and got ready.

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Alan found a paper and pen and dashed off a quick note to John explaining what they were doing. Then all of them went out the door and closed it silently behind them. On the way back to their Hogan, all three of them kept alert in case George was nearby but they didn't see anything out of the ordinary and relaxed. To their great relief, they found their rucksacks untouched. They tidied up the Hogan, slung the rucksacks over their shoulders and went outside. They walked about fifty feet away from the Hogan towards a flat and level section of the desert. They set the rucksacks down in a heap and began their training. Alan started with Awinita first, showing her the basic punches and kicks that he first showed Rose back on the beach at Bad Wolf Bay. To his delight, she proved to be as fast a learner as Rose was and the two of them practiced kicks and punches for about an hour while Rose sat on a nearby rock and watched them. After the hour had passed, he called for a switch and Rose took Awinita's place. Awinita settled down on the rock and watched with fascination while the two of them sparred and grappled with each other for about twenty minutes before Alan went on to expand on what he had already taught her. After that, they practiced the new moves for about a half hour before they finally decided to call it quits for the day and head back. They put their rucksacks on their backs and walked the half mile back to the house.

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John was sitting in his recliner watching TV. He looked over and smiled when the door open and the three of them came inside.

"I got your note," he said. "Thanks for being kind enough to write one."

"Well, after last night, we didn't want you to worry," Alan said. "I'm teaching them a special martial arts technique so they can defend themselves against threats like George."

"It must have been quite a workout. You're all dusty and dirty," he said. "If you want to use the shower, go ahead. I warmed up some potato, cheese and green chili soup and I have some fry bread for you. It'll keep until you're ready to eat."

They thanked him and Awinita volunteered to go first.

"You guys can go ahead and eat if you want," she said to them.

"Nah, that's alright. I need to catch my breath for a minute. We can wait until everyone's out of the shower and eat together," he said as Rose nodded in agreement.

Awinita grabbed her rucksack and headed for the bathroom while Alan and Rose settled down on the sofa.

"So, how are you feeling this morning?" John asked. "Is your leg still hurting?"

"A bit, but I'll live," Alan said.

"If you'd like, I can give you a special herbal cream that can help with the healing."

"I'd like that, cheers," Alan replied.

He rummaged through the drawer in the table beside him and brought out a little glass jar that had a greenish-white cream in it. He handed it to Alan who thanked him

"And how is Awinita?" John said, sitting back down. "Has she recovered from her ordeal?"

"I think so, she seems to be alright," Alan said as he got a bit of the cream on his fingers and rubbed it into his wounds.

"Good. I'm glad. I know I haven't known you for very long but I like all of you and so do my daughters. I would hate to see you get hurt any more than you have already."

"Do you think that George will be back?" Rose said.

"I don't think so. He'd be a fool to do it since we now know his little secret."

He sighed.

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid there have been signs for a couple of years that he might have embraced the dark path. But, he used to be a much respected shaman before he gave into the darkness and he was well loved here on the rez so no one wanted to believe that he might have become a skinwalker. Not even when his wife was murdered. I told you that in order to get the dark power they need to sacrifice a close family member as an exchange. His wife, Constance, was a good woman, everyone loved her. Then one day, George went into the tribal police station claiming that someone had broken into their house and bludgeoned her to death with a hammer. The police investigated. They recovered the hammer several miles out in the desert but there were no fingerprints on the handle so it wasn't much use in identifying the suspect. George was questioned but he seemed to have an airtight alibi and he was dropped from the list of possible suspects. After a year, they weren't getting anywhere and Constance's murder became a cold case. But shortly after the murder happened, the skinwalker sightings started. People claimed to see a half man/half animal roaming through the desert after dark but it could never be verified. There are a lot of other shamans besides George on the rez. The entire reservation is 26,000 square miles so there were others besides George that people suspected. But no one, George included, seemed the type to become a skinwalker. George kept to himself and wasn't very friendly towards others but everyone chalked that up to him being upset over Constance's death and not wanting to interact with anyone else because of it. But then there were other strange deaths. There's a family several miles away from here that had a little ten year old boy that went swimming in a lake near their house and drowned although he was an excellent swimmer and they couldn't find any reason why it happened. A woman about twenty miles from here who had never been mentally ill in her life suddenly blew her brains out with a shotgun one day. A friend of mine lost his job, lost his house, all his horses suddenly took ill with a mysterious disease and died and he finally ended up living with relatives. All this happened after he got in a heated argument with George over a horse he was trying to sell him because George wanted the animal at a lower price than my friend was willing to accept. At the moment he's still with them because no matter what he does he can't get back on his feet. Looking back on it, I'm willing to bet George had a hand in all of it and if he did, I sincerely hope he is gone for good."

He gave them a sad smile.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is I and everyone else around here share some responsibility for what happened last night because we weren't willing to believe what our eyes and hearts were trying to tell us. I'm so very sorry, my friends."

"No, it's alright," Alan said. "You couldn't prove what George was doing beyond a shadow of a doubt and you didn't want to jump to conclusions and accuse him of something he may not have been doing. You said he was investigated and was cleared of being a suspect so there was no real reason to think he was the one behind everything. You shouldn't feel guilty about all of this."

"Just the same I'd like to at least buy you a new pair of pants to replace those. It's the least I can do," he said pointing to his shredded pant leg.

"You don't have to."

"I know that but I want to as a gesture of friendship."

Alan smiled.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome. Like I said, least I can do to make up for what happened."

They looked over when Awinita came into the living room, completely clean and wearing fresh clothes.

"Whoever's next, I'm done now," she said, sitting down beside them.

Alan looked at Rose.

"You wanna go next?"

"I can."

"Go ahead and go."

She nodded, kissed his lips and stood up. She grabbed her rucksack and headed for the bathroom. John smiled as she watched her go.

"So, how long have you been in love with her?" he asked Alan.

He smiled.

"I've been in love with her from the moment I was born. As for my double, he's loved her for about four years now."

"You consider yourself separate from him?"

"Yes, I do."

John nodded.

"Good. I don't claim to understand cloning and how it works, but every being deserves to be their own individual, no matter how they were created. It warms my heart to know that you wish to have a life and mind of your own apart from your twin. And you are just as important and worthy of life as anything else that the Great Spirit has created, remember that, my friend."

Alan smiled and nodded while Awinita gave his hand a squeeze.

"So," John said. "Tonight, an old year passes and a new one begins. How do you and your friends plan to mark the occasion, Star Child?"

Alan frowned.

"Um, is there anything around here we could do?"

"There aren't any major ones around here. There is Flagstaff which has a ball drop similar to New York, except theirs is a pine cone."

Alan grinned.

"Pine cone? Seriously?"

"Yes, a big lighted pine cone. If you want to go see it, Flagstaff is about three and a half hours south of us."

Alan looked at Awinita.

"Wanna go watch a lighted pine cone drop tonight?" he said.

"If you and Rose are up for it."

"Yeah, that's the thing; Rose is the one in charge of the money. We'll have to wait till she gets out of the shower but I'm sure she'll want to do it," he said.

He smiled.

"What about you though? We have that van out there; we can take you and your daughters with us, if you want."

He chuckled.

"Not me, I'm too old for such things. My bedtime is way before midnight. However, I think Rain and Amber might wanna go and I'll give them money to spend if you want to take them."

Alan and Awinita smiled at each other.

"We'd be happy to have them along and I know Rose would too. Where are they so we can ask them?"

"They both had college classes this morning. They'll be back this afternoon and you can ask them then."

"Brilliant."

They looked over when Rose walked into the living room.

"Starlight, we may have something we can do tonight. John was just telling us they have a lighted pine cone that drops like the ball in Times Square. It's in Flagstaff 'bout three and half hours south of here. Do you wanna go?"

"Yeah, sounds like fun."

"And also if you wanna take Rain and Amber, John'll give them money," Alan added.

Rose grinned.

"Oh, I'd love to have them along. Are they around?" she said.

"They're at college right now but they'll be back soon," John said. "I'm sure they'll agree to go though."

"Oh yeah, I'd be happy to take them with us. The more the merrier I say," Rose said.

She smiled and ruffled Alan's tousle.

"You're up next, my dirty pretty boy," she said.

"Yay, I finally get to be squeaky clean and sweet smellin'" he said, grabbing his rucksack and jumping up.

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After Alan finished with his shower, they went into the kitchen and John ladled out soup into three bowls and gave them each a huge piece of fry bread. He finished up with three big glasses of iced tea. They thanked him and he smiled and headed back to the living room to watch TV. They sipped the soup.

"Oh God, this is so good," Rose said. "And I love this fry bread. It's delicious."

"Oh yeah, me too! The Cherokee also have fry bread," Awinita said. "I grew up eating it. I love it more than regular bread."

"Did you have something like this soup?" Alan asked.

"Um…we have potato soup, but it doesn't have cheese or chilies in it. Chilies are a southwestern thing," she said. "Actually, I oughta cook you a couple of things when I get the chance."

Alan and Rose glanced at each other.

"If you wanna cook us something, we could do it while we're here. I can get you the ingredients and I'm sure John will let you use the kitchen," Rose said.

"Cool! Well, I'll do that then. I'd love for you to try some traditional Cherokee recipes," she said.

"Well, your brother would love you even more if you cooked for him," she said as he giggled. "Just let me know what you need and I'll take you to market."

"And I'm sure John, Rain and Amber will want to try your meal too," Alan said.

"Well, I know how to make several things because of my grandmother; she's the one who taught me how to cook traditional recipes. I know how to make fry bread and potato soup. I can also make bread pudding, fried hominy, grape dumplings, corn pone and this hickory nut delicacy called Kanuchi. That one I couldn't do here because you have to gather the nuts and dry them out for a couple of weeks before you put them inside a hollowed out log and pound them with a heavy wooden stick so you can make little balls out of em. I seriously doubt they have a hallowed out log or a big wooden stick here so that one is out but I can do the others."

"Grape dumplings, sounds intriguing," Alan said.

"The grapes aren't inside the dumplings. The dumplings are boiled in grape juice. It's really very good."

Alan and Rose looked at each other.

"How 'bout that one?" he said.

"Yeah, I'll try that one and the potato soup sounds good but whatever you wanna cook is fine. I just wanna try your cooking."

"So do I."

"Well, I'm not the best cook in the world. My grandmother made everything better than I did but I can cook things without burning them to a blackened crisp and I don't think you'll barf after tasting them either."

"Ah! You'll be fantastic!" Alan said. "You're my sister! You've inherited my brilliance."

"Really? How?"

Alan stared at her.

"Um…osmosis?" he said as Rose laughed. "My brilliant germs have been absorbed through your skin?"

"Well then Rose inherited them too."

"Naaaaah, I'm only directing them at you. Rose doesn't get one single solitary germ."

"Yes, I did. Because germs are pesky nuisances that irritate people and cause them grief, therefore you're the biggest germ of them all."

She ducked when Alan tried to swat her head. He winked at Rose when she put her tongue between her teeth and he put a spoonful of soup into his mouth.

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After eating, they washed their dishes and put them in the dish rack to dry. Then they went out into the living room to talk with John. They asked him about letting Awinita cook for them and to their delight, he wholeheartedly agreed to it. They had been talking for about a half hour when the door opened and Rain and Amber came into the room. John got up from his chair and hugged them both. After they rested for a moment, John asked them about going to Flagstaff. The three of them were thrilled when they agreed to go.

"Well then," John said. "Perhaps you should start getting ready if it's three and a half hours. Now are you planning to spend the night there since you'll be staying up late? Because if you are, I can pay for a hotel room for them too."

They looked at each other.

"We can do that and come back tomorrow afternoon or evenin'," Rose said.

"Take your time getting back. All of you are young so just have fun and enjoy yourselves. My daughters have worked hard for me so they deserve a break. Just be careful."

"We will and you be careful as well," Rose said. "Especially considerin'…"

"Nah, he won't be back. George isn't right in the head but I'm sure even he knows to stay far enough away from this place. I'll be alright. Just go and have fun tonight. Go eat, take in the sights and ring in the New Year, southwestern style!"


	115. Chapter 115

Chapter One Hundred Fifteen

Alan leaned against the wall just outside the bathroom door giggling to himself. All four women were inside gazing into the counter length mirror, putting on their makeup and chatting and laughing like old friends. He turned and stuck his head inside.

"Blimey, you four sound like nitrous oxide's been pumped into the room."

"What's that?" Awinita said.

"It's more commonly known as laughing gas which is what all four of you are doing. Just giggling like a nutter who's downed a ton of happy pills."

"What's wrong, love?" Rose said. "Feeling left out since you're the only male in the bunch?"

"Not at all. On the contrary, I am going to be surrounded tonight by four very beautiful women. Oh yes, I am quite the playa!"

Awinita snorted as the others laughed hysterically.

"Don't flatter yourself, bro, she said. "First off, there's only one woman in this group who is even remotely interested in you and second, counting me among your potential conquests is extremely creepy since I'm your sister…or have you forgotten?"

"Point taken. And you're right, there's only one woman in this room I'd want, so sorry all the rest of ya who were wantin' a go at me, I'm a one-woman bloke."

Rose noticed Rain and Amber were giving him odd looks. She walked over to him and put her hand on top of his head.

"Okay, word of warning for you two since you don't know him like Awinita and me. This man is a certifiable nut who is hyper at all hours of the day. Trust me, it takes some gettin' used to, but once you get settled into his manic rhythm, he's actually fun to have around."

Awinita laughed when Alan gave her a dirty look. Rose gasped when he suddenly seized her around the middle.

"Could you ladies excuse me for about ten seconds, thanks," he said, dragging her backwards out of the room.

Awinita laughed harder when she heard him smack her hard on the butt followed by a loud, "BEHAVE!" A moment later, Rose stepped back into the room followed by Alan who had a devilish grin on his face.

"You got your ass smacked," Awinita said to her.

"Yes and if he does that again, I'll smack the Time Lord side of em clean out of his body," she said to her.

She looked through her makeup bag and pulled out her eyeliner pencil. She used it while Awinita brushed mascara on her lashes and Rain and Amber used eyeshadow. Alan put his hands in his shorts pockets and leaned back against the wall behind them watching while they made themselves up. He noticed a tube of lipstick lying on the counter beside Rose. Grinning like a Cheshire cat, he took it, opened it up, smeared the blood red shade on his index finger and began to spread it on his lips. All four women froze and watched the mirror while he stood behind them and reddened his lips. Finishing, he smacked his lips a couple of times and put the lid back on the tube. Pretending not to notice the odd looks of his friends, he gazed at himself in the mirror puckering his lips and making pouty expressions. He finally made eye contact with the others.

"What do you think? Bit too red? Personally I think it brings out my stunningly beautiful baby brown eyes."

He snickered when everyone just continued to stare at his reflection. Awinita finally looked at Rain and Amber.

"Yes, guys, this is the man this woman is going to marry…willingly, I might add!" she said, gesturing to Rose.

"What? You lot are makin' yourselves pretty, I wanna do it as well. Now…where is that pencil that makes you look like a raccoon? I just saw Rose using it a second ago," he muttered as he came up behind her.

"Makes me look like what?" Rose said.

"Raccoon," Alan murmured as he leaned his head over her shoulder. "I need the I have two black eyes pencil you were using a moment ago. Is it in this all-purpose female beautification bag where you store all your handy-dandy beautifying accessories?"

"I do not have two black eyes and I do not look like a raccoon," she said as the other girls laughed. "So, piss off and let me finish this in peace."

"Aha!" Alan said, ignoring her. "I have located the put the black around my eyes for no good reason pencil Brilliant."

Rose raised her eyebrow.

"Uh-huh and now you're gonna put it around your eyes?" she said.

Her eyes widened when he began to write something on her forehead with the pencil. The sisters glanced at each other.

"This is typical behavior for him, trust me," Awinita said to them. "He really is a sweet guy."

He finished writing, threw the pencil on the counter and started to run but Rose seized him by his shirt collar. Holding him prisoner, she turned to the mirror and read what he wrote. She narrowed her eyes while everyone else roared with laughter.

PROPERTY OF ALAN TIMELORD. DO NOT TOUCH!

"Yeah, that's really hilarious, that is," Rose said, letting go and smacking his arm.

He kissed the top of her head as she grabbed a flannel.

"You're lucky you are twee, otherwise you'd be dead by now," she said, running the flannel under the running water coming out of the tap.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Forty five minutes later, they were on their way to Flagstaff. Rose was glad now that she had gotten a big minivan since there was plenty of room for everyone. She drove, Alan sat beside her. Rain and Awinita sat behind them and Amber sat in the very back. Alan was turned slightly in his seat so he could watch while all of them laughed and joked with each other. He loved it so much. The fact that all four girls were getting along like a house on fire made him so happy. Especially since his sister seemed to have forgotten the horror she had just went through hours earlier. There was a party atmosphere in the car with a loud and raucous tone that Alan also loved. These two newcomers were injecting a lot of energy into the mix and he felt in the mood for a New Year's celebration.

_Rose is right, the more the merrier,_ he thought.

He figured it also helped that all of them were around the same age which made it easy for them to connect and identify with one another. Watching them interact with one another gave him joy and he was content to just sit and listen to the very human exchange that was going on between them. He stayed silent for ten minutes before Awinita noticed.

"Hey Rose, am I going deaf or has the Chatterbox fell silent and stayed that way for a world record amount of time?"

"Nope, you're not goin' deaf. He's being a quiet little boy."

"I'm just listening to all of you," he said. "It's interesting."

"Yeah but you should be talking. Rain and Amber want to get to know you too," Awinita said.

She looked at Rain.

"Trust me; he's not usually this tight-lipped. The mouth is going a mile a minute. I think he's actually shy for once."

"I'm not shy, Awinita, I'm just listening. He didn't pay much attention to trivial chatter like this so I'm trying to make up for it."

"He?" Amber said.

"The Doctor," Awinita said.

She looked at him.

"Is that the whole reason or are you just not used to more people being in here with us?"

"Well…that too," he admitted. "I'm sorry, but we had this problem once before after Awinita started traveling with us. The car broke down in Indiana and we were forced to spend the night with…um…some colorful characters."

Both Rose and Awinita snickered.

"Goddamn these potholes!" Rose said in a gruff voice.

Alan and Awinita sniggered.

"So…" Rain said. "Where have you been so far?"

"Just the US," Alan said. "And we've seen most of the states. We would have seen more but we got stuck in freezing rain and outran a hurricane down in Florida."

"Wow, that must have been scary," Amber said.

"Nah, we left Disneyworld just in time."

Their eyes widened.

"You guys were at Disneyworld?" Rain said.

"Yes, indeedy. That's where I proposed to Rose."

"And you're cool with marrying him, Rose?"

"Oh yes, he's my whole world. Don't know what I'd do without him."

"Where'd you meet?" Amber asked.

"On this alien spaceship called The Crucible," she said.

"Your spaceship?" Rain asked Alan.

"No, I've never owned a spaceship…well, we do own one, I guess but it's not full grown yet."

"What planet are you from?"

He smiled.

"Earth."

"No, I mean, before you came here."

"Before I came here I was born in my double's spaceship called the TARDIS. He lived on a planet called Gallifrey once but I never set foot on it, I only have memories of his time there so I don't consider that my home. When I went to London with Rose, some people fixed it so I have British citizenship. So I'm officially a citizen of Earth. This is my home."

"So, how many aliens are there?" Rain asked.

"Ooooh, thousands, maybe millions of species scattered throughout the universe and the many parallel versions. You aren't alone here, not by a long shot."

"Well, I remember the Cybermen, but I think those were made on Earth."

"They were, but in the other universe they were originally from a planet called Mondas. It used to be Earth's twin until it drifted out of orbit into deep space."

"Really?" Rose said.

He looked at her and nodded.

"Huh. I remember the Doctor mentioning the other universe's Cybermen got started on another planet but he never said what it was."

"Mondas," Alan said.

"See, that's the neat thing about being with him and being with the Doctor," she said to Rain and Amber. "You learn so much about the universe that you'd never dream existed in a million years."

"How long were you with the Doctor?"

"Two years. I traveled with him through time and space in his time machine and saw so many amazing sights. I've seen a lot of wonderful things traveling with Alan and Awinita but nothing compares to seeing other planets and time periods. I can't wait till we get our TARDIS working in ten years."

"So… you guys are gonna do that? Go through time and space?" Amber said.

"Yup," Alan replied with a smile.

The sisters looked at each other.

"Wow, I wish we could do that," Rain said.

"I wish you could too. If we had our TARDIS we could take you through time and space and bring you back to this day so you could go see the sights without sacrificing your education."

"You know, I seemed to recall once upon a time you were telling me in no uncertain terms that the TARDIS was just for the two of us," Rose said.

"Well, that's before I met my sister," he said. "Plus, I was angrier and bitterer at that time. I'm a lot happier now and I wouldn't mind having a bunch of people in the TARDIS."

He smiled at them.

"You know that gives me a good idea. Why don't you guys let us have your phone number? We'll continue to keep in touch after we leave you and maybe in ten years when we get the TARDIS we can give you guys a tour of time and space."

"Wow, that would be great," Rain said.

"Yeah, we'll definitely do that. I really would like to keep in touch with Awinita and Rose after you guys leave," Amber said.

"What about me?"

They giggled.

"Yes, you too," she said. "It's just up until now you haven't said much except for that odd display in the bathroom."

He snickered.

"Ah, I wish we had the time to tell you everything I've been doing to entertain them on our journeys," he said as Rose and Awinita giggled. "The whole stunt in the bathroom was just the tip of a veeeeeeery big iceberg. I'm harmless really, ask them."

"He is, he's a real cutie," Awinita said. "He's sweet and charming and smart and brave and strong and…"

Awinita purposely trailed off when she saw the interested look on Alan's face.

"Keep going, you're not done flattering me yet," he said.

He leaned forward and gave her a puppy dog look while he batted his eyelashes.

"Tell me more about me," he said in a high-pitched voice.

She patted his head while Rose giggled hysterically.

"See, he's fun to have around. He's a hell of a lot nicer than most men I've met."

"I'm the model man," he said in a little kid voice. "I must go all over the universe and teach men how to treat ladies properly."

They laughed and he smiled at them.

"Well, you're pretty unique. I'll give you that," Rain said. "Like dad said, not every day you met an alien clone."

"Half alien clone, can't forget the human part of me. It's what keeps Rose entertained day in and day out."

"No, you just keep me entertained regardless," Rose said, glancing at him.

He leaned back up and gave her cheek an affectionate pinch. As Rose drove on, all of them continued to talk and get to know one another.


	116. Chapter 116

Chapter One Hundred Sixteen

After two more hours they finally reached the Flagstaff city limits.

"I s'pose we should go ahead and find a hotel in case they're gonna be swamped tonight," Rose said.

She found a Holiday Inn and parked. Everyone got out and opened the trunk lid. Alan, Rose and Awinita grabbed their rucksacks while Rain and Amber grabbed a couple of old duffel bags. Rose slammed the lid shut and they went inside.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

To their relief, they were able to get two double rooms right beside each other. Rose paid for her group and Rain paid for her and Amber. They headed into the elevator up to the third floor and both groups entered their rooms. Once they were inside, Alan opened the door that led to the other room and knocked on the closed door directly behind it. Rain opened the door and looked at him.

"You wanna keep these open so we can visit?"

She nodded and opened her door wide. For the next half hour, the two groups got settled in and freshened up. While Alan was using the bathroom, Rain came through the door into their room.

"Um…we were wondering which cone drop we're going to."

Rose was sitting on her bed with Awinita waiting for Alan to come out so she could go to the bathroom. She frowned.

"Which one? There's more than one?"

"Yeah, they have one at 10 p.m. so it matches up with Times Square in New York. Do you wanna do that or go to the one at midnight?"

"I'd rather go to the one at midnight. I don't care about the one that matches New York. If I wanted to be in sync with New York, I would have driven us all the way back there. Is that alright with you and Amber?"

"Oh yeah, we're just making sure and we wanted to make sure you knew there was another one in case you wanted to go earlier."

"Thanks for tellin' me, but I'd rather do it properly."

The bathroom door opened as Rain went back into the other room.

"There ya are. What'd you do, fall through the seat and get sucked down the loo to Wonderland or somethin'?" Rose said.

Alan gave her a shocked look and smiled when she winked.

"Yeah, the White Rabbit come up through the pipes and nibbled my bum while I was sittin' there."

"Well if the rabbit tries that to me, I'll yank its ears off," she said as she got up and headed towards the bathroom. Alan quickly stepped in front of the doorway, blocking it.

"Alan, move!"

"Kiss me, that's the price of admission to the loo," he said.

Rose kissed his lips.

"Ah! Thank ya muchly. Lavatory's all yours," he said, stepping around her.

She went inside and closed the doors. Alan walked over to the bed and sat down beside Awinita.

"How ya doin'?" he asked.

"I'm doing good."

He put a hand on her back.

"You sure?"

She smiled and nodded.

"I'm fine now. I'm past what happened this morning."

"Good, because I don't want that to scar you in any way. I'm the only one who needs to have scars from that."

Awinita looked down at his healing leg.

"How is it?" she said.

"It's better. George gave me some herbal cream while you were in the shower. It's worked wonders, I have to say. I need to remember to ask him and find out what it was. But, anyway, I'm glad you're havin' fun. I want all of you to have fun tonight."

She put her arm around his side and gave him a hug. Alan happily returned it. They looked over when the bathroom door opened and Rose walked out.

"See ya in a moment, bro. I gotta do number one and possibly number two."

"Okey-dokey, crap a big one for me if you're gonna."

"Say that louder, I don't think the sisters who already think you're a weird alien heard you," Awinita said.

He chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. She got up and headed to the bathroom while Rose sat down beside him.

"We'll have to stick close to each other tonight. I'm sure it'll be crowded especially around the hotel that's havin' the ball…I mean, pine cone drop," Rose said.

She sighed and leaned against him.

"I can't believe it's only a few hours until 2009," she said. "Seems like yesterday it was New Year's Eve 2007."

She lapsed into silence. Alan frowned and put his arm around her.

"Starlight?"

He noticed her eyes misting over.

"Rose, what's wrong?"

They looked over when the door opened and Awinita walked out.

"I didn't crap a big one, Alan. Maybe I'll have better luck next time," she quipped as she walked over to them.

She stopped short when she noticed Rose's watery eyes.

"Rose? What's wrong?" she said, sitting down on the other side of her.

"It's nothin'. I was just thinking of last New Year's Eve and how crappy it was because I was all alone here."

"You had your mum and Pete and Tony," Alan said. "You had Mickey."

"No, I didn't, not Mickey at any rate," Rose said. "He was over me by then and was dating a black woman named Clarissa. Mickey was in love with her and thought he had finally found the one and she did love him back. But then his gran died and he became distraught and a bit depressed and didn't pay attention to her as often and she…I guess, she took that as a sign that he wasn't interested anymore and cheated on him. When Mickey found out, he was devastated all over again. He told me privately that if we got the cannon workin' properly then he was gonna go to the other universe and never come back. I guess he was true to his word. As for mum and Pete, they went to bed early along with Tony so I basically spent New Years Eve sitting by myself on the sofa in the den watching the celebration on telly."

Alan glanced at his sister.

"Well, you won't get a repeat of that this year," he said, firmly.

"That's right. You got us, you got Rain and Amber. You're not gonna be alone this New Years," she said.

Her eyes misted over again and she smiled.

"Thanks mates," she said.

They put their arms around each other and gave each other a sideways group hug. Just then, Amber came in the room.

"We're ready when you are and…Oh sorry, am I interrupting something?"

"Nah," Rose said as they broke apart. "We're just havin' a little family hug. We're ready to go as well, I think, yeah?"

They nodded.

"We're ready so let's get goin' before the restaurants fill up," Rose said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Blimey, look at all the people," Alan said as they tried to navigate their way through the crowds milling around downtown Flagstaff.

They were trying to find somewhere to eat. Rain and Amber had been to Flagstaff a couple of times but even though they knew the location of the Weatherford Hotel where the pine cone would be dropped, they weren't sure where all the restaurants were at. As they walked, Alan kept glancing around at everyone making sure they were still with him and safe. With all the people around them, his Doctor instinct to protect his family and friends was especially strong and he was extra alert, making sure that no one bothered the women who were talking to one another as they walked with him. He took his vow to protect the ones he loved seriously and he extended that to John's daughters. If anything happened, he wanted to be the one in the thick of it, not them. Alan kept glancing around, keeping his focus through the cacophony of talking, laughter, yelling and the mariachi band that was playing several feet away in the middle of the blocked off street.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed someone bump into Rose and his attention was instantly focused on her.

"Oi, watch it, mate!" Rose yelled back over her shoulder. "I have a right to walk on the pavement too!"

"You alright?"

"Yeah, wanker just smacked into me. He looked drunk, probably was," she muttered.

When they reached the mariachi band, they paused and wandered over to listen to them. Alan put his arms around Rose and Awinita and they snuggled close to him while they listened. Amber and Rain stood beside Awinita gesturing to the band and talking to each other. Alan loved the music. The sound of the horns and fiddles was pleasing to his ears and he began to tap his foot as he listened.

"Te'lesau."

Alan looked at Awinita.

"Huh?"

She pointed to some people nearby who were wearing purple party hats and 2009 party glasses on their face.

"I had a thought," she said. "Why don't we try to find some noisemakers and party hats so we can have them for tonight?"

Rose glanced at the people.

"Yeah, that's a good idea!" she said. "We gotta find a shop that sells them though."

She felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned and saw a woman behind her wearing a red party hat on her head.

"Sorry, I couldn't help but hear what you were saying," she said. "I got my hat and noisemaker from a store just up the street from here. It's called The Party Zone. It's about a block away."

"Oh! Thanks so much!" she said to her. "Um…do you happen to know where we could find a good restaurant as well?"

The lady neared closer to her and pointed off to her left.

"There are several restaurants over that way by the Weatherford Hotel. There's a Mexican one, burger place, a steakhouse and I think a sushi bar. Just follow this street and you'll see them, you can't miss them."

"Great! Cheers!" Rose said happily.

She nodded.

"Happy New Year."

"Yeah, same to ya," Rose replied.

She smiled, stepped back and started talking to her friend while Rose looked at everyone.

"You wanna go get the party stuff and then go eat?" she yelled.

They nodded and all of them headed off to the right to find the shop. Sure enough, they found it on the far corner of the next block. It was a small square brick shop with The Party Zone in big, blue, illuminated block letters above the door and front window. They went inside and noticed several other people were inside picking through the party supplies. They looked around and went to where the bulk of them were standing. They were several clear plastic tubs filled with party hats, 2009 glasses in several different colors and styles, noisemakers, tiaras, beads, sequined top hats, maracas, feather boas and confetti bottle poppers. There were also glow sticks and light up champagne glasses. All of them looked through the bins trying to figure out what to get. Rose grabbed one of the purple 2009 glasses and put them on Alan. She giggled when she saw how goofy he looked in them. The rest of the women noticed him and laughed. Alan took them off and studied them.

"This is brill, but I don't want purple," he said.

He put it back in the tub and pulled out a red one and a dark blue one. He held one in each hand looking at them.

"What d'ya think, Rose? Red or blue?"

Rose took the red one, put it on his face for a moment then did the same thing with the blue one.

"I like the blue one better," she said.

Alan tossed the red one back in the tub, took the blue one off and held it in his hand while he looked at the party hats. He pulled out a blue one that had HAPPY NEW YEAR written on the front in silver glitter and held it up to his glasses, seeing if they would go together. Deciding they would, he hung it around his wrist by the rubber band chin strap and went back to looking. He noticed Rose had chosen pink glasses and party hat and smiled.

"Pink looks good on ya," he said.

She smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she moved down a few feet and looked at the noisemakers with Rain and Amber. Awinita moved past her and Alan smiled at her when she walked up to him with noisemaker and purple party horn in hand. She glanced at his blue hat and glasses.

"Blue will look good on you," she said.

"That's what Rose thought too."

She showed him the noisemaker. Holding it by the handle she jerked her hand and spun the noisemaker around. Alan grinned when he heard a grinding sound coming from it.

"Where are those?"

Down there where Rose is," she said pointing.

Alan moved around her and went to the noisemaker section. Awinita looked at the party hats and glasses while he looked through the noisemakers and horns. He looked at the noisemakers Awinita had shown him and then his eyes settled on the maracas. He looked from one to the other and decided on the maracas. He picked up a neon blue one and gave it a shake. Rose, who was standing beside him turned her head and smiled.

"Get that, then you can join the band out there," she teased.

"I'll do it only if I get to serenade you," he replied.

He grabbed a red maraca and put that and the blue one in the same hand as his glasses. Rose pulled a pink party horn out of a tub. She put it to her lips and gave it an experimental toot. Satisfied that it wasn't broken, she added it to her items and looked at the maracas. She pulled out a pink one.

"Blimey, you're just color coordinating yourself, aren't ya?"

She looked at him.

"Well, so are you…oh wait, you have a red maraca so I guess I can't say that."

Alan shrugged.

"Red goes with blue," he said.

"Yeah, it does," she agreed.

She looked at him.

"Are ya done?"

"I'm happy with this. I only have so many hands, you know."

She nodded. She looked at the others and noticed they were still picking out things.

"Come on, we'll look around a bit while they finish up."

"Lead on."

They walked through the store looking at the non New Years items.

"Did they have party stuff like this on Gallifrey?" she asked.

"Ummm, yes, but it was more along the lines of fireworks," he said. "No Gallifreyan would have had the imagination to think up plastic 2009 glasses," he said.

They passed by several Halloween costumes hanging on hooks mounted in the wall.

"Would they have dressed up like this?" she said, gesturing to the costumes.

"Um…again kinda, they didn't have Halloween but there were ball masques where people would dress up. It wasn't anything elaborate like those costumes though. It was more along the lines of fancy dress robes and face masks. And Time Lords as a rule didn't do it. It was more for the ordinary Gallifreyan. I say as a rule because the Doctor did attend them which made him look bad in the eyes of most of the other snobby Time Lords. But you know the Doctor, he doesn't give a damn what people think, same as me."

He paused by a bin that had reindeer and Santa puppets in them. Giggling, he pulled out a Santa puppet and slipped his hand into it.

"Ho, ho, ho," he said in a deep voice as he moved the little puppet hands around. "Have you been a good girl this year, Rose Tyler?"

"Yes, I have Father Christmas," Rose said in a little kid voice.

He laughed. He reached in, pulled out a reindeer puppet and handed it to her. She slipped it on her hand.

"Are you ready to deliver toys to all the good boys and girls?" he said to the reindeer puppet.

"Yes, Father Christmas," Rose said in a high-pitched voice.

"Good! Now go and get your lazy bum hooked up to the sleigh before I turn you into venison!" he said.

"What the hell are you two doing?"

Alan looked up when he heard Awinita's voice and noticed the other three women were behind Rose staring at them with amused faces.

"How old are you people?" she said as Rain and Amber laughed hysterically.

"We were just bored and entertaining ourselves while we waited for you lot to finish," Alan said.

"Well, we're finished so you can stop the whole Christmas puppet theater thing you got goin' on," she said.

Alan slipped Santa off his hand and was about to put it back when Rose snatched it from him. Tongue between her teeth, she walked with it, the reindeer puppet and the New Years items up to the cash register.

"Oh my God, she's actually getting the puppets," Awinita said as Alan bent over laughing. "I swear, Alan, you are a bad influence on that woman."

Alan waggled his eyebrows at her. With a wink, he walked past the women and they turned and followed him to Rose.


	117. Chapter 117

Chapter One Hundred Seventeen

Carrying their sacks filled with party supplies, the five friends headed back the other way towards the restaurants. They looked over when they reached the spot where the mariachi band had been and noticed it had been replaced by a rock band. They kept on walking past it. A few minutes later they saw the Weatherford Hotel. It was a large three story brick building with a verandah stretched around the top level of the structure. Like most of the buildings in the city, it was decorated with white Christmas lights. There was a large digital clock affixed to one of the support posts which counted down the time to the pine cone drop. The lighted pine cone was suspended from a large metal pole that jutted out into space just above the veranda. About a hundred people were clustered around the entrance talking and pointing up at the verandah. Standing on it were several people who were well dressed and looked official. Rose noticed the clock indicated it was about an hour and seven minutes to the countdown. She checked her watch and saw it was counting down for the ten o'clock drop. They walked past it looking for the restaurants.

As they walked on, Alan noticed that more and more people looked drunk. Some of them were stumbling about and more than a few were yelling in loud raucous voices at their friends. He shook his head not understanding why some humans needed to drink to the point of instability and illness. He glanced at them warily, putting his arm around Rose when he noticed a couple of visibly drunk men leering at her. Rose glanced at him, saw the men and moved nearer to his side. Alan looked over his shoulder at his sister who was chatting with Rain and Amber.

"There's a lot of drunken people out now," he said to them. "If anyone tries to harass you, let me know."

"Will do," Awinita said.

He turned his head back around and his eyes widened when they noticed a drunk man a few feet away suddenly lean over and vomit onto his shoes.

"Oh yes, how lovely to watch that right before we eat!" he said, rolling his eyes.

He sighed angrily as all of them made a wide detour around him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They finally found the restaurants within several feet of one another. They looked at all of them, considering the choices, and finally decided to go to the Mexican restaurant. They entered the semi crowded restaurant and all of them groaned when they noticed a few of the patrons were also drunk and were very loud. The hostess came forward.

"How many?" she asked.

"Five," Alan said. "And could we please be seated somewhere away from any drunk people? We'd like to have a pleasant evening."

The hostess smiled apologetically.

"Of course, sir. To be honest, the ones who are yelling are about to get thrown out. We just informed the manager. But yes, I can take you to a more quiet area."

"Thank you," Alan said.

She led them towards the back where only a couple of people were sitting and seated them at a round wooden table that had a white tablecloth covering it and a small white jar candle that was burning in the center . Alan sat down with Rose and Awinita on either side of them with Rain on Rose's left and Amber on Awinita's right. All of them laid their bags against their chairs. The hostess handed them menus, took their drink order and left. All of them jerked their heads around when they heard the drunken men screaming curses at the manager and a couple of male workers who were forcibly ejecting them from the restaurant.

"Jesus," Awinita said. "It isn't even midnight yet and already they're plastered."

"We have a neighbor that lives down the road that gets drunk almost every night," Rain said. "He buys one of those thirty pack cases of beer and drinks almost all of it in one sitting. Then he goes out for walks and just stumbles around yelling and singing and chanting at the top of his lungs. He used to drive a car drunk before he ran it into a telephone pole and got his license taken away from him. The police have been out there a couple of times and his neighbors told us that they can hear him screaming like those guys when they have to take him and throw him in the drink tank so he can sleep it off."

"I have some uncles who do the same thing. Alan and Rose have heard it before. They drink to excess and get loud and hateful during the holidays. I suppose they'll get drunk tonight too."

"Well, you don't have to worry about them," Alan said. "You're with us now."

She smiled at him and ruffled his hair. The waitress returned and gave Alan, Rose and Awinita Cokes and Rain and Amber Mountain Dew along with a big bowl of tortilla chips and little bowls of mild and hot salsas.

"Are you ready or do you need more time?" she asked them.

They looked at each other and told her they needed more time. The waitress smiled and left. Alan stared at Rain's Mountain Dew.

"Is that stuff any good?" he asked. "What is it?"

She nodded.

"Mountain Dew and I like it."

"Can I have a sip?"

Rain set her glass in front of him. Alan pulled the paper covering off his straw, stuck it in the glass and took a sip.

"Mmmm, not bad," he said. "Thanks."

"No problem," she said, taking the glass back while Alan put the straw in his Coke.

"You better keep away from that. As much caffeine as that stuff has, you'll be bouncing off the walls," Awinita said.

"Oh God, I'm making sure he never drinks it again then," Rose said as Alan snickered.

They looked at their menus. Alan leaned over to Rose.

"Do you want tacos again?" he asked.

"Not sure. I really don't feel like tacos tonight. I might try something else," she said.

Alan plucked a tortilla chip out of the bowl and dipped it into the mild salsa. He ate it while he stared at the menu.

"Starlight?"

"Huh?"

"Are we getting a glass of alcohol to celebrate with?" he asked.

Rose looked at everyone.

"You guys wanna get a glass of alcohol?" she said to them.

They looked at each other and nodded.

"Just as long as you guys aren't gonna get drunk," Amber said.

"Trust me, we don't do that," Alan said. "The most we drink is one glass."

Rose grabbed the alcohol menu from a holder beside the candle.

"They have the usual Mexican drinks. Margaritas, tequila, sangria, that kind of thing," she said. "They don't have Champaign but they do have wine."

"I want that," Awinita said.

"Yeah, me too," Alan said.

"Me too," Amber and Rain said in unison.

"Okay, we'll get five glasses of wine then," she said.

She put the menu back and went back to looking at the dinner menu.

"Rose," Alan said.

"Yeah?"

"You ever have quesadillas?"

"Yeah."

"Are they any good?"

"I think so. Why? Is that what you're gettin'?"

"I think so. I want to try something new," he said plucking another tortilla chip out of the bowl. "It sounds delicious from the little description they give."

"They are," Awinita said. "You'll like em. They're nice and cheesy."

"Oh well, that's all I need to hear then," he said as she laughed.

He glanced up when an elderly couple was seated at the table behind them and laid the menu down in front of him. Rose looked at him.

"That's all you're gettin'?" she asked.

"Um…I was planning on it. Why?"

"Well, you know, you and your stomach," she teased. "Actually, I was in the mood for nachos but I want to get something else as well. But they have nachos as a starter and I was wondering if you'd like to split it with me."

"Sure," he said, grinning.

"Okay, then. I'll get that and something else. I'm leaning towards the enchilada dinner. I think I might get that."

"You guys did notice they have Navajo tacos here, didn't you?" Awinita said.

"Yeah, but like I said, I'm not in the mood for tacos tonight."

"And I wanna try the quesadillas."

"Well I think I'll get the taco then. The one we had last night was delicious."

"Glad you liked it," Rain said. "We've grown up on them. They're like comfort food."

"I can imagine," Awinita said. "I could see wanting them constantly growing up. They were good."

"Tastes so good they make your tongue smack your brains out?" Alan said, nudging her.

Rose rolled her eyes as Awinita laughed.

"Exactly, little bro," she said, patting his head. "Exactly."

"I've never heard that before," Amber said.

"Me neither."

"It's something my family members say. I taught it to him along with a couple of other phrases," she replied.

They looked over when the waitress came up and took their orders. In addition to Rose, Alan and Awinita's order, Amber ordered a chimichanga and Rain ordered a grande burrito. They waited until she left before resuming their conversation.

"I got a question for you two," Alan said to Rain and Amber.

"Yeah?" Rain said.

"We usually try to do a bunch of things wherever we go, so can you recommend some things to do while we're in Arizona?"

"Um, things to do…" Amber murmured.

"We're gonna go to the Grand Canyon and Sedona and Phoenix," Rose said. "And of course we still want to see Monument Valley and take your tour since we were interrupted."

"Do you guys ski?" Rain asked.

They shook their heads.

"I know here in Flagstaff they have a ski resort up in the San Francisco Peaks. I'm sure they give lessons if that's something you might be interested in," Rain said.

They looked at each other.

"Would you be interested in that?" Rose asked her friends.

"I wouldn't mind it, I've always wanted to try skiing," Awinita said.

"That might be fun," Alan said. "I would like to look at the mountains up close as well."

Rain and Amber stared at each other.

"Anything else you can think of?" Amber muttered to her sister.

"The pueblos. They could go to the Hopi reservation," Rain said, shrugging.

"Where's that?" Alan said.

Amber chuckled.

"Right smack dab in the middle of our rez. The Navajo reservation surrounds them completely so you wouldn't have to go far. They live on the top of three mesas. One of the towns is called Oraibi and it's the oldest continuously inhabited settlement within the United States. The Hopis are very friendly and the view from the top of the mesas is wonderful. That could be another thing you could do," she said.

They looked at each other.

"Um…what else?" Rain said.

"The Zuni rez is back in New Mexico near the border," she said. "That's another one they could visit," she said.

Amber nodded.

"Also, if you're going to Phoenix," she said. "They have a mountain there called Camelback Mountain that does look like a camel lying down. I know they have a resort and spa there because we know some people who went there on vacation. Sedona has a bunch of museums and shows and this Out of Africa wildlife park and you can go hiking. They have tons of tours you can take. Sedona is gorgeous too. I'm glad you guys are going there."

"Hmmm, Out of Africa wildlife park," Awinita said, poking Alan in the arm. "Yet another chance to go kick a giraffe's ass."

He sniggered and Rose rolled her eyes. The sisters gave Awinita a confused look.

"Um…private joke," she said, holding up her hand.

"Well, anyway, that's all I can think of at the moment," Amber said.

"Yeah, me too."

"Well, thanks so much for that. That helps us out a lot," Rose said. "We always try to see as much as we can wherever we are and we've seen a ton of museums and zoos and I know it gets boring seeing that all the time so lately we've been trying to find other things to do that are different. A lot of times it feels like we're seeing the same types of exhibits in the museums and most of them seem to have the same artifacts. Even with that, we're trying to go out of our way to pick unusual museums now and not just go to all the art or history ones. Alan gets really bored with history museums because he has the memories of a time traveler who can go back to when the items were in use. Just seeing them in glass cases is dull for him."

Alan nodded.

The waitress came up with their meals. She distributed them along with the glasses of wine and left after making sure everything was alright. Alan and Rose carefully took a portion of the cheese laden nachos off the plate and transferred it to their own. Awinita chuckled.

"You're gonna be constipated after eating all that cheese," she said to him.

He smiled.

"Nah, I'll be alright and if I do get blocked, it'll be worth it," he said.

"Do you guys wanna do a toast before we tuck in?" Rose asked them.

They nodded.

"Who wants to do it?" she said.

"I will," Alan said.

"Oh Lord, this oughta be good," Awinita muttered.

"Oi, shut your gob, Harris," he said as she giggled.

He thought for a moment and then cleared his throat.

"Um…one of the things the Doctor enjoyed in his travels was the fact that he was always meeting new people and making friends across time and space. Rose and I started out this trip in imitation of him because we were bored and antsy and wanted to experience all that planet Earth had to offer. At first, making friends was a secondary consideration because we just wanted to escape the looming specter of a boring nine to five workday but that all changed when we met Awinita and became close to her. Since then we've met and talked to many people all across the US but none has been quite as charming as the two people sitting across from us now. I know my life has been made a bit richer for having known you and I'm sure my fiancée and sister feel the same. People like you are the reason the Doctor puts up with the danger and monsters and heartache of traveling and I'm chuffed that I met you both. We got off to a bad start early this morning but thankfully that was all sorted out without loss of life and all of us have moved past it and are now here ringing in a brand new year filled with hope and promises and new adventures. I wish you both the very best the world has to offer just as I wish it for my family here at my side. I hope that tonight will mark the beginning of a firm friendship between all of us and that we will always keep in touch with one another until we die."

"Here, here," everyone murmured as they clinked their glasses together.

They each took a sip of wine before digging into their meals with gusto.


	118. Chapter 118

Chapter One Hundred Eighteen

They ate and talked to one another until about 11:10 and then they decided to go back to the Weatherford Hotel. As they walked, they got out their party hats and glasses and put them on. Rose was laughing uncontrollably at Alan, thinking how bizarre he looked. Alan smiled.

"Rose Tyler, are you taking the Mickey out of me?"

"I can't help it, you look weird like that."

"And you don't?" he said as they laughed. "You look like Elton John's sister after she's been on a bender."

"You look like the Doctor on a bender. All you need now is the tie on your head."

"Well, unfortunately I didn't think to put one on when I was trying to dress in the TARDIS. I was mainly concerned with putting some kit on before Donna grabbed a blanket and cocooned me in it. Never seen anyone so freaked out 'bout the human body before. You're naked! Well, duuuuuuh, Donna, like you've never seen a naked person in your life. I told ya what she said to the Doctor about not mating with him?"

She giggled.

"Yes."

"Why? What'd she say?" Awinita said.

"First off, Donna is a wonderful woman and I love her to bits but she tends to get it in her head that men are just swooning over her I s'pose because the Doctor was talking to her and told her he just wanted a mate, as in a friend, and she took it to mean mate as in sexual mate and she yells, YOU'RE NOT MATIN' WITH ME, SUNSHINE!"

They all laughed.

"And she did the same thing with Jack. The Doctor saw her talking to him when he was hugging Rose after his near-regeneration. That whole, you can hug me and when he didn't do it, NO REALLY, YOU CAN HUG ME! Sheesh. Did you see what she did when everyone was hugging after we put the Earth back in the right spot, Rose?"

"No, what'd she do?"

She ran over to Jack when she was hugging Sarah Jane and practically threw the poor woman across the room in order to get at him."

"Seriously?" Rose said, grinning.

"Yeah, threw Sarah Jane for a loop. Poor women didn't know what hit her. But I guess that's what happens when you get in the path of Hurricane Noble, especially when she wants somethin' badly"

"Can you show me? I mean, I was busy hugging a bunch of people so I'm not sure when it happened."

"You were hugging Martha and the Doctor, I think. Here, I'll show you."

They stopped and everyone stopped with them. He put his fingers to her temples and closed his eyes. Rose's eyes nearly popped out of her head and she bent over laughing.

"Oh my God! Poor Sarah Jane! I don't think Jack knew what hit him either. Good Job she didn't throw her onto the console when she tossed her aside. Thanks for seeing that and showin' it to me. That's one of the funniest things I've ever seen."

They resumed walking. Alan grinned at Rose's uncontrollable giggling.

"What did you just do to her?" Rain asked.

"I projected an image into her mind so she could see what I was talking about. It's harmless. It's nothing like what George did. In fact that's how I saved Awinita. I was able to enter her mind and push George out and I blocked him from getting back in so Awinita could regain control of herself. It's one of the many talents of a Time Lord."

"And after we got back home, he went back in and put up more barriers so Rose and I would be safe from others trying to do that," Awinita said.

Amber looked at Alan.

"We were wondering how you were able to stop George. Skinwalkers are supposed to be very powerful and once they take control of someone's mind, no one can release them from it except the skinwalker himself."

"Weeeeell, I admit he was very powerful, but I was more than a match for him. I fixed it so no one can take over their minds. The only one who might be able to do it is the Doctor but it would take him awhile to figure out what I did and get around it. Other than that, I can't see anyone else being able to penetrate it."

"Is there anything else you can do?" Rain asked.

"Weeeell, um…I'm not sure if I can do it but the Doctor has a respiratory bypass system that allows him to go without breathing for several minutes if he needs to."

"You've never tried it?" Amber said.

Alan stopped and the others stopped with him. He scratched his cheek and stared straight ahead. They watched while he continued to stare at a point in space. He then shook his head.

"Blast! No, can't do it. Think I gotta have two hearts to do it," he said.

He shrugged.

"One of the things that went when Donna touched me," he said as they walked on. "She got a fair chunk of my Time Lord mind and one of my hearts to boot. I guess it's necessary to have both hearts to do it or else the ability went into Donna. At least I still have my ability to read minds so I can protect my girls."

They reached the hotel. By that time, a huge crowd had gathered in front of it and it was now twenty nine minutes to midnight. Alan scanned the crowd trying to find somewhere they could stand where they wouldn't be bothered by drunken people. They found a spot in the back on the right side of the crowd and waited. Rose got in front of Alan and leaned back into him as he put his arms around her. Awinita stood beside him and talked to Amber and Rain. Rose looked down at the bag in her hand.

"You want your maracas?"

"Not yet, wait till it gets closer to midnight."

"Hard to believe it's almost 2009."

"Yup, 24 more minutes."

She glanced up at him and giggled.

"You still look naff with those glasses on," she said.

"And I keep tellin' ya, you do too," he said. "I'm not the only one wearin' them, you know. There's four other people here wearing them, not to mention about a quarter of the people around us. It's not like I went completely barmy and decided 2009 glasses were the perfect fashion statement for me."

"Speaking of, where are your brainy specs? You haven't worn them since Norway. Why won't you wear them for me anymore?"

"Well, it's slipped my mind, I guess, considering I don't really need them."

"You've never worn them for Awinita."

Awinita turned her head.

"Huh? He's never worn what for me?"

She smiled.

"The Doctor has these reading glasses he puts on sometimes to make him look even smarter than he is. He calls them his brainy specs. I asked Alan to get some back in Norway so I could see him wear them. He wore em once and that was it."

Awinita looked at him.

"You have glasses and you didn't tell me?"

His mouth dropped open and he stared at her.

"Now why would I tell you? There's never been a moment until now when I could have introduced them into the conversation. Nice to meet you, Awinita, I'm Alan and this is Rose and oh, by the way, I wear glasses I don't really need, wanna see them?"

They laughed as Alan rolled his eyes.

"Do you have them with you?" Awinita said, sobering up.

"They're in my rucksack back in the room."

"Will you put them on when we get back?" Awinita asked sweetly.

He smiled.

"Well, since you asked so politely, yes."

Rose pumped her fist in the air.

"Yay, I get to see him in his cute, twee specs again!"

She and Awinita laughed when he let out an exasperated sigh.

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At five minutes to midnight, Alan asked for his maracas and Rose got them out along with her maraca and horn. Alan glanced around him. The crowd noise was beginning to pick up as the anticipation rose. He heard the grinding sound of Awinita's noisemaker and looked over. He watched as she spun it idly while she talked to Rain. Amber was reaching into her bag and pulling out a green party horn and getting it ready.

"Love?"

Alan looked at Rose.

"After this, d'ya wanna hang around here or go back to the hotel?"

"Um, I could do either one. How 'bout you?"

"I'm not sure. See, look at this crowd. It's gonna take awhile for it to thin out and I really don't wanna fight the traffic, especially if some people are gonna be soused. Problem is, I really don't know what we could do."

"Surely they would have something for people to do. I mean, I doubt if you're the only one who's thinkin' of this."

"Can we go back to one of the restaurants?" Awinita said to her. "Just to get something to drink and talk some more?"

"I guess we could do that," she said, nodding. "I just don't want to go back to our rooms yet."

"I don't either, not right now, it's a party after all," Awinita said.

"Rose," Alan said, pointing to the clock.

58 seconds left. Everyone around them began to count down the time and they joined in with them. As they did the pine cone was slowly lowered.

30 seconds left. Alan leaned his head over and kissed Rose's cheek.

"I love you, Rose."

"I love you too, Alan."

20 seconds left. Everyone readied their maracas, horns and noisemakers.

10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1!

There was a deafening roar from the crowd as the clock flashed 2009 repeatedly. The five friends screamed at the top of their lungs while they shook their maracas, spun the noisemaker and blew the horns. All of them embraced one another and laughed as the crowd continued to celebrate. Awinita, Rain and Amber pulled away from them but Alan and Rose continued to hold each other. The three women watched with amusement as they began to snog each other.

"Wow, they're gettin' hot and heavy in public," Amber said.

"Trust me, they don't give a shit if anyone sees them," Awinita replied.

"So, the rest of us are kicking off the new year by watching a woman french an alien?" Rain said.

They laughed when they heard Rose giggling into Alan's mouth.

"Oi, I'm havin' a snog 'ere. D'ya mind?" she said to them as they laughed harder.

"You gonna do more than that?" Awinita said.

"Shhhh, don't give him any ideas!"

"Aw, come on poppet; let's 'ave a bit of 'ow's your father!" Alan said, leering at her. "I'd love to celebrate by bendin' your backside over that pine cone!"

Awinita, Rain and Amber nearly fell down laughing as Rose turned crimson.

"Boy, I'm sure glad he got me that slang dictionary," Awinita said. "But then again I think I get the meaning of how's your father without it."

He glanced at Awinita and gave Rose an evil grin.

"Come on Starlight, indulge me because I feel the need to chuck my muck right here and now!" he said loudly.

He looked at Awinita.

"There! Translate that if you can, ya yank!" he said as she laughed.

He turned his attention back to Rose who was redder than a fire truck.

"Will you shut up, you pervert!" Rose said to him. "God, sometimes it takes all I have not to follow mum's example and slap the shit outta ya."

"Nah, I'm far too twee for that," he said, batting his eyelashes

"No you're not, trust me," Rose replied.

Alan chuckled and embraced her from behind.

"So, now that I've embarrassed you completely in front of a bevy of pissed partiers, maybe it's time to leave and go back to the restaurant, eh?"

He took hold of her hand and started to walk off when he suddenly had a thought. He turned back to his sister.

"Word for today…chug nuts! HA! Try to find that in your sodding dictionary, Harris!"

"Alan! God, you're disgusting!" she said as he ran off laughing hysterically.

A/N: Again, for those who don't know…How's your father: sex act, Chuck your muck: have an orgasm, Chug nuts: feces stuck to the hair around the anus.


	119. Chapter 119

Chapter One Hundred Nineteen

They decided to go to the burger place instead of the Mexican restaurant. They sat in a booth sipping Cokes and Mountain Dews. This time Alan got a Mountain Dew, much to Rose's chagrin.

"Okay, if you drink that and you start running laps around the walls of our hotel room, I will go in the other room with Rain and Amber and shut the door, so just keep that in mind," she said to him.

"I will keep my hyperactivity to its usual setting," he promised.

"See that you do."

They talked until it was closing time and they were forced to leave. But they were still wide awake so they decided to get some snacks and go back to the hotel. They found a small store, grabbed several bags of chips and pretzels, a couple of two liter bottles of Mountain Dew and Coke, some plastic cups and bowls and a big bag of peanut M&Ms since Alan was craving them. On the way back to the check-out, Rose noticed some Welch's sparkling white grape juice in plastic champagne bottles on a display in front of an aisle. She stared at them for a moment and then grabbed one figuring they could pretend it was champagne. Then she headed on to the front with the others.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once they got back to the hotel room they decide to play a couple of rounds of poker. They pulled the table over to Awinita's bed while Amber and Rain went into their room to get the chairs from their table. The three of them played host and hostess, opening the snacks and putting them in the bowls. They gave everyone a glass of Coke or Mountain Dew and another glass of the "champagne." Rose gave Alan his bag of M&M's and he laid them on the edge of the bed where he was gonna sit. Then they distributed the snacks around the table while Rain and Amber came back in and set their chairs around it. Once everything was in place, Rose got into her rucksack, got her pack of cards and got into Alan's rucksack and found his glasses.

"Here, I believe you were going to put these on for us," she said, handing them to him.

"Bugger, I thought you'd forgotten," he teased.

He put them on and looked right at Awinita.

"Satisfied?" he said.

Awinita stared at him and looked at Rose.

"Is there any way we can ruin his eyes so he can wear these all the time?" she asked.

"Oh no, don't tell me you like them too!" Alan said.

"You better believe it! And just when I thought you couldn't get any cuter, you went and put these on," she said, flicking the arm of the glasses. "My future sister-in-law is one lucky gal, I gotta say."

"Great, now I gotta wear these things nonstop."

Awinita and Rose glanced at each other.

"Nah, just wear them on special occasions like tonight." Awinita said, ruffling his hair.

He pretended to be exasperated with them. Amber and Rain sat down and stared at him.

"Actually, you do look good that way," Rain said. "Very…distinguished."

"Really?" Alan said with a smile. "Well, maybe I will wear them all the time then. Rose never takes me seriously, you know."

He grunted when Rose slammed his arms around his neck and leaned over his shoulder.

"Maybe I don't take ya seriously because most of the time you don't act serious," she said.

Alan considered that.

"Nah, I'd rather be silly. Much more fun," he said.

He rubbed her cheek and she patted his head when she leaned back up. She walked around him and sat down with the pack of cards while Awinita sat on the other side of her. She took the cards out of the package and began to shuffle them.

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For the next couple of hours they played cards, ate, drank and talked to one another. Rain and Amber asked Alan about time travel and he told her a couple of the Doctor's adventures including the time when Rose became the Bad Wolf since he was sure they wanted to know where Wolf Child came from. The two of them were stunned when he told them about Rose being possessed by the time vortex and they stared at her in awe. Awinita had already heard the story so she wasn't acting the same way but she still smiled knowing that she had the same reaction when she first heard it.

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"You became a god?" Rain said to Rose.

"Kinda, I guess I was god-like. To be honest, I don't remember it. Whatever the Bad Wolf is, it erased my memory when the Doctor took it out of me. I remember looking at the console after I opened it and the next thing I know I was laying on the floor of the TARDIS after it was all over. The Doctor had to tell me the rest. But that's what George meant when he called me Wolf Child."

"Do you still miss the Doctor?" Amber said.

"Yeah, but only as a dear friend. I love him but I'm not in love with him anymore. This is the man I'm in love with, right here."

"And is the Doctor half human too?"

She shook her head.

"No, he's a full Time Lord. The only reason he's not is Donna touched him when he was regenerating. It's this human side of him that's help him to connect more with me. The Doctor is wonderful but he doesn't really know how to be human like Alan does. The Doctor knew that, so I think that's why he left me with him. I used to be bitter about that but now I see the wisdom of his actions. Alan's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

She gasped when Alan slammed his head down on her shoulder.

"Go on! Tell me more about me!" he said in the high-pitched voice as everyone laughed. "Why am I the best thing that's ever happened to you? Enumerate them backwards from reason 20 to reason 1. Go!"

"Number 20," Awinita said. "You have sexy glasses."

Alan looked at her.

"Did I say _you_ tell me about me?"

"No, but I decided to put my two cents into the conversation, brainy boy."

Rose laughed when Alan took his glasses off and put them on Rose.

"There, comment on her looks for awhile," he said, taking a sip of grape juice.

"Actually, you look kinda cute with those on," Rain said to Rose. "You need to find a pair just like them and then you can be twins."

"Uh…no," Alan said. "I really don't fancy marrying my twin, thanks."

He sighed when Rain won the current game.

"Bollocks, I can never win at this game," he said. "I'm much better at euchre."

"Do you guys know how to play euchre?" Rose asked Rain and Amber.

They shook their heads.

"You want us to teach ya so Alan here will finally win and stop whining?" she said.

"Sure, I'd love to learn," Rain said as Amber nodded in agreement.

Rose gathered up the cards and began to explain the game while she shuffled them.

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Alan let out a yawn. It was almost six in the morning now and all of them finally decided to get some sleep. They also decided to head back into town late in the afternoon before going back. The Rose Bowl was on at noon and both Alan and Awinita wanted to watch at least most of it before going.

"Don't forget, Awinita, I also gotta take you to market to get your stuff for the meal," she said as they crawled into their beds.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Yeah, I'll be sure to remind you and think what it is I wanna cook so you can get the right ingredients."

They settled down in the beds. Alan laid his arm over Rose as they and Awinita faced each other. They could still hear Rain and Amber talking in the other room even though their light was now out.

"I guess everyone is gonna have trouble gettin' to sleep," Rose said.

"Not me, I'm bushed. Besides I wanna sleep a little before the game."

"Who's playing?" Alan said.

"USC and Illinois State."

"Do you like either of those teams?" Rose said, looking around at Alan.

He shrugged.

"Doesn't matter to me. I told you, I just like watching the game itself, not the specific teams."

He yawned.

"And if I'm gonna be awake to watch it, I guess we better go to sleep. So, nighty night, my Rose, happy New Year."

"Night, my love, happy New Year to you."

He gave her a kiss and smiled at Awinita.

"Nighty night, Te'lesu."

"Nighty night, Te'lesau."

Rose turned off the light and all of them laid their heads down and closed their eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The three of them woke up around 11 with the two sisters waking up shortly after. They turned the channel to the Rose Bowl parade and Awinita and Alan helped tidy up the room while they listened. Rose went out briefly to get some ice while they were putting chip bags back in the plastic sacks. Rose came back into the room five minutes later carrying a full ice bucket.

"Just had a conversation with a bloke at the ice machine," she said to Alan and Awinita. "There's a pizza eating contest downtown at four p.m. I guess its outside on that blocked off street and it's free to watch. You guys wanna go see that?"

"Alan oughta enter it. With his stomach I bet he wins," Awinita said.

"Nah, I'll give entering it a miss. I like pizza but not enough to shove it down my throat for prizes. If you guys wanna see it, I don't care. Game oughta be over by then."

Rose glanced at the TV screen and saw the parade.

"What's this?"

"That's the parade that comes before the game," Awinita said.

"Oh! I didn't know there was a parade. I'll listen to that then."

She went briefly in the other room to tell Rain and Amber about the contest. She came back a couple of minutes later.

"They wanna see the contest too. So, after the game, we'll go down there, look around and then pick up Awinita's food before we head for home."

Half listening to the parade, she sat down on the bed and pulled her mobile out of her rucksack. She dialed Jackie's number and talked to her while Alan and Awinita continued to clean up. Rain came through the door while they were doing it and stopped short.

"We can help you do that," she said.

"No, it's alright, we got it. We were the one in charge of the snacks," Alan said to her. "Just relax. We're about finished anyway."

Rain stood in the doorway and watched the parade.

"I love watching this," she said. "We do it every year."

"Do you watch the game?" Alan asked.

"Nah, Dad does, but I could care less about football. The only sport I like is ice skating."

"Alan, mum wants to talk to ya," Rose said.

Alan walked over and took the phone from Rose. He sat and chatted with her while Rose went in the bathroom and shut the door.

"There, all done," Awinita said, putting the sacks under the table.

She turned and saw Rain standing in the doorway.

"You can come inside; you don't have to stand there. Come and sit on my bed," she said.

Rain nodded. She went over and sat down on edge of the bed while Awinita sat down near the front and leaned her back against the headboard.

"Oh, Awinita's fine."

Awinita glanced over at Alan when she heard him mention her name.

"She's sitting on her bed watching this Rose Bowl parade they have in Pasadena, California. It's not too bad. All the floats are made out of flowers. She got me hooked on American football though and we're both waiting for the match that comes next."

He glanced at her.

"You wanna talk to Jackie?"

"I can, yeah."

"Here ya go," he said to Jackie.

He handed the mobile to her and relaxed as Awinita talked to Jackie. The bathroom door opened and Rose walked over to the bed and sat down beside him.

"Am I pale lookin' to ya?"

Alan stared at her.

"No, I don't think so."

"I think I am."

Alan looked more closely.

"No, you look nice and pink and beautiful to me."

"Maybe it's my imagination then. I don't feel very well this mornin'"

Alan gave her a concerned look.

"Are you sick?" he said.

"I feel a little under the weather. Maybe it's the excitement of last night and the Mexican food."

"Could be from stayin' up late too. We haven't been up that late in a long time. Not to mention everything that's happened in the past couple of days."

He brushed her hair away from her face as he studied her.

"Bollocks, I wish you were a Time Lady sometimes," he muttered.

Rose frowned.

"Why?"

"Because Time Lords and Ladies had a psychic link with one another and they could sense each other's thoughts and feelings as well as communicate telepathically. If I had a link with you, I'd be able to tell if you were sick or not. But that's right out, I guess."

He smiled and stroked her hair.

"You'd have made a great Time Lady, Rose. You're smart and beautiful and brave. You would have been a credit to Gallifrey if you'd been born there."

She smiled and gave him a kiss.

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Once the parade ended, Rose lost interest in the TV. Rain went back in the other room while she decided to take a quick nap and see if she could get over the ill feeling. Alan stood up, let her get under the covers and gently sat down again. By that time, Awinita had finished the phone conversation and Rose had hung up after saying goodbye to her. She cast a worried glance at Rose when she heard her snoring softly.

"Will she be alright?" she said softly.

"Yeah, I think it's exhaustion personally. She's done a lot of driving and seen and done a lot over the past few months, not to mention the skinwalker incident. I think she just needs a lot of rest to recharge the batteries."

"Let's drive tonight then and let her rest."

Alan nodded. They turned their attention back to the game.

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After the game, Alan woke Rose.

"How ya feelin', Starlight?"

"I feel better now. Is the game over?"

"Yes. Do you feel up to going into town or do you wanna go back home?"

"No, I feel well enough now. I think I just needed a bit more rest."

"I think you do too. I think you've been knackered for a long while. You've done so much and it's finally caught up with ya."

"What time is it, love?"

"Time all dogs are dead…"

He giggled when Rose smacked his arm.

"It's 2:30," he said.

"That's better."

She sat up in bed.

"So, you ready to head down then?"

"I am and I think Awinita is. I don't know about our neighbors though."

"Well, I'll go ask them while you get ready to go," she said, pulling the covers down and kicking her legs over the side of the bed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After everyone got ready to leave, they checked out and drove back to downtown Flagstaff. There was a party atmosphere still going on. The street remained blocked off and the mariachi band had returned. There were several booths set up with food and trinkets and crafts being sold. They made it just in time to see the contest so they all wandered over to a crowd of people who were watching several people sitting side by side at long white tables. In front of each person were a couple of gigantic ceramic bowls filled to the brim with pizza slices. An emcee with a microphone was standing beside the tables, talking and gesturing to them.

"Blimey, that's enough pizza for a week," Alan said to Rose gesturing at one man's bowls.

"They've still got the crusts on em and everything," Rose said. "How do you get them down your throat without choking to death?"

"Alright, we're almost ready," the emcee said. "We're going to count to three and there'll be a buzzer and you have ten minutes to eat as many slices at you can. Ready? 1…2…3!"

They heard a buzzing and the men and women instantly grabbed the slices with both hands, put them on a plate in front of them and began to roll and mash them up and dip them in a bowl of water. Rose made a face when they shoved them whole in their mouths and reached for another.

"Ugh, I think this was a bad idea, I was feeling ill before I saw this and now I feel like I'm gonna be ill all over again," she said to Alan.

All of them watched with disgusted looks on their faces as the men and women continued to stuff slice after slice into their mouths. Sauce began to splurt and dribble out of their mouths and Rose had to turn her head to keep from vomiting.

"God, how do they keep from choking?" Rain asked Awinita.

"They must be like snakes that can unhinge their jaw and swallow things whole," Awinita replied.

Five minutes in, most of the contestants had sauce on their bibs and sauce and toppings were all over their face as they continued to down the slices. Rose glanced occasionally but she just couldn't stomach the sight of it and Alan rubbed her back while he stared at the idiotic humans in silent shock. It was a wonder to him that not only were they still alive but also they weren't having heart attacks or strokes from the amount of food they were consuming. His double in his many centuries on Earth kept a mental tally of things he thought were brilliant about humans and things he thought idiotic. Looking at this, he decided he would definately put this hedonistic display in the second column.

Finally after ten minutes the buzzer sounded and everyone stopped eating. Rose turned her head back around and watched while three judges went through and counted the pieces remaining in the bowls. After ten minutes, they conferred with one another and wrote down the winner on a piece of paper. They gave it to the emcee.

"Alright everyone, this year's winner of the Flagstaff pizza eating contest is…Jacob Ortiz with 45 slices in ten minutes!"

Alan and Rose's mouths dropped open.

"45 slices!" Awinita said. "How could you scarf down 45 slices and still be breathing? How did he do it without choking?"

"They're nuts," Rain said. "How do you even train for it?"

"How would you even come up with the idea to be a pizza eating champion in the first place?" Amber added.

They watched while the emcee led a middle-aged Mexican man to the front of the tables. They stared at him and noticed he was as thin as Alan.

"I'm guessing he doesn't do this as a career since I would imagine Jacob would be sumo wrestler size by now," Alan said.

"Jacob has won 50 dollars and a gift certificate to Chili's Restaurant. Congratulations Jacob!"

"That's it?" Rose said. "He risked death and that's all he gets?"

She looked up at Alan.

"I'm ready to go. How 'bout you?"

"Yeah, let's go find something more interesting and less messy than this," he said.

They all turned and walked off.

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Alan and Rose walked hand in hand looking at some of the booths. There were a couple of booths selling Mexican and Native American food, a Navajo woman selling handmade blankets and an artist selling southwestern artwork. They had taken a look at both booths but found everything too pricey so they moved on. They stopped at one stall that was selling handmade Native American jewelry. There were pendants, bracelets and earrings arranged on a table that was covered with a deep purple tablecloth. The Navajo man selling them was sitting in a lawn chair a few feet away lazily watching them. Rose was looking at some necklaces with turquoise pendants with Alan when he picked one up and examined it. It was a small silver medallion with turquoise inlaid in the center. He held it in the palm of his hand admiring its beauty.

"How much is this?" he asked the man.

"That's twenty five dollars," he said, pointing.

Rose watched while Alan reached into his pocket and pulled out a neatly folded wad of bills.

"Alan? You're buying that?"

He smiled and nodded and gave the man twenty five dollars. The man thanked him and sat back down.

"You have a rose pendant from me and I have the ring from you and Awinita so I thought it only fitting that I get my sister a piece of jewelry."

Rose's mouth dropped open.

"Oh, she'll love that. Oh my God, that's so sweet, Alan."

Alan looked around for her and noticed her standing across the street with Rain and Amber watching a juggling act.

"Blast, I guess I have to wait till he gets done," he said.

Rose looked through the rest of the jewelry while he stared at the juggler. He had to admit the guy was good. He was currently juggling three flaming sticks. After five minutes he was finished and took a bow while everyone clapped. Finally, Alan had his opportunity.

"Awinita!" he called.

She turned her head.

"Come here a minute, could ya?"

He quickly put his hands behind his back when she walked through the crowd towards him.

"What's up, baby bro?" she said.

"Turn around," he said.

Awinita frowned. She turned around.

"Pull up your hair please."

She grabbed her long black hair and pulled it up. Her eyes widened when she suddenly saw a silver and turquoise medallion dropping down into view in front of her. Her mouth dropped open when Alan put it around her neck, fastened it and gave her a kiss on the top of the head.

"Happy New Year's Day, Te'lesu. Okay, you can go about your business; I have no further need of ya."

Awinita dropped her hair and turned and embraced him.

"Thank you, it's beautiful!" she said.

He hugged her tightly.

"You're welcome. I figured since Rose and I had special jewelry, you should have something as well."

She hugged him just as tightly as she could.

"Oi! No respiratory bypass system, remember?" he said as Rose laughed.

She let up and stepped back.

"You are the bestest brother a girl could have," she said.

"Well, you're the bestest sister. I'm glad you like it, it suits you."

"Well, you chose well. I love turquoise."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you so much, my little Tweebo," she said.

"You're welcome, Tweebette," he said.

"Tweebette, that's pretty good," she said as Rose laughed. "I guess it's only fitting you call me that since I get to call you Tweebo. Other than buying the necklace, what have you two been up to?"

"Just walking along the stalls here looking," Alan said.

He leaned in.

"Everything was incredibly dear. This was the cheapest thing I could find."

Awinita looked at the other booths.

"Oh, well, I can see why. Especially the Navajo blankets. Those take a long time to make and I know they usually go for hundreds and thousands of dollars, same with the artwork. Um…can I ask how much this was?"

"Twenty five dollars."

"Hmm, not bad, that's a nice price actually."

She looked at it, smiled and gave him another kiss on the cheek.

"You are such a good guy. When you get that Time Lord brain of yours back, be sure you don't change anything about yourself. I love you just the way you are."

He grinned.

"I shall refrain from changing my wacky personality when I become a full Time Lord," he promised.

"Good."

They looked around and noticed Rain and Amber were purchasing some lemonade from a booth.

"Hmmm, that looks good. I think I'll get some too," she said.

She noticed how large the cups were and smiled at Alan.

"Wanna split one with me?"

"Sure."

Rose smiled and she followed them as the two of them linked arms and walked towards the booth.


	120. Chapter 120

Chapter One Hundred Twenty

They found a Wal-Mart on the way out of town and stopped there to get Awinita's supplies. They walked along the grocery aisles with a trolley while Awinita told them what they needed to get.

"Just so you know, this stuff I'm fixing doesn't really go together as a proper meal. I'm just fixing you a bunch of different things," she said.

"That's fine. As long as it's good I'll eat anything," Alan said.

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A half hour later, they had all the supplies and had them rung up. By the time they got outside the sun had nearly set.

"Rose, go ahead and get in the back and have a rest, Awinita and I will drive," Alan said.

Rose smiled.

"Thanks."

They let her get in first. She climbed in the very back seat, reached behind it and pulled up her sleeping bag. As she spread it over her, Rain and Amber got in and then Awinita got in the passenger side. Alan closed the sliding door and walked around to the other side with keys in hand. He got in, shut the door and started the car. Looking behind him, he backed out and drove off.

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Rose's plan to take a nap went completely out the window the moment Alan and company decided to have a singsong. They had the radio's volume down to a reasonable level and were trying to sing at a normal volume but she couldn't help but giggle at their rendition of She Bangs.

Well if Lady Luck gets on my side.  
We're gonna rock this town alive.  
I'll let her rough me up,  
till she knocks me out.  
She walks like she talks,  
and she talks like she walks.

And she bangs, she bangs.  
Oh baby.  
When she moves, she moves.  
I go crazy.  
'Cause she looks like a flower but she stings  
like a bee.  
Like every girl in history.  
She bangs, she bangs.

I'm wasted by the way she moves.  
No one ever looked so fine.  
She reminds me that a woman only got one thing on her mind.

Rose sat up. Alan noticed her and turned his head slightly.

"Are we bothering you?" he said.

"Nah, I'm fine. Go ahead and sing. I'll just relax and listen."

They finished singing She Bangs and The Backstreet Boys Shape of My Heart came on the radio. Rose laughed when they started singing it loudly and melodramatically.

Lookin' back on the things I've done.  
I was tryin' to be someone.  
I played my part, kept you in the dark.  
Now let me show you the shape of my heart.

Rose smiled and joined in with them and all of them sang at the top of their lungs. Awinita rifled through a plastic bag beside her and got out what was left of the grape juice and the cups. She poured some out and began to pass the cups to everyone. Rain passed one back to Rose and she sipped it while she continued to sing along with everyone else. Alan flipped through the channels and found a song with a beat. Everyone laughed and began to head bang along with The Scorpion's Rock You like a Hurricane. Rose laughed and sang along with them feeling 100 percent better than she had before she climbed in the car.

"HERE I AM, ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE!" they screamed.

They laughed when the guitar solo came on and Alan took his hands off the wheel momentarily to do air guitar. The next part of the song was punctuated by a loud drum beat after every sentence. The five of them jerked their heads down with every drum beat giggling hysterically while they did.

"Well, I guess Rose is up now," Alan said.

They all looked back at her.

"Never mind me, I think most of Arizona is up now," she said. "I think Alan's Mountain Dew is finally kickin' in."

"I'm not the only one singin'" he said.

"Yeah, well, you're a bad influence. You're like the Doctor; you can get people to go along with whatever idea is floatin' through your head."

"If I'm a bad influence then so are you," he said. "The Doctor isn't the only one who talked people into doin' things."

"Yeah, but you do it more than I do."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Arrrrrrrrrrgh!" Awinita yelled as everyone laughed. "If you're gonna continue on with this then stop the car, go out in the desert and let us drive on before we completely lose our sanity!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After another hour, everyone grew tired and the car became silent while everyone relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the pleasant evening. Rose scooted back down, closed her eyes and was lulled to sleep by the hum of the engine and the slight vibrating of the car as it drove down the highway. Rain set her back against the side of the car and was asleep with her chin on her chest. Her sister was turned so she was facing Rain and had her arm up on the back of the seat and her head was resting on it. The only ones awake were Alan and Awinita.

"I guess everyone's tuckered out," she said softly.

"Yup, seems so. It's been a long day and a half, I'm ready for bed too, how 'bout you?"

"Oh yeah, that couch sounds nice right about now."

"Lucky you, I get the floor."

"We can switch out if you want."

He chuckled softly.

"No, Te'lesu," he said, patting her leg. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. I can handle sleepin' on blankets on the floor."

Awinita thought for a moment.

"I guess New Year's is meaningless for the Doctor since he can go to any year he wants at any time."

He nodded.

"Yup, he only stayed for New Year's Eve once and that was in San Francisco because he had to fix his Eye of Harmony after the Master opened it."

"When was that?"

"His eighth life."

"Oh, so before Rose met him."

"Yes, he met a woman named Grace who helped him and there was a kid named Lee who was tricked by the Master into helping him but he finally wised up and helped out too."

"Did they travel with him then?"

He shook his head.

"No, which was a shame. Especially Grace. He liked her a lot."

"When was that? What year, I mean."

"1999."

"Oh, would you like to go and see her…oh wait, that was the other universe though, right?"

"Yes, it was."

She thought.

"You wanna go look her up and see if there's a Grace in this reality when we get to San Francisco?"

Alan thought that over.

"She won't know me," he said.

Awinita shrugged.

"You've introduced yourself to a lot of strangers since I've been with you. If she's there, go up and say hello. You don't have to ask her to travel with us. But just, you know, see if she's the same Grace the Doctor remembers. Do you know her last name?"

"Yes, Holloway."

He fell into silence for a moment.

"I don't know if I should, Te'lesu. I mean, if I do this with Grace then I'm gonna wanna look up other companions he had, including Donna. I've fought the temptation to go find this universe's Donna because I would want her to come with me and she might not want to. Besides, she won't be _my_ Donna, just_ a_ Donna. If I'm gonna find people to travel with me I'd rather find new people like you who I don't have an existing memory of. That way I won't be upset when an old companion doesn't act the same way I remember them. He warned Rose about this when they first came to this universe. She saw Pete Tyler and figured he'd be just like her father and she got upset when she told him the truth and he rejected her. The Doctor had to listen to her crying over that when they got back in the TARDIS and it about broke his hearts. I don't wanna put myself through the same thing."

"I understand, it was just a suggestion."

He smiled.

"Well, thanks for thinking of me."

"You're welcome, little bro."

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"Everyone, we're here!" Awinita said, shaking Amber's leg.

She and Rain stirred. Rain leaned over the seat and shook Rose's shoulder.

"Rose?"

"Muh?" Rose murmured.

"We're home now."

"Okay, thanks," she murmured.

The four who were wide awake grabbed the bags and got out. Alan walked around the van and waited by the sliding door as Rose slowly made her way out.

"Are you alright, my love?" he said.

She nodded and jumped out.

"I'll be fine."

"We kept you up."

She shut the door and embraced him.

"I had fun on the way home. Stop feeling guilty. This whole day and a half has been fantastic."

"Yes, but…"

He looked over at Awinita who was standing on the porch waiting for them.

"Can you give us a minute? I just wanna talk to Rose for a tic."

"Sure, I'll tell them you're out here."

She sprinted over, took the bags from Alan's hands and ran back to the house. Alan put his hand around her shoulder and led her back behind the house.

"I want to ask you something, Rose, because I have my suspicions about your tiredness. Love, when you were working those two years at Torchwood, did you ever take any kind of break?"

"I took a couple of days off when mum had Tony so I could help take care of her."

"Yes, but that's not a break if you were looking after someone else. I mean a proper rest where you had time just to yourself."

She lowered her eyes and shook her head.

"And then the dimension cannon and the fight with Davros and the Daleks and being left here and dealing with me and traveling with me. Amo'tiri, no wonder you're starting to become ill. You've gone from one thing to the next to the next without stopping to catch your breath."

He embraced her.

"I might have a solution to that though. Something that'll help restore your energy back to you."

"What?"

"If I can do it, that is. But if I can create mental barriers then I'm sure I can still do it."

"Do what?"

He stroked her cheek.

"If you'll let me, I can enter your mind and put you into a deep sleep, far deeper than normal human sleep, more like a hibernation state. Once you are in it, nothing will wake you up. I'd have to be the one to do it, to bring you back, but you would get a full, uninterrupted night's sleep and it would give your body time to rejuvenate and heal and get its energy back. So, what d'ya say? You wanna give it a try?"

"I won't be able to wake myself up?"

"No, my love, but I'll protect you and keep watch over you while you're out, I swear that to you. And it won't last forever. Two, maybe three weeks of it and you should be back to your normal energetic self."

Rose nodded.

"Okay, I'll do it, anything to help keep me from falling asleep in your arms."

She saw the mile-wide grin.

"Then again, that's exactly what ya want, isn't it?" she said as he laughed.

He kissed her nose.

"Hopefully, this will alleviate any illness. The last thing I want is for you to get pneumonia or bronchitis because your immune system isn't at its peak. So…anyway, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Ready to go back in?"

She nodded.

"Allons-y then."

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After everyone had gone to bed, Alan explained to Awinita what he was going to do. Awinita then volunteered to sleep in the recliner so she could stretch out. The three of them finished getting ready and then Alan led her back into the living room.

"Don't be scared, Starlight, I promise I'll be able to wake you up," he said.

"I know you can, I trust you completely."

He smiled and kissed her forehead tenderly. Awinita came up behind him as Rose lay down on the couch. Alan knelt beside her.

"Close your eyes," he said.

Rose obeyed and Alan put his fingertips to her temples and closed his eyes. There was silence for a few minutes and Awinita heard Rose's breath deepen and even out. A minute later, Alan opened his eyes and took his fingers away. He felt her pulse and studied her face making sure she was alright. He smiled when her vital signs registered as normal.

"Is she alright? Is she really in a deep sleep?"

He smiled at his sister.

"Yeah, we could both be down here playing a one man band and she wouldn't wake. She's fine."

He gave her another kiss on the forehead and began to arrange the blankets on the floor to his liking.

"I hope that cures her of her tiredness."

"Yeah, I do too. She's put herself through hell and back the past couple of years. That's why she's gotten so knackered when we haven't. But this deep sleep will allow her body to repair and restore itself."

He yawned and pulled a blanket up over his body while Awinita sat down in the chair with a blanket, arranged it on herself and reclined back.

"Good night, Awinita," he said, closing his eyes.

"Good night, Alan."

She closed her eyes and in a few minutes they were both sound asleep.


	121. Chapter 121

Chapter One Hundred Twenty One

The next morning Alan and Awinita woke early. They looked at Rose who was still in deep sleep. Alan stared at her lovingly as he ran his hand down her cheek.

"Are you gonna wake her up yet?"

He shook his head.

"I want you to come with me to do our training. I want to give Rose a rest from that as well. She's learned a lot and I can afford to let her have a break while I let you catch up to her. She'll be safe in here until we get back."

Awinita nodded. She headed for the bathroom while Alan leaned over and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"I'll see you in a few hours, Starlight. Sleep peacefully until then."

He went and got the pad and pen and dashed off a quick note.

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After a couple hours of training, the two of them headed back to the house. They opened the door and John smiled at them while he sat in his recliner.

"Good morning, did you two have a good training session?"

"Yes, we did," Alan said.

John gestured to Rose.

"Your friend must be really tired. I tried to wake her to see if she wanted some breakfast and she won't answer."

Alan chuckled.

"Well, that's because of me. Rose has been overworked for the past couple of years so I put her in a deep sleep because she was starting to show signs of illness. She can't be woken up by anyone but me. I'm sorry, I should have said but I didn't know you'd try to wake her."

"Well, I'm glad it's something you did. I was worried about her," John replied.

He watched while Alan went over to the couch and knelt down beside it. He put his fingers to her temples and closed his eyes, bringing her out of her hibernation state. John watched in silent fascination as Rose slowly showed signs of life and began to move around. Alan took his fingers away and kissed her forehead as she opened her eyes. Rose smiled at him.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning, how are you feeling?"

"Like a million pounds. You're right; the whole deep sleep thing did wonders for me. I haven't felt this rested in a long time."

"Good, I'm glad. Then I'll keep on doing it."

He helped her sit up and Rose noticed John for the first time. She smiled at him.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning. I'm glad you're feeling better. I tried to wake you while your friends were out and I couldn't figure out why you wouldn't wake up."

Rose frowned.

"Out? Where did you go?" she asked Alan.

"Awinita and I went ahead and did the training session. I want you to lay off it until I get through restoring your energy. That way she can catch up with you and I can train you together."

Rose nodded.

"Um…if you don't mind, I gotta use the loo."

Alan moved aside and Rose stood up and walked to the bathroom.

"I wanted to talk to you but I will wait until Rose is out of the bathroom," John said. "In the meantime, if you want to cook your meal, the kitchen is free today. I'm not accepting visitors until next week."

"Thank you for letting me do that," Awinita said.

"It's not a problem. I told you that you are welcome here and you can use my kitchen if you want."

The bathroom door opened and Rose walked back into the living room.

"I was just telling them that I wanted to speak to the three of you."

"Yes?" Rose said.

He smiled.

"It's nothing bad. I just wanted to know if you might be up for that tour tonight at sunset. You see, I have something I want to do for you and I want to make sure it gets done before you leave. Also, I want to get Alan a new pair of pants and if you don't mind, we can do that this morning."

He nodded.

"So, if you are going to cook the meal, I suggest doing it this afternoon, Awinita."

"I will."

"I realize that you wanted a sunrise tour but what I have in mind will take a little time and I want to do it before I forget. It's very important. At least it is to me."

"That's fine," Rose said. "We can go tonight."

"Excellent. Now, if you want to go into town with me, I'll get your pants."

"Do you wanna go, Rose?"

She nodded.

"Awinita?"

"Um…can I stay behind and fix the meal? That way I can have it ready when you get back?"

"Brilliant," Alan said. "Well, be good and don't blow up the kitchen."

"Ha ha," she said as he giggled.

"My daughters are still asleep but I'm sure they'll be up soon and I know they'll help out if you need it. But in the meantime, do what you need to do to get the meal fixed."

"Thank you."

She hugged her friends and Alan gave her a kiss on her head before the two of them followed John out the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan and Rose stood in the clothing shop John had driven them to and looked through the pants.

"What d'ya think, love? What color?" Alan said.

"You don't want blue?"

He sighed.

"Not really. I only wore those because they were the first thing I could grab and get on. I'm not keen on blue."

Rose rubbed his upper arm while she looked at the folded pants sitting on the small shelf. She reached out and grabbed a pair of black trousers. Alan watched while she unfolded them and held them against his body.

"These are nice. I think you'd look good in black," she said. "'Specially with this plum t-shirt."

Alan considered that.

"I wouldn't mind black," he said.

"Do you know what size you are?" Rose said.

"Not really. The TARDIS usually took care of that. She'd make clothes to fit whatever size body he had. Even when he regenerated, she automatically adjusted all the clothes in the Wardrobe Room so they'd all fit him."

"Handy."

"Well, she did that for you as well. Didn't you find it odd that you were always able to wear anything you found?"

"I s'pose so. I just took it for granted, I guess since there were a lot of weird things that happened around the Doctor."

"Well, I s'pose I can take this somewhere and change into them and see if they'll fit me."

"Hang about, let me help with that."

"Help away."

Rose grabbed the waistband of the trousers and held it tighter against his body visually judging if they might fit him or not.

"Bit big, something a bit smaller," she muttered.

"She found the next smallest size, held them up to him and nodded.

"I think these might fit ya."

"Brill, where's the clothing changing room thingy?"

They looked around and Rose spied them near the back. She took his hand and led him over. He went inside and closed the door. Rose loitered nearby, waiting.

"ROSE TYLER, YOU OUGHTA BE A TAILOR!"

Rose looked at the door.

"These fit perfectly! You're very good at judging sizes, I must say!"

She smiled at that.

He opened the door and she let out a low whistle. He was wearing his plum t-shirt and the jet black trousers made him look sexy.

"Yeah, get that, definitely!" she said.

Alan grinned.

"You like me in them?" he purred.

"Oh, yes."

He kissed her cheek.

"Then this is my purchase for today," he said.

He walked back in the room, shut the door and emerged a few minutes later in his shorts. They went and found John.

"Found some pants," he said, holding them out to him.

John looked at them.

"Get more than one," he said.

"But…"

Alan started to protest but John held up his hand.

"Go and get more than one. And you, Rose, get some pants also and get some for Awinita if you know her size. You will need them with winter coming on."

They glanced at each other.

"Thanks so much for this," Alan said. "How can we repay you?"

"You repaid me and everyone else on the reservation by stopping the skinwalker. Now go ahead and get what you need. I'll be waiting right here."

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"Awinita?" Alan said as they walked in the door.

"I'm here! You came just in time. We're finishing up," she called from the kitchen.

He and Rose entered with John. John shut the door and all of them walked to the kitchen. On the way there, they smelled the scent of good cooking and Alan began to salivate. They entered the room and Awinita, Rain and Amber smiled at them. Alan held up the bag.

"Got the pants and John let us get pants for you and for Rose."

Awinita looked at John.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I know, but I want to. You need warmer clothes."

"Thank you," she said as he nodded.

"We got you some we thought you might like and tried to guess your size," Alan said. "The receipts in here. If they don't fit, we'll take them back."

"I'll try them on after we eat. You guys just sit down and we'll serve you."

Alan set the bag down by the table leg and he and Rose and John sat down.

"Made you some grape dumplings," she said. "Made some fried hominy and corn pones and bread pudding. I have some potato soup but it's still cooking and we can have it later on."

"That's fine, just bring on the grub, bub," Alan said with a wink.

"Give us a minute, hungry boy. We only have six hands between us."

"John got up and got the iced tea from the refrigerator. He poured it into glasses while the three girls put the food onto plates and the grape dumplings into bowls. They put it in front of Alan and Rose and put one at each place sitting. A couple of minutes later they were sitting down to dinner. John said a prayer and then they dug in. Both Alan and Rose tried the grape dumplings first.

"Oh my God, these are good," Rose said to Awinita.

"Thank you, nice to know my cooking passes muster then," she said.

"Oh, it does, Te'lesu. Trust me," Alan said.

"What does that mean?" Rain said. "I've heard you call her that a couple of times."

He smiled.

"It's from Gallifrey. Te'lesu means beloved sister and she calls me Te'lesau which means beloved brother and one of my pet names for Rose is Amo'tiri which means kindred soul."

"Oh my God, I love the Gallifreyan language. It's so pretty," Amber said.

"Well, when we first started out, I wanted to give Rose a personal name that no one else would use and I'm the last living speaker of Gallifreyan in this universe so that's about as unique as you can get and I did the same thing when I adopted Awinita."

"Cool," Rain said.

"You have that concept then. Adopting others into your group?" John asked.

"Yes, because Gallifreyans were made in machines called looms so they had no natural parents and everyone was sorted into houses and considered each other cousins. People used brother and sister to distinguish those who had become very close and were considered special which is what Awinita is to me."

Rain and Amber giggled when she blushed at that.

"Many Indian tribes have that too. Adopting outsiders into their community. We have that among the Navajo when we adopt people into our different clans. So it seems we share some similarities with your Doctor's home world."

He smiled and nodded. John smiled at Awinita.

"This is delicious. Those friends I told you about have cooked me traditional Cherokee meals before. I believe you have outdone them."

"Yeah, this is wonderful, Awinita," Rose said. "I love everything and I can't wait to try the potato soup."

"Me too," Alan said.

The others complemented her which made Awinita turn even redder.

"Thanks guys," she said, humbly.

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For the rest of the afternoon, the three of them rested and watched TV with John. They had gotten Awinita a pair of black denim jeans and some blue jeans and to their relief, they fit perfectly. Rose had gotten the same and was wearing her blue jeans while they sat together on the couch.

They kept watching TV until it was nearly sunset. Then John smiled at them.

"I think it's time to go, my friends. So if you don't mind, I'd like to get going so we'll be out in the desert before the sun sets completely."

They nodded and got up from the couch to get ready while John switched off the TV.


	122. Chapter 122

Chapter One Hundred Twenty Two

Alan and Rose sat together in the back of John's jeep as he drove them out into the desert. Awinita sat beside him and every once in awhile he would ask her a question about her Cherokee upbringing. Listening to her, they found out that she belonged to the A-ni-a-wi or Deer clan. Alan smiled at that thinking it suited her since she was so dear to him and Rose. They also found out that John belonged to the Tsezhindii'aai Clan a name which meant Slanted-Lava-Spire People, a name Alan liked a lot.

Occasionally, John would point out a mesa or butte that has some historical or cultural significance behind it. All of them were awed at the sight. The setting sun made the desert even more spectacular. The dying light shrouded the rock formations and they stood in dark contrast to the red and purple sky. They drove along a paved road for awhile and then suddenly John turned off it into the desert. He drove a couple of miles and stopped near a group of Navajo blankets that were clustered around an unlit pile of logs. John's hand drum was on top of one of the blankets. John turned his head and noticed the confused looks on their faces.

"This is the surprise I was telling you about. Please get out and make yourself comfortable on the blankets," he said.

All three of them climbed out of the jeep and sat down together on the nearest blanket. John grabbed a small can of lighter fluid, walked over to the woodpile and doused the logs. He then took out a book of matches, lit one and threw it on top of the pile. The logs burst into flames warming the chilly air around them. John got something from the jeep and brought it over to the fire.

"While you were in Flagstaff, I thought long and hard about how to honor courageous individuals such as yourselves and then it came to me. I told you earlier that we have a concept of adoption into the Navajo nation and that is what I have done for you. I went to our government offices at Window Rock yesterday and talked to an old friend of mine on the council and got permission for you to be adopted by me into my clan. These papers are official documents listing you, Alan and Awinita as members of the Tsezhindii'aai Clan."

They were speechless as he handed him their tribal papers. He smiled at Rose.

"As for you, Wolf Child, I had to put you in a different clan. You see, it is considered taboo for someone to marry a person from their same clan because everyone in the clan is a brother and sister to each other in Navajo eyes. I don't want you committing incest when you marry Alan so your clan is different from theirs. Now, our society is matrilineal and normally you would have inherited your clan from your mother but since you are being adopted in, I had to choose a clan for you. I thought long and hard because there are many clans and unfortunately for you, Navajo don't have a Wolf Clan like some tribes do, otherwise I would have chosen that to honor your protector spirit. I thought and though and then decided to use the clan of my best friend. He is To'azoli which means Light-water people. And that is what you are now."

He handed Rose her papers.

"I…I don't know what to say," she said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now a few little rules since you are members of a clan. As I said, there is no marriage to someone within your own clan, which I'm sure is the same for Awinita's clan."

"Yes, it is."

"And you two are not only brother and sister in Gallifreyan eyes, but Navajo eyes as well," he said, pointing to Alan and Awinita.

They grinned at each other.

"As I said, the Navajos are matrilineal which means that any children you may have will automatically take the mother's clan and the same will go for Awinita's children and all property is owned by the women so when you marry Rose, you'll be living at her house."

Awinita laughed when Rose squealed and pumped her fist in the air. Alan pretended to be upset at that and then gave her a wink.

"You also now have an obligation to take care of members in your own clan and give them food, shelter and assistance if they need it," he said. "Which is what I was doing with you before, only now it's become a duty since we are in the same clan."

He grinned at Rose.

"Except for you, Wolf Child. You're sleeping in your minivan from here on out."

Alan and Awinita roared with laughed as he winked at her.

"No, I'm kidding. You're still welcome at my house. Also, it is customary for you to introduce yourselves to other Navajo by naming your clan first and then telling your name after. It's so others will know how you fit into our society."

He slapped his hands together.

"Now, that was the first part of my gift to you. The second part is I wish to bestow new names on you, tribal names that will honor you and your deeds. I also thought long and hard about what Navajo names would suit you. Yours was easy, Rose. Unlike the clan name, Navajo do have a word for wolf and I wish to bestow that upon you. And so, my friend, I hereby name you, Ma'ii tsoh."

"Thank you," Rose said, humbled.

He smiled and nodded and looked at Awinita.

"You were not so easy since you had no colorful nickname like your friends. But you have much courage inside you. I have both sensed it and seen it the other night when you helped your brother distract the skinwalker. And so I decided to name you, Yanaba which means, she meets the enemy."

"Thank you," Awinita said as Alan squeezed her shoulder.

He nodded and smiled at Alan.

"And now for you, Star Child. You also showed great courage and determination that night and fought the skinwalker without hesitation or a moment's thought for your personal safety. Therefore, I name you, Ahiga which means, he fights."

"I'm honored," Alan said.

"And now that's out the way, we come to the final surprise."

They gave him a shocked look.

"Blimey, there's more?" Alan said.

"Yes, because I want to give you one last gift. There is a ceremony I can perform called the Blessingway. It is a ritual that will bring you good luck, good health and protection on your journey from here on out. I want my brother and sister and friend to be safe as they make their way around the world. So just sit there and relax and I will do the rest."

He got the hand drum and drum stick and sat down on the blanket beside them. They listened, spellbound, as John beat on the drum, closed his eyes and chanted. Alan put his arms around his girls and they huddled close together listening to the beautiful words that Alan was singing as he blessed his friends and gave them protection. For about a half hour, he drummed and chanted, the rhythm of the words and beat hypnotic to them. Then he finished and the air became still again.

"There,_ now_ I'm finally finished," he teased as they laughed.

He smiled at Alan.

"You told me that when you came to this world, you had no true friend or family except Rose. Now, my Star Child, you have three sisters, a brother and an entire clan to call your own. You are no longer alone in this world."

Alan's grin almost split his face and he embraced Awinita and Rose when they leaned against him. John stood up and embraced him and the two women tightly. Once they were finished, he smiled warmly at them.

"Well it's getting late. I'm sorry we didn't finish the tour but I really wanted to get you out here to do this. Let's go back home and relax and have some of Awinita's potato soup."

They nodded and stood up. They helped him pile the blankets in the back and threw sand and dirt over the fire until it was extinguished. Once that was done, they climbed back inside, shut the doors and headed back home.

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After they got home, they ate two helpings each of potato soup and gave Awinita more gushing comments on how delicious it was. They sat and talked and John filled Rain and Amber in on what he had done, much to their delight. Afterwards, they cleaned up their dishes, poured the soup in a big bowl and put it in the refrigerator. Then they took turns showering while the others sat in the living room and talked.

"So…how much longer are you planning to stay here?" John finally asked. "I don't mean you should go if you're not ready, I'm just curious."

Alan and Rose looked at each other. Awinita was in the shower but all of them had discussed this back in the hotel in Flagstaff. Alan nodded and Rose looked at him.

"If you don't mind, we'd really like to leave tomorrow afternoon," she said.

John nodded.

"That's fine. I'll be sad to see you go but you still have a lot of things to see and you can't see them here. Just know that you are always welcome here and can stay whenever you like free of charge. Rain also told me that you exchanged phone numbers so call us whenever you want. We'll always be happy to hear from you."

They glanced at each other.

"We'd like for all of you to come to the wedding as well," Rose said.

John smiled.

"I would be honored. Just let me know when it is and I'll make arrangements so my daughters and I can travel. I would be a fool to miss a wedding between a Star Child and a Wolf Child," he said.

"One other thing, how do you properly pronounce all the Navajo names again?" Alan said.

John went over the names with them, patiently repeating the pronunciation until they got it right.

"I will be sure to do that with Awinita too when she gets out of the shower," he said.

"I also wanted to ask a favor," Rose said.

"Yes?"

"Can you give me the recipe for the potato, chili and cheese soup and the fry bread? I'd love to have them."

"Of course, I'll write them out tonight and give them to you tomorrow before you leave."

"Thank you. I know I would never hear the end of it from Alan if I didn't get the recipes," she said as Alan giggled.

They heard the bathroom door open and Awinita walked into the living room. John explained about the pronunciation and Awinita also asked him to repeat it. He did the same thing until she had it down perfectly and then smiled at all of them.

"Now, my friends and family if you don't mind I want to retire. I will see you tomorrow and this time I won't disturb Rose if you go out to do your training. Good night."

"Good night," they said in unison.

He went to bed but the three of them decided to stay up awhile longer.

"It'll be sad leaving tomorrow and leaving them behind," Awinita said.

"I know, especially after what just happened. You guys are leaving behind family members," Rose said.

"Well, technically so are you, everyone in the clan you belong to are your brothers and sisters now," Awinita pointed out.

"Yeah, but I don't know any of em."

Awinita smiled at Alan.

"He's right; you started this journey with just Rose and now look at you. Your family is getting bigger by the day!"

"I know and I'm loving it. It feels good having brothers and sisters now and of course, Ma'ii tsoh here."

They looked over when Rain and Amber came in the room.

"Dad told us you're gonna be leaving tomorrow afternoon," Rain said.

"Yeah, we hate to do it, but we can't stay here forever," Alan said. "We still have a lot of ground to cover. But John promised you'd come for our wedding and we'll ring you whenever we can."

They walked over and embraced him.

"We're gonna miss you, brother," Rain said as they hugged him tight.

"Aw, I'll miss you too, my sisters. Very much."

Amber grinned at him.

"You're not gonna call us Te, Te…"

"Te'lesu. Do you want me to?" he asked.

They looked at each other and nodded.

"Okey-dokey and you can call me Te'lesau like Awinita does."

They hugged him again.

"We're gonna miss you, Te'lesau," Rain said.

"Awww, I'll miss you both, my Te'lesu."

"You don't put an s on the end of that when you're talking to more than one person?" Amber asked.

"No, both of them stay the same for singular and plural tenses. It's very easy to remember."

They went over and hugged Awinita.

"We'll miss you, Te'lesu," Rain said.

"I'll miss you too, Te'lesu, both of you," she replied.

They finished hugging her and moved to Rose.

"Well, bye," Rain said, waving. "You're not in our clan so we don't give a crap about ya!"

Rose's mouth fell open as everyone roared with laughter.

"No, I'm only kidding. We'll miss you too," she said.

They embraced her and made her promise to call often. They let go of her and sat down on the floor at Alan's feet.

"So, where are you guys heading to first?" Amber said. "Back to Flagstaff?"

Alan and Awinita glanced at each other and looked at Rose.

"You wanna go back there?" Alan asked.

"We can or we can wait and go somewhere else in Arizona and come back to it."

"Are we still doing that skiing?" Awinita asked.

"Do you want to?" Rose asked.

"I would," Awinita said.

"They have instructors, right? I would imagine they would," Alan said.

"They should have," Rain said to him.

"I'm surprised the Doctor never skied," Rose said.

"Weeeeell, I guess technically he did but going down a large hill on a thin sheet of metal while Traxionian Ice Demons are chasing you isn't really the same thing. If they have sheet metal there I know how to go down the hill on that!"

"Somehow, I doubt it," Rose said as everyone laughed. "But shouldn't we hold off on that for a few days. Energy levels, remember?"

"Oh yeah, that's a good point. I want you to have at least a day or two more of deep rest before we do that."

"Go to Phoenix then or go to the Hopi Mesas and look around," Amber said.

"That sounds good," Rose said. "We might do that first, maybe go to Sedona and then do the skiing before we head up to LA and over to Las Vegas."

"Ooo, Vegas," Rain said. "You gonna gamble?"

"Nah, nothing to gamble with, "Alan said. "We just wanna have a look-see."

"Then where?" Rain said.

"Then we go to San Francisco and then it's bye US, hello Japan!" Alan said.

"Well, be careful, you've already tangled with a skinwalker," Rain said.

"Yes and Rose almost got killed by what we think was the Jersey Devil." Alan said.

Rain and Amber's eyes bulged from their sockets.

"Oh my God, what happened?"

Rose told them the story and showed the scars on her arm.

"Oh God, Rose, I'm glad you're alright. Geez, it's a good thing Alan had the knife," Amber said.

"I know," she said as he laid a hand on her head. "I owe my life to the Doctor and I owe my life to him. And Awinita does as well. Not just George, he also rescued her from a runaway horse."

"You had an out of control horse too?" Rain said. "Geez, you guys need to be extra, extra careful!"

"Tell me about it," Alan said. "I'm glad John gave us that blessing. I think we might need it."

He looked at her and Amber.

"I wanted to ask you something. See, I've been thinking this ever since the skinwalker incident and I was wondering if you would like me to protect your minds the same way I protected theirs so if another skinwalker does come along, they won't be able to control you."

"Does it hurt?" Amber said.

"You don't feel a thing," Awinita said.

"Um…sure, I'll do it," Amber said.

"Me too."

Alan scooted down to the end of the couch.

"Okay, one at a time sit in front of me and face me and just relax. And I'll give you the standard warning, if you want to keep some thoughts private from me, imagine a door in front of the memory and shut it, I won't look."

"Rain, you go first."

Rain got up and sat on the couch. They watched while he put his fingers to her temples and closed his eyes. Rain frowned when she didn't feel anything happening.

"Is he doing anything?" she said to Rose.

"Oh yeah, he's busy, trust me," she said.

Rain sat and stared at Alan's face. Occasionally his brow would furrow but other than that, he didn't do anything. Finally, after twenty minutes, he took his fingers away and opened his eyes.

"All done," he said.

"And no one will be able to control my mind?"

"Nope, your mind is airtight now."

"Cool, thanks!"

They hugged each other and then she got up so her sister could do it.

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"Thank you," Amber said, hugging him when he finished.

"You're very welcome, anything to protect my sisters."

"Are you gonna do it to dad too?"

"If he wants it, I'll ask in the morning."

"Well, we're gonna go to bed now so we'll see you guys in the morning before you leave?"

They nodded.

"Yeah, we have to go out and do our training while Sleeping Beauty snoozes," Alan said.

Rose swatted the back of head.

"I s'pose it's time for Sleeping Beauty to turn in then?" she said.

"Not unless you want to."

"No, I'm knackered. I'm ready for my hibernation now."

They kissed one another and Alan got up so she could lie down. Once she was settled, he knelt down beside her.

"Good night, Amo'tiri."

"Good night, Stitch," she said.

Amber and Rain stood by and watched while he put his fingertips to her temples. Rose shut her eyes along with Alan and she slowly slipped back into the deep sleep. Once he was finished, Alan opened his eyes and leaned back.

"Fast asleep," he said to them.

"Seriously? Nothing can wake her up now?" Rain said.

Alan shot a mischievous look at Awinita and put his mouth directly over Rose's ear canal.

"AAAAAAAAAAH!" he screamed directly into it.

He leaned up and they giggled when Rose didn't even flinch.

"See, the whole house could explode and world war three could start and Slumber Bye would snooze, snooze, snooze," he said.

"Well, we'll let her sleep then and we'll see you in the morning."

"Good night," Alan and Awinita said in unison.

They left the room and went to their bedrooms while Alan and Awinita finished getting ready for bed.


	123. Chapter 123

Chapter One Hundred Twenty Three

"Awinita?"

Awinita opened her eyes when she felt Alan gently shake her.

"Is it morning?" she mumbled.

"Yes, I wanted to go ahead and do the training so we can get ready to leave later."

"Okay, let me go to the bathroom then," she said, putting the foot rest down.

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John let out a yawn as he came into the living room. He noticed the note from Alan on the arm of his recliner and smiled. He knew by now what they were doing every morning but it warmed his heart knowing that Alan wanted to make sure he was aware of what they were doing.

"Always thinking of others," he murmured to himself. "Always putting their wellbeing above his own. Star Child, you have a good heart."

He glanced at Rose briefly and then walked over to her. Gently he lifted her head and repositioned the pillow. As he did, he smiled down at her peaceful face.

"Consider yourself lucky, my child, that you have found a man like Alan," he murmured to her. "Not every woman can count herself that fortunate. He will be a devoted husband and you will be a loving wife, I can tell that. I pray the Great Spirit blesses you both and blesses all who come into contact with you."

He pulled the covers up to her chin and laid his hand against the side of her head for a moment before leaning back up and heading into the kitchen to make breakfast. As he cooked some eggs, he heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Rain behind him.

"Good morning, my Rainshower," he said, fondly.

"Mornin' Dad, Alan and Awinita doing their training?"

"Yes, as far as I know."

"They must be since Rose is still asleep on the couch," she replied.

She opened the refrigerator door and pulled out the milk.

"I'm gonna hate to see them go and I know Amber feels the same way," she said, grabbing a glass and pouring the milk into it.

"So will I. But, they can't stay here forever and I have a feeling the three of them wouldn't want to. They wouldn't like being tied down to one place. Not just Alan, but all of them. They have a need to see new horizons, new people and places. I have a feeling their idea of Hell would be living in London without this TARDIS of theirs."

"He told us in ten years when the TARDIS is ready that he'll come and get us so we can see a glimpse of time and space."

John grinned as she put the milk back in the fridge.

"Did he now? And do you wanna go with him and see time and space?"

"Yeah, I do."

"So, now you have caught their wanderlust?" he teased. "You are no longer content to stay here and help an old codger run his little tourist trap?"

She laughed for a few seconds but quickly sobered up.

"I don't know, a few days ago I would have been content to stay here but that was before I met a half alien and his amazing friends," she mused. "And suddenly this place doesn't seem enough for me."

"I have always wanted more for you and your sister, Rain. I want both of you to have a better life than I did."

"But…suddenly even that's not enough, dad. I mean…"

"There is the promise of seeing the universe with your new brother and sister and friend?"

"Yes. And as idiotic as it sounds, I have this urge just to forget college and follow them. I mean it's crazy, isn't it?"

He chuckled as he slid the eggs out onto a plate and put the next batch in the skillet.

"I'm sure Awinita felt the exact same way when she agreed to just go with them as far as North Carolina. But now she's with them and seems to have no regrets about leaving behind a steady job and an apartment to go off into the unknown."

"Yeah, but she's gonna find work in London."

He smiled.

"Oh, I have a feeling she'll be just as miserable as they will for those ten years. You cannot take free spirits who want to go where the wind takes them and chain them behind a desk. I'm sure once they get back to London; they will find all kinds of excuses to leave again and again until their TARDIS is ready."

"I wish I could go with them."

"Why can't you?"

Rain was taken aback.

"I'm in college, dad."

"College can be delayed, daughter."

"You don't want me to delay it."

"I want you and Amber to do what makes you happy, that is what I want," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Rain, you have always been more of a dreamer than your older sister. Your sister has been more responsible, more the head firmly on her shoulders type and that's okay, but the Great Spirit didn't make everyone the same and I realize that. You have always tried to do everything to please me, Rain and make me proud but I have always been proud of you regardless. It's time for you to live your own life, follow your own path and listen to your heart. If your heart is telling you to go with them, then go. I'll be alright. I have people here looking after me and they'll help make sure I'm alright."

"But what if they don't want me to come with them?"

John raised his eyebrow.

"Somehow I doubt that they will reject you if you ask," he said. "They were more than willing to take you and your sister to Flagstaff even though they didn't have to. Even if the two women voted you down, your brother would probably scream and holler at them until they gave in. If money is a concern, I have some saved up that I can give you and you can help pay for your way. But I doubt that would bother them since Rose seems to be supporting both Alan and Awinita on this journey. I don't think money is a concern to them as long as they're together. Like I told you, daughter, listen to your heart and let it guide you. But if it were me, I wouldn't pass up this opportunity. When Awinita was possessed by George, she told your brother that the reason she had to kill them was because they were meant to fight against the darkness, perhaps that is your destiny too, my Rainshower, which is why the Great Spirit has put this crazy notion into your heart. When your brother and sister get back and wake up Rose, go and talk to them. The worst they can say is no and then you just go on with your college classes."

He grinned.

"But, I have a funny feeling they won't say no," he said, winking.

Just then they heard the door opening and Alan calling out a cheerful hello.

"Well, well, right on cue," John said, softly. "Wait until they are in here eating and then ask them, Rain. And be brave, be bold. They won't bite your head off, I promise. If you want something in life, don't be afraid to ask for it!"

Alan peeked around the corner and sniffed.

"Eggs?" he said.

"Yes, I'm fixing all of you breakfast. Also…my daughter here wants to ask you something but it can wait until you're all rested and eating."

"Oh okay, sure," Alan said.

He winked at her and leaned back out. John smiled at her.

"See, he loves you, my daughter. After what I've seen him do, I know I can entrust you to him and Awinita and Rose. Now will you come and help me finish this so all of us can eat?"

Rain nodded. She went to the refrigerator and pulled out the bacon.

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A half hour later, all of them were awake and sitting around the table eating. Rain glanced hesitantly at the three people across from her. She hadn't asked them yet and she was nervous. She glanced at her sister sitting beside her and John at the end of the table. John caught her eye and nodded. Rain swallowed the milk in her mouth and cleared her throat.

"Um…I wanted to ask you guys something," she said hesitantly.

"Oh yeah, you did, didn't ya," Alan said. "Whatcha wanna ask us?"

Rain took a deep breath.

"I…want to come with you."

She heard Amber choking on her milk. John patted her back as she coughed. The three friends were momentarily taken aback.

"But…I thought you had school," Rose said.

"Yeah, Rain, you're in college," Amber said.

Alan noticed her flinch when she said that. He suddenly got a sense about her. He had noticed that the two of them seemed to agree on everything and now that she was rocking the boat and doing something unconventional her sister had finally gotten upset with her for the first time since they had known them. He suddenly saw a lot of Rose in Rain, the way she used to be before she started traveling with the Doctor. He glanced at Amber and saw the look of disbelief on the older woman's face. He looked at John wondering what he thought of all this.

"Amber, let your sister be," he admonished her.

A grin spread over Alan's face when he realized he was on Rain's side. He caught Rose's eye and an unspoken word passed between them. He knew that Rose wanted her to come as well and it thrilled him. Before they could speak, however, John jumped into the conversation.

"If you are concerned about money I can give Rain enough to last for awhile," he said to them.

Amber looked at him as if he had sprouted two heads.

"Dad, she's in college."

"Amber, I was telling your sister earlier that everyone has their own path to follow and college isn't for everyone."

"But you've wanted us to go to college since we were kids," she protested.

"But I wasn't as wise as I am now. I want the two of you to follow your hearts. If your heart says to stay and finish college then that's fine. If Rain's is telling her to go, then that's fine as well. She has always been more of a free spirit than you are. Just like they aren't content to stay in one place. They've abandoned jobs and family and comfy houses in order to see the world, are they wrong for doing this?"

Amber shook her head.

"Then why is your sister wrong for wanting to go with them? College can always be picked up later in life. Sometimes, someone senses an opportunity and feels the need to take it. I don't know how they feel about having her…"

"If you wanna come with us, we'd love to have ya," Rose said quickly as Alan and Awinita nodded. "We always get a double room and you can sleep with Awinita. You are more than welcome to come, Rain. Trust me; if anyone understands what it's like to be trapped in one place, it's us. We all look out for one another and we rely on each other. You'd never be alone and you'd never have to worry about personal safety. Believe me, the first time someone tried to lay their hands on ya, Alan would rip their head off!"

They giggled when Alan shook his head emphatically and grinned.

Rose looked at Amber.

"And you're more than welcome to come as well, Amber, if you want."

Alan glanced at her. He cared for Amber, but something was telling him that was a bad idea. He could see that Rain was too much of a people pleaser and needed some space away from her sister to become her own person. To his relief, Amber declined.

"I appreciate the offer, Rose. But I do wanna finish college," she said, smiling. "I feel like that's what my heart is telling me to do. But thanks for offering."

"That's fine," she said. "I just don't want you to think you're being left out if you wanna come."

"Nah, I want to finish up and get my degree," she said.

She nodded.

"So, you're with us then, I guess," she said to Rain.

"Now see, Rain, I told you not to be scared when you asked them," John said.

Once again, that statement disturbed Alan. They had never given her any reason to fear asking them anything but just the fact that she was so upset about disturbing the status quo in the house made him even more confident that this was the right move for Rain. He was looking forward to seeing her blossom into a confident young woman just like Rose and Awinita had become. He was also looking forward to bonding with his new sister just as he had bonded with Awinita. He was grateful they really did think of a minivan since they were going to be carrying another passenger now.

Rain reached across the table and Alan took her hand in both of his.

"Thanks guys," she said.

He grinned and patted her hand as he murmured his you're welcome along with the others.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After they ate, Awinita went into her bedroom and sorted through items for her duffel bag while John went with Amber to the bank to withdraw some money for her. While she sat on her bed and looked through some shirts she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Alan standing beside her.

"Need some help?" he said.

"I don't think so; I'm just deciding what shirts I wanna bring."

"Try to pack light. Once we get to Japan, we're gonna try not to take a car anymore and just hike and take the train across the country."

She nodded and Alan knelt down beside her.

"I'm so glad you're coming with us, I was all set to miss you both," he said fondly.

"Well, I'm glad you're letting me come. I was worried you'd say no."

"I noticed that and I think that's why you need to come with us. You need to get out from under your sister's shadow and be your own person. Trust me, Rose had the same problem and she grew into a confident woman. You will too, I'll make sure of that."

He gave her shoulder a squeeze and stood back up.

"I like the lavender top," he said, pointing to the shirt on the right. "Just throwing my two pence in."

"Thanks, Alan."

He winked at her and strolled back out of the room as Rain went back to packing.

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John returned forty five minutes later and gave Rain six hundred dollars and a bag of toiletry items. She put them in the duffle bag while they all stood together in the living room.

"Do you have the number for admissions so you can talk to them and tell them what you're doing?" John asked Rain.

"Yes, dad and I will call them, I promise."

He nodded and looked at them.

"Are all of you ready then?"

"I think we are," Rose said.

He smiled.

"Then I wish you all the best. I hope all of you stay safe on your journey. If you need any more money, Rain, tell me and I'll wire you some."

He hugged her tightly.

"I'm so glad you're doing this, Rainshower. Go out there and follow your heart and have the time of your life."

"I will, dad."

They broke apart and she hugged Amber.

"Take care, sis," she said.

"You too," Rain said.

They broke apart and both John and Amber hugged everyone else. When they were finished, John gave the recipes to Rose who thanked him and put them in her trouser pocket. They shouldered their rucksacks and Rain picked up her duffle bag. John and Amber walked with them to the minivan and after one more round of hugs and goodbyes, they all climbed inside with Alan in the driver's seat. John and Amber stood and waved as he backed out of the driveway and took off down the road.


	124. Chapter 124

Chapter One Hundred Twenty Four

Alan drove south toward Phoenix while the three women discussed what to do.

"If Rain is travelin' with us, I think we need to celebrate tonight," Rose said. "Have a first night's dinner in her honor."

"You don't have to," Rain said.

"No, we wanna do this. We wanna officially welcome you to our barmy little gang," Rose said, grinning. "And I also want to find a library and check the internet when we get there, Alan. So keep that in mind."

"Gotcha."

"Because I've been thinking. One thing we can do is find a hotel that has a kitchenette in it. I didn't really think of gettin' one before now because they cost extra but I wanna splurge just this once. I was thinkin' since Awinita cooked us traditional Cherokee dishes that I might return the favor and make some English food for ya. We can get the hotel room, go to market and get the ingredients and have a night in and just celebrate Rain being with us. Sound good, mates?"

"Absobloodylutely," Alan said.

"Sounds great to me!" Awinita said.

Rose smiled at Rain.

"Everyone here has a say in what we do so I'll ask you if that's alright with you as well."

Rain smiled.

"I'd love to do it, Rose," she said.

"And don't be afraid to tell us so if you don't wanna do it," Alan said, pointedly. "We're a democratic group and everyone has a voice. So, don't say yes just because everyone else wants to do it. We won't be angry if you disagree with something. Your opinion counts just as much as ours."

She smiled when Rose and Awinita nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, guys," she said.

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After four hours they reached downtown Phoenix. After stopping at a restaurant and making inquiries they finally found the main branch of the library and went inside. They got temporary internet passes and idly surfed the net while Rose looked up a couple of things. She found the name of a hotel that had a kitchenette among the amenities and quickly booked a room for them online. Then she looked up the directions to it on Google Maps and wrote it down on a scrap of paper. Next she looked up a recipe for Christmas pudding and wrote it down. Alan noticed what she was looking at.

"We didn't have one for Christmas so I figured I'd make up for that. I thought about cooking roast and Yorkshire pudding and broccoli with almonds and have this with it."

"Sounds great," he said.

"I'm thinking about doing an English breakfast for us too. A proper one."

"No complaints from me."

"Well, I know you wouldn't object. I also got the room for three days. I figured we could see Phoenix and then fan out from there and see stuff nearby. This room will have a full kitchen with a dishwasher, pots, pans, dishes and cutlery. It has a pool, a fitness room and laundry services."

"Wow, posh! What's the hotel called?"

"Extended Stay Deluxe Hotel. Never heard of it before. But then we're usually staying at Holiday Inns," she said. "But I have the room already reserved; we just have to pick up the key or keycard at the front desk when we get there. For the moment, let's go find somewhere to get groceries, enough for a couple of days. We'll have the roast and Yorkshire pudding tonight, then I was thinking about maybe making toad in the hole or cottage pie on one of the other nights."

"Sounds good. Maybe bangers and mash as well?"

"Yeah, I could cook that too. Just a couple of things they can sample, ya know."

"I didn't realize you could cook like that. I always figured you were a microwave girl," he teased.

She giggled.

"Well, mum did teach me how to cook a few things growin' up. Actually, I usually help with Christmas dinner too. The Doctor didn't see that because he was off pickin' out his outfit when we were makin' it. I'm pretty good with doing that but since I don't make the pudding all the time I needed a recipe to make sure I have the right amount of ingredients. Then when we lived with dad, I wanted to learn more so I could cook when I got my own flat so I used to pester the cook to teach me and she taught me more. So I actually do know how to cook a lot of different dishes but obviously we aren't gonna be able to find ingredients for all of them in America. Actually, it's too bad I thought of this now. We could have had a proper Christmas dinner instead of eatin' out."

She brought up Google and searched for things to do in Phoenix. She clicked on a link as Alan scooted his chair closer and leaned in to study the site with her. She slowly scrolled down the list as they read the entries. She paused on one.

"You wanna hike Camelback Mountain?" she asked.

"Sure," he said.

She pointed at a review.

"Says here they hiked up and saw the sunrise over Phoenix. I think that'd be beautiful."

"Me too."

"Where's this?" Awinita said glancing up from her computer across the way.

"Camelback Mountain in Phoenix. You can hike it, it has steps too you can go up and one person here said they did it and watched the sunrise come up over Phoenix."

"Oooo, that sounds great!"

"Yeah, it does," Rain said. "I wouldn't mind doing that."

"Okay, we'll add it to the list here," she said jotting down the information. She went back to scanning the entries.

"Enchanted Island, it's a theme park," she said, clicking on the link. "Ugh, never mind, according to this, there are only ten rides and they're mostly for kids eight and under. Scratch that. Let's see…they have a zoo…Rain, you been to the Phoenix Zoo?"

"Once when I was like five."

"You wanna go?"

"Sure."

"Alan gets the chance to kick a giraffe's ass again," Awinita said.

They all snickered.

"What is this about kicking a giraffe's ass?" Rain asked.

Alan grinned.

"Well…since you're going to be travelin' with us, we can let you in on the joke."

He explained it and the other two women giggled when he finished and Rain slowly shook her head.

"You are strange, Alan," she said as they laughed.

Rose scrolled down the list.

"Hey, they have mini golf," she said. "Doctor ever play mini golf, Alan?"

"No, but he's played regular golf before at St. Andrews," he said.

"It said they have a website but there's no link to it here, how thick can they get?" she muttered.

She copied and pasted the name into the search engine box and clicked on the link.

Oh, they also have a mini amusement park in Mesa," she said.

"For who? Little kids?" Alan said.

She sighed as she scrolled down the page.

"Yes, for the most part," she said as Alan groaned. "Okay, back to the mini golf then."

She brought up the page.

"Now for 8 dollars, you can play as many games as you want," she said to them.

"That's all they have though, just the golf?" Awinita asked.

"Yes, but that might be fun."

"Cool! I wouldn't mind doing it," Awinita said.

"Neither would I. I've never played mini golf before," Rain said.

She looked at Alan.

"You?"

"As long as I get to beat you at it," he said.

She snorted.

"I don't think so," she said. "I'll beat you with one hand tied behind my back."

"Oho, is that so?" he said as they giggled. "Bring it on then, Tyler!"

"Fine, I will! We'll go and I'll just mini golf your arse into the ground!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, keep talkin' and maybe it'll come true," Alan said waving his hand dismissively.

She scrolled down the page.

"They have another one of those living history museum things like Williamsburg," she said.

"Those things must be popular," Awinita said. "We keep seeing them all over the place."

"Well, you have to admit they are kinda fun," Alan said. "If I concentrate hard enough I can pretend I traveled back in time in the TARDIS."

"Aha, so that's the attraction for ya," Rose said. "I wondered why you were so enthusiastic about these living history things. I seeeee, so he gets to pretend he's the Doctor then. Makes sense. Too bad they don't have any aliens to fight in these recreations, my love."

"Tell me about it. Why doesn't anyone ever think up alien invasion in pioneer town as an attraction? I bet it'd be a hit!"

She laughed.

"They do weddings there. Fancy getting married back in the 1800's?"

"Do you want to?"

They all looked at Alan and saw he was completely serious.

"How 'bout waiting for mum?" Rose said.

"Rose, we can get married again for their benefit. People have done that before, you know. What's wrong with having a wedding for us and then having one for the rest of the family that your dad pays for?"

Rose clicked on the wedding link.

"Now see, they have a cheapie one for 700 dollars. I'm sure that'll cost far less than what your dad'll be paying for," he said, pointing to the screen.

She scrolled down.

"Wait, minister is 250 dollars extra? Am I reading that right? So who does the ceremony if you don't pay for him?"

She scrolled back up and read the description again.

"It doesn't say anything about a minister in the package description. Then, who is gonna do the ceremony or it just one big fake thing for tourists?"

"Maybe they have a justice of the peace conduct the ceremony and if you want an actual minister, that costs extra," Awinita said.

She shook her head.

"Love, I don't know about getting married here. I wanna know exactly what I'm paying for especially since I'm paying that much. Let me see if there's somewhere else we can get married."

She searched for other places to have a wedding.

"Now they have weddings at the Desert Botanical Garden," she said, clicking on a link. "That might be beautiful."

She went through the site.

"Okay, they have a cheap ceremony for 600 dollars," she said. "That's a bit better. It says, Pratt Ramada is a hillside clearing at the highest point in the Garden.  
It can be rented for an intimate sunset ceremony. What'd ya think?"

"Sunset ceremony sounds beautiful, Amo'tiri."

His eyes widened when she slammed her hand down on the table.

"What?" he said as Rain and Awinita stared at her.

"Gotta reserve the wedding a fortnight in advance! Bollocks!"

They all groaned.

"You know, you could always do a Vegas wedding?" Awinita said.

Alan made a face.

"No, that's too tacky. I don't wanna get married by an Elvis impersonator in a cramped little chapel that reeks of stale alcohol and urine. I want something with a bit of class."

"Yeah, me too," she said. "But thanks for the suggestion."

"How about Sedona?" Rain said. "The whole area is gorgeous and I'm sure they have weddings there all the time."

Rose and Alan glanced at each other and Rose began to search for wedding places in Sedona.

"Amara Resort and Spa," Rose said, clicking on a link.

She clicked on the weddings link and their mouths fell open when they saw a picture of a bride standing in front of a red brick patio with a lush forest and a mesa behind it. Rose and Alan smiled at each other.

"How much, Starlight?" he asked.

She clicked on a link but all she found was a slideshow of wedding pictures. Confused, she went back to the main page but couldn't find any other links.

"Um…how much is the bloody ceremony?" she said angrily.

She finally found a link but all it led to was an order form.

"It doesn't list an exact price, just different price ranges ranging from under 2500 dollars all the way up to 250,000 dollars. Bollocks, try another one I guess. I didn't realize a wedding would be so bloody difficult to arrange!"

She clicked on a link.

"Okay, here's one called Heart of Sedona Weddings where you get married outdoors with the mesas as your backdrop. The cheapest one is 400 dollars and you can get it customized if you want."

Awinita and Rain looked at each other.

"You gonna do it?" Awinita asked.

They looked at each other.

"It's up to you, my love," Alan said. "I don't wanna force you to do something you don't wanna do."

She stared at the pictures of couples being married on the top of mesas with more mesas in the background and smiled.

"I do wanna do this," she said.

Alan could barely contain his joy.

"But…I wanna do the 580 dollar one because you get wedding photos with that and they give you a bouquet for me and boutonnière for you. I figure if we're gonna be in casual clothes we might as well have something that would suggest we're at a wedding."

Alan's eyes widened when she shook her head.

"You're changing your mind?" he said.

"No, I wanna do it. It's just I'm reading what they offer in the package and..they don't offer a reception afterwards? Or any kind of refreshments… and it's not just because we're getting the cheap one, none of the packages have receptions. That's idiotic…oh wait, that's part of the customize your wedding section. I get it."

"So they do have a reception?" Alan said.

"Yeah, they give you extra things to customize the wedding with and the reception is one of them," she said, reading.

She looked at him.

"They have tuxedo rental."

"Nah, that's okay, every time the Doctor wore one something bad happened. I don't wanna do anything that might jinx us."

Rose laughed.

"They have yoga classes, love."

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"What? You mean we get married while we're bending every which way like pretzels?" he said as they laughed.

She shrugged.

"They have spa services too."

"That sounds okay."

Rose read on. She clicked on another link.

"You know they offer a kind of wedding counseling for us beforehand?" she said to him.

"What does that entail? We really don't need counseling. We get along perfectly," he said.

She read a passage to him.

"With guidance from Rev. Andrew Murphy, trained spiritual director with twenty-five years experience and licensed Partner Yoga instructor, cultivate a spirituality that will help center you in your unique Self and illuminate the glorious mystery of your love. From a space of heightened awareness and sensitivity, deepen in your commitment to one another. Become more fully transparent; realize your power to make all necessary changes, and to explore creative and satisfying ways to express yourselves in the world, growing in heart-felt devotion to each other."

"Um, is there an option to skip it? I mean, we're already hopelessly in love with each other. We don't need to be taught any of this. We're also completely open and honest with one another. And yoga again? Not that yoga isn't a good thing but I'd rather just get to the ceremony and have done with it. Do we have to go through all this extra pre-wedding nonsense? Rain and Awinita don't wanna wait four hours because someone wants to explore our spirituality with us."

They have a number. I'll call and ask them," she said. "But at least we found somewhere where we know the prices and don't have to wait a fortnight."

"Thank God for that," he said."Wait, do they provide rings?"

"Um…it doesn't list them. We could do without those for the moment though and let dad pay for proper ones when we have the second wedding," she said.

He glanced at her.

"Yeah, but is there any way we could just get cheapie rings so we'd at least have something we can use? Then we can switch those out at the second wedding?"

She nodded.

"We'll go to a jewelry shop and see what they have," she said.

"It doesn't have to be something from a jewelry shop. It could be something like your Stitch ring. Just something to exchange," he said. You're already going to be paying 580 dollars for this without expensive rings on top of it. Don't go in stook for this, Rose. This is just meant to be a simple ceremony."

She nodded.

"We'll look around and see what we can find. We'll be here for three days at least and then we'll go to Sedona after we get done here. That'll give us time to get what we need."

He grinned.

"I can't believe we're actually doin' this," he said.

"I can't either. But I love the idea of getting married here with all the beautiful mesas."

"Do you wanna go back up and get dad and Amber?" Rain asked.

They looked at each other.

"Do you?" he asked.

"I really would like to wait and have them go to the second wedding. This should just be between the four of us for now. And on that note, no one says anything to my mum and dad either. I want this to be a secret so mum doesn't bite our heads off when she finds out we got married without her present. When we get back home, we'll let them think that we're getting married for the first time. Alright?"

They nodded.

"Hopefully, dad doesn't look at the credit card bill too closely and sees he has to pay for Heart of Sedona Weddings," she said. "I'm hoping he just thinks we did another Disneyworld thing or something and doesn't ask questions."

"After you do this, how 'bout we split up for a night and get separate hotel rooms so you can have a little honeymoon?" Awinita said. "I mean, I think Rain and I can entertain ourselves for one night."

"Yeah, Rose, just for one night let's get a private room," Alan said.

Rose nodded. She began to search for hotels. Several came up and she noticed that the Weatherford Hotel was listed. She clicked on it.

"That's the one with the pine cone, isn't it?" Alan asked.

"Yeah, Flagstaff isn't too far from Sedona. We could go get married, go back up to Flagstaff and do the skiing after spending the night here. Look, love, the rooms are done up to look like the turn of the century and they aren't too dear. We could get a room and they could get one too. You wanna do that?"

"Sure."

She jotted down the phone number.

"I'll call ahead and book it then," she said.

She smiled at him.

"I'm so glad we're doin' this."

"Me too, I can't wait to marry you."

Rain and Awinita smiled when they kissed one another.

Having finished that, she checked her email while Alan watched. She was reading an email from Jackie when they suddenly heard snickering and giggling coming from their friends. They looked over at them.

"What are you laughing about?" Rose said.

"We have an insane idea," Awinita said.

Rose and Alan glanced at each other.

"Oh boy," Alan said. "This oughta be good."

"What insane idea?" Rose asked.

"You ever heard of Chuck E Cheese?"

They frowned.

"Um, no, what is it?" Rose asked.

"It's this theme restaurant where you can get pizza and they have games and they have this animatronic stage show. You can have birthday parties there. It's for kids but they don't really check because when I was a teenager I went one time with my friends to one in Asheville and had a birthday party. We were looking at their website and we thought it might be fun to have a fake birthday party just for a laugh. After all, Alan's 6 months old, he's a kid, isn't he?"

Alan snickered.

"You know, that might be fun," he said. "I would love to have an early birthday party."

"What's the web address?" Rose asked.

"Chuck E Cheese dot com."

She typed that in and brought up the website. She clicked on the birthday party link.

"Um, you sure they don't check for the child because it says you get a birthday show staring your child and Chuck E Cheese."

"What they do with that is the robots sing a special birthday song to the kid. They don't have to get up on stage or anything. Besides, what're they gonna do? As long as they get their money, why would they give a crap if we're throwing the party for an adult? I'm sure we're not the first ones to do it. They find out and get mad, that's their problem. If they come up and ask where the kid is, we'll tell him he went to the bathroom. It's not like they can send the bathroom police to go check. Screw em."

Alan laughed.

"That's the spirit! Tell em where they can shove their pizza slices!" he said as she nodded.

Rose frowned as she read.

"If we do this, we should get an extra pizza to go along with the party. You get two slices per person but I would assume you could carry the extra out, yeah? Besides, I don't think two slices is gonna be enough for the bottomless pit here. They have a family meal where you get a large pizza, four drinks and 100 tokens for games. We can split those four ways."

She clicked on the dinner menu button and read through it.

"Oh look, my beloved, they have cheese sticks there!" she said gleefully.

She laughed when Alan laid his head on her shoulder and gave her puppy dog eyes.

"Cheese sticks, mummy? Can I get cheese sticks for my birthday?" he said in a little kid voice.

"Yes, you can, my little boy," she cooed.

Rain and Awinita laughed when Alan let out a little squeal of joy.

"Okay, we'll do this for lunch tomorrow then," she said. "It does sound like fun and Alan gets lots of free gifts for his birthday too!"

"Hurray, free presents! My mummy is so good to me!" he said as everyone bent over laughing.

"And since Alan really is six months old, we wouldn't be lying about having a kid with us. We'd just be lying about it being his birthday," Awinita said.

"P'shaw, they don't have to know when my real birthday is," Alan said, waving his hand dismissively.

Rose went back to her email. Alan looked at it with her and frowned when he heard Rain asking Awinita where the heck Santa Clarita was. He looked at them.

"What's in Santa Clarita?" he asked.

Awinita laughed.

"We were looking to see if anyone else had birthday parties we could take you to and there's this place called Ferrell's Ice Cream and Restaurant in Santa Clarita…which is in California, right near LA. I'm looking through their dinner menu and they have a lot of burgers and sandwiches and ice cream and the good part is there's nothing here that says you have to be a kid to have a birthday party. It's kinda like Chuck E Cheese with the two slices of pizza and the unlimited soft drinks, but you also get an ice cream sundae and a birthday gift and they have balloons and games and prizes. Actually it's part of a larger attraction called Mountasia that has mini golf and laser tag and rock climbing and go karts and bumper boats and stuff like that. Might be something worth checking out when we get to California."

Rose wrote down the names on her slip of paper.

"And…they have party packages beyond Ferrell's where not only do you get to eat there, you also get the rides and attractions for so many hours depending on how much you're willing to shell out," she added.

"Hmm, yeah we'll keep that in mind. We need to start thinkin' ahead and finding stuff in California as well," she said.

She smiled at them.

"You ready though?"

They nodded.

"Okay, let's go get some groceries and go back to our room then," she said.


	125. Chapter 125

Chapter One Hundred Twenty Five

Rose opened the door and all of them stood there and stared into the room in awe. Unlike the hotel rooms they'd been staying at, this was more than double the size and was furnished almost like a small apartment. As they came inside there was a little room off to their left that contained the kitchen. Directly beside the outer wall of the kitchen was a wooden dining room table with four chairs. Next to that were the beds with a large dresser directly across from them that was next to the bathroom and further on down was a leather couch, a coffee table and a leather chair that was to the left of the couch and facing the door. Across from all that was a stand with a large TV on top. On top of that was a DVD/VCR player.

"Wow, this is nice!" Alan said. "Finally, a bit of room to stretch out in."

Rose shut the door and they walked into the kitchen and laid four plastic sacks of food on the counter. They all helped to sort them out and put them in the refrigerator and cabinets. Once that was done, all of them walked into the living room area and laid their rucksacks and duffle bag down beside the couch.

"They have a DVD player," Alan said. "Maybe we should bring up our movies."

Rose made a face.

"We've already seen them," she said.

"How about we go rent some?" Awinita said. "We can go ask at the front desk if they have a video store nearby and I'll sign up for a membership so we can get something."

Rose nodded.

"You wanna do that while I start supper?" she said.

"Yeah, sure."

"Alan and Rain, you go ahead and go with her and pick something out while I cook the meal."

"What about you? Do you wanna see a particular movie?" Alan asked.

She thought that over.

"Um…I'm not sure what's current but I was wanting to see Sweeny Todd with Johnny Depp. If they have that, get it for me. Other than that, I like comedies or romantic comedies and dramas. Something like that."

"Okay," Awinita said. "Well, we'll leave you to your cooking then."

Rose kissed Alan.

"Be careful out there."

"I will. Don't blow up the hotel room. I'm sure the management will frown on you doin' that."

She chuckled.

"I'll try my very best not to," she said.

She gave him another kiss and then the three of them headed out the door. The moment the door closed, Rose went into the kitchen to start the meal.

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"Okay," Awinita said as she turned away from the check-out counter. "Got the membership card, let's find some movies."

The three of them headed off towards the new release section. Alan made a beeline for the S section and to his delight, found a copy of Sweeny Todd.

"Got it!" he said to his sisters, holding up the DVD case.

He turned his attention back to the shelves filled with DVD boxes. As he looked he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Rain behind him.

"Hmmm?" he said, smiling.

"Just so I know because I wanna get something we'll all like. Is there anything you don't like to watch?" she asked.

"Horror movies."

"Anything else?"

He thought.

"I don't like really sappy chick flicks like Beaches, but I can sit through them if I have to. But I won't sit through horror movies. Other than that, I'll watch anything."

"Gotcha, no horror movies and try not to get chick flicks. Thanks Alan."

"You're welcome, Te'lesu. Is there anything I should keep my eyes peeled for?"

"I got one already," she said, holding out her hand.

He looked through the clear plastic case.

"Mummy 3? Oh! Brilliant! I haven't seen that yet!"

"So that's okay?"

"Oh yeah, love the mummy movies. I had no idea they had another one."

"Oh yeah, just came out this summer."

"Good, I can't wait to see it. Is that all you're getting though? We get them for two days I think."

"I'm still looking but…"

Alan frowned.

"But what?"

"How do you feel about musicals?"

"Are you kidding?" Awinita said to her as she stood several feet away. "The man sings every chance he gets. You were there that night we drove back to your home. You know, She Bangs?"

"Yeah, but singing and watching musicals are two different things."

"I like musicals," he said. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, if they have it, I wanted Mamma Mia."

"Here it is, sis!" Awinita said, reaching behind a box to grab the case.

"Yes! Thanks!" she said taking it from her. "Okay, these are the two I really want to see."

"Brill, you can help me pick out something then," Alan said.

They walked along looking at the boxes.

"This would be so much easier if I had an idea what the films were about," he said to Rain. "The Doctor hasn't watched current movies in a long time so I have no idea what's out. That's why I was wondering if you'd help me."

"Do you like action movies?"

"Yes, for the most part. I don't like mindless violence where ninety five million people die in the space of two seconds. I do like a plot to go with the carnage."

"Have you ever read comic books?"

"I haven't but the Doctor has."

"Do you like them…I mean…did he like them?"

"Most of the ones he read, he liked, why?"

"Well, there's comic book movies like Fantastic Four or Spider-Man or the Hulk and here's Iron Man. It's the newest one."

Alan took the box off the shelf and read the summary on the back.

"Hmmm, this sounds good. I think I might like it," he said. "Is that something you enjoy as well?"

"Yeah, I like Spider-Man."

"Oh, well let's get Spider-Man then," he said, putting the box back.

"Have you seen all three of them?"

Alan looked at her.

"There's a third one now?"

"Hmm, I'll take that as a no," she said as he laughed. "That's probably over in the action section though since it's been out for awhile."

Alan took her hand and they walked over to the action section. They went through the selves and finally found a copy near the bottom.

"Fantastic, now what else?" he said, looking around.

He smiled at Rain when she giggled.

"What?" he said fondly.

"Um…porn?" she said.

"No, because the last time I saw that Rose about killed me," he said as she laughed.

"You…as in you?"

"Yes, me as in little ol me. When we first started out, we were in a hotel room and Rose was taking a shower and I was bored and they had pay per view movies and I had no idea at the time they cost extra and I had seen every one of the regular movies they listed but down at the bottom there were two pornos and I chose Alien Virgins From Outer Space."

"Alien Virgins from Outer Space?" Rain said, amused.

"Hey, it sounded fascinating to me at the time," he said with a grin. "But I learned my lesson after Rose found out and got upset. So, no…no porn for me."

"Well, how about comedy then?"

"Ah, now comedy I can do," he said.

They walked over to the comedy section and walked along the shelves looking.

He laughed when he saw A Christmas Story.

"You ever see that?" he said, pointing.

"Yes, I love it."

They looked at each other.

"YOU'LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!" they said in unison.

They both giggled and walked on. They walked a few feet before Rain stopped him and pointed to a box.

"Evan Almighty?" she said.

"What's it about?"

"A guy who gets god-like powers from God and he tells him to build an ark."

"Hmm, sounds interesting. You wanna get it?"

"If you want to."

"Okay, let's get it."

She grabbed the DVD case. They looked around for Awinita who was standing up near the front. She waved at them.

"I'm ready when you guys are," she said.

"Brilliant." Alan said as he and Rain walked up to her.

"I got Iron Man. I heard you discussing it earlier and I've actually wanted to see it too and I got the Stargate movie. I haven't seen it in a long time and I've wanted to see it again."

"Oh, I like that movie but I can watch it again," he said.

They headed up to the check-out counter.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Rose, we're back," Alan called out as they came in the door.

He salivated when the aroma of cooking food hit his nostrils.

"Damn, that smells good," Awinita said, coming in behind him.

Rose stepped out of the kitchen.

"You got the movies then?"

"Yes and they had Sweeny Todd," Alan said.

"Oh yes, thank you," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "What else did ya get?"

She took the white plastic bag from him and looked through them.

"Mamma Mia! I've been wanting to see this one too!" she said. "They all look good! I can't wait to watch them."

She handed the bag back to Alan who took it over and set it beside the TV. He walked back to the kitchen and inhaled deeply when he entered.

"Ah, roast," he said.

"It's nearly done," she said. "If you want, we can put in one of the movies."

"Which one?" Alan said. "Sweeny Todd?"

She made a face.

"No, that's got blood in it. I'd rather wait till after we had supper. How 'bout Mamma Mia?"

They nodded and Rose followed them out of the kitchen. Alan fished through the sack, found the DVD and put it in. Awinita took the chair while the rest of them settled down on the sofa.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Mamma Mia! Here I go again! My, my, how can I resist ya!"

All of them were engrossed in the movie and singing loudly at the top of their lungs along with the actors. Occasionally, Rose would get up to check on the meal but she quickly ran back out and sat back down. Alan had his arm around her and she was leaning against him while they continued to sing along to the movie.

"Yeeees, I've been broken hearted, blue since the day we parted. Why, why did I ever let you go?" they sang.

"Meryl Streep's a good singer," Rain said.

"I know, she could have made a good living with that voice," Awinita said.

"I tell ya what, she was barmy to let Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan get away," Rose said.

"Oh yeah, especially Pierce Brosnan!" Awinita said.

She grinned.

"James Bond?"

"Yup, he's my favorite out of all of them."

"I like Sean Connery the best, "Alan said.

"He's good too," Awinita said. "Love Goldfinger."

"Goldfinger's brilliant," Alan said.

"'Scuse me, mates, gotta check on the food again," Rose said, getting up. "Let me know what I've missed."

She hurried into the kitchen.

"Supper's ready!" she said a few minutes later. "You wanna wait till the movie ends?"

They looked at each other and shook their heads.

"No, we all wanna eat now," he said.

"Okay, well come and get your glasses and cutlery then while I get it ready. And then when I'm ready I'll bring your plates out to ya."

Alan used the remote to turn off the movie and they all got up and walked to the kitchen. They set the table while Rose finished with the meal. Alan sat her place as well as his. Awinita brought in some milk and poured it into everyone's glass. Once she was done, she went and put it back in the fridge. She then sat down with Alan and Rain and waited. A few minutes later, Rose emerged carrying a plate laden with food in each of her hands. Awinita and Rain thanked her when she set it down in front of them.

"You're welcome," she said, smiling.

She walked back in the kitchen and came back out with her and Alan's meals. She set Alan's down and set hers down next to it. Then she set down. Rain said the blessing and then they all dug in.

"Oh, this is wonderful," Awinita said after swallowing a bite of Yorkshire pudding. "The roast is tender and juicy too. You're a good cook, Rose."

She blushed.

"Thanks. I always thought I was total rubbish at cooking."

"Are you kidding, Rose? This is excellent," Alan said. "You're way too hard on yourself, Starlight."

"I've never liked brussel sprouts, Rose," Rain said. "But, these are great! Alan's right, you're waaaaaaaay too hard on yourself."

Rose blushed again.

"Well, I hope the Christmas pudding and custard is up to scratch," she said.

"I'm sure it will be," Alan said.

"You're very lucky, Alan. You're marrying a woman who can cook this well," Rain said.

"Yeah, she'll have that skinny frame filled out in no time flat!"

"As much as he eats? He eats enough for three people and he's still thin, I don't think I'm gonna make a single bulge in that body!" she said, pointing to him.

They had two helpings each before calling it quits. Rose took their dirty dishes and went into the kitchen.

"The pudding and custard is still not done so we can go back to the movie," she called out to them.

They got up from their seats and walked back to the couch and chair. Rose put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, checked the pudding's progress and then joined them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They finished Mamma Mia and decided to watch Spider-Man 3 so Rose could watch Sweeny Todd later without interruptions. As the movie played out, Alan couldn't help but compare Peter Parker to the Doctor, especially when Peter embraced the black costume and the darkness that came with it and fought a battle to keep from completely succumbing to it. Rose got up occasionally to check on the pudding and custard during the movie. Finally when they were near the end, Rose announced it was ready. But since they were so close, they all decided to finish up the movie so Rose busied herself with final preparations.

Rose was done when they were and they turned off the TV and walked back over to the table. They sat down at the table and waited.

"Love, could you get the lights for me?" Rose called out.

Alan got up, walked over to the light switch and flipped it off. He sat back down and Rose emerged a minute later carrying the flaming pudding while they clapped. She sat it down in the middle of the table.

"Wow, you eat it while it's on fire? You British sure know how to live dangerously!" Awinita said as they laughed.

All of them leaned forward and blew the fire out.

"That ladies, was your light show for this evening," Alan said as she went to turn on the lights. "Thank God she didn't trip and dump it on us or we would have been the flaming puddings."

The lights came on and she went back in the kitchen. She emerged with plates and a knife. Everyone took a plate and she handed the knife to Alan. He cut off a bit for everyone and put it on their plates while she went to retrieve the custard. Finally she was done and got herself a helping while everyone started to eat.

"Wow, this is great too," Awinita said. "Both the pudding and the custard."

Alan and Rain nodded in agreement.

"Well, I'm glad you guys liked everything. It's the least I could do after you and Rain both cooked us those delicious meals," she said.

"I can definitely get used to this kind of food," Awinita said. "I can't wait to try the toad in the hole and…what else were you gonna fix?"

"Cottage pie," she said.

"I can't wait to try those too!"

"My Rose is a master chef," Alan said, patting her head.

"I better be with a stomach like yours!"

Alan thought a moment.

"You know…you still have the recipe for sugar cream pie as well. There's one in our group who hasn't tried it yet, you know. Maybe you could also fix that. I'm betting it'll be just as good as that store brought stuff."

"Sugar cream pie? Sounds good," Rain said.

"It is. I guess it's only made and sold in Indiana," Alan said. "But it was really good. We stayed the night with Margaret when the car broke down and we tried that and White Castle burgers. But I guess White Castle doesn't come out this far so we can't get those for you."

"I can make the pie, I think. I'll have to check but I think I have most of the ingredients and we can get the rest tomorrow after Alan's birthday party. Do you guys wanna do the mini golf also?"

They nodded.

"We'll wait to do Camelback Mountain on the third day so I can get more rest and if there's time we can also go to the zoo tomorrow or the next day. I gotta remember to also call the wedding people and talk to them."

"I gotta call the college and talk to admissions too."

"Do you need to use my mobile?"

"No, I got one of my own, thanks."

She nodded.

"Well, I guess if everyone is finished for the moment, we'll tidy up and find another movie to watch."


	126. Chapter 126

Chapter One Hundred Twenty Six

Rose felt herself coming out of the deep hibernation Alan had placed her in. She slowly opened her eyes and saw him taking his fingers away from her head.

"Good mornin'" he said. "Another restful night?"

"Yes, very," she murmured.

He brushed her hair away from her face and studied her.

"You're not looking as ill as you were a few days ago. I can tell it's working, Rose. I'm so glad I'm able to do this."

Rose smiled and kissed his lips. She looked over at Awinita and Rain in the next bed. They were watching her quietly.

"Good morning, coma victim," Awinita said as Alan leaned back up.

"That's a pretty good way to describe it," Rose replied.

She sat up in the bed and yawned.

"What time is it…and don't say all dogs are dead," she said quickly as Alan snickered.

"It's almost ten," he said.

"I'll make the call to the wedding people then before we head out to Chuck E Cheese," she said.

"Yeah, I'll do the same with admissions."

"I'm gonna jump in the shower," Awinita said, getting up.

She grabbed her rucksack as Rose reached into hers and pulled out the piece of paper. Rain grabbed her duffle bag, found her address book and located the number for admissions. Both women dialed their respective numbers while Alan went to pour himself a glass of milk. He carried it back out to their bed, sat down at the end and drank it while he listened to the two conversations.

"Yeah, I have a question. Is it possible to skip the counseling session?" Rose was saying. "My fiancé and I don't need it and he has two sisters that are travelin' with us and we don't want them to wait while we sit and talk. We would just like to get married if you don't mind."

There was a pause and she mouthed, "We can skip it," to Alan.

"Good," he muttered, raising the glass to his lips.

"Thanks, I appreciate that. Now, about the reception, is food provided or do we have to bring our own?"

"Ma'am, would you please listen to me?"

Alan turned his attention to his sister.

"It's just that something's come up and I need to drop out," she was saying. "But I don't want to flunk my classes and screw up my financial aid so can I take an incomplete in all my classes?"

She noticed Alan looking at her and rolled her eyes as she mimed choking someone with her free hand. Concerned, Alan stood up, walked over and sat back down beside her. Rain let out a long, angry sigh.

"Ma'am, I realize it's past the deadline for withdrawal but I've had personal problems come up at home and I need to take care of those before I can resume my classes. I don't want to flunk out and endanger my financial aid so can you please give me an incomplete in my classes so I don't get put on probation?"

Alan sipped his milk trying to work out what was going on. There was a long pause and Rain drummed her fingers on the bedspread.

"What's goin' on?" Alan whispered.

She looked at him and put her hand against the phone.

"Oh…they're saying that I can't get an incomplete in my classes if I withdraw now because it's past the deadline to do that and all they can do now is flunk me. So, I'm trying to get this secretary to cut me a break just in case I ever do go back because if you flunk classes, your financial aid gets endangered. The woman is talking to someone else about it right now but she's been a hateful hag to me from the moment I opened my mouth and it's all I can do not to scream at her. Jesus, what a way to start the day!"

Alan gave her a sympathetic look as he rubbed her back and she smiled at him gratefully.

"Thanks, Alan."

He smiled.

"Yes?" she said into the phone. "You can?"

Alan grinned when she pumped her fist in the air.

"Thank you so much! I appreciate it! It really is an emergency and it's out of my control and I really do appreciate you doing this for me."

She glanced at Alan who gave her the thumbs up.

"Uh huh…yes…you too…thank you…bye."

She hung up.

"Yes!" she said.

"I'm glad they did that for you."

"So am I. Granted, I had to lie a bit but family emergency sounds better than just telling them I took off around the world."

They looked over at Rose who was now writing information down on her pad of paper while she talked. She looked at the nearly empty glass of milk in Alan's hands.

"That looks good," she said. "I think I'll get a glass while we wait for Rose and Awinita to leave."

She got up.

"Do you want some more?" she asked, pointing to the glass.

Alan smiled.

"If you don't mind, I'd appreciate it."

"No problem, bro," he said, ruffling his hair.

She took the glass, walked off and Alan watched Rose who was finishing up her conversation. Rain came back a moment later and gave him a full glass of milk.

"Thanks, Te'lesu," he said as she sat down beside him.

"You're welcome, little brother."

"Thank you, we'll be there 2 p.m. on the fifth," Rose said into the phone. "Thank you so much. Yes, you have a good day as well. Bye."

She hung up the phone.

"We're gettin' married," she said to Alan.

"I can't wait."

"Me neither. We're supposed to be there on the 5th by 2 p.m. he was giving me several choices for the location of our marriage and I chose one where we stand out in the middle of the desert just under a huge mesa. Apparently they spread a circle of flower petals around ya. It sounded very romantic to hear him tell it."

The door opened and Awinita stepped out of the bathroom.

"We got a date for the marriage. Fifth of January at 2 p.m," he said to her.

"Great! I can't wait to see it! I heard Rose talking about the mesa as I was coming towards the door."

"Yeah, he gave me several choices and that one seemed like the best one to me. And he's not going to do the counseling with us which was a relief since I didn't want you just sitting on your bums doing nothing while he talked to us. They provide food and drinks and a cake for the reception which is nice since I'm paying a lot of money for this. The cake won't be one of those tiered cakes but he assured me it'll be nice. I really don't care, just as long as we get married, that's all that matters to me. I also requested a DJ and I told him to play our song so we can dance to it."

"Good," Alan said.

"I went ahead and told him to have someone film it and I'm going to have them do my hair and makeup since I want to look my best. They also will give us some complementary wedding gifts. I'm hoping that means we don't get appliances since then we'll have to explain to mum why I bought a blender for no reason at all and shipped it back to her. That's what I chose out of the optional stuff he mentioned."

"Sounds great, Starlight," he said.

"Well, I'm ready whenever you lot are. I guess you wanna finish your milk though?" she said, pointing to Alan and Rain's glasses.

They glanced at each other and downed the milk.

"Oi, I didn't mean for you to drink it as fast as you can! We have plenty of time to go to Chuck E Cheese," she said.

Alan finished the milk and let out a big throaty belch.

"Oh yeah, that was really lovely that was," Rose said as he snickered.

Their eyes widened when Rain did the same thing. She put her hand over her mouth.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly as Alan laughed.

"Glad to see I'm not the only one who's guilty," Alan said.

They got up from the bed and walked into the kitchen. They rinsed out their glasses, put them by the sink and joined the others at the door. Rose opened it and they all walked out of the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan looked around when they walked into Chuck E Cheese. There was a mixture of sounds and smells swirling around him, everything from the scent of baking pizza and cheese sticks to the happy laughter and yells of excited children and the electronic bleeps and bloops of arcade games. In addition to the games there was Whack-a-Mole, air hockey, skee ball, a ball pit and a basketball hoop game. Rose led them up to a short queue waiting to pay for their meals. She had her attention focused on the couple in front of her when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned and saw Alan pointing to the air hockey table.

"You and me, air hockey table and I will win," he said.

Rose snorted.

"You think so, eh?"

"I know so. I will utterly destroy you and you will leave Chuck E Cheese a crying, slobbering shell of your former self, so…do you have the guts to challenge me, Tyler soon to be Timelord?"

"You don't wanna challenge your sisters?" she said, gesturing to them.

"Did I say I wanted to challenge them?" he said as they laughed. "No, I said you, Rose Tyler soon to be Timelord. So, are you gonna accept my challenge or are you chicken?"

"Don't you want your pizza?"

"Yes, I'm talkin' about after the pizza when we are finished celebrating my birthday. So, I repeat, are you woman enough to face me, Tyler soon to be Timelord?"

"Bring it on, Timelord. You'll be the one begging for mercy after I get through with ya!" she said as Awinita and Rain laughed harder.

"Oho, we shall see, little one. We…shall…see."

Rose rolled her eyes and smiled when he gave her a playful swat on the butt. The couple in front of her finished their order and she moved up to the counter.

"Hello, welcome to Chuck E Cheese, what can I get for you?" a teenage boy asked.

"Um…" Rose said, studying the menu behind him. "I want a combination pizza and I would like the family saver with…"

"Cokes, mountain dew?" she asked her family.

"I want a mountain dew," Rain said.

"Coke," Awinita said.

"Coke for me as well," Alan said.

"Three Cokes and a Mountain Dew and…"

She leaned in.

"I have an adult who wants to do the birthday thing. Is that allowed or does he have to be a kid?"

"No, adults can have the birthday meal too."

"Great. Then I want the deluxe birthday meal," she said.

"And what would you like to drink with that?"

Rose thought for a moment.

"Can you cancel one Coke and just give me Coke with that."

"Yes, I can. Is there anything else?"

"Yes, I want an order of cheese sticks and that's all."

"That comes to 46 dollars and 75 cents, ma'am."

Rose handed him her credit card as Alan looked at his sisters and let out a low whistle.

"That's not that bad for what we're gettin' though," Awinita said.

The man handed her a piece of red plastic that was folded in half with a number 34 etched on both sides of it.

"This is your number. Be sure to listen for it on the intercom," he said. "That'll be for the combo meal. Bring your receipt up with you since the number is printed on there also. The birthday meal will be brought to your table so keep this number visible so the hostess can find you."

Rose nodded and took it from him. The man handed her the credit card and receipt.

"Enjoy your stay," he said.

"Thanks," Rose said.

They walked away. Awinita sped up and beckoned for them to follow her. She led them into a large room that had several long tables and chairs arranged around a large stage. The stage took up the entire back wall and a long red curtain was drawn across it. They found seats near the front of it and set down. Rose set the plastic down and turned it so the number would be visible to anyone coming in the doorway. She and Alan were sitting across from each other on the very end of the table. Rain was next to Alan and Awinita sat next to Rose.

"The show oughta be starting soon," she said, gesturing to the stage.

"31, number 31, your pizza is ready!" a male voice boomed over the intercom.

Rose noticed a woman a couple of tables over get up and walk out of the room.

"Two more people before us then, I guess," Alan said. "Good job they allow adults to do the birthday thing too."

"Yes, well I decided to ask because I didn't want you hiding in the loo while I tried to explain to the person with the pizza that my son was off urinating. I'd rather just enjoy myself without having to remember an alibi for ya."

"32, number 32, your pizza is ready!"

"Almost time for our number," Alan said.

The lights suddenly dimmed and went dark as the curtain slid open. They turned their attention to the stage and lights came up on the animatronic characters. There were three different stages. At the far left was Chuck E Cheese; on center stage was a female hen with long pigtails, a purple monster sitting at a keyboard and a dog holding a guitar, on the far right was an Italian chef sitting behind a drum kit. They suddenly came to life and began to move around with jerky movements.

"Welcome everyone!" the monster said. "We sure are glad to see everyone here!"

"33, number 33, your pizza is ready!"

Rose glanced at the door.

"I'll help you listen, Rose," Rain said.

"Yeah, me too," Awinita said.

"Thanks, guys."

The animatronic characters launched into a song. Alan raised his eyebrow when he realized it was Patsy Cline's Crazy. The hen woman sang it as she swiveled around and her eyes went back and forth in their sockets.

"Okay…" Alan muttered. "This is extremely strange. I wonder what Patsy would think of a robot chicken woman coverin' one of her songs?"

Rose laughed.

"I wonder if any of the kids even know the song," she said.

"Probably not."

"34, number 34, your pizza is ready!"

"There's your cue," Alan said.

Rose scooted her chair back.

"I'll help you get it, Rose," Awinita said.

"Thanks, Awinita," she said, grabbing the receipt. "I'll be back, love, enjoy bizarre robot theater for me."

Alan laughed.

"I will! Hurry back with the pizza so you don't miss a moment more than you need to."

She ruffled his hair and walked with Awinita towards the door. A moment later, the robot finished singing and everyone clapped and cheered.

"Bravo to you, crazy spastic chicken woman robot person," Alan said as Rain giggled. "That was by far the best rendition of Patsy Cline's Crazy by a spastic chicken robot that I've ever heard! What do you do for an encore, Mister Roboto?"

"And now our resident guitarist, Jasper T. Jowls will serenade you with his rendition of Hound Dog!" the chicken woman said.

Alan looked at Rain.

"Imagine that, Te'lesu, a hound dog is gonna sing Hound Dog to us. Oh, we are in for a treat! Rose and Awinita better get their asses back in here before they miss the song stylings of Mister Jasper T. Jowls."

"You ain't nothin' but a hound dog, crying all the time!" Jasper sang as his hand went back and forth over the front of the guitar as if he were playing it.

"Just think, Te'lesu, at this very moment Patsy and Elvis are probably spinnin' round and round in their graves. Don't you wish we could see it? I bet it would more entertaining than Hillbilly Hound's caterwalling or is the correct term dogerwalling in this case?"

She snickered and patted his back. They looked over when Rose and Awinita came through the door carrying the food. Rose had the pizza balanced on her arms and was holding their cutlery in both hands and Awinita had a cardboard carrier filled with the drinks and a little mesh bag containing the 100 tokens in one hand and a plate of cheese sticks balanced on top of a stack of empty plates in the other.

"You shoulda took one of us along," Alan said, taking the pizza off her arms and putting it down on the table, while Rain took the plates from Awinita.

"It's okay, we both managed," she replied dropping the cutlery while Awinita sat the carrier down and passed the drinks out. "How's the show?"

"Jasper T. Jowls is singing Hound Dog. Get it? He's a hound dog singing Hound Dog? Oh, the irony!"

Rain laughed when Rose rolled her eyes.

"Gee, I'm so sorry I missed it. Judging from what I'm hearin' now, it must have been an award winning performance," she said.

They put the pizza and cheese sticks onto their plates.

"So, they haven't come by with the birthday stuff yet?" Rose asked.

"Nope, not a sausage," he replied.

Just then a man and two women came into the room wheeling a cart with pizza and party things.

"Disregard that last statement," Alan said.

They sat down as the three employees stopped by their table.

"Who's the lucky birthday star?" the man asked.

Alan raised his hand and Rose felt like sinking under the table when the three of them gave him an odd look. They looked at each other and shrugged. A woman grabbed a plate that had two slices of pizza on it.

"Happy birthday," she said as she sat it down in front of him.

"Thank you."

They passed out the other plates and set Alan's birthday goodies next to his plate. One of the women handed him a large foil balloon that had Chuck E Cheese on it with the words BIRTHDAY STAR underneath it in red and yellow block lettering. Tied to it were small latex red and blue balloons. All of them were tied to the handle of a Chuck E Cheese mini lunch box. Alan smiled as he stared up at the balloons. Once they were finished, the three employees wished him happy birthday and wheeled the cart back out of the room. Alan looked through his goodies. He got 100 tiny red tickets, 32 tokens in a little mesh bag, a large sticker of Chuck E Cheese, a Chuck E Cheese plush doll, a red goodie bag, a Chuck E Cheese plastic cup and a gold medallion that had Chuck E Cheese and BIRTHDAY STAR etched on it.

"Wow, you got a lot, "Rain said.

"I should get a lot. It's my birthday," he said.

He put the medallion around his neck. It was hanging off a wide red, white and blue ribbon. He grabbed the goodie bag and opened it. Inside was a little red kazoo, a yo-yo with Chuck E Cheese on both sides of it, an ink pen with Chuck E Cheese written on the side and a Chinese yo-yo. He took a bite of his pizza while he idly flipped the Chinese yo-yo out and back again.

"I'm so glad we're gonna send off more packages before we leave the US," Rose said. "I can just imagine you walking across Japan with all this in your rucksack. I wonder what mum will think when she opens the box and sees it all?"

The show ended and the curtain slid back as the lights came up in the room. With the lights up, Alan could examine his booty more closely. He continued to eat with one hand while he picked through his stuff. He picked up the tickets and stared at them in confusion.

"What's this?" he said to Awinita.

"You know that little area with all the toys that we passed on the way in? Take those up there and you can trade them for even more toys."

"Really?" Alan said, smiling.

"Yeah and the tokens are for the arcade games but you can also play skee ball out there or the Whack-a-Mole or the Basketball game and get even more tickets to trade in."

"God, Alan, you're gonna be up to your bloody armpits in junk by the time we leave here," Rose said.

"One man's junk is another man's treasure," he said.

He grinned and flicked out his Chinese yo-yo, hitting her on the top of the head with it before he flicked it back. Rain grabbed the kazoo and began to play it while Awinita grabbed the regular yo-yo. Rose smiled and examined the plush toy while she ate her pizza.

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"So, what do you do?"

Alan, Rain and Rose stood beside Awinita at one of the skee ball games.

"Take a token, put it in the slot," she said.

She put it in and several wooden balls rolled down a chute and stopped. She grabbed one.

"Now you roll this and try to get it in one of the holes up there. The numbers on the holes is how many points you get. The more points you get, the more tickets you receive. But the very bottom circle has a hole behind it and if you get the ball in there you don't get any points. Watch."

She rolled the ball and they watched as it rolled up a tiny incline and landed behind the 10 point border. The number 10 appeared on an electronic scoreboard above the game.

"Nice goin'" Alan said.

"Thanks. You can have this one. I'll go to another."

She walked around them and Alan moved up to take her place. He grabbed a ball and paused a moment, his keen mind taking in every angle of the game and calculating what he needed to do to score 50 points. Then he rolled the ball and scored a perfect 50. Rose and Rain clapped.

"Thank you, thank you," he said to them.

He grabbed another ball and repeated the same maneuver. He scored another 50.

"Damn, Alan, you're good," Rain said.

They both watched in stunned silence as he kept on getting the balls in the 50 point hole. The game ended and Alan collected a bunch of tickets as they slid out of a slot in the front. He reached into his mesh bag, inserted another token and another set of balls rolled down. Again, he scored one 50 after another until the game ended and he collected another bunch of tickets. He put another token in and did it again. By this time, Awinita had stopped playing and wandered back over to watch.

"Jesus, has he gotten anything besides 50 points?"

"No," Rain and Rose said in unison.

Alan grinned and smugly bowled another perfect game.

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Alan used up most of his tokens on the skee ball game and took an armful of red tickets to the front to collect his price. He laid them on the counter and let the woman calculate them as his fiancée and sisters stood behind him and watched.

"You have 550 tickets," the lady said when she finished counting.

"Damn," Rain muttered to Awinita.

The woman gestured to the back wall.

"You can have anything that you see. The amount of tokens you need are under each item," she said.

Alan studied the prizes.

"I want that stuffed chicken woman," he said, pointing. "Um…let me have the inflatable Chuck-E-Cheese beach ball."

That's 400 tickets in total, you have 150 left," the lady said, grabbing the items.

Alan thought.

"I want the lunch box, the paddle ball game, the plastic cup and…give me another kazoo."

The woman laid the items on the counter in front of him and took the tickets. Alan turned so he was facing his family.

"Chicken woman for you," he said, handing the doll to Rose. "Lunch box and cup for Rain, the paddle ball and kazoo for Awinita and I get the beach ball. There. Now don't say I never gave you guys anything."

He smiled at them.

"Now…Rose Tyler, I believe you owe me an air hockey match," he said.

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"Ah, what a day!" Alan said as they walked out of the restaurant.

Rose was carrying a box filled with leftover pizza and he was carrying a big sack filled with his gifts in one hand and the lunch box and balloons in the other. The others had smaller sacks with their prizes and the prizes Alan had given to them.

"So, are we going to play mini golf now?" Alan asked as they headed for the car.

"Do you guys want to?" Rose asked.

They nodded.

"I wasn't sure, Alan, since I beat your ass in air hockey. I figured your humiliation would be enough to make you crawl home in shame," she said, poking him in the back.

"You wish, Tyler soon to be Timelord. My defeat only strengthened my resolve to get you back in mini golf! Soon you will be vanquished and I will be standing over you eating my leftover pizza and playing a victory tune on my cute little kazoo!"

"Bring it on! I'm not afraid of you!" Rose said as they laughed.

Alan smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek as Rose used her keychain to unlock the doors of the minivan.


	127. Chapter 127

Chapter One Hundred Twenty Seven

Rose pulled into the parking lot of the miniature golf place and parked the car. From the car they could see the golf course. It was on the side of the building in a fenced in area. Statues of African animals were scattered around it. At the moment there was only one middle aged woman playing and she was halfway through the course. They got out of the car and went inside.

The four of them stood in the queue. Alan looked around while they waited. There were a couple of arcade games along the wall behind them and there was a concession stand further down but that was the only thing in the room besides the counter where they were going to rent the items for the game. The walls around them were painted with colorful jungle animals, some of them playing golf much to Alan's amusement.

"Hey guys?"

They looked at Rose.

"You guys just wanna play two or three rounds and then go to the zoo or something? I really don't want to spend the entire day here. I mean, there's nothing here except the golf."

"I feel the same way," Rain said. "There's only that one course outside right? So, we'd just be playing the same thing over and over. I would rather just play a few rounds and go to the zoo or something."

Alan and Awinita nodded in agreement.

"Okay, I'll get two rounds of golf for us and then we'll decide if we wanna play another after that," she said.

"You know," Awinita said, in a low voice, "to be honest, this is kinda a sucky place. The one in Asheville had bowling with the mini golf so at least you had more than one thing to do."

"You bowl?" Rose said.

"Um…yeah, if rolling tons of gutter balls count as bowling," she said as they laughed.

The couple in front of them left and Rose talked to the man standing behind the counter. She purchased two rounds and handed the clubs, neon orange golf balls, tiny pencils and score sheets to the others. Once they were done, they went out a side door onto the course. Each section of the course had a wooden sign with a number on it and a little wooden stand that they could lay the score sheets on. They walked over to number 1.

"Who's goin' first?" Rose asked.

"I can," Awinita shrugged.

"I'll go after her," Rain said.

Rose looked at Alan.

"I'll go last," he said.

She nodded.

"Okay, Awinita, you're up then," Rose said.

Awinita leaned down and put the ball on the black marker. She stood up and stared at the hole that was straight ahead. She cleared her throat, gripped the handle of the putter and put it behind the ball. She paused a moment in concentration. Suddenly Alan let out a loud, forceful cough. She looked at him and he feigned innocence.

"I'm so sorry, I must have gotten a frog stuck in my throat just then," he said.

Awinita raised her eyebrow.

"Keep that up and I'll put a dent in your skull with this club, little brother," she said.

He winked at her and she turned back around. She hesitated a moment and then lightly hit the ball. They watched while it rolled down the Astroturf and stopped just to the right of the hole.

"Crap," Awinita muttered.

She walked over to it and putted the ball into the hole. She took it out and walked back. Once she was off the Astroturf, Rain stepped up. She put the ball down on the marker while Awinita wrote down her score. She positioned herself behind the ball, hesitated a moment and then putted it. The ball rolled down, hit the rim of the hole and went around the edge as everyone groaned.

"Nuts!" she said.

She walked over and putted it into the hole. Taking it out, she walked off the course as Rose stepped up. Rose put her ball down and positioned herself. She eyed the hole and then lightly hit the ball. It did the same thing Rain's ball did.

"Arse!" Rose said, hitting the ground with her club. "They need to have a rule that if it does that it counts as a hole in one. Arrgh!"

She walked over, putted the ball in and walked off the course. Alan stepped up but instead of putting his ball down, he examined the course. He walked the length of it and made a mental note of everything while the three women watched. He walked back to them, turned and stared at the hole. Then he finally put the ball down a little to the right of the marker. He positioned the putter behind it.

"FORE!"

He putted it and to everyone's amazement the ball went right in the hole. Alan turned and gave Rose a smug grin.

"Advantage, me," he said. "Pays to survey the terrain before you take your shot."

"Just go get your ball before I ram the handle of my putter up your nose," Rose said.

He walked over, got his ball and they moved on to the next section.

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Alan was grinning from ear to ear. So far, he'd gotten all holes in one, much to everyone's chagrin. It didn't matter what kind of obstacle was in his path, he always managed to calculate the trajectory the ball would need to go right into the hole. They were now on the 8th hole and he had just done it again.

"I tell ya, you guys need to take everything into account," he said. "You need to judge the distance, the angle of the sides, the wind speed and the condition of the Astroturf. You keep getting angry that I'm getting these holes in one but I'm doing the necessary calculations beforehand. But I am sorry if I'm not making this fun for you."

The three women looked at each other and shrugged.

"We can't really complain," Rose said. "You're not cheating and you have a right to make calculations in order to get the ball in. it's irritating to see you never missing but then again, you do have a more advanced mind than we do. It was the same on that skee ball thing."

She smirked.

"Although, apparently that mental prowess went to the loo during the air hockey game," she said as Awinita and Rain giggled.

"Well, not everyone is perfect," Alan said sniffing. "One can't expect to have everything one's way all the time."

He pinched her cheek when Rose rolled her eyes.

"Just get a move on, brainiac, so we can finish this round," Rose said, pointing to the 9th hole.

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Alan won the first round of golf but he decided to slack off in his calculations on the next round so the others would have a chance. He made a conscious decision to aim off the mark sometimes and miss the hole, a gesture that endeared him even more to his sister and fiancée. Once he did that, Rose was able to win the next round which made Alan happy even though he pretended to be a bad sport while he jumped up and down and made a show of gnashing his teeth and grabbing his hair.

"Got that outta your system?" Rose asked when he finished.

"Yup, temper tantrum contained," he said as they laughed.

Once they were done with both games they decided to go on to the zoo. They went inside to turn in their stuff. Before they left they stopped to get some Cokes and Mountain Dew at the concession stand and Rain got some nacho chips and cheese to split with Awinita on the drive over to the zoo. Once that was finished, they left and headed to the car.

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It didn't take long to get to the zoo and Rain and Awinita were still eating their nachos. They offered some to Alan and Rose and all of them were able to finish it off. Once that was done, they got out and headed for the entrance.

As soon as they walked inside, they were surprised to see a carousel. They looked at each other and got in the queue. Unlike the traditional carousel, this one had endangered animals in place of horses. As it went around they could see a hummingbird, lion, elephant, zebra, mountain lion, rhino and a sea dragon, which resembled a sea horse except it had leafy-like appendages coming from its body. The carousel slowed and stopped and they got on. Alan chose the sea dragon and Rose got on the zebra next to it. Rain got on a panda bear behind them and Awinita chose the hummingbird several feet away.

"This is gorgeous," Rose said. "I like it better than a regular merry-go-round."

"Me too," Alan said. "I like that they have decided to go against the grain and put endangered animals on here instead of horses. Much more appropriate for a zoo."

The carousel started up and Alan took Rose's hand.

"Love," Rose said as they went around.

"Hmm?"

"Do you wanna do the whole sunrise hike tomorrow mornin'?"

"We can if you want to."

"Well, I was just wondering if I should still wait…"

"Nah, I think you'll be alright if you do one short hike. You've really improved, Rose."

"I feel improved. I haven't had this much energy in a long time."

"Good," Alan said, squeezing her hand.

The carousel slowed and stopped. All of them got off, went through the exit and were about to head further into the park when Rose stopped them and pointed to a little booth. The sign on the top of the booth read…

BIKE RENTAL

They walked over and Rose perused a sign staked into the ground in front of it. Her eyes widened.

"Hey, they have bikes for four and we can rent them for 20 dollars an hour. You guys wanna do that?"

"Yes," they said in unison.

Rose walked up to the man in the booth and paid for one hour. The man pointed to an enclosure a few feet away and they walked over to it. Near the front was a four person bike with a little pink canvas canopy over it.

"Cool!" Awinita said.

Rose and Alan got in the front and Awinita and Rain got behind them. They looked at one another and with a count of three pedaled as one and guided the bike out of the enclosure.

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The three girls were giggling at Alan who was standing in front of a chain link fence eyeing a giraffe with feigned anger.

"Don't think this fence is gonna stop me Giraffy! I'm a good climber and I'll be over there, kick your ass and come back here before my fiancée and sisters can blink. I'm that fast! Those legs of yours might help you reach the leaves on the trees but you won't think they're so stellar when I kick them out from under ya!"

"Boy, I'm glad you guys explained this joke to me," Rain said. "Otherwise, I'd be worrying about his sanity."

"Rain, I wouldn't worry about his sanity. I think sanity waved bye bye to the Doctor a long time ago and Barmy Boy's inherited that."

Rose gasped when Alan seized her from behind and picked her up off the ground.

"Here!" he said to the giraffe. "If I offer this maiden to you as a sacrifice will you eat out of my hand then?"

"Put me down, you nut!" Rose said.

He let her down and kissed her cheek. Rose ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Are you done verbally abusing the giraffes now?" she asked.

He let out a melodramatic sigh.

"Oh, I s'pose so," he said.

He grinned at her.

"Rose, would you indulge me while I made a witty play on words?"

She shrugged.

"Go ahead," she said.

Alan gave her a stern look and pointed to the bike.

"ON YOUR BIKE, GIRL!" he yelled at her.

He gave her a self satisfied grin.

"Thank you for indulging me," he said.

"Yeah, you're welcome, Alan," she said, rolling her eyes.

Alan rubbed her back as she walked with him to the bikes.

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"Look, camel rides!" Alan said, pointing off to their right.

They stopped and read the sign.

"Five dollars apiece," Rose said. "Anyone wanna go?"

"I do, I've never been on a camel before," Rain said, reaching into her jean pocket.

"They didn't have this when you were here before?" Rose asked.

She frowned.

"If they did, I don't remember it."

"Well, go ahead. I'm not in the mood to ride but we'll wait."

"I'm not either," Awinita said. "I tried it once at the circus and the hump was uncomfortable. Once was enough for me."

"I'll give it a go then," Alan said. "So Rain doesn't have to go by herself."

She smiled at him and they walked over and got in the queue. While they waited, they watched while a man led two little boys around the fenced in area.

"Has the Doctor ever done this?" Rain asked him.

"Oh yeah, several times."

She thought a moment.

"Ancient Egypt?" she said.

"Not ancient. But yes, Egypt," he said. "He took a tour of the pyramids one time and another time he was with a nomadic caravan. He followed the Forty Day's Road trade route from Sudan to Egypt with them. And he rode a camel when he visited the Australian outback."

He noticed the man gesturing to them.

"We're up next, Te'lesu," he said.

"How many?" the man asked.

"Two. Can we ride together?" Alan asked.

He nodded and made the camel lay down.

"You first," he said.

Rain slowly climbed onto the camel's back and sat down on a saddle that was enclosed on all sides by metal bars. She scooted up and Alan sat down behind her and put his hands on her arms. The trainer clicked his tongue and the camel slowly got to his feet. Once he was upright, the trainer slowly walked him around.

"Ow!"

Alan frowned.

"What's wrong?"

The hump is hurting my ass every time he takes a step, that's what's wrong."

He chuckled. He glanced over and waved at Rose and Awinita. They waved back.

"Is this what we're gonna be doing when we get to Egypt?" Rain said, glancing behind her.

"If you want to. Like I said, they have camel tours of the pyramids."

"Cool."

She smiled at him.

"I'm so glad you let me come along with you guys."

He beamed.

"Well, I'm glad you decided to come. You're fitting in nicely with our little band and I know Rose and Awinita appreciate you being here."

He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug.

"I love you, Te'lesu," he said.

"I love you too, Te'lesau," she said.

He finished the hug and put his hands back on her arms while the trainer stopped the camel and made it lay down.

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The four of them finished up the zoo in about an hour and headed back out to the minivan.

"I wanna go to the market and pick up a few things I'll need to make the food tonight," Rose said as she got into the driver's side.

Alan got in beside her and Rain and Awinita got in the back. Rose looked at them.

"Do you wanna help me tonight? I mean, I could teach you two how to cook cottage pie and toad in the hole if you want and you can help me suss out this recipe for the pie."

They smiled and nodded.

"What about me?"

"You wanna help?" she said to Alan.

"Well, yeah. I don't know how to cook that stuff either. The TARDIS always made the food for the Doctor, so I really don't have any culinary skills because of him."

"Oh, well, you can help us then."

He grinned.

"Brilliant!"

She started the car and backed out of the parking lot.

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Rose pushed the shopping trolley while she and Alan walked down the aisle. They were going in for a brief trip so Rain and Awinita decided to stay out in the car.

"Hon?"

Alan looked at Rose.

"Yeah?"

She stopped the cart.

"I wanna make something else besides the cottage pie and the toad in the hole. Something else for them to try. Do you have any ideas for something I could make with stuff I could get here?

Alan thought.

"Do you know how to make fish and chips?"

"Yeah, but that's not…exotic enough. They could eat that anytime. I'm trying to think of things they couldn't get in America."

Alan put his head in his head while he thought.

"I s'pose jellied eels is right out," he said.

"Um, no…I don't think I'll find eel here," she said.

He thought.

"Could you make them bubble and squeak?" he said.

"I s'pose I could, we'd have to get a few more vegetables though."

"What about the bangers and mash?"

"I'm gonna make that tomorrow and…I want you to wake me up early tomorrow because I was thinking I could make the English breakfast so we'll have full bellies for the hike."

"Good idea, what time?"

"Um, around 4, I guess. It'll have to be early if we're gonna be there in time for the sunrise."

He nodded.

"So bubble and squeak then?" he asked.

"I guess, I can't think of anything else."

"How about black pudding?"

She shook her head.

"No, they wouldn't have the blood here," she said.

"How aboutBacon Roly-Poly? Do you know how to make that?"

She shook her head.

"Steak and kidney pie? Or…Cornish pastie?"

"I could do the Cornish pastie," she said.

"Brilliant. Make that for them then."

She nodded and turned to go. Suddenly, he grabbed her arm.

"What is it?" she said.

"Can you do a ploughman's lunch too? Just for fun?" he asked.

"Yeah, I could do that too just to show them an example of pub food."

He nodded.

"Okay, well let's round up the stuff we need then and hurry back to the car so we can get started."

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A half hour later, Rose had everyone assemble in the kitchen. While they helped her out, she was instructing them on how to make the toad in a hole, cottage pie and Cornish pastie. She had decided to serve the ploughman's lunch the next day and had put two Vidalia onions in a bowl containing a salt and vinegar solution so they would pickle overnight.

She was so glad for the help she had this evening. It had been rough on her making everything by herself the night before and she was so happy that everyone was so eager to help out and learn. With everyone pitching in, the meal was put together a lot faster than it would have been if she had been by herself and she loved the laughter and teasing and pleasant chit chat coming from everyone as they worked. It more than made up for the fact that all of them were crammed into one little room.

While everything was cooking they went into the other room and turned on the TV. They decided to hold off on seeing a movie until after they ate so there would be no interruptions. Rose grabbed a TV guide that was sitting beside the table and looked at what was on cable TV that night. As she scanned over the listings, her eyes caught something on the Travel Channel about Japan.

"Hey, you guys wanna watch this travel program on Japan?" she said.

"Sure," Alan said.

Awinita and Rain nodded and Rose turned on the TV and turned it to the Travel Channel.

"I figure since we're nearly there, we can get ideas about what to do," she said.

They were watching Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. He was in Osaka on something called a kuidore which Anthony explained was an eating tour of the city where you go to as many restaurants as you can and eat as much as you can until you can't eat any more.

"Yeah, Alan will be wanting to do this, I'm sure," Rose said as he snickered.

They watched while he went into a restaurant with two young Japanese men to eat Takoyaki, octopus dumplings.

"Huh, I wonder if those are any good," Awinita said.

"Octopus is pretty good," Alan said. "I'm betting those would be delicious and you get to cook them at your table. That'll be fun. We defiantly will have to try these."

They watched while he ordered an Okonomiyaki, which resembled a huge pancake that was made up of anything you could think of. Everything was thrown together before it was fried up and served. They watched while a cook threw a bunch of breakfast items together and fried it up into a pancake for Anthony.

"That might be good too," Alan said.

"Yeah, that might not be too bad," Rose replied. "It looks a lot better than the fried octopus balls. I might try the batter dipped food and crab too. I like crab meat. And…on that note, gotta check our own food, 'scuse me, mates."

She got up and went to check on the food while she continued to listen to the program. A few minutes later she came back in and sat down beside Alan. They watched while he went to the Kiso valley and sat under a roaring waterfall as part of a purification ritual. She looked over and noticed the huge grin on Alan's face.

"You want me to do that in the worst way, dontcha?"

"Mmmm-hm! But don't worry; I'll do it with ya."

Rose considered that. She stared at Anthony shaking and shivering, dressed only in a thin white cotton robe while he stood directly under the waterfall.

"Okay," she said to him. "I wanna see if you can stand under there without passing out from the cold."

"Me? That sounds more like you, my love," he said as they laughed. "I wanna see how long you can endure it since you couldn't sit still in cold Norway water without screaming at the top of your lungs. You wouldn't last two seconds under there."

"You just watch me!"

"I will watch you. I'll watch you and your erect nips head for the hills because you let a drop of frigid water touch your delicate skin."

They laughed as she smacked his arm.

"All kidding aside," he said, "it was a good idea to watch this. We oughta start watching shows like this instead of going online for information."

Rose nodded.

"I agree. This is better because we can watch him doing things instead of just staring at pictures of objects. I never would have thought of doing this kuidore thing if I hadn't seen this."

She looked at the TV guide.

"Actually, after this, there are a couple of programs on China too."

"Great!" Alan said.

Rose thought for a moment and then she went and got her paper and pen. She brought them back to the couch and began to jot down the different things they were thinking of trying.

"This looks like an interesting city. Kinda like a party town," Alan said.

"They only have 3.4 crimes per 10,000 citizens?" Awinita said in disbelief. "And they're considered the most crime ridden city in Japan? Wow."

"Good, we won't have to worry about our safety going through the country then," Alan said. "Except for pick pocketing in Osaka, I guess. But we can keep an eye on each other's things so they don't get nicked."

They watched while he went to a Hanshin Tiger's baseball game.

"That might be fun," Rose said. "The crowd looks like they're really getting into it, much more than they do in England. I'm not into rounders, but it looks like it could be a fun evening being around a lot of excited fans like that."

"I like how they launch the balloons into the air too," Awinita said."Beats doing the wave."

Rose jotted down the baseball game before doing another check on the food. She heard them talking about sushi while she checked the Cornish pasty and heard Alan ask his sisters if they had ever had it.

"No," they both said.

"No? Oh, you have to try it. Sushi is delicious," he said.

Rose walked back to the couch.

"I've had it once," she said, sitting back down. "It wasn't too bad. That's another thing I'd be willing to eat."

They watched while the program switched from Japan to China.

"Oh, good," Alan said. "We get to hear a little about both countries."

"Are we allowed to go into China?" Rain asked.

"Yeah, Torchwood where I work works with UNIT on occasion and they know the people who work in China. My dad works with Torchwood as well and he called the Chinese UNIT division a couple of months ago and had them talk to the government so we could get clearance to move around the country without checking in every two seconds. I just have to ring dad before we leave Japan and tell him when we're going and he'll call UNIT and they'll call the Chinese government and tell them we're there just so they are aware of our presence. But yeah, after that, we can go anywhere in China."

"Cool!" Awinita said. "It'll be neat to see China."

"I know, I can't wait to see it either. I've seen pictures and it looks like a beautiful country," Rose replied.

"Hmm," Alan said, pointing to the screen. "Peking duck. That's another thing we have to try."

"That sounds pretty good…um, but not the duck's feet. I'm not eating duck feet!" she said.

"Why not? You never know, it might be good."

They watched while he tried some mustard on the duck feet and nearly choked when he realized how hot it was.

"Okay, so no mustard on it then," Rose muttered as they laughed. "Judging from his gagging, I have a feeling we'll end up with huge blisters on our throats."

They watched while he took a calligraphy lesson.

"It's nice that they focus on things other than food especially since this guy's profession is a chef," Rose said. "Now if we can find one on California, we'll be all set."

"Speaking of food, the meal smells delicious," Rain said. "It's nice of you to do this for us."

"No worries, I'm happy to fix it. I miss eating it too. So, it's nice to be able to eat something other than takeaway for once. And…I think it's done now. It didn't have much longer to go the last time I checked so do you guys wanna eat here and we can put the food on the coffee table?"

They nodded and got up with her. They went into the kitchen and got the glasses and cutlery while Rose checked the food.

"Yup, it's done now," she said, getting the plates down out of the cabinet. "I'll put the pie in and let it bake while we're eating."

They poured milk into the glasses and took them and the cutlery out to the coffee table. They went back and each one took a plate when Rose got done filling it. Awinita glanced at the TV while she was setting her plate down and looked at her brother and sister.

"Look at this, they're taking one long noodle and just flinging it across the room into a big pot," she said, pointing.

They set their plates down beside hers and watched while a chef stood about three feet away from a huge metal pot and hurled one long continuous strand of noodle into the boiling water.

"Wow!" Alan said. "That's pretty impressive. The noodle's not breaking and none of it's ending up on the floor."

"You what?" Rose said, coming out of the kitchen with her plate.

"This chap here works in a noodle restaurant," Alan explained, "and when people order the noodle dishes they serve them this one long noodle and he's standing there flinging it across the room into a big pot of boiling water."

"And they had another guy with a knife standing about three feet from his pot and cutting bits of noodle off and it was just flying right into the pot without any landing on the floor," Awinita added.

They all sat down and put their plates in their laps. All of them tried the food and once again gave Rose enthusiastic reviews on how good it was. Rose smiled her thanks at them.

"I'm glad you like it. I just wanted to give you a taste of what England's cuisine is like," she said. "And like I said, I also was craving it after six months on the road."

As they watched, Rose kept her paper and pen by her side and occasionally wrote down ideas when she heard something interesting. Alan occasionally glanced over to see what she had written and was happy to see that she was choosing things that weren't typical tourist things. He believed in sampling everything about a culture, even the odd things that most tourists would shy away from, which was why he was intrigued by the penis restaurant. He wondered if he would be able to convince Rain or Awinita to go with him to try it even if Rose wouldn't go. Unlike her, he wasn't grossed out by penis dishes since he knew the Doctor had eaten far, far worse in his centuries of time travel.

The four of them continued to eat and watch the program, becoming more and more excited about visiting Japan and China with each passing moment. Alan was glad they were almost done with the US. He loved everything he had seen and done but he was ready to experience a new culture and a new country. He smiled knowing that by the time they got to Japan the woman sitting next to him would officially be known as his wife. He put his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him while they continued to eat and watch the show.


	128. Chapter 128

Chapter One Hundred Twenty Eight

After they had a couple of slices of pie and watched Evan Almighty and Iron Man, the three of them decided to retire for the night. Rose got comfortable in the bed while Alan waited patiently by her side.

"Remember, wake me up at four," she said.

Awinita glanced at her from her bed.

"Why? What happens at four? A.M., you mean?"

"Yeah, I'm getting up and fixing us that English breakfast before we go off on the hike and I wanna have time to get it done so we can eat it and be there in time to see the sunrise," she said.

"Do you want me to help?" Awinita asked.

"Um, not unless you want to."

"I do. Breakfast will get done even faster and I loved learning how to make the food."

The bathroom door opened and Rain stepped into the room.

"Rain, Rose wants to get up at 4 a.m. to cook us breakfast before we go on the hike. You wanna help her?" Awinita asked her.

"Sure, I'd love to help," Rain said, walking over to her side of the bed.

"Hmm, so I guess I have to wake everyone up then," Alan said.

He smiled at Rose.

"Ready, sleeping beauty?"

"Ready."

He put his fingertips to her temple and she closed her eyes. He sent her into the deep sleep and then took his hands away. He looked at his sisters.

"Mum's asleep! PARTY!" he said as they laughed.

He leaned over and embraced them both.

"Good night, I'll wake you both up when I wake up Rose," he said.

He sighed contentedly when they kissed him on both cheeks. He let go and walked over to his side of the bed. Crawling under the covers, he snuggled up to Rose as Awinita turned off the light.

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"Rose?"

Rose opened her eyes.

"It's four a.m., love," he said, taking his hands away.

She nodded and pulled the covers off her while Alan woke up his sisters.

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After eating breakfast, all of them put on their jackets and headed down to the van. Everyone except Rain carried a pocket flashlight with them and Rose had her camera in her jacket pocket. By the time they got outside it was 5:15 in the morning. They got inside the van; Rose started it and pulled out of the parking space.

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A half hour later, they parked in a parking spot on the shorter "head" side of the camel. Al l of them got out, shut the doors and locked them. They walked over to a tiny wooden building just beyond the parking lot and entered. They crossed the wooden floor to a large wooden desk. A blonde man in his early thirties looked up from his paperwork.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, we'd like to hike up the mountain and see the sunrise," Rose said.

"Certainly, which way are you going?" he said.

"We need the easiest way up," she said.

"Oh, well, you need to go around to the other side of the mountain then. That's the easiest, but it's also the longest at one and a half miles. If you go up the head portion, it's also easy but not quite as easy as going up the "back." However, this route is shorter and you'll get to the summit faster."

"Well, is it easy enough for someone who doesn't have much experience? Three of us have experience hiking trails but the other one doesn't, which is why I'm wanting the easiest way since I don't want her getting exhausted."

"If you take this way behind me, the incline starts out with a gentle slope up but it gets steep for about a quarter of a mile and that's where it becomes slightly harder. There are stairs there and handrails and it's not as difficult as some trails we offer. It is doable for someone with no experience but as I said, the other side of the mountain has a gentler incline and a longer trail."

"Could we have a moment please?" Rose said.

"Of course, take your time."

"Thanks."

The four of them walked over and stood beside the door.

"Rain, it's up to you. If you think you can handle it we'll go up this way," Rose said. "If not, we'll drive over to the other side."

"If it's not that steep and it has handrails, I think I might be able to do it."

"You sure? Because I can drive around to the other side."

"No, I think I'll be alright."

"I'll stay back with her and help her up when it gets steep," Alan said.

She nodded and walked back to the desk.

"We'll go up this way," she said.

The man nodded.

"I just need you to fill out a form and then you can be on your way," he said.

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Twenty minutes later, the four of them were walking up the red rock face of the mountain. Everyone had their flashlights on, aiming them at the steps that had been cut into the side of the mountain. Rose and Awinita talked quietly to each other while they walked. Alan was a couple of steps behind giving Rain some light and making sure she was alright. The sky was beginning to lighten above them and when they looked all around them they could see the city of Phoenix below lighting up the night sky. They were far enough away that they couldn't hear the traffic and there was a gentle stillness in the air.

Alan looked at his sister.

"Are you alright, Te'lesu?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's really beautiful up here."

"Yes, it is. We've never done a hike at sunrise before. We need to do it more often. Are you able to see? Do I need to shine the light a different way?"

"No, I can see, thanks."

Suddenly, Rose let out a gasp and they all froze when a coyote darted out of some rocks in front of them. It froze on the steps, eyes glowing from the light of the flashlights and Alan stiffened wondering for a moment if it was a skinwalker, but the animal darted away and vanished behind more rocks. Alan breathed a sigh of relief and noticed that he wasn't the only one who had been tense. He noticed Awinita was visibly shaken and he walked up to her and embraced her tightly.

"It's okay, it was just a coyote this time," he said.

She swallowed and nodded.

"I know, it's just that it scared me when it stopped and stared at us. I guess now I'm gonna be scared of coyotes for the rest of my life."

Alan seethed inwardly and he held his sister, silently cursed George for instilling the fear in her. They stood there for a moment calming their nerves and then they continued up the steps. By this time it had become significantly lighter and they began to see the steps without the assistance of the flashlights. Alan dropped back down to Rain's side and Rose and Awinita resumed their conversation.

"Alan."

"Hmm?" Alan said when he felt Rain whisper to him and tug on his jacket sleeve.

She stopped and Alan stopped with her. She pointed to a nearby rock and they saw a little chipmunk sitting on top eating a cactus bud.

"Awww," Alan whispered.

They stood and watched it for a moment before resuming their pace. By this time, Awinita and Rose were almost twenty steps up the trail, but both Alan and Rain kept their pace slow figuring they would catch up with them eventually.

As they walked, they saw more chipmunks darting in and among the rocks. He noticed that Awinita and Rose had seen them too because they stopped and watched one.

"Alan," Rose said in a hushed voice as she turned around, "look at…"

Alan snickered when she finally realized how far back they were. He waved.

"How'd you get down there? I thought you were behind us!" Rose said as Awinita turned and looked at them.

"We stopped to watch one of the little buggers earlier," Alan said as they climbed up towards them. "We didn't say anything because we figured we'd catch up sooner or later."

They stood and waited until Alan and Rain had caught up to them. They all paused a moment to rest. They looked out and noticed the sun was beginning to come up in the distance.

"Oh, that's beautiful," Rose said in a hushed voice. "I'm so glad we decided to do this. It's gorgeous up here. And the lights from the city shining on both sides of the mountain and the other mountains and mesas in the distance with the morning mist around them. God, it's just breathtaking."

"Yooooodel-leeeeeeeee-heeeeeeeee-hooooooooooooooo!"

Awinita and Rain giggled when Alan finished his high-pitched yodel.

"Coulda done without the whole Swiss serenade however," Rose teased.

"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiicoooooooooooolaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Awinita said.

"And now you got your sister doin' it too," Rose said as they laughed. "See, I like your other sister. She's sweet and kind and very, very quiet. This one's become a real wild child because of ya."

"Give Rain time, soon she'll be just as bonkers as we are."

"I don't doubt it," she said as Alan gave her a playful swat on the arm.

She smiled at Rain.

"Are you doin' alright?"

"Yup, I'm fine so far."

"Good, let us know if you can't do it and we'll go back down, yeah?"

She nodded.

"Are we ready?" Rose asked.

They nodded and resumed their climb.

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Alan glanced back at Rain. They were going up the steep part of the incline towards the summit and the steps had been replaced by a steel handrail that wound its way up to the top. Beside them, about twenty feet away on their left, was a large chain link fence. It had been painted to match the red color of the mountain and it was there to keep people from falling or jumping over the edge. Rose and Awinita were now about thirty feet ahead and Alan was with Rain helping his sister. The sun had now come up over the horizon and they no longer had any need for their flashlights and had put them inside their jacket pockets.

"You alright?" Alan said.

She nodded.

"Yeah, I'm glad they have this handrail here. This would be impossible for me without it."

Rose glanced around at them.

"Are you guys alright?"

Alan nodded.

"Yeah, we're making it up the mountain slowly, but surely."

"Well, we're nearly out of breath too so don't feel bad."

She turned back around and concentrated on climbing.

"We're almost there, Te'lesu," Alan said. "I can see the summit now."

"I guess this is part of my training like the training you guys were doing back at the house?" Rain asked.

He chuckled.

"Yes, think of it like that. This is your morning training session. You're building up endurance."

"I'll say I am," she said as he laughed.

He noticed Rose and Awinita pausing to catch their breath. He looked at Rain.

"You need a break?"

She shook her head.

"Nah, let's go ahead and catch up to them."

He nodded and they slowly made their way up. Two minutes later, they reached Rose and Awinita and paused behind them.

"Oi! Get a move on! I have a dentist appointment, ya inconsiderate git!" he said to Rose.

They laughed when she flipped him off.

"Are you guys alright?" Rain asked.

"Yeah, we're just getting our second wind before we go up the rest of the way," Awinita said. "How 'bout you?"

"I'm fine so far, just a little tired."

"Join the club," Rose said.

Rain glanced over at the chain link fence. She looked at the ground around her and let go of the handrail. Everyone watched as she slowly inched her way over to the fence across a level patch of ground. Alan glanced at Rose and Awinita and followed her. The two women did the same and all of them stood beside each other staring down at the city far below them.

"Wow, we're up high now," Rain said, gazing out.

Awinita giggled.

"Oh no," she said melodramatically. "Alan and Rose can't go on living. They have to take a lover's suicide plunge off Camelback Mountain and smash themselves to bits in front of Phoenix."

Alan and Rose bent over laughing. Rain gave them a confused look.

"Huh?" she said.

Alan sobered up and put his hand on her back. With a grin on his face, he explained the joke to her.

"Oh!" she said when he finished. "Good. I was worried there for a minute."

"Nah, we wouldn't do it for real. If we jumped we'd be dead and where's the fun in that?" he said to her. "Too much to see and do right now. Dying can wait."

He smiled at her.

"You know, you were the first one to let go of the handrail and come over here. I'm proud of you. You were brave enough to risk a tumble back down the hill to come and see this view."

"Well, it's not too steep here which is why I risked it," she said, pointing behind them. "Actually, it looks like it's leveling off now or am I seeing things?"

They looked up.

"No, it is leveling off, "Rose said. "Good. Believe me, Rain, you're not the only one who's havin' difficulty. We hiked in several places before we met you and been up several hills and I'm still out of breath."

"Well, be fair, we've never really tackled a mountain before," Alan said. "We've been down trails and up hills but we've never done something like this. This is a first."

"We went up Lookout Mountain," Awinita pointed out.

"Yeah, but that had well defined steps and wasn't as steep goin' up. This is a lot harder than that was."

"Where is that at?"

"Tennessee," Alan said. "In Chattanooooooooooooga."

Rose snorted out laughter as Awinita rolled her eyes.

"Yes," Rose said. "Can't ever forget that you have to hold the O in Chattanooga for about ten minutes before you finish saying the name of the city."

"I can't help it; it's a fun name to say."

He smiled at Rain.

"God, I wish you would have been with Awinita when we met her. I hate that you're comin' in now after we've seen so many wonderful things and now we have to keep tellin' you what we did so you won't be left out of the loop."

"Me too, but at least I'm here now," she said.

He smiled.

"Yup and you can join in the fun with us. And the good thing is you only missed the US. You still have the whole wide world to see with us."

He looked at Rose.

"Another thing I've recently noticed is my memories are finally starting to supersede his. You notice I'm no longer constantly saying he said, he did, he thought. Now most of the time it's me who's doing the talking, thinking and acting and it feels fantastic."

Rose's heart warmed at that and she embraced him.

"I'm glad, my love," she said. "I'm glad you're finally able to have memories of your own and I'm glad we're here helping you make those memories."

"Me too. I have my own family and I wouldn't trade you lot for anything in the universe."

They all embraced him. They stayed that way for a moment just enjoying one another's presence. Then Rose looked up to the summit.

"Well, we ready to tackle the last little bit?"

They nodded and made their way back to the handrail.

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After twenty more minutes, all of them finally reached the summit. They stood on top of the mountain gazing around them in silent awe. The city stretched out for miles below them and there were a couple of other mountains in the distance. Beyond that they could see the desert stretching out for countless miles. Rose pulled out her camera and walked up to the edge so she could take several pictures. Alan smiled at Rain.

"Congratulations, Te'lesu, you did it," he said.

"I know!" she said beaming. "This is so cool. I'm glad we came up here."

"Yes, me too. It's too bad we don't have the TARDIS so we could go back to a time before the city existed and see how beautiful it looked without the urban sprawl at our feet. But it's still a gorgeous view."

"Hey!"

They all turned and looked at Rose who was holding her camera up.

"Scoot together so I can snap a photo of ya," she said.

Alan put his arm around Rain's shoulder and held out his arm for Awinita. She came up to him and he put the arm around her shoulder as she turned towards the camera.

"Okay, big smiles," she said.

They all grinned and she took a couple of pictures.

"Okay, now let me get one of you," Alan said, walking towards her.

For the next ten minutes, they took turns taking pictures of each other. As they did, Rose suddenly realized that they didn't have a picture of all of them together and there was no way to take one without risking her camera being stolen by a stranger. She thought about it for a moment and then suddenly hit on an idea.

"Guys! I want to do something when we're finished here," she said, walking up to them.

They turned and gave her an inquisitive look.

"I want us to get a professional photo done, a family portrait where we're all in the picture. Something we can frame."

The others glanced at each other.

"That's a brilliant idea," Alan said. "Where would we get it done?"

"I think Wal-Marts have those one hour photo shops, yeah? I've seen them whenever we got things there. I just want one photo where we're all together. We're a family now so we need a family portrait."

"Can we stop by the room though so I can get a shower?" Awinita said.

"Course. We can go back there, freshen up and get some nice clothes on and gather the DVDs together. We can take back the ones we've seen and renew the others for tonight."

"Well, let's get going then so we can get back down and get to it," Alan said.

They took one last look at the view before they all headed back down the mountain.

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It took about a half hour to get back to the car. They drove back to the hotel and everyone took turns getting a shower, combing their hair and putting makeup on. They put on clean clothes and when they were done, they grabbed the sack with the DVD's in them and headed back out.

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They went to the video store first and renewed the movies they hadn't seen yet. While they were there, Rose asked where the Wal-Mart was and got directions to it. Then they got back in the van and drove over to it.

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"Now we have a standard package," the photographer was telling Rose. "It includes a 4 x 6 sized photo, a 5 x 7, two 8 x 10s and two wallet sized photos. That's 6.82. We also have a photo CD for 2.50."

"Can I get two standard packages and a photo CD?" she asked.

"Certainly, ma'am, would you like anything else? We can make the photo into a poster or calendar; we can do a fake magazine cover."

"No, that's alright. I don't want anything fancy like that. Just the two standard packages and the photo CD," she said.

He nodded.

"Okay, just come over here and we'll pick out a background."

All of them walked over to a screen. The man pulled down one backdrop after another letting them see what they had. When he finished, Rose looked at the others.

"Anything you liked?"

"I liked that desert scene," Awinita said.

"I did too and I liked the roaring fireplace," Rain said.

"I liked the desert and the snowy scene," Alan said.

"So, everyone likes the desert one, I guess."

"Do you?" Alan asked.

She nodded.

"Yeah, I liked the rainbow in the background. That was pretty."

"Let's get that then," Awinita said.

Rose nodded and turned towards the man. He reached up and pulled the desert backdrop back down.

"Now, do you wanna be standing or sitting or both?" he asked.

They looked at each other.

"How about you and Rose sit," Awinita said to Alan. "You're the tallest one. Then Rain and I can stand behind you."

"Sounds good to me," Alan said.

"Me too. We'll do that," she said to the photographer.

"Okay," he said.

He walked over to the back of the room and carried over a large carpeted box. He set it down in front of the backdrop and Alan and Rose sat down on it while Rain and Awinita stood behind them. Awinita was behind Alan and Rain was behind Rose. The photographer walked up and helped positioned them so they looked nice. Alan and Rose took each other's hands while Awinita and Rain both put one hand on their shoulders. Satisfied that they looked good, the photographer walked around to the back of the camera.

"Okay, big smiles," he said.

They all grinned and he snapped a picture of them.

"Okay, I'm gonna take one more just in case, so big smiles again."

He took another photo. When he was done, he let them see the results. They conferred among themselves and decided the first photo was the better one.

"Okay, then come back in an hour and I'll have it ready for you," the photographer said.

Rose looked at the others.

"You wanna go get something to eat while we wait?"

They nodded and all of them left the store.

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They sat in McDonalds eating and talking for about an hour and then they went back to the store. The photographer showed them one set of the pictures and after Rose approved it, she paid for her purchase, the man gave her the envelopes containing the pictures and the photo CD and they left the photo center. On the way out they paused to look at the photo of themselves.

"Wow, we clean up pretty good," Awinita said.

"Yeah, we do, don't we?" Alan said.

"I got two packages so all of us can have a wallet picture and an 8 x 10. We'll keep the rest and if we need to make copies, I have the photo CD. I'm sure mum will want one emailed to her when she finds out what we did."

"So, that means you'll have to explain why there is a forth woman in the picture with us," Alan said.

"Yup, but I'm sure she'll be easier on Rain than she was on Awinita since she's used to people traveling with us now. But at least we have a proper family photo now that we can frame."

"Great, now what do we do?" Alan asked.

"You wanna go back and take a nap? We've been up since four and I'm a little knackered."

They nodded. Rose put the envelopes back in the sack and they left the store.


	129. Chapter 129

Chapter One Hundred Twenty Nine

Rose opened her eyes and looked around. Because this was just a nap, Alan hadn't bothered to put her into hibernation and for the first time since he started doing it she had dreamed. A very lovely dream about their wedding where the two of them were standing together out in the desert in a circle of flower petals while the minister conducted the ceremony. She couldn't wait to make the dream a reality.

"One more day," she murmured to herself.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?"

Rose looked over and noticed Alan still had his eyes closed but there was a big smile on his face. He opened his eyes a crack.

"Are my sisters still asleep?" he said softly

Rose leaned up and looked over his shoulder. Both Rain and Awinita were still asleep in the other bed. She leaned back down.

"Yes," she whispered.

He opened his eyes and ran his hand up under her shirt. He rubbed her stomach in a circular motion.

"I can't believe we're finally doing it. Six months ago when we stood on the beach and watched the TARDIS disappear I never imagined I would ever be happy. But here I am with the woman I love and I have two sisters who love me just as much as I love them. I have a whole new Navajo family and an identity and personality of my own. It seems like I'm livin' a dream sometimes."

"For me as well."

"I bet you never imagined there'd come a day when you'd choose the Doctor's clone over him."

"Well…you have done so much to endear yourself to me, how could I not fall in love with you. You're everything I've ever wanted. You're my best mate, my partner in crime and my beloved fiancé. I only hope your sisters can find someone just as wonderful as you."

"Yeah, me too. They deserve it."

Alan's finger traced a circle around Rose's navel while he stared deeply into her eyes.

"What's on the agenda for this afternoon?" he asked.

"Not sure. Maybe we can just hang around here for awhile? I'll make that ploughman's lunch for everyone and we can watch the rest of the DVDs or maybe go for a swim. They do have a pool here and a fitness room."

"Ugh. After this morning, I don't fancy another workout. I'd rather swim," he said.

"I hope Rain brought her cozzy with her. We might have to take her to Wal-Mart so she can get one if she didn't. Actually…we really should go and get hats and gloves and scarves if we're gonna ski. Not to mention parts of Japan will probably be cold since I remember something in that guidebook about an ice sculpture contest in the north of Japan. If we're gonna start walking again we need to have that kind of stuff with us."

Alan's ears perked up when he heard the bed squeak behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Awinita sitting up on the edge of the bed.

"Oh, you guys are awake already?" she whispered.

"Just for about ten minutes or so," Alan said. "Did you get enough sleep?"

She nodded.

"What time is it?"

Alan glanced at the clock.

"Nearly three," he said.

"Are we going back out?"

"Not for awhile," Rose said. "We were talking about watching some of the movies and I'll fix that ploughman's lunch and maybe we could do a bit of swimming. Then later tonight maybe we'll go out to eat at a restaurant."

"Sounds good to me. I'll be right back though. I have to pee."

She got up and walked over to the bathroom. Alan noticed Rain stirring the moment she got up from the bed. She opened her eyes and tried to focus them.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Nearly three," Alan said.

"We goin' out again?"

Alan giggled and repeated what they had just told Awinita.

"Do you have a bathing suit?" Rose asked.

She nodded.

"Yeah, in my duffle bag."

"Rain, I've been thinking," Alan said. "If I were you, I'd try to find a cheap rucksack because if we're gonna be walking, I think it'll be easier on you if you can carry your stuff on your back."

"Do you know how much they are?"

"I've seen some at Wal-Mart for around twenty dollars and sometimes less when they're having a sale," Alan said.

"You said you're shipping things home before you leave the country, right?"

"Yeah," Rose said. "If you wanna get a rucksack then you can send your duffle bag back home along with anything else you don't need."

She nodded.

"Okay, I'll do that then. I've had this duffle bag for a long time. I played varsity volleyball for a couple of years in high school and I used it to carry my clothes and things."

"Oh really?" Rose said. "Did you win a lot of games?"

"Yeah, we weren't too bad. We never won any championships but we'd usually make it to the semi-final rounds."

The bathroom door open and Awinita froze when she saw Rain.

"Oh crap, I was trying not to wake you up."

"No, it's alright. It's time for me to wake up anyway"

Awinita smiled and ruffled Alan's hair.

"Last day as a bachelor, bro," she said.

"I know. I'm so excited."

She sat back down on the bed as Rain sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Too bad we can throw you a bachelor party," Awinita said.

He frowned.

"What does that entail?"

"Oh, a man goes out with his male friends and party and get drunk and hire strippers and stuff like that. Women do it too. We could throw Rose one but not you."

"Why not me? I mean I don't wanna get drunk and watch strippers but why can't you throw me a bachelor party?"

"We're not male."

"So? We can still do the party part, right?"

"How about if you pick the type of restaurant you wanna go to tonight and we'll celebrate there," Rose said.

She sat up on the side of the bed.

"I'll go ahead and fix that ploughman's lunch while you decide. It won't take long to eat it. It's bread and cheese and a pickle and pickled onion. We just thought we'd show you an example of something they serve in pubs."

"Cool!" Awinita said.

"Well, I'll get that started and you guys do what you need to do to get ready in the meantime."

She got up and walked into the kitchen while everyone else got up. Alan went to the bathroom while the two girls combed the tangles out of their long hair. Fifteen minutes later, Rose had the plates ready along with glasses of milk. They took it over to the couch and ate it while they watched TV.

"So where do you wanna eat tonight?" Rose asked him.

He looked at her.

"You sure you want me to pick?"

"Yeah, you go ahead and pick out what kind of restaurant you feel like tonight."

He munched on his cheese while he thought.

"I feel like Italian," he said.

"Okay, we can go over to the library and check online for restaurants and then we can go get Rain's rucksack and our winter gear afterwards."

He looked at Rain.

"Do you like Italian?"

"Yeah, I do. I love lasagna the best."

"Lasagna's good. I like spaghetti and fettuccini alfredo and veal piccata."

"You ever eat at Olive Garden?" Awinita asked Rain.

"Oh yeah, we ate at one in Flagstaff. I love Olive Garden."

"There's an idea, Rose. Olive Garden."

"Is that what you want?"

He nodded.

"Yeah, we don't have to go to a fancy Italian restaurant. Olive Garden will be fine. That way you don't have to spend time on the internet looking through all these restaurants and trying to decide where to go."

Awinita grinned at her sister.

"We get to eat their breadsticks!"

"Oh God, I love their breadsticks!" she replied.

Alan smiled.

"Yup, I think Olive Garden is the perfect choice," he said to Rose.

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After they finished eating they went out to do their errands. They went to Wal-Mart, got the winter gear and Rain got a new rucksack. Alan and Rose also managed to find an inexpensive pair of silver rings that they could exchange at the wedding. Once they returned home from the shopping trip, all of them chose to watch one of their movies before going out to eat. They watched Sweeny Todd and when it was finished they freshened themselves up and left for Olive Garden.

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Alan opened the menu and scanned it. They were sitting at a square table beside a huge plate glass window. Rain was sitting beside him and Rose and Awinita were across from him.

"Get whatever you want," Rose said.

Alan read the appetizers.

"You guys wanna get a sampler plate and split it?" he asked.

They nodded.

"What do you wanna get on it?" Rose asked.

"I want the stuffed mushrooms, that'll be my contribution to it," he said.

"What's calamari?" Rain asked.

"It's squid," Alan replied.

She made a face.

"Oh, never mind then."

"It's really good though," Alan urged.

She thought it over.

"I'll try it," she said. "If Alan says it's good, I'll take his word for it."

"Okay, we can get one more item," Rose said to Awinita.

They conferred with each other and decided on the toasted beef and pork ravioli. They went from that to the entrees and all of them read the choices quietly. While they were reading, the waitress walked up. They gave them the order for the sampler plate, Cokes and Mountain Dew and some salad and breadstick. The waitress smiled at them and walked away.

Alan felt Rain tap him on the shoulder and he looked at her.

"Hmm?"

"Have you or the Doctor ever eaten here before?"

"I've eaten here a couple of times with Rose and Awinita, why?"

She showed him her menu.

"I wanted to try something I've never tried before and I saw this steak gorgonzola-alfredo. Have you ever had it?"

"No, I haven't but it sounds good."

He read the little description.

"I think it'll be delicious judging from what it says here."

"Well, I was thinking of getting this or the chicken alfredo. What are you getting?"

"Everything on the menu in bulk since Rose is paying for it."

He giggled when Rose leaned forward and smacked the top of his head.

"Seriously though, they have this Tour of Italy with lasagna, fettuccini and chicken parmigiana. I was thinking of getting that."

"That's what I'm getting," Awinita said.

"What about you, Starlight?"

"I was thinking about the chicken alfredo as well," she said.

"Well, you know what, I think I will get the steak gorgonzola-alfredo," Rain said.

"Brilliant, you mind if I have a teeny taste?"

"Not at all."

They looked over when the waitress brought over a large tray with their food on it. She passed out the Cokes and Mountain Dew and put the salad, breadsticks and sampler plate in the middle of them.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked.

They gave her their orders and she left. All of them grabbed plates and tucked into the food.

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Once they got back home, they finished watching the rest of the movies, put them in the sack and set them where they would see them and remember to take them back. After each of them had a slice of pie, they turned in for the night so they would be rested for the wedding.


	130. Chapter 130

Chapter One Hundred Thirty

Rose opened her eyes and saw Alan standing above her with a huge grin on his face.

"Today's the day, Starlight," he said softly.

"I'm so glad it's finally here," she replied, stroking his cheek.

"Me too."

"Are Rain and Awinita…"

"Shhh, they're still asleep. It's early, about an hour before you said to wake them up. I thought you and I could take a shower together. How 'bout it?"

"Sounds like heaven to me."

Alan kissed her forehead. He grabbed their rucksacks as Rose slowly sat up and quietly followed him into the bathroom.

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Alan drove the minivan back up north to Sedona. They left at 5 a.m. so they could have plenty of time to get there, rest and prepare for the wedding. Rain and Awinita each took a seat in the back and both were fast asleep. Rose was beside him in the reclined seat, also asleep. Alan had volunteered to drive so he could be sure she got enough rest to get through the day. He glanced over at his bride fast asleep under her sleeping bag and smiled.

"Just a few more hours, my beloved," he murmured. "And then, at long last, I'll be able to call you my wife."

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26 miles outside Sedona, Alan decided to pull off in a town named Camp Verde for a Coke. He had been driving for a couple of hours and the drive coupled with the early start time was starting to get to him. It was times like this that he hated the weaker human side of him, the side that tired out easily. He couldn't wait till he could get his TARDIS and get under the chameleon arch.

He found a McDonalds and went through the drive-through. While he ordered his Coke, he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over to see Rose was awake.

"Darling, can you get me a coffee?" she mumbled.

He nodded and added a coffee and two creams and sugars to the order. He looked back at her.

"Is anyone else awake?"

Rose glanced back at Awinita who was still asleep and she couldn't hear any movement from Rain in the very back. She shook her head.

"That's all I want," Alan said.

"That comes to 3.65, please pull around," the woman said.

He drove the car around the bend.

"Where are we?" Rose said softly.

"Camp Verde about 26 miles from Sedona," he said. "I had to stop, Rose. I need a shot of caffeine to keep me awake."

"S'alright, I understand. I felt like coffee too when I found out what you were doin'"

Alan reached into his pocket, got out a five dollar bill and handed it to the lady in the window. She handed him back his change and the Coke and Coffee along with two creams and sugars and a stir stick. They put them in the cup holders and Alan drove off while Rose raised the seat back up and fixed her coffee.

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Once they reached Sedona, Rose asked him to stop in a parking lot. He pulled into a Wal-Mart parking lot and parked the car. Rose looked behind her.

"Awinita," she said.

"Huh?" she mumbled in her sleep.

"We're in Sedona."

Her eyes shot open.

"Is it time for the wedding?"

"No," Rose said. "We still have a few hours. It's about a quarter to 8 now."

"Are you going up to Flagstaff then?" Rain said, rising up. "It's only about 25 or 30 miles from here. You could go up there, reserve your rooms at the hotel and come back down."

"Do you wanna do that, love?"

"I don't see why not, we have 6 hours till the wedding. If we get the rooms then we could have somewhere to freshen up and we wouldn't have to worry about doing it later on when we're tired."

He looked behind him.

"I have to ask though before I leave here. We just got a Coke and coffee. Now that you're awake, do you guys want something to drink?"

"Coke sounds good," Awinita said.

"Mountain Dew?" Rain asked.

Alan nodded.

"And I'll pay for it so don't worry about getting money out. Just sit back and relax and let me handle things."

He put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking space.

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45 minutes later they reached Flagstaff and drove over to the Weatherford Hotel. Alan looked back at Rain and Awinita who were still sipping their soft drinks.

"How about you two wait here and if we get rooms we'll come out and let you know," he said.

They nodded and Alan and Rose got out of the minivan and went inside.

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To their immense relief, they were able to get two rooms right beside each other. They booked Rain and Awinita's room for one night, but they made sure to book theirs for three nights so as soon as they had their honeymoon night the two women could come back and stay with them. Once they were finished, Alan ran outside and told his sisters they could come in. they gathered up the rucksacks and shut and locked the van.

On the way in, Awinita looked up and pointed at the pine cone that was still hanging from the metal pole above them.

"Does that stay up there all year?"

"Yes," Rain said. "It's a tourist attraction along with the hotel. But they only light it on New Year's Eve."

"Well, glad we came here New Year's Eve and saw it," Alan said.

They went inside.

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Rose put her hand over her heart when they entered their room.

"Oh my God, Alan, it's gorgeous!" she said, looking around.

The room was spacious with plenty of light coming from the large window on their left side and the balcony doors near it. There were two queen sized sleigh beds. In front of one of them was a blue Victorian parlor couch with a wooden coffee table in front of it. Across the room from it was a wooden stand with a TV on top of it and next to that was a brick fireplace. Beside that was a large bookcase that had books and knickknacks resting in it. On either side of the beds were oak nightstands with antique crystal lamps on top of them. To their right was a bathroom with an antique tub, sink and a tiny toilet across from it.

"This is perfect, Alan. Oh my God, we couldn't have picked a more romantic spot for a honeymoon!"

"My thoughts exactly."

"Wow!"

They turned and saw Awinita standing in the doorway.

"Your room's just as nice as ours is. Ours is about the same except the furniture's arranged a bit differently and we have red wallpaper instead of white. But I heard what you said, Rose, and I couldn't agree more. You guys are gonna have fun tonight."

"Well, we'll try to keep the noise to a minimum," Alan said.

"Well, we'll try to not to break our necks then," Awinita said as Rain came up behind her.

Alan frowned.

"Break your necks? What are you gonna be doing that will cause you to break your necks?"

"We're gonna go out on our balcony and leap across to yours so we can spy on you," Rain said.

Alan stared at her as the women laughed.

"Rose was right, Awinita is becoming a bad influence on you," he said with mock horror.

"Can I come in here tonight then so I can hide from her?" Rain asked innocently.

She giggled when Alan narrowed his eyes.

"You just wanna see me and Rose go at it."

"Oh no, I promise I won't look, I swear!" she said, holding up her hand.

"Uh-huh," Alan said as they laughed. "I'm sorry, Te'lesu but you'll have to put up with your sister's nuttiness for tonight. Rose and I aren't gonna make love with you filming us from the other bed."

"Damn," Rain said. "He figured it out."

"We have to be cleverer next time. After all, the man's a genius. Gotta be more clever than he is if we want a free show."

Rose bent over laughing.

"And on that note, shouldn't the two of you go back to your room and get ready so we can get goin'?" he said, gesturing to the door.

He smiled when they both nodded and hugged him tightly. He kissed both their heads and let them go back to their room so everyone could get ready.

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The Valeyard chuckled to himself. This was working out better than he planned. First he managed to surprise and capture the Doctor right after he said goodbye to River on Derillium and brought him back to his TARDIS after knocking him out and tying him up. Once he was safely secured in an unbreakable cell, he had used the void crosser in his TARDIS to cross over into the other universe. His TARDIS was shielded with a powerful psychic damper in case the clone still had the ability to detect the presence of other Time Lords, a precaution he had taken a few centuries ago to prevent the Doctor from detecting him when he traveled in time and space. After that, it was only a matter of tracking their artron energy signatures and finding their location on Earth. Once he found them, he had kept track on both him and the Doctor, going back and forth between the voids to listen and watch what they were doing. He was currently hovering above Earth while he homed in on their exact location. The energy readings they were giving off indicated they were indoors somewhere in Flagstaff, Arizona. He brought up a satellite map of the city, zoomed in on their location and saw two golden dots moving through a building towards the entrance. Once the dots moved out of the building, he hit a few buttons and switches and activated a spy satellite that he had hacked into and enhanced so he could keep watch. Once it was on, he used the camera in it to zoom in on his prey and observe them close up on his monitor. He watched as the Native American women got into the car with them. He didn't know them that well, only that their names were Awinita and Rain and they were traveling with Rose and Alan, but their presence didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. When he was ready, he would take the clone and Rose prisoner and if there were others traveling with them then they would suffer the same fate. He watched while the car drove off and turned on the tracking device so the map would indicate where they were at all times. Once that was done, he decided to pay his guest a little visit. Grinning, he turned and walked out of the console room.

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The Doctor jerked his head up when he saw the Valeyard walk up to the transparent wall of his cell.

"Hello, Doctor," he said, sweetly. "Welcome aboard my TARDIS or should I say, your eventual TARDIS."

"You won't get away with this," the Doctor snarled. "I've defeated you before and I can do it again."

He chuckled.

"You should know by now that you can never defeat me, Doctor. I'm a part of you whether you want to admit it or not. You will become me in time."

"Never!"

"We shall see, Doctor, after I finish with you."

"Do your worst! I'm not afraid of you!"

He smirked.

"On the contrary, my lovesick Time Lord, I think you are very fearful of me…and of what I can do, not only to you, but to the universe and…"

He leaned in.

"The woman you love more than life itself."

"No, leave Rose alone! Don't you harm her!"

"Do you know where we are at this very moment, Doctor?"

"I don't care."

"Oh, you should care. Because we're in "Pete's World", as you so quaintly put it."

The Doctor stared at him in shock.

"No, that's impossible. The void was sealed. No one can get across."

"Yes, but unlike you and everyone else in the universe, I have a Time Lord void crosser installed in this TARDIS that was given to me back when I first met you in your sixth life. The procurement of the void crosser was one of the conditions I had for helping the council cover up the whole messy Ravalox incident. That is how I was able to hide from you, dear Doctor. I crossed over into other universes and hid, only coming back to the original one when it was absolutely necessary. I have even been over here several times to spy on Rose Tyler and see what your beloved has been up to and recently I have started keeping an eye on her and the clone, just to see how they're doing. After all, Doctor, you left him in her care, did you not? It's only fair that I should keep tabs on them for you lest the Halfling get out of control and destroy all of creation."

"Leave them alone! Let them be!"

"Oh come now, don't you want to know what they've been up to? I've been spying on them for some time now and in the past couple of days there's been a very interesting development in the saga of Rose and the half human clone."

"What sort of development?"

"Why do you care, Doctor?" he said sweetly. "I thought you wanted me to leave them alone and now you're asking me to spy on them some more?"

"I want you to leave them alone, yes, but I know you're just gonna stand there and taunt me and I wanna hear what this "development" is so I can get this stupid game over and done with."

"You don't wanna go down and see her?" the Valeyard asked innocently.

"No, for the last time leave them alone!"

"But they need a best man for their wedding."

The Doctor froze as his mind tried to process what the Valeyard just said.

"What?" he said.

"They're getting married, Doctor. The clone and Rose. Their wedding is in a few hours in Sedona, Arizona. I've been listening and they are going to have a secret wedding because they just can't wait to be husband and wife."

He noticed the shocked look on his face.

"That's what you wanted, isn't it? For the Halfling to fall in love with your precious treasure and make her his own?"

"Y..yes," the Doctor stammered.

"Funny, you didn't sound sure. Do I detect some hesitation in your voice? Perhaps…you were hoping that Rose wouldn't fall in love with your clone and pine away forever for you."

"No, I don't want that for Rose," the Doctor said more forcefully. "I want her to be happy. If she's happy marrying him then I'm happy."

"Oh, really? Well then, why don't you accompany me into my console room so we can watch the whole ceremony on my monitor? Should be quite a romantic day for them. Your clone, by the way, has chosen another name for himself. He calls himself Alan. Alan Timelord. That is his name now and in a few hours, Timelord will be Rose's last name as well. And, interestingly enough, not only has he chosen a new name for himself but he also has a cute little homemade family. Two Native American women, a Cherokee and a Navajo, have become his adopted sisters and Alan is just over the moon now. Aren't you glad that your clone is doing so well for himself? His happiness at finding love and a loving family makes it worth all the sorrow and heartache and deaths you've had to endure, eh? Your life is falling apart before your eyes but at least your clone gets to marry Rose and gets to live in wedded bliss with her forever more.

He smirked. The Doctor was trying to keep his expression neutral but he could see the heartache and despair in his eyes. He knew that no matter how much the Doctor told himself and others that he and Rose were only friends, it was nothing more than a lie. The fact that his clone was with his beloved only served to deepen the already overwhelming pain from his losses and make it that much easier to brainwash and turn him towards the darkness. The wedding was unexpected but much welcomed by him since it tormented the Doctor that much more knowing that Rose was marrying someone that looked like him but wasn't him. He stood there and studied the myriad of emotions that passed across his face before he reached into a leather pouch hanging from a belt around his waist and took out a small black box. He pressed a button on it and the wall dissolved away allowing him entrance into the cell. The Doctor tried to scoot away while the Valeyard put the control box back in the pouch but he grabbed hold of the ropes encircling his body and forced the Doctor to his feet.

"Come, Doctor, "he said gleefully, "it's time for you to witness the marriage of your one true love to your freakish Halfling clone. And if you're good, I might allow you to witness the honeymoon night as a capper to this, the worst day of your pathetic, sappy little life."

The Doctor grunted as he jerked hard on the rope and he followed the Valeyard as he pulled him towards the console room.


	131. Chapter 131

Chapter One Hundred Thirty One

The Doctor grunted as the Valeyard slammed him up against the cold metal walls of his TARDIS.

"I swear to you if you harm them…" he said as the Valeyard slipped a metal collar around his neck.

"What will you do, Doctor? Unleash the Oncoming Storm upon me? That's exactly what I want you to do. I want you to become who you were meant to be and unleash your storm upon all of creation. So tell me, Doctor, what you will do to me if I harm your beloved."

He chuckled when the Doctor became tightlipped and he locked the metal collar with a key that he then pocketed in his pouch.

"I apologize for chaining you to the wall," he said with mock sympathy. "I know it'll be uncomfortable for you to have this uncomfortable metal collar on your neck. But I don't want you running off and damaging my TARDIS and miss the happy celebration of two lovers.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"Why? I thought that would be obvious, Doctor. I want you to become me."

"I'll never do it."

"Oh, how can you be so sure you won't? After all, you've had your share of heartache and turmoil these past few years, haven't you? Nothing much has gone right for you, you've lost so much and yet a man who shouldn't even exist is about to steal your jewel away from you. Doesn't that just burn you up inside? Aren't you the slightest bit angry that she betrayed you and married the pale imitation of yourself?"

He paused.

"Wait, I have that backwards. She didn't betray you, you betrayed her! You broke her heart and drove her into the arms of the Halfling and its there that she found solace because you treated her like complete and utter dirt. So just remember as you watch the women you love marry another, that all this was your doing."

He backed away quickly when the Doctor screamed and lunged at him. He gasped and gagged when he reached the limit of the chain after he went one foot. He gritted his teeth and glowered at the Valeyard who stood just beyond arm's reach.

"Temper, temper Doctor," he purred. "We don't want to bring out that evil side of you, now do we? Besides anger is bad for your blood pressure and I don't want you dying before you witness the union of the ape and half ape."

He turned to the console and snickered when the Doctor shouted curses at him. Ignoring his angry tirade and bellowed threats, he activated a wall monitor on the other side of the TARDIS, minimized the map and brought up the image from the spy satellite. The Doctor fell silent when he zoomed in on Rose's face as she talked to Alan in the Heart of Sedona Weddings parking lot. The Valeyard pressed a button and suddenly they could hear everything she was saying. The sound of Rose's voice tore at the Doctor's hearts and he made a half-hearted attempt to pull the heavy chain out of the wall. His breath caught in his throat when she saw her kiss Alan and he swallowed hard dreading what would come next.

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Rose finished kissing Alan.

"I can't believe we're here and doin' this," Rose said to him.

"Well, we are, so you better start believin', my beautiful bride! Another hour or so and we'll be husband and wife."

He turned to Awinita and Rain.

"And you two will have a brand new sister-in-law!"

They cheered.

Rose gave him one more hug before all of them turned and headed toward the office.

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After filling out their marriage license and signing it, the three women were led to a small dressing room in the back where a plump middle aged woman and her younger thirty-something assistant did their hair and makeup. Alan sat down in a chair by the front desk and thumbed through a copy of Field and Stream. He looked up when a white haired man in his late sixties wearing a cream colored suit approached him and extended his hand.

"I'm the Reverend Andrew Murphy, I'll be conducting the ceremony," he said to him.

"Alan Timelord, pleasure to meet ya," he said, shaking his hand.

He noticed Andrew staring at his plum t-shirt and black trousers and gave him a sheepish look.

"Um, sorry, this is pretty much spur of the moment," he said. "We're actually travelin' and we just decided to get married. We didn't wanna buy wedding outfits since we need to travel light."

"It's alright, Alan, people get married wearing all kinds of clothes. You're perfectly fine. It's the ceremony that counts, not the clothes."

He nodded in agreement.

They looked over when Rain came into the room. She was made up and her hair was in a tight bun. Alan embraced her.

"You look beautiful, Te'lesu," he said.

"Thanks, Alan."

Andrew walked up and introduced himself to her while Alan sat back down and picked up the magazine. Rain sat down beside him when she finished talking to Andrew.

"Wait till you see Rose. She looks gorgeous!" Rain said to him.

He smiled.

"Oh, I can just imagine how beautiful they are making my Starlight," he said to her.

They looked over when Awinita came through the door. Both of them stood up and Alan let out a low whistle. She was also made up and her long hair had been plaited and was running down her back. Alan embraced her.

"You look gorgeous, Te'lesu," he said.

"You think I'm gorgeous, wait'll you see Rose."

"Yeah, that's what everyone says," he said.

Awinita turned when Andrew came up and introduced himself to her. Alan and Rain sat back down and waited while Awinita talked to him.

Then, finally, the moment they had been waiting for. Rose emerged from the back and Alan's mouth dropped open. Instead of her street clothes, she was wearing a strapless wedding gown and white pumps. A white veil covered her face and Alan could see that they had curled her hair so it hung in loose ringlets around her face. Alan felt his eyes mist over as he stared at the vision before him.

"Turns out they had some gowns and shoes for people who needed them so I decided to wear this for you and be a proper bride," she said.

Alan was speechless. He embraced her.

"My darling, you are the most beautiful bride that has ever walked the face of this Earth," he whispered. "You are absolutely stunning!"

"Thanks, my love," she said. "Actually, they have spare tuxes too if you wanna put one on."

"Um…I'd rather not if it's all the same to ya. Tuxes bring bad luck, remember?"

She chuckled and laid her head against his chest for a moment before they broke apart. Andrew came up and introduced himself and after that was done, he led them out to his minivan. They all got in the back since there was a small box resting on the passenger side.

"Everyone in?" Andrew asked.

They nodded. Alan slammed the sliding door shut and he backed out of the parking space.

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He drove them about ten miles into the desert. As he drove, all of them stared out the windows at the breathtaking view. They drove past majestic looking mesas and buttes and Rose gave Alan's hand a squeeze as the anticipation began to rise.

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"Here we are, this is the place," Andrew said.

They all got out and stared at their surroundings in awe. The ground was a beautiful shade of red and there were cactuses and scrub brush scattered all around them. But the best part was the red colored butte that towered above everything. Andrew grabbed the box and led them to a spot near it. The spot where they were going to be married was outlined with a circle of yellow and white flower petals. Standing just outside the circle was Andrew's assistant, a young raven haired woman in her mid-twenties. She smiled at them as they stepped into the circle. Alan and Rose went near the front and Rain and Awinita came in behind them. Andrew reached into the box and pulled out a bridal bouquet of red and white roses for Rose and two smaller bouquets for Rain and Awinita. He handed them to the women and reached back in for the red rose boutonniere for Alan. He stared at his t-shirt.

"Um, I don't have a buttonhole, I'm afraid. Do you have a way for me to pin it on?" he asked.

He nodded, reached into the box and brought out a small stick pin. He handed it and the boutonniere to Rose. She handed her bouquet to Awinita and pinned the rose on the left side of his t-shirt.

"There," she said, smoothing out the wrinkles around it.

"Thank you, Starlight," he said.

Rose took her bouquet back from Awinita and she faced Alan as the assistant turned on a CD player and took a video camera out of the box. Soft music played and she filmed the ceremony as Andrew stepped into the circle with them and read from a piece of paper attached to a black clipboard.

"Alan and Rose, family and friends, welcome to this lovely location in the red rock mountains of Sedona. We're gathered here to celebrate the coming together of your two separate lives, to share with you in this wonderful moment of uniting your hearts, minds and souls into one through holy matrimony.

Simply allow your hearts to become peaceful and quiet now, like a placid pond in the early morning, and rest in the love that has brought you here today. Like the current of a mountain stream that brings life and beauty to wherever it flows, so the current of God's love, the current that "knows the way," has brought you to life and beauty both in and through each other.

It has been said that, "Our real journey in life is interior; it is a matter of growth, deepening and of an ever greater surrender to the creative action of love and grace within our hearts." And this is your journey, Alan and Rose, as husband and wife, namely learning to bow before the love in your hearts which you have for each other as it guides you into the future.

By marrying today you choose to travel as one to that home which is not a place, but rather an experience carried within you on every breath. An experience born of deep love that takes you each day closer to the one love that you are, to a loving of each other simply by 'being' who you are.

Alan and Rose, you have found in each other that which compliments your life. You stand here as two independent whole people, each bringing your gifts and love to this marriage.

So I ask you to join your hands and declare your vows to each other before God and this community of family and friends joined together with you.

Please repeat after me, Alan.

Rose, I bring myself to you this day to share my life with you. You can trust my love for it is real. I promise to be a faithful husband and to always share and support your hopes, dreams and goals. I vow to be there for you always. When you fall I will catch you; when you cry I will comfort you; when you laugh I will share your joy. Everything I am and everything I have is yours, from this moment forth and for eternity."

Alan gazed at Rose's face as he repeated the vow to his bride. When he was finished, Andrew looked at Rose.

"Please repeat after me, Rose.

Alan, I bring myself to you this day to share my life with you. You can trust my love for it is real. I promise to be a faithful wife and to always share and support your hopes, dreams and goals. I vow to be there for you always. When you fall I will catch you; when you cry I will comfort you; when you laugh I will share your joy. Everything I am and everything I have is yours, from this moment forth and for eternity."

She felt tears coming to her eyes as she repeated the words along with him. Alan glanced over and saw tears running down both his sisters' faces.

"Do you have rings?" Andrew asked.

Alan nodded. He reached into his trouser pocket and brought them out.

"Each of you take a ring," Andrew said.

Alan gave his ring to Rose. Andrew looked down at his paper.

"Since the beginning of time the circle has been a symbol of completeness, a symbol of committed love. An unbroken and never ending circle symbolizes a commitment of love that is also never ending. As often as you look at this symbol, may you be reminded of the commitment of love to each other that you have made here today."

He looked at Alan.

"Please repeat after me, Alan.

Rose, you are my life, my love, my best friend, and with this ring I thee wed. May it be a reminder of my love and the sacred commitment I have made here today."

Alan repeated it and then slipped the ring onto the ring finger of her left hand.

Andrew looked at Rose.

"Please repeat after me, Rose.

Alan, you are my life, my love, my best friend, and with this ring I thee wed. May it be a reminder of my love and the sacred commitment I have made here today."

Rose repeated it and slipped the ring on his finger.

"Alan and Rose, by your free choice you have made a marriage. No matter what the demands on your lives and your time, the meaning of your living is now known through your love.

Because you have showered our hearts with expressions of your love, and promised each other the joy of all your days, it gives me great honor and pleasure to now pronounce you husband and wife.

I now present to you Alan and Rose Timelord. Alan, you may now kiss your beautiful bride!"

"With pleasure," Alan said, lifting the veil.

Tears running down her cheeks, Rose put her arms around her husband and kissed him passionately as Rain and Awinita clapped and cheered. They held the kiss for almost a full minute before stopping. Rose wept with joy as Alan laid his forehead on hers and rubbed her back.

"Congratulations Rose," he said. "You're now officially the wife of a daft and hyper nutter."

She laughed and gave his arm a playful swat. Alan looked over at his sisters and extended his arm to them. They came forward and the four of them embraced one another.

"Finally, we get to call you sister-in-law," Awinita said to Rose.

Rose embraced her as Rain embraced Alan. By now all four of them were shedding tears of joy. They let go of Alan and Rose and they embraced one another again.

"My wife," Alan said into her ear.

"My husband," Rose replied.

They kissed one more time before all of them headed back to the minivan. They sat together, Rain and Awinita in the very back and Rose and Alan in front of them holding one another tightly. Andrew and his assistant gathered up everything, put it back in the box and both of them climbed inside. The assistant held the box on her lap while Andrew drove them towards the reception hall.


	132. Chapter 132

Chapter One Hundred Thirty Two

The Doctor slumped against the wall of the Valeyard's TARDIS watching numbly as his clone kissed his new wife. He wanted to be happy for her and for him, wanted it so badly, but he couldn't bring himself to feel glad at what he'd just witnessed. He could see his beautiful Rose, stunning in her wedding gown, radiant like the angel she was. He could see a tattoo on her upper arm, a tattoo he knew hadn't been there when he left her in this universe. It was Gallifreyan writing and he could read it perfectly.

Amo'tiri.

Kindred Soul. He guessed that was some kind of endearment Alan gave her since she wouldn't have known the phrase otherwise. He had never thought to call her that but it fit so well that he wondered why he hadn't. But now she was no longer his kindred soul and it tore his hearts in two.

He could see the Valeyard studying him, watching his reaction with unmasked glee on his face. He wanted so much to break free and throttle him but he didn't have the hearts to. Seeing Rose wed his clone was the final nail in the coffin and he no longer felt like he could go on. His beloved was now well and truly lost to him. She had moved on and forgotten him and he could feel his hearts breaking into pieces at the thought of it. He knew it was wrong, but at the moment he despised Alan for doing this to him, even though he had given them both his blessing when he turned and left them on the beach. But still, it didn't ease the ache in his hearts. He still loved Rose completely. For two years she had been more than his traveling companion, she had been his whole entire universe and he considered those two short years the best of his centuries old life. Through his anguish, he noticed the Valeyard nearing closer to him and he tried to put a neutral expression on his face and ignore the sneer on his face.

"What's wrong, Doctor? You seem upset," he purred. "Aren't you happy for them? Rose was beautiful in that gown, don't you think? A vision of loveliness. The ceremony was soooooo romantic."

The Doctor seethed, listening to the sarcasm oozing from his mouth as he came closer and closer.

"And of course, the honeymoon night comes next," he said, getting in his face. "Just think Alan and Rose will be making love to one another, all hot and sweaty and moaning and groaning and of course, telling each other how much they love one another and how they will be together forever more. It's too bad the spy satellite can't see through buildings so we could watch them lying there having sex. It would be quite a show, wouldn't it?"

An evil grin spread over his face.

"Of course, I could take you down there so you can witness it in person."

"NO!"

"Why not? Don't you want to kill the interloper? Don't you want to break his neck, Doctor? He stole your love away from you and made her his own. Don't you want to kill him and take her back?"

"N…no."

He chuckled.

"I think you do, Doctor. I think deep down inside you want Alan to die so Rose will be yours once more. He's half human, he can't regenerate. All it would take is a quick snap of the neck and Rose would be your companion again."

"No!" he said, turning his head away.

He grunted when the Valeyard grabbed his chin and jerked his head back around.

"Yes, Doctor!" he said, gleefully. "Once I get done bringing out the darkness inside, you will want to punish them both for doing this to you."

"No! You can have my body and my mind. Control me like a puppet and use me in your evil schemes. I'll give myself to you willingly if you'll leave all of them alone."

"How noble Doctor."

He smirked.

"Noble, now why does that word ring a bell?" he said, innocently. "That's another thing the clone took from you. If it wasn't for him, she would be with you now instead of living a shallow, empty life on Earth."

"It…was…meant to be," the Doctor stammered. "She was destined to touch the jar and become the DoctorDonna. I had no control over it!"

"But what if you did have control?" the Valeyard said. "What if you had the power to bend everything in creation to your will? What if you had the power to go back and fix things that went wrong? What if you figured out the Skasis Paradigm and became a god just as Mister Finch suggested?"

"No!"

"No? You don't want to change time and space? You could correct so much, you know. You could bring back your people, make it so Rose never went to the other universe in the first place and make the two of you immortal so you could travel forever. And restore Donna's memories to her so she can travel with you both."

"And then after that, subjugate all the universes!" the Doctor growled at him.

"Yes, but you could improve everything, Doctor. No more death, no more desertion, no more pain and sorrow. You could enhance Rose's senses so a single touch or telepathic thought will send her into an otherworldly ecstasy. You could make her into a perfect devoted wife who will never leave you. An eternity with your loving, faithful wife at your side. Think of it!"

"I will never do it. I will never solve the paradigm and become a god. I will never enslave Rose and make her into some twisted caricature of a loving wife. I will never help you!"

He grunted when the Valeyard slammed his head back against the wall.

"Oh but you will. Once I get through with you, you will not only embrace your darkness but you will do all that I have suggested and much more besides. And perhaps…your clone will be turned to evil as well once he is restored to a pure state. And don't think for one moment that you'll be able to resist my brainwashing, Doctor. With all that's happened, you are just a hair's breath away from giving up and giving in. I'm only accelerating the process."

"They will stop you if you go after them," the Doctor said. "Rose and Alan and his adopted sisters. All of them will fight tooth and nail to defeat you!"

"And save you in the process?"

"No, my life doesn't matter. The safety of the universe is all that matters to me."

The Valeyard chuckled.

"If you are so concerned about the safety of the universe, why are you so reluctant to kill your clone? He's a threat to the universe, remember?"

"No, he's not like that anymore, I can tell just by looking at him. He's changed now. Rose would have never agreed to marry him if he hadn't. You are the threat, not him!"

"But soon, my dear Doctor, you will be the biggest threat of all. Because once I get done reprogramming your mind and turning you into me, nothing and no one in the universe will be safe. And on that note, I believe time for talking has ended, it's time for you to become your true self."

The Doctor fought to get out of his grip but he held him fast as he reached into his pouch and brought out a small silver disk. He put it against his forehead and touched it. It glowed with a brilliant blue light and instantly the Doctor's eyes glazed over and he stilled.

"A special mind control disc that I first conceived of about a hundred years ago. You will get a similar one attached directly to your brain. But the difference is that one will allow you a measure of free will; albeit free will with a different mindset. Because I can also program these discs to instill a new personality in your mind and that is how you will become me. Perhaps in time you will willingly accept this fate and then you'll have no need of the disc but for now it is a necessary precaution.

He reached into his pocket, grabbed the key and unlocked the collar. He slipped it off his neck and it clattered to the floor. He let go of the Doctor and the enslaved Time Lord stood in front of him with a blank look on his face.

"Come my slave, follow me to the laboratory," he said, walking off.

The Doctor turned and silently followed him out of the console room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Andrew slowed the car down and pulled into a tiny parking lot. Alan looked out the windshield but he couldn't see anything in front of them except a red brick patio with a red rock arch at the back of it. Andrew looked back at them and smiled.

"This is where we do our wedding photos at. You requested photos?"

"Yes, I did," Rose said.

"Okay, all of you go and wait by the arch and I'll be there in a minute."

They opened the door and got out. Alan took his wife's hand and all of them walked towards the arch. On both sides of it were two small potted cactus plants and a floral garland was wrapped around the wrought iron fence that surrounded the patio. Alan led Rose to the arch while Andrew opened up the back of the van and gave his camera equipment to his assistant.

"Robin will be taking the pictures," he said as they walked up to the patio. "She has a very good eye. Now, first off, I want one with just the husband and wife."

"Shoo, shoo, shoo!" Alan said, pushing on his sister's backs.

"Alright, ya butthole, we're goin'" Awinita said as they laughed.

He grinned as they walked over to the far left side and leaned back against the fence. Alan and Rose stood underneath the stone arch and Andrew helped position them while Robin set her camera up on the tripod. Alan looked down at Rose in her wedding gown and felt his heart skip a beat knowing that her beauty was about to be captured forever in photo form. They turned so they were facing each other slightly and took each other's hands. Andrew walked away and Robin readied her camera to take the picture while Alan and Rose smiled broadly. There was a pause and then Robin began to taking pictures. She took a few of Alan and Rose in different poses and then she called for Rain and Awinita to join them. They stepped in front of Alan and Rose and they put their hands on their shoulders. They smiled as Robin took the picture. Then Andrew made them stand next to each other and when they were ready, Robin took another picture. She took a few more pictures of them in different poses, all together and with just Rose and Alan before she was finished.

"We'll get those put on a disc for you while you're at your reception and you'll also have a VHS tape of the wedding and reception and you can pick them up when Rose changes back into her clothes at the office," Andrew said to them. "So, now that we're done here, let's go to your reception."

They nodded and followed him to car as Robin gathered up her camera and tripod.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan glanced around the reception hall. It was a large room with twenty round tables scattered around the room. All of them had white paper tablecloths on them and a small crystal candle holder for a centerpiece. In front of those were two long tables. One held all the food and the other was where the husband and wife sat. On that table at the end was a large sheet cake that was covered with white frosting. A plastic bride and groom were positioned at the back of the cake and CONGRATULATIONS ALAN AND ROSE was written with silver icing directly in front of them. In front of the table were several gift-wrapped packages.

"Go ahead and help yourselves. The DJ will be here in a few minutes until then enjoy the food and have fun."

He left but Robin stayed near the entrance filming everything. The four of them grabbed paper plates, plastic cutlery and plastic cups and piled food on the plates. There were little finger egg salad and tuna salad sandwiches, cocktail weenies, Swedish meatballs, nachos with cheddar cheese sauce, different kinds of chips and pretzels and peanuts and soft drinks, ice tea, champagne and coffee. Everyone got a smattering of most of the foods along with a cup of champagne and took them back to the tables. Alan and Rose sat down beside the cake while Rain and Awinita sat down at a table directly in front of them. Alan stared at them sitting there amid the sea of empty tables and grinned. He cleared his throat and stood up.

"Um, I'd like to thank everyone for coming to our reception," he said. "I'm sorry that everyone had to be packed in like sardines and are being forced to sit elbow to elbow but we couldn't find a bigger room to put you in."

Everyone bent over laughing as he sat back down, including Robin.

"Yeah, you're right; this is pretty pathetic," Rose said, staring out at the empty tables.

Alan stared at his sisters.

"Why are you two sitting over there anyway?"

"Well, that's the bride and groom's table," Awinita said.

"Well, I think this time we can make an exception since you do look pathetic just sitting there all alone. Come over here."

Rain and Awinita gathered up their things, walked around the table and sat down beside Rose. While they ate, the door opened and a young man in his twenties entered and waved at them. He stopped and looked at the four people sitting by themselves.

"This it?" he said, pointing to them.

"Yeah, unfortunately," Alan said. "We did this out of the blue while we're on the road so there are no other relatives besides my sisters here."

"Well, I'm glad you have your sisters at least, I think this is the smallest reception I've ever DJed for. But, I'll try to give you an enjoyable time and just let me know when you wanna do your first dance so I can play your requested song."

They nodded. He went over to his equipment in the corner and played a slow, romantic song while they ate. Alan looked around at the empty tables and got a case of the giggles.

"I'm so glad this came with the wedding, my love," he said to Rose. "I would have hated it if you'd paid extra for a reception that was attended by four people."

They looked at each other and began to giggle.

"I never realized our group was so small until now," Rose said. "I'm glad Rain is here so it isn't three people."

"I'm glad Awinita's here so it isn't just us," he said as they laughed. "That would have been the height of patheticness, the two of us sitting here with no relatives whatsoever."

He looked at Rain and Awinita.

"So, who's gonna do the toast since we don't have a best man?" he said.

Rain looked at her sister.

"You do it, you've known them longer," she said.

Awinita stood up and instantly got a case of the giggles.

"I'm sorry; it's just those empty tables are making me laugh. You know, I think it would have been better if we had gone to McDonalds for the reception. At least there would have been other people there besides us," she said as they laughed.

She cleared her throat, sobering herself up.

"Okay…um…"

She started giggling again.

"For God's sake, Harris, contain yourself for five minutes," Alan said, amused.

"I'm sorry; it's surreal doing this with just the four of us."

She cleared her throat again and smiled at Alan and Rose.

"Okay, I've been to a couple of my cousin's weddings so I kinda know how this goes, but if I don't get it right, forgive me."

She cleared her throat one more time and picked up her cup of champagne.

"Um…when I first met you guys in New Jersey, I had no idea I would eventually be standing in a nearly empty room toasting your future. But I'm glad I'm here because since I've gotten to know you guys, I wouldn't have missed this for the world. You guys had no reason to think of me as anything other than a fellow traveler when you let me come with you and you could have just taken me to North Carolina, dropped me off and went on with your lives. But you allowed me to come with you on this world-wide journey and you opened your hearts and your lives to me and slowly I went from being a complete stranger to a good friend and then I became Alan's sister and now I'm your sister-in-law. You two have opened my eyes to a bigger, wider universe than I ever thought possible. I certainly never dreamed I would meet someone like you, Alan. Someone so unique and funny and completely out of left field crazy but even though you act like a hyperactive loon 23 hours out of the day, you are also a wonderful, wonderful guy and I'm proud to be your sister because you're a hell of a lot more fun to be around than my actual brothers, that's for sure. And Rose, I don't think I've ever met a sweeter, caring, more loving person in my life. You've just been so good to me and have been my best friend and partner in crime and you helped me calm baby bro down when he was threatening to run up the walls a time or two."

Alan feigned anger when Rose and Rain laughed at that. He winked at his sister as she went on with her toast.

"You also let me be privy to your amazing adventures which I won't go into since there are people in here who are outside our inner circle. But from what both you and Alan have told me, I can't help but admire what you have done and how much strength and courage you possess to face what you faced and come through it sane and in one piece. I only hope I can live up to your standards when it comes time for us to go on the big, big journey together. You and Alan are just a perfect match. I've never seen a man who was so loving and protective and devoted in all my life and Rose, you have the patience of Job because I've watched you put up with his constant running around and need to talk everyone's ear off and his all-around general craziness and you've never once gotten angry at him or told him to shut up and leave you alone. No, you love it, I can tell. You love how silly and frantic and childlike he is and I have a feeling if Peter Pan there ever did grow up, you'd be heartbroken because he wouldn't be our Alan any longer. So, I have absolutely no fear that you will fall out of love and get divorced. I doubt you would survive if you did get a divorce because the two of you practically breathe for one another now. So, in conclusion, I want to congratulate you both and say how absolutely thrilled I am that you decided to do this because this needed to be done since the two of you were married in all but name. I love you both with all my heart and I can't wait to see what awaits us all in the future. So baby bro and sis, I toast you both. Here's to your future!"

They all raised their cups and took a long swig of champagne. Awinita sighed as she sat back down.

"Wow, I'm glad I was able to get through that. I'm glad there weren't a bunch of people in here too since I don't think I would have been able to say all that with all these eyes staring at me."

"Well, just remember in about six or seven months we're gonna go through this again with a much bigger crowd," Alan said. "And I still don't have a best man, so you better write your speech down so you can reuse it."

"Rain, you wanna say somethin'?" Rose asked.

Rain looked at Awinita.

"Go for it, sis. I said my peace, now you can say yours," she said.

She stood up and faced them while everyone looked up at her expectantly.

"Um…I don't know you guys as well as Awinita, but in the short time I have known you, you've already changed my life in so many ways. I'm the same as Awinita. When you came to our house, I figured you were just another bunch of tourists wanting to sample the Navajo life. Before you came, there were hundreds of people who would come to our house, spend the night and leave the next morning so I didn't think you guys were any different. But boy, was I wrong about that. When Awinita was taken by George and you came to our door in a white hot rage, I was scared of you, Alan, because I'd never seen anyone so furious and I thought you'd rip the house apart before my dad managed to get dressed. But, then once the…incident was over, I saw a far different side of you. The side that Awinita had been seeing for several months and I finally saw how wonderful you were. That's why I decided to take a chance and travel with you because I was scared that once you left I wouldn't see you again even though you had been adopted by my dad. I wanted to get to know you better and I wanted to see what it was like to live your life as a traveler. So that's why I asked and I'm so glad you let me come because I'm the same as Awinita, I wouldn't have missed this day for the world. Alan, you've taken me under your wing and you've become a loving, caring brother and my protector and I have no fears whatsoever about traveling the world because I know you'll look after me with as much devotion as you give to looking after everyone else here. Rose, you've become a sister to me and a friend and you've looked out for me just as much as Alan has and I've grown to love you both just as deeply as I love my other family. You are amazing, incredible people and I'm so happy you got married because you were made for each other. So, I also toast your future and your future happiness and I also can't wait to see what the future brings for all of us."

Once again they raised their glasses and took a big swig as she sat back down. Alan stood up and cleared his throat.

"I know it's probably bad form for me to do this since I'm the husband and everyone's supposed to be toasting me and my wife but I want to say something as well. First off, thank you for your speeches. I'm so glad you are both having a blast being with us and have grown to love us because I love you two just as deeply as if you were my own flesh and blood. In fact, there is no doubt in my mind now that you are well and truly my sisters and if anyone tries to tell me differently, first I will laugh in their face and then I'll pull their bottom lip up over the top of their head so their gob will stop spitting out lies. This day has been a dream come true for me and having Rose as my wife completes the picture I carried in my mind of the perfect family. But Rose isn't the only one I imagined, you also have completed the picture and I thank God that you both came into our lives because you have made our lives richer just by being yourselves. I finally feel healed and whole and completely happy and at peace with my life and everything that's happened. My Amo'tiri, my Te'lesu, you are everything to me and I wouldn't trade any of you for all the money in the universe."

They raised their glasses once more and took another swig. Alan sat back down.

"Your turn, shy girl," he said, poking her in the back.

"What if I don't wanna say anything?"

"Tough, we all said sappy things in front of the DJ and Robin, now it's your turn."

"Oh, if I must," she said, feigning annoyance.

She smiled and stood up.

"I want to echo Alan's sentiments and tell you how chuffed I am that you think of me as a sister and a friend because I think of you in the same way. I'm an only child and from the time I was small I wanted another sister to hang with and talk to and now I not only have one sister, but I've been blessed with two and really three if you count Amber, but she's not here at the moment. And I have a request for you two. I want all of us to ignore the whole impersonal "in-law" rubbish and just be sisters, full stop. I'm so glad you both are going on to London with us and then eventually coming with us on the big, big journey. I'm so glad you are learning our culture just as we're learning yours. You have enriched my life even more because I've learned so much about Native American cultures and I'm proud to be a part of the Navajo tribe now just as I'm sure Alan is. I don't ever wanna lose you and I'll be devastated if you die before me because I don't think I'll recover from the broken heart I'll have and the empty hole in my life. And I'm also the same as Alan in that I think of you now as his sisters and my family and…um…that's all I wanted to say cause I'm rubbish at this."

They laughed and did the toast again as she sat down.

Alan looked at the cake.

"You wanna eat this or do you wanna dance first?" he asked Rose.

"Um, let's go ahead and cut the cake and get that out of the way and then we can dance," she said.

Alan nodded. They got up and walked over to the cake. Rose instructed him on traditional things to do when cutting the cake and Alan nodded. He picked up the knife and let her grab the handle with him and both of them cut into the cake together as Rain and Awinita clapped. They cut two slices and put them on paper plates sitting nearby.

"So now I feed you a bit?" Alan said.

"Yes, but you feed it to me properly, don't you dare ram it in my face, Alan Timelord, or I'll shove the knife up your nose."

"Ignore her, bro, everyone does the cake in the face," Awinita said, "it's tradition."

"I'm warnin' ya, don't. This isn't my dress and I don't want them trying to launder cake out of it."

"Sorry, Te'lesu, I better listen to her this time. I can always smush the cake in London."

"No, you're not smushing the cake there either," Rose said. "You will behave or I'm not doing this."

He nuzzled her nose and kissed it. He tore off a piece of the cake and fed it to her while his sisters clapped.

"Thank you," she said.

She did the same thing and fed him the cake. She started to pull her hand away when Alan seized it and licked the frosting from her fingers.

"Sorry, Starlight, his oral fixation just took hold of me for a moment," he said, winking.

Rose smiled and kissed his lips. She cut out two pieces for Rain and Awinita and handed it to them. She then grabbed the cups of champagne and gave Alan his. She told him what to do and then they linked their arms and drank from their cups.

"There's a lot of interesting wedding traditions among humans," Alan said in a low voice. "I'm glad you know all this because I haven't the foggiest."

"Well, I've seen my mum's friends get married and of course, you pick things up from the telly," she said.

They carried their cakes back to their seats and all of them ate. When they were finished, Alan let the DJ know they wanted to dance and he led his wife over to an open area by the tables. The DJ played You'll Be in My Heart and Rain and Awinita sat and watched while they slow danced. While they danced, Alan sang in her ear.

"For one so small,  
you seem so strong.  
My arms will hold you,  
keep you safe and warm.  
This bond between us  
Can't be broken.  
I will be here.  
Don't you cry."

Rose laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes listening to his voice while he sang.

"Why can't they understand  
the way we feel?  
They just don't trust  
what they can't explain.  
I know we're different but,  
deep inside us.  
We're not that different at all."

Rose held him tightly as they danced around the room. She raised her head up and sang in his ear with him.

"'Cause you'll be in my heart.  
Yes, you'll be in my heart.  
From this day on,  
Now and forever more.

Oh, you'll be in my heart.  
No matter what they say.  
You'll be in my heart, always.  
Always."

They finished the song and kissed each other while Rain and Awinita clapped and cheered. After that, the DJ put on another song and Rain and Awinita ate and watched while they danced.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Phew, I'm glad I got out of that dress, it was itchy," Rose said as she emerged from the dressing room wearing her street clothes.

Alan pouted.

"You looked beautiful though," he said.

She kissed his cheek.

"Well, you'll get to see me dress up like that again when we get to London," she said.

She and Alan grabbed the sacks filled with the leftover reception food while Rain grabbed two big bags filled with the wedding gifts. Andrew walked up to them and handed them a VHS tape and photo CD.

"I'm glad you had a good time. It was a beautiful wedding," he said to them. "I wish you both a long, happy life together."

They thanked him and Awinita took the VHS and CD from him. They said their goodbyes to everyone and with one last wave walked out the door to their car.


	133. Chapter 133

Chapter One Hundred Thirty Three

Rose sighed and closed her eyes as they headed back to Flagstaff.

"You tired?"

She opened her eyes and looked at Alan who was driving.

"Very. All the excitement and the nervous stomach and getting up so early this morning, I'm knackered."

"Do you wanna take a nap when we get back?"

"Nap sounds good especially since we'll be wide awake tonight."

Alan looked in the rearview mirror at his giggling sisters.

"Alright you two with your smutty minds," he said as they laughed.

"Are you gonna at least let us see the gifts when you open them?" Awinita said.

"Yes, we'll open them after Rose has had a nap."

"I really hope they didn't give us appliances or things, that'll look suspicious to mum," Rose said.

"I've been thinking about that and if they did give us appliances, write Jackie a letter when we send it and explain that we wanted to go ahead and get a few things for our flat so we'd have them when we got back home."

"That's a good idea, I'll do that."

She poked him in the arm.

"You noticed the wedding went off without a hitch, yeah? No Dalek appearing and demanding that you marry it."

"Yes, thank God. For once, something happened without a looming threat appearing and menacing us. Hopefully it stays that way."

"What about the rings though? How are you gonna explain them or are you gonna take them off before you get back," Awinita asked.

"I'm not taking mine off. It's just a silver man's ring. There's nothing special about it that would clue everyone in that it's a wedding ring. I'll transfer it to my right hand before we see Jackie again but no, I'm not hiding this. Besides it's not the only ring I'm wearing."

"That reminds me," Awinita said. "Are you gonna try to see if you can get that fixed so Rain's birthstone is on it too?"

He glanced down at his ring and looked at Rose.

"Can they do that?" he said.

She took his hand and stared at it.

"We could ask but I'm not sure if they can or not," she said.

"When is your birthday, Te'lesu?" he asked Rain.

"February 14th."

Alan's eyes widened.

"Valentine's Day?" he said.

"Yup."

"Well that'll be easy to remember then," he said. "That's nice that you were born on the day of love. Must have been a wonderful gift for your mum."

He noticed Rain shifting uncomfortably.

"Did I say something wrong?" Alan said, concerned.

"No, you didn't know, Alan. It's just that…my mom died giving birth to me."

Everyone froze.

"Oh God, Rain," Rose said, taking her hand.

"I'm sorry, Rain, I didn't mean to upset you," Alan said, sadly.

"No, it's alright, you didn't know," she said, reaching over and rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sure my mom was thrilled that she was giving birth to me on Valentine's Day and I know she's in Heaven watching over me so that gives me some comfort. Amber's three years older than I am so she vaguely remembers her and of course, I have pictures of her."

"You don't blame yourself for her death, do you?" Alan asked.

"No, I don't. Everything happens for a reason and my mom's death was meant to be. I've accepted it."

"But still, Valentine's Day must be hard for ya," Rose said.

She nodded.

"Yeah, but dad usually gives me a wonderful day with a lot of presents and I have so many good memories of birthdays growing up that it just cancels out the heartache of knowing what happened that day."

"Well, we'll keep on doing that then," Alan said. "We'll give you both wonderful birthdays."

She smiled.

"Thanks bro," she said rubbing his head again.

"You're welcome and thanks for the head rub. That feels good actually. I'll have to tell my wife to do that now."

He grinned at her.

"I get to call you my wife now!" he said.

"I know, isn't it great and I get to call you my husband."

"I just realized something. Rain's birthday is in February, Awinita's is March and yours is April. Damn it, why couldn't I have been born in May then? We have to skip an entire month to get to me. I'm such an oddball…and don't any of you comment on that!" he said as everyone laughed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh God, I'm so glad we're here," Rose said as they sat their sacks down in their room.

"You wanna rest now?"

"Yes. Are you gonna rest with me?"

"Nah, I'm not tired. I was thinking I could go out with my sisters for a bit."

"That's fine. I'll be alright here."

They embraced and briefly snogged each other before laying their foreheads against one another.

"Do you need some money, love?" she said.

"Nah, I've got money. How long do you wanna sleep?"

She thought.

"Two hours."

"Okey-dokey, we'll be back in two hours then to wake you up."

"You don't have to; I can wake up on my own. Just go and have fun with your sisters."

She stood up and Alan pulled the covers back. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and she snuggled under the covers and turned on her side as he pulled them up to her shoulder.

"Have fun, love."

"I will, have fun snoozing the day away."

She grinned.

"Oh believe me, what'll happen tonight will more than make up for that," she said.

He gave her one more kiss and then left the room as Rose let out a contented sigh and closed her eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Doctor lay on a cold, metal lab table in the Valeyard's laboratory. His body was rigid and his face was turned towards the ceiling. The mind control device the Valeyard had put on his forehead was preventing any movement and for the most part his mind was under his control, but there was a small flicker of free will left that was struggling to reassert itself. He could hear the Valeyard opening and closing drawers off to his left and he knew he was getting ready for the surgical implantation of the mind control device. The thought of him becoming like his nemesis terrified and sickened him to the core of his being. Even though he was heartbroken at Rose getting married and hated that it was Alan that had married her instead of him he still didn't want anything bad to happen to them or Alan's sisters. The other thing that terrified him was the fact that Alan might be turned into another Valeyard and be unleashed on the universes along with him. Somehow, someway, he had to warn Rose to get away with her family before it was too late.

_But where could they run?_ he thought. _My poor Rose is trapped for ten years on Earth because of me and the Valeyard could track her anywhere she went because of that damned artron energy in her body. But I've got to warn her at least so she and Alan will be ready when he comes for them. I've got to fight against this mind control and reach out to her. But how? _

He knew that in the past the TARDIS had linked their minds together with the same low level telepathy that had allowed her to translate alien languages in their heads. When he was trying to contact her the first time she had been trapped, his TARDIS had amplified his thoughts, allowing him to reach out through the gap and call to her. Once Rose left the TARDIS the telepathic link ceased just as it had for all the other companions who had left him to resume their lives. But perhaps, this TARDIS…

He sensed this TARDIS in his mind. Sensed the pain she felt at her enslavement and his capture and rage coursed through his rigid body imagining what the bastard had done to her. The fact that she was feeling pain gave him hope that she might be sympathetic enough to relay a message to Rose. Gathering up every last ounce of mental strength within him, he reached out and connected with his altered ship.

_Girl,_ he thought to her. _My poor, poor girl. I'm so sorry for what this warped bastard has done to you. I wish there was some way I could undo what he's done, my beloved ship, but I'm a slave now like you are and soon my mind will be completely subjugated. There is nothing I can do to save myself at present but I can't let him harm Rose and her family. They're in mortal danger; girl and I need your help. Please, please, seek out my beloved's mind and link us together so I can send a message to her. Please, my TARDIS, I know you will be defying your master and you're risking his wrath, but I also know you love Rose just as deeply as I do and even though it's been centuries since you last saw her, I know you don't want anything bad to happen to her. Help me, please I'm begging you._

There was a moment of silence and then the Doctor felt the TARDIS weakly nudging his mind.

_I will help you, my beloved Doctor, _she whispered in his mind._ But I can't do this for long. The Valeyard…_

_I know, my TARDIS, I know how hard it is for you to fight against what he's done. I only need a minute or two, just enough time to warn my Rose. _

_I will shield your mind from the Valeyard, my beloved, so he can't hear what you're doing. Just hurry because I can't resist for long._

_Then hurry. Do it now._

There was another moment of silence then suddenly he could sense Rose's thoughts in his own mind. He nearly lost it for a split second, his mind hungry for the familiar sensation of sensing Rose's mind in his own. But he knew he was on borrowed time and once again he summoned his strength and reached out to her. He didn't bother calling for her to see if she would respond, there wasn't time for that. Instead he just launched straight into the warning.

_Rose, my angel, listen to me. This is the Doctor. I've been captured and brought to Pete's World. I'm being held prisoner by a madman called the Valeyard and I'm about to be turned to evil by him. I cannot help myself or you, my love. I can't protect you or your family from him or me but I can warn you. If you see me, don't come to me, get away from me. I will hurt and kill you and the ones you love. My hearts, I know that you are married now, I saw it. I don't want anything to happen to you and your husband. I'm sorry, my Rose, I'm sorry I didn't have the strength to resist this fate but I can warn you before it happens. Hear me now and take heed of my words. I love you, now and forever, no matter what happens. Remember that, Rose. Remember those three words if you must face me, evil and corrupted, and you might have to end my life to save yourselves and the universe. You are and always will be my angel no matter what my mind is telling me. _

_I can't hold out any longer, my beloved. I'm sorry, _the TARDIS thought to him.

_No, it's alright, my TARDIS. You resisted long enough for me to get a message through. I just hope Rose got it. Thank you, my precious ship. Once again you have assisted me. Now cut off contact with me before the Valeyard finds out and punishes you._

_I love you, my one and only true Doctor. _

_And I love you, my faithful TARDIS._

He felt the TARDIS retreat from his mind along with the sensation of Rose's consciousness. Sadness overwhelmed him and he said a silent prayer to the universe that Rose and Alan wouldn't share his fate as the Valeyard wheeled over a cart loaded with surgical instruments.


	134. Chapter 134

Chapter One Hundred Thirty Four

Alan smiled as he and his sisters entered the Weatherford Hotel. They had just got done exploring a little of the city and doing a bit of window shopping. Without the noise and clatter of the New Year's celebration, the city was quite peaceful and picturesque. He knew that Rose would have to come with them and see it for herself.

They climbed the stairs to their rooms. They went to Alan and Rose's room first so Alan could wake her and then open the gifts for his sisters' benefit. He opened the door and walked in. He looked over at the bed and noticed it was vacant. He looked around the empty room.

"Rose?" he said.

He glanced at the bathroom but the door was open and no one was in it.

"She's on the balcony, Alan," Rain said, looking through the doors.

"Oh!"

Alan walked over and opened the doors.

"There you are, Starlight," he said, stepping onto the balcony.

Rose had her back to him but he could see her shoulders shaking and hear soft sobbing.

"Rose? What's wrong?" he said putting his hands on her shoulders.

Rose turned around and Alan could see the tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Love, what is it?" Alan said, cupping her face.

"He caught him."

Alan frowned.

"Who caught who?"

"The Valeyard…he's captured the Doctor."

Alan sighed.

_No, not today of all days,_ he thought.

"Beloved, it's just a dream. Nothing more," he said, gently.

"I heard him in my head. He spoke to me, trying to warn me."

"Rose, it's a dream. It's another one of those damned Valeyard nightmares," Alan said.

Rain looked at Awinita as they stood in the doorway.

"Valeyard?"

"I'll explain later," Awinita said.

Alan stroked Rose's cheek.

"Rose, it's just a dream, only a dream," he said softly.

"But what if it isn't? What if it's true? He…he said he's in this universe and the Valeyard was about to do something to him to turn him evil. Oh God, what if it's true?"

Alan held his wife tightly.

"Then when the time comes to face him, we'll fight," he said. "Until then, there's nothing we can do."

He lowered his head to the top of her head as she sobbed. Awinita tapped Rain on the shoulder and jerked her head towards the front door. She nodded and they quietly left the room. Alan kissed her head, took hold of her chin and raised her head to his.

"I want you to know something, Rose. Something I hope will comfort you. I can't sense anything, my love. When the Doctor was with us, I could sense his mind the same way he can sense my own. If he were truly here, or the Valeyard for that matter, I could detect them, but I feel nothing. My darling, I think it's just another dream, just a horrible nightmare, nothing more."

She nodded and he relaxed a bit as he stroked her cheek.

"You…you sure you could sense them?" she asked.

"Yes, I still have the ability to sense another Time Lord's mind and I tried just now to make contact with the Doctor and there's no trace of him."

She relaxed at that and he kissed her forehead.

"Except for the nightmare, did you have a nice little kip?"

She nodded.

"Yeah," she said as Alan wiped her tears away. "Did you have a nice time with your sisters?"

"Oh yeah, you have to come and see the city, Rose. Without all the hullabaloo of New Year's, it's a very quiet and lovely little town. We'll have to go out and see it before we leave here."

She nodded. Alan glanced back at the doorway.

"Um, I think we scared Rain and Awinita."

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset everyone. It just…it seemed so real."

He nodded and kissed her forehead.

"Well, Awinita knows what we're talking about but Rain doesn't. I heard Awinita saying she'd explain though. Come on; let's go see if they're alright."

He put his arm around her and they walked towards the front door of their room.

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They found them sitting on their beds in their room. Awinita was explaining who the Valeyard was to her sister, but as soon as they saw them she shut up.

"Are you alright, Rose?" Rain asked worriedly.

She smiled.

"Yeah, I'm fine, it was just a dream and I panicked because it seemed so real," she said as they walked over to them.

They sat down beside them and with the help of Awinita explained to Rain who the Valeyard was. Rain listened, horrified, finding it hard to believe that Alan's twin had an evil double that did nothing but hurt and maim and kill innocent people. She was glad it had only been a dream. From what they were saying, she wasn't in any big hurry to meet this guy.

"This is one of the reasons we've been training," Alan said when they finished their explanations. "It's just a precaution. Just in case God forbid this does come to pass. That's why I'd like you to join us as well. We all need to be able to fight, not just the Valeyard but also we'll need to protect ourselves when we travel in time and space."

"I'd love to train with you. What are you learning? Karate, kung fu?"

"No, it's Venusian Aikido. It's what the Doctor knows and if we do ever have to go up against him, we need to be evenly matched. We're taking a break for today obviously but after the skinwalker incident I told Awinita and Rose that we would be doing a workout session every day no matter where we were or what we are doing. So, I want us to go up to that park we saw tomorrow morning and do a couple hours training. Sound good?"

They nodded. He glanced at his wife and noticed she was back to normal now. He squeezed her shoulder and she smiled at him.

"So, what do you guys wanna do this evening before Rose and I do the merry marriage mattress mambo mating ritual," he said with a wink. "Any ideas?"

"Um…we could go see a movie?" Rain said, hesitantly.

They looked at each other.

"That sounds fun," Rose said. "After the nightmare, going to the cinema sounds really, really good."

"I wouldn't mind going. I feel like some movie popcorn," Awinita said.

"Brill, we'll do that and get something to eat and that'll be our evening for tonight. Then tomorrow after our training session we can head out to the slopes and watch my wife fall on her ass and ram into trees and tumble over snow banks and…"

Rain and Awinita laughed when he covered his head while Rose slapped at it. When she let up he leaned back up.

"What do you wanna see though? Any thoughts about that?"

"What's on right now?" Rose asked. "I mean, we haven't gone to the cinema much and I really have no clue what movies are playing."

"I guess the solution is to find a newsagents or something similar and get a paper," Alan said. "And if we don't recognize anything, I guess we'll pick something that sounds good. So, you guys wanna do that?"

They nodded and all of them stood up. They locked both their doors and went back down the stairs to the front door.

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After purchasing a newspaper, they found the entertainment section and decided to see the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still with Keanu Reeves. They walked several blocks to the movie theater. On the way there, Alan kept glancing at his wife and noticed with much relief that she had completely shaken off the nightmare and was laughing and joking with his sisters as if nothing had happened. He hated that after all this time she kept on having the nightmares about the Doctor being turned by the Valeyard but he took comfort in the fact they were getting less and less frequent and this was the first episode in several months. He hoped as time went on and nothing happened that the nightmares would fade and disappear completely. He felt sure that they would especially since she had three people around her who loved and supported her. He was tired of his lover's sleep being disturbed and he was glad that for the moment he was putting her into hibernation so she could get a full night's rest without the threat of the dreams waking her up and sapping her energy.

They turned a corner and saw the movie theater up ahead. Alan put his arm around his wife's shoulders as all of them went inside it.


	135. Chapter 135

Chapter One Hundred Thirty Five

After the movie the four of them returned to the hotel happy and content. Alan led them up the stairs to their room and let them all inside since he had promised his sisters they could watch them unwrap the gifts.

"We should have done this back at the reception," Alan said as he grabbed the bags

"No, you're not supposed to open the presents at the reception. It's considered rude," Rose said.

"Oh. Like I said, thank God you know all this stuff," Alan said.

He reached into the bag and all of them sat in a circle by the bed while he and Rose opened them. The first gift was a toaster. Rose looked at her husband.

"Good job you thought of the note," she said. "I guess we'll need it now."

They sat it aside and opened up the next one. There were two bathrobes in it, a burgundy one and a pink one.

"Oh, how lovely," Alan said.

He handed her the burgundy one.

"Here ya go, I'll take the pink, it goes with my eyes."

Rose snatched it from his hand as everyone laughed and dumped the burgundy one in his lap.

"But…"Alan said feigning disappointment, "this doesn't go with my eyes."

"I'll take that then," Awinita said grabbing his bathrobe.

They laughed when he snatched it up and held it against his chest.

"Get married and get one of your own!" he said.

They set them aside and opened up everything else. There was a silver cutlery set, a set of navy blue bed sheets, a crystal salt and pepper shaker and a clock radio. Rose shrugged.

"Nothing here that would arouse suspicions," she said when they were done. "I'll just tell her that I needed to get some things since you'll be living with me now."

"Actually, we could use the clock radio tonight," Alan said. "I figured we'd wanna get out to the slopes early?"

"Are you guys gonna have the stamina for it after tonight?" Awinita asked with a wink.

"Oh yeah, won't be the first time we've shagged on this journey as you well know. We'll be able to ski tomorrow, trust me."

"Well, on that note, sis and I better leave ya to it," Awinita said. "Just don't get too loud. I don't think the management will apprec…oh, wait, they'll be secretly filming you anyway. Never mind, make as much noise as you want!"

Alan swatted her leg as they laughed. Both of them gave them great big hugs.

"Enjoy your night alone, kids," he said to them.

"You too," Awinita said.

They turned and walked out the door. Alan grinned at Rose when Rain shut it behind her.

"My love?" he said. "Shall we shower first?"

"Nah, I'm not in the mood. Let's just skip right to the hard stuff."

She giggled when Alan got a delighted look on his face.

"I love the way you think, my dear," he said. "Okay, let's get to it then."

They stood up, put the gifts back in the bag except for the clock radio which they quickly plugged in and put on the nightstand. They set it to the correct time and when that was finished, they began to slowly undress each other. Alan smiled to himself as he gazed at Rose's naked body. Even though they had done this over thirty times since Norway, tonight was extra special because this was the first night they would make love as husband and wife. Alan ran his hands over his wife's smooth skin as she ran her hands over his buttocks. They laid their foreheads against one another for a moment listening to one another's breathing before they opened their mouths and began to passionately snog one another. The room was larger than they were used to and even though the radiator was running there was still a slight chill in the air that made Rose shiver. Alan felt her shiver and broke off the snog.

"Cold?" he said.

"A little."

He glanced down at her breasts and noticed the cold was doing more than just making her shiver.

"Have no fear, Starlight, I'll warm you up soon enough," he said, reaching down and jerking the covers down.

She lay down in the bed and Alan carefully positioned himself over her. He frowned when he suddenly heard a weird clanking noise.

"That's the radiator. The website said it did that from time to time," Rose said.

"Oh! I was wondering what the hell that was. I guess it does it frequently if they have to warn people on their website. Ah well, as long as it's that and not a Dalek blasting its way into the room."

"Or Davros come to watch us."

"Oi! Do you mind? I'm trying to get hard here!" he said as she laughed. "He's the last…THING…I wanna think of on my honeymoon night."

"Sorry, dearest, carry on with the hardening."

"With pleasure. And speaking of getting hard, let's work a bit on those nips, shall we?"

He began to suck on her nipples while Rose groaned and arched her neck. He ran his tongue around her areola loving the fact that he was driving Rose wild. As he continued his ministrations, he heard the radiator clink again and rolled his eyes.

"I really hope that's not gonna do that all night," she said to her. "We do need to get to sleep eventually."

Rose giggled as he lowered his lips to her right ear and began to suck on it.

"Well, it won't be a problem for me since I'll be in hibernation," she said.

"Well, then I'll make sure not to put you into hibernation so you can suffer with me," he said before going back to his ear sucking and biting.

Rose closed her eyes and ran her hands over his chest, playing with his chest hair as he moved down to her neck and began to suck and bite at her flesh. She turned her head towards the windows as he continued to suck on her neck making a mental note of the room, wanting to remember this night forever. She giggled when the radiator clanked again.

"SHUT UP!" Alan said to it as she roared with laughter. "Argh! I'm gonna rip that sodding thing out of the wall and throw it off the balcony if it doesn't quit that annoying noise!"

Rose reached up and rubbed his sides.

"I'm not enchanting enough that you can just ignore that noise?" she said sweetly.

"You're enchanting, my love, but it's hard to concentrate when the bloody radiator is going AUUUUUUUUGWOOOWAAAA CLANK, CLANK, CLANK, CLANK!"

She giggled as he kissed her cheek and forehead.

"Well, it's too bad we got married in January. We could have gone out on the balcony and shagged there."

He leaned his head up.

"I'm all for doing it now. I'd rather freeze to death shagging you than listen to the metal pipes symphony over there. But perhaps, if we skip to the entrée, I'll get so into it that I won't care what the bloody radiator is doing."

Rose opened her legs and he positioned himself and slowly went inside her. He began to move rhythmically while Rose's eyes rolled back in her head and she arched her neck. Alan lowered his lips to her neck again biting and sucking the area around the jugular vein. Rose ran her hands all over Alan's body as he continued his rhythm. They finally got into it enough that when the radiator clanked again neither one of them noticed it. The whole world seemed to fall away, leaving only them. Rose felt like she was in another world. Her moans and groans were growing louder and louder. Neither one of them knew if anyone heard them nor did they care. Both of them were lost in the moment reveling in their first sex act as husband and wife and nothing or no one would distract them from it now, not even the noisy radiator from Hell. When they came, it was the closest Alan felt he would ever get to Heaven while he was alive. His only regret was she didn't have a Time Lord consciousness because he would loved to have sent warm, loving thoughts and feelings into her mind at the same time they came and have her do the same in return. But still, what they just did was probably the best sex they had ever had just because they had finally consummated their marriage. Once they were finished, they lay together for awhile as their hot, sweaty bodies cooled down. Rose shivered when the cool air hit her sweat and Alan reached down and pulled the covers up over their bodies.

"There!" he said to the radiator. "We're finished, so you can clatter all ya like now!"

She giggled.

"Next time I'll ring ahead and make sure we get a room that doesn't have a noisy radiator," she said.

"Well, it wasn't so bad once we got goin' but trying to build up steam with that auuuuuuuuughwoooowaaaaaa in my ear. It was killin' the romance."

He kissed her lips.

"However there are worse things like your mum pounding on the wall telling us to be quiet."

"Well I could ring her and let her know what we're doin'."

"You do and I'll break the mobile into teeny weeny itsy bitsy eenie meenie pieces and drive back over the US so I can scatter the bits to the four corners of the landmass."

Rose stroked the back of his head.

"Hard to believe we're almost out of the US," she said. "When we landed in New York, it seemed like it would take forever to get across it and six months later here we are."

He nodded.

"Not to mention everything we've done since we started. All the things we've seen and done and now we're married with a nice little family."

She smiled and kissed him.

"And you've grown and changed so much since that first day," she said. "You're not angry and bitter any more. You have people who love you completely, who don't pass judgment on you and make you feel like you're some kind of threat when you're not."

"You've changed as well. You've gone back to the Rose he knew before. The one he had fun with, not the morose woman who was walking around waiting for the next big tragedy to occur and worked herself to the point of exhaustion. This whole trip has been just as beneficial for you as it has for me."

"Which is why I don't want to go back home. I wouldn't mind setting up home here in the southwest and find work here. It's just so beautiful here. I've lived in London my whole life and I've about had my fill of it. I'm ready for a change of scenery."

"Well, why don't we?" Alan said, shrugging. "Who said you had to keep working at Torchwood your whole life? You're a hard worker and I'm sure they'd give you a reference if you went to work somewhere else. The world is our oyster, Starlight, and we could live anywhere we wanted. And I'm sure Rain and Awinita would come with us. Why live somewhere where you're not gonna be happy just because you think you're obligated to work for Torchwood. I'll go anywhere you go, you know that. America, South America, Australia, Canada, Europe, Asia it's all the same to me. Wherever you and my family are, that's my home. If you want to come back here after going around the world, that's fine with me. Might not sit well with Jackie, but oh well, we're both adults and we have the right to go wherever we want whenever we want. Personally, I'd rather live in Arizona with John and Amber than in London with Jackie. And once we got back, Rain could resume her studies and get her degree by the time we were ready to use the TARDIS. It's your decision, but I'm just letting you know that if you want to live here, I'll back you 100 percent."

"Thanks, Alan," she said.

She glanced at the clock.

"You want one more go before we call it a night?"

"No, I don't wanna. How dare you suggest that to a prudish bloke like me?"

He snickered when she swatted his arm. With a grin, Alan waited until she was on her back again before he repositioned himself.

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Alan's eyes jerked awake when he heard knocking on their door. He looked over at his clock and noticed it was 8:15 in the morning.

"Alan?" Rain said through the door.

"Just a moment," he yelled as Rose let out a yawn and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

He got up and quickly threw his clothes on before opening the door.

"Um, did I disturb you?" she said, hesitantly.

"Nah, Te'lesu, you're fine. We needed to wake up anyway."

He gave her a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Yeah, once we got used to the radiator."

"Aha!" Alan said to Rose. "So, we're not the only one!"

Rain giggled.

"Why? Did yours act up too?"

"You better believe it! Loud, rude thing. I was about to toss it out the door."

"Well, Awinita and I were checking downstairs and they serve breakfast in their restaurant and we didn't know what time you wanted to head out to the ski resort but she asked me to come up here and ask."

"Do they have anything besides doughnuts and coffee?"

"Oh yeah, they got eggs, bacon, Navajo tacos, stuff like that."

"Ah, well in that case I'm very interested in breakfast," he said, as Rose came up behind him fully dressed.

She gave her sister a good morning hug.

"Did you guys have fun last night?" Rain asked her.

"Oh yeah. We had lots of fun."

"We were wondering if you really did do it because we couldn't hear anything."

Alan and Rose looked at each other.

"Really?" Alan said. "I thought we were pretty loud."

Rain shrugged.

"The walls must be very thick," she said.

Alan knocked on the wall beside him.

"That could be. This is an old hotel. I'm sure they made them sturdier back then. Not to mention we're probably not the only honeymooning couple that's ever came here. Good, I'm glad we didn't disturb you and now you can move back in here with us."

"We have our backpacks loaded up. Do you want me to move them back in here before we go to breakfast?"

He nodded.

"Yeah, just so we can go ahead and check out of that room and not worry about it anymore," he said.

She nodded.

"Be right back then."

She went to her room and opened the door. She emerged a moment later with both rucksacks in her hands. Alan and Rose stepped aside and let her through. She laid them on the bed and then Alan put his arm around her shoulder as all of them stepped out and went down to breakfast.


	136. Chapter 136

Chapter One Hundred Thirty Six

"Um, do you have anything for one day?"

All of them were in the rental shop at the Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort. Alan and his sisters were sitting in chairs by the door while Rose was up at the front counter trying to arrange lessons for all of them.

"See, the thing is we're travelin' right now and we just wanted to ski for one day because we have a lot of other things we want to see. Isn't there a one day thing?" she asked.

The lady, a middle-aged woman with long brown hair and blue eyes, nodded at her.

"We do offer a free lesson as part of a ski package," she said. "It includes a lower mountain lift ticket, rental equipment, and the free 2-hour lesson."

"That's what we want then," Rose said.

"It's 125 dollars for the four of you and the next lesson starts at 11 a.m."

Rose handed her the credit card.

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"Ugh!" Awinita said as they laughed hysterically. "These things are hard to walk in."

They had just gotten their equipment and had someone help them put their skis on.

"My God, these are worse than swim fins," she said.

"I guess we'll just have to get used to them." Alan said, grasping his poles in his gloved hand.

He looked at Rose who was wearing her coat and pink hat, scarf and gloves.

"Look at you, my little snow bunny," Alan said. "All feminine and cute and the pink will make you easy to spot when you go headfirst into a snowdrift."

"You do realize I could injure you with these poles, yeah?" she said.

"And I can't? Besides after our aikido lesson this morning, I know my sisters are all ready to jump to my defense, aren't ya?"

They stared at him.

"You're talking to us, right?" Awinita said.

"No, I'm talking to Frosty the Snowman. He's on holiday from Christmas and he's right behind ya," he said, rolling his eyes. "Yes, I'm talking to you. You two are my bodyguards, remember?"

Rain and Awinita looked at each other.

"I don't recall signing up to be Jackie Chan for him, do you?"

"Nope."

"Sorry, bro, don't remember it so I guess we don't have to do it. You're on your own," she said, shrugging.

She dodged when Alan tried to snatch her purple hat off her head.

They looked over when a man wearing a heavy red winter coat, thick hat with snow goggles positioned on his forehead and thick gloves walked up.

"Hi, I'm Jake, I'm the ski instructor," he said.

He stared at their clothing.

"You really should have dressed warmer," he said. "Especially the cotton clothes. You're gonna be cold after awhile."

"Well, we're travelin' and we decided to do this on the spur of the moment and we don't have much clothing with us," Rose explained.

"Okay, but just a friendly word of warning. Cotton clothes will get damp and you'll get cold very quickly. But other than that, I'm glad you're here and if you'll follow me we'll start your lesson."

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The five of them stood at the top of the hill looking down the gentle slope. To their left they saw a large mountain with several runs going down it. They watched while a few brave souls skied down it.

"That up there is for experts," Jake said, when he noticed them looking. "I wouldn't recommend it at this point unless you have a severe death wish."

"Stay off Murder Mountain, Gotcha," Alan said as his family giggled.

"Okay, when you go down the run, bend your knees and put your weight on your bottom ski," he said. "To go fast, keep your skis parallel and if you want to stop you make a pie shape with your skis, like so," he said, bringing the back of his skis near one another so it formed an angle. Use your poles to help you stop and to help with balance and acceleration. The strap at the top needs to go around your wrist so you can hang on to the poles in case you fall."

"Take note of that, Rose," Alan whispered in his ear.

They giggled when he dodged a swipe at his head.

"Now if you were skiing in the backcountry in the trees, you wouldn't put the strap around your wrist since it could get caught on something and break your wrists, but you don't have to worry about that here," he said, gesturing to the slope. "This is a gentle slope with no bumps and hills so you should have no problem staying upright. When you do ski, tuck the poles under your arms when you're not using them. Other than that, have fun and I'll go down with you the first couple of times to make sure you're doing everything properly.

All four of them walked to the edge of the slope and looked at each other.

"Ready, guys?" Alan said.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Awinita said.

They all pushed off and went down the hill. Everyone went very slow, trying to balance themselves except for Alan who went fast down the hill.

"WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" he said as he went down.

Jake laughed as he followed the other three who were trying not to fall over. Alan stopped halfway down the slope and looked back at them.

"COME ON, POKEYBUTTS! PUT THOSE POLES IN THE SNOW AND GO!"

"SHUT UP, ALAN!" Rose said as they laughed.

Alan shrugged, turned and pushed off again. The three of them looked at each other and went a little faster as Alan finished the run and stood at the bottom of the hill. As they slowly went down, he made a big show of checking his watch with wide eyes and then giving them a pointed look as he jabbed his finger at it repeatedly.

"I have a thought," Rose said to her sisters. "When we get to the bottom of the hill, let's skewer his skinny body with these poles, all in favor?"

"Aye!" Both of them said as Jake laughed.

"Don't worry, guys. Some people pick it up faster than others. You're doing great," he said.

A few minutes later, they finally stopped beside Alan.

"Happy birthday, Rain!" Alan said. "I realize it took you forever and a day to get down the slope but at least we can celebrate your birthday now!"

He quickly walked away while Rose tried to chase him.

"I'm so sorry we're not super speed skiers like you are, but some of us don't want a broken leg!"

Alan stared at the smooth slope.

"Where?" he said to her. "Where would you get a broken leg at? This isn't like Murder Mountain over there, Rose! Sheesh, I didn't realize I was marrying a drama queen when I married ya!"

They laughed when she tried to make a grab for him.

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After a couple more times down, Jake was satisfied that they were good enough to be left on their own. They thanked him for his services and went up the slope on the ski lift. Unfortunately, the ski lift only carried three people so Awinita volunteered to get on the one behind them. As they went up, Rose looked around at the scenery.

"This is beautiful," she said. "It's hard to believe this is in the middle of Arizona. More like Aspen or somethin'. And I'm glad I'm finally getting good enough that you've stopped taunting me and your sisters."

"Well, it's about time you got over your fear. There's nothing on the slope that's gonna trip ya up."

"Well, I'm sorry, Alan. But unfortunately, the Alps aren't in London so I just couldn't go out and hit the slopes every weekend," she said as Rain laughed.

He kissed her nose and all of them got off when they reached the top. They walked forward a little bit and waited while Awinita jumped off.

"You know, you're a little too good for a beginner," Awinita said. "Are you sure the Doctor's never skied before?"

"Nope, just the delightful slide down the hill on the sheet metal."

"Well he must have done that really well because you're a lot better at this than we are. Or are you doing the whole calculating the wind speed versus the amount of snow verses the terrain thing?"

"Nope, I'm just opening her up and lettin' loose," he said. "I keep tellin' ya, there's nothing on this slope that's gonna trip us…"

"Oh my God!"

They looked at Rain who was pointing up to the mountain. They turned and saw someone tumbling down one of the runs. He rolled a couple of times and then came to rest on his back.

"And that is why we're trying to be careful," Rose said to him.

"Rose, that's one of the dangerous runs. And thankfully he looks like he's okay, but you see how rough and tree lined it is and how gentle this is? Trust me, you might fall on your butt but you're not gonna break your leg in five places. Just watch."

He walked to the edge, pushed off and sped down the hill. He reached the bottom after thirty seconds and waved at them. Rose looked at her sisters.

"Ready, guys?"

They nodded and pushed off. All of them went down the hill while Alan watched. Rose used her poles to speed up a bit and was pleased when she found she was able to go faster while keeping upright. Then suddenly they heard a loud, "Oof!" and turned to see Rain on her back. Both Rose and Awinita stopped themselves.

"Rain, are you alright?" Awinita said.

She was lying sprawled out on the snow. She put her hand in the air.

"I'm okay," she said waving. "Um, I need help getting up though."

"I'll get her, Rose."

Awinita carefully walked back up the hill to her sister. She extended her hand and helped her sit up, then she grabbed under her shoulders as Rain struggled to get to her feet with the skis on. Awinita gasped when she almost lost her balance but she was able to hold on and got Rain upright again.

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Alan called up.

"YES!" she called back.

"Thanks, sis," she said.

"No problem. I'm glad this isn't Murder Mountain and we had to stand there and watch you tumble ass over teakettle like that one guy did."

"Me too."

Awinita helped her brush the snow off her jacket and clothes and when most of it was off, they nodded to Rose and all of them started down the hill again.

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After three more hours, all of them decided to call it quits and go to the restaurant for something to eat and to warm up. Once they got there, they made sure to sit close to the roaring fire since all of them were cold, especially Rain whose clothes were wet from the fall. They ate burgers and sipped hot chocolate while they talked.

"This has been really fun," Rose said. "I'm glad we did it."

"Well, I'm glad you guys finally got enough confidence to go down the hill quickly so I wasn't waiting ten minutes for the rest of you to show up. I'm glad the fire is here too. I'm frozen to the bone. I guess that's another thing I don't have any more, the Doctor's ability to withstand cold temperatures. So, so far, I've lost physical traits like the ability to withstand extreme temperatures and my respiratory bypass system, but I still have mental traits like my reading minds, sensing Time Lord minds and putting you into hibernation. So I guess the hybridization mainly affected my physical body as far as I can tell."

"It's strange seeing you with hat and gloves and scarf because the Doctor never wore things like that."

"That's why. His body is able to withstand freezing cold. He could go out in the middle of Antarctica and have his coat hanging wide open, have nothing else on besides that and not be affected. But as you can see, I'm not that lucky."

"Well, we haven't had to worry about cold weather since Iowa," Rose said, "and hopefully we won't have to worry about it again until Japan."

"Where are we going after we leave here?" Rain asked.

"We could go to the Grand Canyon before we leave Arizona," Rose said. "Question is, do you want to go to Las Vegas or just go on to California?"

"Personally, I'd rather just go on to California," Awinita said. "When you were looking up what to do there, nothing sounded good to me."

"Yeah, the shows didn't sound interesting and I don't wanna gamble. I'd rather just go on to LA," Rain said.

"Although…"

Everyone looked at Alan who had a mischievous look on his face.

"I could use my sonic screwdriver on the slot machines and win us a ton of money."

"No, Alan, I don't want to end up in jail in Vegas because you wanna show off," Rose said as they giggled.

"Just kidding, Starlight. I wouldn't do that anyway. I'm not much of a gambler either, not with money at any rate," he said, winking at Rose. "If you really wanna know, I'm still ready to move on and go to Japan so I'd rather just go to the Grand Canyon and then on to California and then leave the country."

Rain and Awinita nodded.

"Yeah," Rain said. "I mean, no offense but I really would like to go somewhere other than desert areas since I've grown up in a desert my whole life. I'd like to see Japan too."

"Okay, so do you guys wanna skip San Francisco then and just go to LA and take off from there?" Rose said.

They nodded.

"Okay, we'll do that then. We'll go to the Grand Canyon and do the mule ride down and then we'll go on to LA before we finally leave the country."


	137. Chapter 137

Chapter One Hundred Thirty Seven

The Valeyard smiled when he finally finished his work. He had managed to secure the mind control device to the Doctor's frontal lobe. He had sealed the incision with a special pulsating light laser that repaired the damaged tissue, leaving no scar behind. To the untrained eye, it looked like the Doctor's head hadn't been tampered with, but he knew better. For the moment, the Doctor was out due to a special anesthetic patch that would allow him to wake up the moment it was removed from his right temple. The Valeyard fully intended to wake him up but first he wanted to take a moment to admire his handiwork. He put his black velvet gloved hand on the top of his head.

"At last, the Doctor has become me," he said. "And once he has proven that he will not revert back to his old self then I will split myself in two and enter his body and the Halfling's body and become fully flesh at last."

He chuckled.

"As for the fate of your beloved Rose, I leave that up to you, my dark prince. I trust that now you will know what to do with her although I would love to see you kill the little whelp so there's no chance of her love infecting you and turning you back to the light. I can't let anything ruin my plans, not when I've come this far. No one and nothing will stop us now, not Rose, not the Halfling and certainly not the weak ape sisters he's adopted. But enough talking, I'm anxious to see if the mind control has truly taken hold of his mind. So now, my dark prince, awaken."

He tore the anesthetic patch off the Doctor's temple and watched while he slowly opened his eyes. The Valeyard waited until he was fully awake before he spoke to him.

"Do you know who you are?"

"Yes."

"Who are you?"

A twisted smile formed on his face.

"I am the Valeyard," he said.

"Excellent. Now sit up and get your bearings. I have something to show you, my acolyte."

The Doctor slowly sat up and dangled his feet over the edge of the lab table. He looked down at his brown suit with disgust.

"Why am I wearing this hideous thing?" he said.

"I haven't had time to fetch you your robes from the Wardrobe Room. Don't worry; you will be properly attired in time. For now, I wish you to come with me and see something."

The Doctor hopped off the table and followed him to the console room.

Once they were there, the Valeyard brought up the wall screen and focused back in on Rose Tyler who was standing at the bottom of the ski slope talking to her family. The moment he saw her with Alan, the Doctor became enraged.

"Where is she?" he demanded as he walked towards the screen. "Where is this happening? Take me to her, now!"

"Patience, my dark prince…"

The Doctor spun around.

"Prince?" he spat out. "I'm nobody's prince! I'm the ruler of the universe, all universes!"

"Yes, of course you are," the Valeyard said.

The Doctor turned and thrust his finger at the screen.

"Take me to her! Now!"

"You must be patient…"

He spun around.

"Why? Why do I need to be patient? Rose is mine! I want her and I want the Halfling to die! There they are! You have them on your screen! Take me to her! I want her punished for betraying me and I want the freak to die for daring to take what's mine! I order you to take me to them, NOW!"

"NO!"

The Valeyard's yell stopped the Doctor cold. He fought to keep his temper under control when he saw the Doctor's eyes narrow into slits. He wanted him to have enough free will to be able to make decisions on his own. He knew he was asserting himself and trying to be the alpha male in the room but still, he knew he would have to rein the Doctor in for the time being before he got out of control.

"You are not ready yet," the Valeyard said evenly.

The Doctor gave him an incredulous look.

"Why am I not ready?" he said sarcastically. "Do I need to pass a clone killing test or something before I'm allowed to kill the freak?"

"I want you to pass a test, yes."

The Doctor stared at him in stunned silence.

"I don't need any test!" he growled at him. "I don't want to do anything that delays me getting to Rose! She's in the arms of that abomination! I want her back, NOW! DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? She must be punished for doing this to me! And the freak must suffer and die for ruining my life! Are you telling me he is being allowed to draw breath longer than necessary because I have to pass some stupid test?"

"I want to see you in action, Valeyard."

"You want to see me in action? Then let me at the bastard that has Rose! I'll make that son of a bitch scream and beg for mercy!"

"No! I want them left alone for the moment."

He sighed when he saw how furious the Doctor was at hearing that. He suddenly wondered if he should put him back under and make some adjustments. Perhaps he had given him a bit too much free will. But thankfully, the Doctor had enough self-control to shut up and listen.

"I want them to enjoy a little bit of married bliss together."

He held up his hand when the Doctor started to protest.

"If you wish Rose to suffer what better way to do it than to watch her husband die? But they must bond as husband and wife first in order to enhance her agony."

"But she is married to that freak and…"

"And what if you waited until the second marriage?"

The Doctor was taken aback.

"Second marriage? What second marriage? How many bloody times is that freak gonna marry her?"

"What they just did is being kept a secret from Jackie and the rest of the family. Only Rose, the Halfling and his sisters know. When they get back to London, Rose's family will give them a proper wedding."

He neared closer to his creation.

"Wouldn't you like to interrupt their second wedding day? Kill the clone in front of all the wedding guests and claim her as your own then and there? Perhaps even marry her since there will be a vicar there? Then she will be yours, your dark queen forever more."

The twisted smile returned.

"Yes," he hissed. "What better way to kill the freak than to murder him on his wedding day right at the altar."

He paused a moment.

"But wait, how long will that be? When are they getting married again?" he said to the Valeyard.

"When they get back to London."

The Doctor gave him a condescending look.

"And when will that be?" he said as if speaking to a child.

The Valeyard seethed inwardly at his insolent tone of voice, but held his tongue.

"They are traveling the world now," he said, trying to remain calm. "They have almost gotten past the United States and they're heading for Japan."

"And? How long are they gonna be on this wonderful little holiday?"

"It could be months before they return---"

"MONTHS?" the Doctor yelled. "He's gonna have her for months and I must sit back and do nothing? NO! She is mine! I want her now! Do you understand that?"

"NO!" The Valeyard said, finally losing all patience. "YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME! I AM YOUR MASTER FOR THE MOMENT AND UNTIL I DEEM YOU READY TO BE ON YOUR OWN, YOU WILL OBEY MY COMMANDS! THEY ARE NOT TO BE HARMED UNTIL THE DAY OF THEIR WEDDING AND YOU WILL OBEY THAT OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!"

The two men locked eyes, both of them shaking with rage, both of them daring the other to make a move. The Valeyard looked into the Doctor's eyes and saw how black and full of hate they were and knew it was directed at him. He knew he had to channel the Doctor's anger elsewhere before it was turned against him. He suddenly had an idea for the perfect test.

"I want you to come with me, my acolyte," he said.

"Come with you where?" the Doctor growled.

"I want you to assist me. I want to see you in action and I want to teach you. You see, up until now you were just a pale shadow of yourself who did sickening things like helping other people and fighting monsters and evildoers. You had some darkness within you but you kept it hidden and pushed down into the very depths of your being. Now that it's been unleashed, you need to learn how to use it to your advantage. It's not enough to just kill someone, it's more fun to make them suffer and draw out their agony for as long as possible. If I can teach you how to torture people so they linger for days and even weeks you can use that on the Halfling instead of just killing him outright or even make Rose suffer so she'll learn never to betray you again. And…of course there are always their friends and family at the wedding. They too can be tortured and perhaps experimented on. There are so many possibilities, my acolyte. Leave the lovers alone for the moment so you can learn how to truly cause pain and torture and suffering and then when you are ready, Alan will scream for you and Rose will fall at your feet in blind obedience."

The twisted smile returned and the Valeyard smirked. The little lovesick fool, so easy to control. All he had to do was dangle Rose in front of him and the Doctor would do whatever he wanted. It was why he chose him out of all the other Doctors. He was the one who was the most sentimental and had the closest attachment to Rose and that would be his undoing. He paused a moment as he stared at his new creation. He wondered if perhaps he might briefly free his mind from the darkness and let him watch his beloved suffer and die before he took complete control of his body. The thought of the weak little fool sobbing and weeping and crying out for mercy for his true love filled him with glee. Yes, that's exactly what he would do. He would make the Doctor believe that he was the one in control when all along it would be him pulling the strings of his puppet. And of course, he would never let him kill the Halfling, not when the clone could be turned as the Doctor had been turned. But for the moment he would let the Doctor think that he would have his revenge upon him in order to keep the hate and anger and rage stirred up within his mind. But for now, their attention must be turned elsewhere. They must find a planet on which to test the Doctor so he can see once and for all if he could truly kill without mercy or compassion. An innocent world filled with defenseless beings that the newly created Valeyard could slaughter to his heart's content. He wanted to know for sure if the Doctor had no qualms about destroying the innocent and subjugating them to his will.

He let the Doctor continue to stare at Rose on the screen while he walked to the console. He thought for a moment and then a smile spread over his face when he suddenly had a good idea about where to go to see his new creation in action. His fingers danced over the metal console pressing buttons and flicking switches while the TARDIS entered the vortex.

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Silently the TARDIS watched all of this, anguished. Her beloved Doctor was turned into a twisted twin of her master and she had been powerless to prevent it. And now her precious Rose and her husband and family would suffer and die just as innocents on another planet were about to suffer and die. There was nothing she could do to prevent the Valeyard and Doctor from going after all of them but perhaps…

Secretly, the TARDIS summoned up the strength to fight against the Valeyard's programming as she began to search and seek out one who would be able to defend and protect Rose and her loved ones. Someone who would assist them when it came time to face the Valeyard and her altered beloved. Someone who could help compensate for Alan's human weaknesses and the human weaknesses of his family. After a few minutes, she finally found one on Earth who would be able to help them. Summoning her strength, she sent a telepathic message to this otherworldly being to find, intercept and defend the innocents from the storm that would soon be barreling towards them.


	138. Chapter 138

Chapter One Hundred Thirty Eight

"YODELEEEEEEEEEEEE-HEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Rose looked at her husband as he yelled into the Grand Canyon.

"You love doin' that, dontcha?" she said.

"Yes indeedy do," he said.

"What's next then, the lover's death plunge?"

Alan looked over the railing at the canyon floor miles below them.

"Actually no, I thought we'd wait till we get on the mules and tip those buggers over into the canyon with us," he said. "I figure when our sisters come to collect our shattered corpses they'll have some meat ready for the funeral dinner."

He looked at Rain and Awinita who were standing nearby.

"If you think we're gonna climb down into the canyon after you were stupid enough to throw yourself in it you better think again," Awinita said.

"We'll get the Havasupai tribe to get your dead bodies. They're the local Native tribe and they live right down inside the Grand Canyon so they're be able to get your bodies quicker than we can," Rain said.

"Well, gee, I guess we better not then if there are people living down there," Alan said.

"Yeah, I don't think they'll appreciate us dropping on them from above with a couple of mules," Rose said.

Alan stared wistfully at the Colorado River.

"I wish you had been able to afford the whole white water river rafting trip," he said.

Rose put a hand on her back.

"I know, love, me too. But the cheapest price I could find was 600 dollars and that was for one person. We'll just have to admire it when we go down with the mules."

Awinita put his arm around him.

"Don't feel bad, bro. There's still lots of fun things we'll get to do when we go around the world," she said.

He put his arm around her.

"Yeah, you're right. Maybe we'll even find a cheaper white water rafting thing somewhere else in the world."

Rose pulled out her camera and took a few pictures, then had Alan gather with his sisters by the railing and took a few shots of them. Then they switched out and took turns getting pictures of each other. After they were finished, Rose glanced at her watch and noticed it was almost time to go on the mule ride. They followed her to the car, got inside and she drove off to the meeting place.

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"Oh my God," Rose said as she looked down.

They had met up with their guide, Joseph, a fifty-three year old Havasupai man with graying black hair and piercing black eyes who was the one in charge of the mule rides. Before riding, he insisted all of them get weighed since the weight limit for the mules was 200 pounds. He also cautioned them that there was a danger the mules could get out of control or lose their footing on the narrow trails although he followed that up with a reassurance that something like that had never happened for as long as he had been conducting the tours.

"Also, I want to caution you that some people get severely sore after riding the mules all day so if I was you, I'd make this the only thing you did today because if you're like everyone else your butts will be hurting afterwards."

"Oh lovely," Alan muttered.

That was about twenty minutes ago, now all of them were slowly going down into the canyon and Rose was looking over the narrow path at the canyon floor below.

"I wouldn't do that, Starlight, if I were you," Alan cautioned as he rode behind her.

"I know, but I can't help it. It's so far down and the path is so narrow. It's a little hard not to look being this close to the edge."

"Well, you can concentrate on my fantabulous looks then."

"I don't think she wants to puke into the canyon, bro," Awinita said as she rode behind him.

She and Rain giggled when Alan turned the upper half of his body and flipped her off.

"Boy, they weren't kidding about your butt hurting," Rain said. "We've only started and already it's aching."

"The ass is hurting your ass?" Alan said to her.

"Yeah, something like that," she replied.

They continued making their way down to the canyon floor. Once Rose got over the initial fear of the mule falling off the cliff or the ground giving way beneath its hoofs, she actually enjoyed the view. The scenery was breathtaking. As she stared at the canyon walls across the way, she tried to imagine what it might have looked like millions of years ago when the Colorado River was just beginning to cut a path downwards into the rock. She made a mental note to see if they could take their TARDIS back and take a brief look at it just for comparison.

After another hour they reached the canyon floor and Joseph led them towards the Phantom Ranch where they would be spending the night. Once they were down off the steep canyon trail, Rose felt safe enough to take some photos. She pulled her camera out of her purse and took a few of the canyon walls and the Colorado River.

"There she goes again, our very own Ansel Adams taking photos of the US landscape," Alan said.

Rose smiled and turned to take a picture of him. Alan gave her the biggest toothy grin he could.

"Um, it looks like you're in extreme pain, dear, but if you call that a smile…"she said, photographing him.

"Rose, look over there!" Rain said, pointing off to her left.

Rose looked where she was pointing and saw a couple of bighorn sheep standing on the other side of the river calmly drinking from the water. Rose quickly got several pictures of them as they passed by.

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After another twenty minutes they reached the Phantom Ranch Campground. They dismounted and groaned. Sure enough all their asses hurt severely and they were glad they were spending the night down in the canyon. Alan smiled when he caught up to Rose and both of them walked painfully towards the main building with the others.

"Guess we won't be doin' that for awhile, eh?" he said.

"You guessed right," Rose said grimacing.

"But you have to admit, it was worth it just for the gorgeous view," he said as she nodded.

"Just don't ask me to sit down anywhere for the next four or five hours," Rose replied.

Alan chuckled softly and kissed her cheek as they went inside the canteen.

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The Doctor sighed angrily as he paced up and down the corridor of the Valeyard's TARDIS. Why he had agreed to do this idiotic exercise was beyond him. Why was he being taken to some insignificant alien planet to learn how to torture and kill when his clone was right there on Earth, completely powerless to fight back? Every second they dillydallied around meant he could fool around and get his hands all over Rose. Including the hand that rightfully belonged to him. He stopped pacing and stared down at his right hand. The one that had grown back after the bastard Sycorax leader lobbed it off. If he hadn't been so careless…oh well, what's done is done. He took comfort in the fact that he had gotten back at the Sycorax for doing that to him. He snorted when he remembered how he had offered him mercy. Offered him mercy and how did he repay his generous gift? He tried to stab him in the back. But the fool didn't count on him being willing to kill, did he? Nope, one warning was all he got and that was it. But now he considered that one warning a tremendous waste of time. If all they were going to do was throw his charity back in his face, why bother giving it to them? Just kill them and be done with it. That's the way he viewed life now, strike first and strike hard before they had a chance to fight back.

That's why he was so incensed that he was being asked to spare the damn clone's life for so long. What if he figured out they were there and found a way to defend himself? It was a remote possibility, but a possibility nonetheless. He couldn't leave anything to chance. Even though the Halfling was weaker than him, he still had enough strength and brainpower to put up a good fight and not only that, he had his ape sisters and Rose. His Rose. By now he had probably brainwashed her. Why else would she have married him? Just the thought of him being married to her filled him with uncontrollable rage and jealousy and he longed to punish them both for doing this to him. But of course, he would be more lenient on Rose than he would on him. Unlike him, she was deserving of a second chance. Of course he would have to rough her up quite a bit. He couldn't let her get away with what she had done. Even if he had brainwashed her, hadn't he trained her to resist that kind of rubbish? She had been unable or unwilling to resist and she had to be disciplined for it. But, he would hold off killing her, would pull back at the last minute before he went that far. He would still show her compassion, would offer her a second chance to show her that he still loved her and then he would take her under his wing as he had before and show her how wonderful the darkness could be.

"But I can't do any of that if he's taking me to some Godforsaken planet," he growled to himself.

He began to pace back and forth, seething inside. Why was this other Valeyard even here? Why could he possibly teach him that was worth knowing? He was the true Valeyard, the master of all. He knew how to subjugate worlds and bring them to their knees. He didn't need to be taught that like a little schoolboy. If anything he needed to be teaching grandpa a thing or two.

He paced back and forth, back and forth, impatient for something to happen. He was so busy being angry and frustrated that he didn't realize at first that someone was whispering in his mind. When he caught it, he stopped short and listened.

_Beloved._

He frowned. For a moment he wasn't sure who it was and then he realized it was the TARDIS whispering to him.

_My Doctor. Fight this. You must fight his control. He has warped you, my beloved. You must break free of his mind control._

"Bah!" the Doctor said, resuming his pacing. "I'm not gonna listen to my daft ship. She's supposed to be taking orders from me not the other way around."

_My Doctor, please listen._

"Leave me alone!" he yelled at the ceiling. "I don't give a damn anymore about you or what you have to say. Just do your bloody job and I'll do mine!"

He paused a moment listening but the TARDIS had fallen silent and he no longer felt her in his mind.

"That's better," he mumbled. "I have enough to deal with right now without my crazy ship bothering me on top of it.

But there was something deep inside his consciousness that told him maybe he should listen. A sharp pang of guilt that he was cutting off the one thing in all the universe that could help him. Deep within the inner recesses of his mind he was disgusted and horrified and terrified by what he had become and what he might do. But that small flicker of conscience was drowned out by the Valeyard's programming and quickly extinguished. Once that happened, he was back to his brooding, angry evil self.

"This is getting me nowhere," he snarled. "I think it's time to find the _master _and get some straight answers. I want to know why it's so damn important that I do this little training session instead of ripping my clone's heart from his body!"

Sighing angrily, he stomped off towards the console room to have another talk with the Valeyard.


	139. Chapter 139

Chapter One Hundred Thirty Nine

Rose lay in a cot in the darkened room of the Phantom Ranch Campground. The room they were in was large and had two bunk beds next to each other. Alan was sleeping on the bunk above her and his sisters were in the other bed. Alan had offered to send her into hibernation but she had declined for tonight because she wanted to think for awhile before she drifted off to sleep. The nightmare she had the other night still weighed heavy on her mind. She still wasn't convinced it was an ordinary nightmare even though Alan had assured her that he couldn't sense the presence of any Time Lord in this universe. But something was telling her that what she had experienced was real and it frightened her because she knew there was nowhere to run if they were being targeted. It wasn't her she was concerned about though. After four years of this she was an old hand at fighting evil threats. The Valeyard would simply be another villain to contend with just like Davros was. What terrified her was him going after Rain and Awinita. Even though Awinita had been through a couple of scary situations, she was hardly an alien fighter and Rain was even less so and Alan…just the fact that he was half human filled her with fear. She wished more than ever he had access to a chameleon arch.

The hardest part was the not knowing. If the Valeyard was in this universe with the Doctor, they could strike at any moment without warning and catch them all off guard. She was taking Alan's advice to just take one day as it came, have fun and not worry about the threat until it appeared. But still, she just wished if they were coming she could have a tiny clue or hint of when they might appear.

At any rate, she was going to keep these thoughts to herself. Her husband worried enough about her Valeyard dreams without her adding to it.

She was shaken out of her reverie when she heard a creak as Alan began to stir. She watched as he slowly came down off the top bunk. He started to walk away when he suddenly caught her eye.

"Starlight? You awake?" he whispered as he leaned in.

She nodded and he put a hand on the top of her head.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm not used to all this silence. Usually all the hotel rooms have a lot of traffic going by at all hours of the night," she said, trying to sound convincing.

"Do you want me to put you into hibernation?"

She thought a minute and then nodded.

"What about you though? Why are you up?" she said.

"I was going to go to the loo," he whispered.

"What time is it?"

He glanced over at the wall clock.

"It's nearly quarter to four."

"Can we take a quick walk?"

"Sure, will you let me go to the toilet first?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, I gotta go as well," she said, pulling back the covers.

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The two of them walked hand in hand along the side of the Colorado River. The moon shone high above them lighting their way and making the water sparkle. There was a slight breeze blowing through the canyon and a little chill in the air but they were both comfortable enough with just their jackets on. As they walked, Rose glanced up at the sky and saw the stars overhead bright and brilliant. Alan noticed her looking and turned his face skyward.

"Brilliant, aren't they?" he said.

"Yes, they are, they're beautiful," Rose said.

They stopped beside a large boulder and they sat down as they gazed up at the stars. Alan rubbed her side and she snuggled closer to him.

"I'd give anything to be up among those stars right now," Rose said.

"Yeah, me too. I miss the TARDIS. Granted I wasn't in it for very long but I have all the Doctor's memories of travelin' in it. The old girl was one of a kind."

"Yes, she was."

She looked at him.

"Will our TARDIS bond with us the same way his did?"

"Oh yeah, more deeply in fact since we'll be the owners of it. And he or she will know you since it originally came from the Doctor's TARDIS."

"Too bad we don't have it now so we can use it to get back out of the canyon, yeah?"

He laughed.

"Sorry, Starlight, we have to go back up on the mules and get another butt ache."

"Ugh! My butt just now quit hurtin' from the first time. I don't fancy goin' back up."

She gasped when Alan bent her back over the boulder.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to make our home here then," he said, leaning over her.

She smiled and they shared a brief kiss.

"Yup, we'll be living in Phantom Ranch forever more, Mrs. Timelord," he said.

He paused a moment.

"Phantom Ranch, sounds like a location for a Scooby Doo cartoon."

She laughed.

"Yeah, it does."

He neared closer to her face.

"Ooo, maybe we'll see some actual phantoms then?"

"Um, we've both seen phantoms already. It's your sisters who still need to have ghostly encounters."

Alan's eyes widened.

"I know, let's hide behind this rock, wait till they come out and then jump out and scream boo at them."

"Um…no thanks, I'd rather not sit on the cold ground for the rest of the night waiting for your sisters while I freeze to death."

"Well, are you ready to go back indoors then?"

She nodded.

"You want me to put you into hibernation for awhile?"

She thought for a moment and then nodded. Alan put his hand behind her back and helped her sit up. Then they took each other's hands and walked back into the dormitory.

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After breakfast the four of them got back on the mules and went back up to the top with Joseph. The way up didn't seem quite treacherous to Rose and she found she could relax a bit more this time around. She even could look down without feeling dizzy or scared and she studied the plants and rock formations as they went up the trail. She glanced around at Alan and noticed he was doing the same thing while Rain and Awinita talked to each other. He could hear him muttering under his breath and after listening for a moment, she realized he was naming the various types of flora and rock they came across. He was saying the names under his breath so she guessed it was his way of passing the time until they got to the top. He noticed her watching him and went into teacher mode pointing out a few things to her. She looked behind him and could see Rain and Awinita had stopped talking and were looking where he was pointing. She glanced at Joseph but he was further up the path and either didn't hear him or didn't care. She mentally shrugged and turned her attention back to the botany lesson.

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Once they got to the top, they thanked Joseph for his hospitality and walked back to their car. Thankfully, they weren't in as much pain as they were the night before and once they got to the car, Rose opted to drive while everyone else rested. She got inside, entered LA as their destination into the Onstar and started the car up.

"Here we go, mates. The last stop on our whirlwind US tour," she said. "Another couple of days and we'll be in Japan."


	140. Chapter 140

Chapter One Hundred Forty

The Doctor was completely bored. They were on a small planet named Varvorios. It was a peaceful planet where the Varvoria, a race of humanoid bunny creatures, devoted their lives to scientific pursuits. War and bloodshed had not been known on their planet for thousands of years so the citizens had no army or security force protecting their cities. The Valeyard and his acolyte made quick work of them slaughtering them without even breaking a sweat. That's why the Doctor was so bored. It was far too easy. The little bunny creatures just cowered in the corners of their homes and whimpered while he dispatched them. Once again he questioned the reasoning behind the Valeyard's bringing him here. After killing his twentieth Varvoria he finally gave up and walked back to the TARDIS, angry and frustrated.

"This is completely pointless," he growled. "I barely lifted a finger killing those vermin. I need a real challenge."

The Valeyard entered the doors after him and slammed them shut.

"What is the meaning of this?" he said.

"I'm bored. I want a real challenge. If you're gonna take me on these idiotic outings then I want something that will actually fight back instead of hiding in a closet and whimpering."

"What do you suggest?" the Valeyard said, leaning back against the wall.

"Go get the freak, throw him in an arena with me and then we'll see who comes out of it in one piece!"

"No, I told you he's not to be harmed for the moment. You are not ready yet."

"And when will I supposedly be ready, master?" he said, spitting out the last word.

The Valeyard narrowed his eyes.

"If you take that insolent tone with me one more time…"

"You'll what? Kill me? Then who will you have to train?" he taunted. "Let's face it, old man, you need me. Otherwise why would you go through the trouble of prepping me for the big nuptial bloodbath? And the reason you need me is because you're too old and feeble to carry it out your…"

He gasped when the Valeyard lunged forward and seized him by the throat.

"Very well, you wish to have a challenge?" the Valeyard snarled. "Fine, I shall give you a test to see if you are worthy of bearing the name of Valeyard. But for the moment, I wish you to sleep since the test involves a surprise. So, my acolyte, good night."

He snapped his neck slightly, rendering him unconscious. He looked at the Time Lord with disdain.

"It would be all too easy for me to go ahead and finish the job and cut your hearts from your body. But unfortunately I need you alive for the moment. I don't entirely trust you, Doctor, which is why I think a test of your willingness to kill is in order."

He carried him through his TARDIS to a room that housed an arena in it. In the past, he had taken captives and made them battle for his amusement but right now, it would be the setting for the Doctor's test. He laid his unconscious body on the floor of the arena and walked over to a door right under the grandstand. He reached into his pouch for the key, unlocked the door and stepped into a darkened storage area. He turned a light on and walked to the very back of the large dusty room. Scattered around the room were various weapons, body armor and battle robots that his TARDIS had made. However there was one very special robot that he had commanded the TARDIS to make a few days ago. He walked over to a large wooden crate that was standing upright next to some scimitars and naginatas. He opened the crate and rested the top nearby. He then reached in and grabbed his test subject. It was an anatomically correct Rose cyborg, exact in every detail with all of her memories and personality, able to replicate everything from tears to blood to sweat. He set it down in front of him and smoothed the hair away from its face.

"Now, let's see if my creation is willing to kill the one he loves," he said when he opened a tiny panel in the side of her neck and activated her.

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The Doctor snorted awake and blinked his eyes. The Valeyard was standing over him with a bottle of smelling salts.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"I decided to grant your wish. You are in an arena on my TARDIS."

The Doctor got a gleeful look on his face.

"You mean I get to kill the freak?" he asked.

"Ever better than that."

The Doctor gave him a confused look.

"What do you mean by that? What could be better than killing the freak?"

The Valeyard stepped away from him and the Doctor's eyes widened when he saw Rose on the other side of the arena staring at him in silent terror. Halfway between them were a collection of weapons from the storage room.

"Here she is, the little betraying slut. Now you can finally get your revenge for what she did to you," he said.

"But…I thought you wanted to wait for their wedding before we did this," the Doctor said, confused.

"I changed my mind. You were right, why wait six or seven months when we can take them and kill them now. That is why Rose is here, now you can exact your revenge on her for what she did to you."

"But…shouldn't I kill the Halfling first?"

"No, kill Rose first. That way we can show her dead body to him and break his spirit forever, then you'll have no trouble killing him."

The Doctor stared at Rose who was staring at him with wide-eyed terror.

"But…I wanted her to become my queen," he said.

The Valeyard snorted.

"Forget this ape. She's nothing. You can have any woman in the universe as your queen, a woman who's far lovelier and intelligent than this thing. Put this poor, pitiful ape out of her misery."

Without another word, he walked over to a small door in the wall near the grandstand, opened it, shut and locked it behind him and took a seat. He stared at the Doctor intently, folding his arms in his lap while he studied his every move.

The Doctor stared at Rose unsure of what to do. He hadn't planned to kill her, just punish her a bit so she would know not to cheat on him anymore. He looked at the pile of weapons, the scimitars, swords, battle axes, spears and halberds. He looked from them to the trembling Rose and back again. He glanced up at the Valeyard who was giving him an impatient look. Slowly, he walked over to the pile, selected a spear and headed towards Rose. He tightened his grip on the shaft of the spear intending to ram it through her heart and get it over with so he could kill his clone next. But the closer he got to Rose the more his conscience pricked at his mind. He could see her brown eyes pleading with him not to go through with it and he felt his anger start to melt away. After all, he reasoned, it wasn't Rose's fault, not really. He brainwashed her. It was the clone's fault, all the clone's fault. Rose was innocent. He stopped and stared at her as love collided with hate inside his mind. On one hand there was the part of him that wanted to ram the spear into her chest and watch the light leave her eyes but every time he thought of that, another image invaded his mind. He could see Rose crying on the beach at Bad Wolf Bay telling him that she loved him. He could see the happy times they had together, all the fun they had and all the laughs they shared. Slowly he felt himself losing the will to kill her. Instead, he moved closer to her.

"Rose," he said, gently. "Say you're sorry for marrying him."

Rose swallowed hard and nodded.

"I'm…I'm sorry, Doctor," she said. "I didn't know what else to do. I didn't think you were coming back for me. Please forgive me."

The Valeyard watched in total shock as his acolyte dropped the spear and knelt by her side.

"I knew it," he growled as he got to his feet and headed towards the door.

"Rose, do you love me?" the Doctor asked.

"Yes," Rose whispered.

He took her hand in his.

"Then you'll stay with me and help me rule over all of creation?"

"I'm afraid she'll have to decline."

The Doctor jerked his head around and saw the Valeyard towering over him.

"I feared this would happen. I didn't program you well enough since you appear to still love the whelp and her very appearance is causing you to forget who you truly are."

His eyes widened when the Doctor grabbed the spear and leapt to his feet.

"I won't let you hurt her!" he snarled.

The Valeyard sidestepped when he thrust the spear at him. He grabbed the shaft, immobilizing it and backhanded the Doctor hard in the face at the same time. He flew back and his head smacked into the wall knocking him unconscious. As he slumped to the ground, the Valeyard threw the spear away. He gave the cyborg a look of disdain before he reached down, opened the panel and turned her off. The Rose robot's head slumped onto her chest and she became still. He grabbed the Doctor underneath his arms and jerked him up until the Valeyard was standing straight with the Doctor's slumped body in his arms. He shook his head when he stared at the thin trickle of blood coming from his right nostril.

"I see I shall have to increase the intensity of the mind control until you are barely able to think for yourself. Very well, if I have to control you like a marionette in order to gain your obedience. I will do so."

Grunting, he hoisted the Time Lord's body up until his feet were off the ground and then he slowly carried him towards his laboratory for some more adjustments.


	141. Chapter 141

Chapter One Hundred Forty One

The TARDIS watched sadly as her beloved was put back on the lab table. She had tried to help him out, had tried to help him and Alan and Rose by subtly influencing both him and the Valeyard. She hadn't been able to stop the slaughter of the Varvorians since that had happened outside where her influence was weakest but before that happened she had very carefully planted suggestions in the Valeyard's mind through the telepathic link they shared, making sure that it was subtle enough that he wouldn't know it was her. She was the one who suggested he wait until the wedding to kill Alan and Rose because she wanted them to have time to meet up with the defender. She had also influenced the Doctor during the test, secretly going through his mind and pulling images of him and Rose to the forefront so he would remember what she meant to him. She saw it was working and even rejoiced quietly when her Doctor turned on his tormentor but to her horror the Valeyard knocked him out and now he was going to enslave him even more. She doubted she could get through to him now but she would keep on trying to influence the Valeyard so he would delay the inevitable. She only hoped that she wouldn't be found out in the meantime and that she could buy Rose and her family enough time to be ready when he finally came after them.

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Alan settled back in his seat as the airplane lifted into the air on its way to Japan. They had spent several days exploring LA, mailing the boxes of extra stuff back to their homes, getting rid of the car and waiting while Rain and Awinita had passports made for them before they finally went to LAX. Alan was by the window, Rose was next to him, Rain next to her and on the other side of the aisle, Awinita sat next to two young men.

"I can't believe it, we're on our way to Japan," he said to Rose.

"I know, this is so exciting!" she replied."A whole new country at last."

He looked over at his sisters.

"How are you doin'?" he asked.

"Okay, this is pretty cool. I've never been on an airplane before," Rain said.

"I haven't either, I'm so excited. I can't wait to see Japan," Awinita said.

"Where are you going?" the man next to her asked.

She smiled at him. He was in his early twenties with a slender face, brown hair in tight curls and light green eyes. Awinita had to admit he was cute.

"All over the country," she replied.

"Oh really? I'm going to Tokyo on a student trip. I'm studying Japanese at UCLA," he said."Name's Harry and this is James" he said, gesturing to his friend sitting beside him.

"I'm Awinita, pleased to meet you."

"Yeah, you too."

Alan smiled when he noticed the three of them talking.

"Well, well, I think my sister's found a boyfriend," he said to Rose.

He poked Rain in the arm.

"There are two of em, ya know. You oughta go over there and join your sister."

She looked at him Harry and his friend. James was a black man with a shaved head and a broad face. James noticed her looking at him and nodded. Rain nodded back and looked over at Alan.

"Well? Are ya gonna get up and introduce yourself?" he asked.

"Nah, they're not my type," she said. "Besides you want a couple of boys coming with us?"

Alan shrugged.

"As long as they behave themselves. If they try anything, they'll have to answer to me, you know."

"And of course let's totally overlook the fact that I'm funding this whole trip and add more people to our group," Rose said.

He feigned shock.

"That's right, you are, aren't ya? I'm sorry. It must have slipped my mind," he said when she eyed him.

He glanced over at Awinita and noticed the three of them had stopped talking and she was now quietly thumbing through a magazine while Harry and James talked quietly to each other.

"Hmm, I guess the romance died out fairly quickly," he teased as he pointed them out to Rose.

Rose looked at them briefly and shrugged.

"Not her type either?" she offered. "Anyway they're on holiday with other students so I doubt if they would be able to travel with us.

"Eh, we've got enough people at the moment anyway. We take on any more; we'll have to book another hotel room. Besides, I should be the only male in the group. It boosts my ego having three beautiful women clustered around me at all times."

He grinned when Rose snorted.

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"Ladies and Gentlemen," the captain said. "We're currently above Tokyo and we'll be landing at Narita International Airport momentarily."

Alan jerked his head and gazed at Rose with wide eyes as she giggled.

"Oh no, here we go again! Rain, you and Awinita and Rose jump up when I give the signal and all of us will run towards the door and fling ourselves out onto the runway before the aeroplane goes on to Timbuktu!"

"What?" Rain said, completely confused, as he and Rose laughed. "What are you talking about?"

Alan poked Rose in the side.

"Dear, enlighten our American relatives on the difference between the British and American definition of momentarily," he said.

Rose briefly explained the difference to Rain and Awinita. They laughed when she finished.

"Oh okay, I was wondering what the hell you were talking about," Rain said. "I thought the whole flinging ourselves on the runway was another lover's suicide thing or something."

"Nope, just me poking fun at Americanese," Alan said, winking.

The plane landed on the runway and they started to slow down. Rose reached into her purse, got out everyone's passport and passed them out. She also got out the quarantine questionnaires and disembarkation cards that everyone on the plane had to fill out and passed those out too so they could hand them to the people at the Quarantine Counter. The plane slowed even more when it reached the terminal and finally it stopped. They stood up, waited for most of the people to pass by before they joined them and got off the plane.

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After getting through quarantine and customs, the four of them walked along looking for the subway that would take them into central Tokyo. Alan glanced up at the signs. All of them had English translations under the Japanese characters.

"I'm glad they did that," Alan said. "We'd be completely at sea without them."

"Don't you know Japanese?" Rain asked.

"A little bit. I would have known five billion languages if Donna hadn't absorbed it into her mind. I know a smattering of Japanese but not enough to navigate around without English translations. Hopefully we'll keep running into people who know English. Damn, I wish the TARDIS coral worked at the moment so we could get everything translated for us."

They finally spotted the sign that pointed the way to the subway and went down the escalator to the lower level.

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They got off the subway at the Tokyo station and took the stairs up to the ground level.

"Now what?" Rose said, looking around at the vast and crowded city.

They noticed that there were several people passing by who had noticed them and were talking to one another as they pointed to them.

"Hmmm, we're not in Kansas anymore," Alan said. "Now I suppose we'll be gettin' a lot of this since we're not Japanese. Ah well, we'll just have to ignore their talk about the crazy gaijin and concentrate on havin' fun. Now, where is our hotel at?"

"Excuse me?"

They looked over when they heard a woman speak and saw a beautiful Japanese woman with long black hair and a radiant heart shaped face standing nearby. A black duffel bag was near her feet.

"You look for a hotel?" she said to them.

"Um, yeah, we're trying to find the Tokyo Holiday Inn. Do you know where it's at?" Alan asked.

She smiled at them.

"You are going to Holiday Inn? I go there too. I take you there."

They looked at each other.

"Wow, what a coincidence. It's a good thing we met you then," Alan said.

She nodded.

"Yes. It is very good thing. My name is Imiko. I am traveling through Japan."

They were taken aback.

"You are? So are we," Alan said. "I'm Alan and this is my wife Rose and my sisters Rain and Awinita."

"You are traveling too? This is first time to Japan?"

"Yes, it is. We're actually traveling around the world."

"You are? That is wonderful. I am traveling to China. Where are you going first?"

"Well, we want to spend a few days here and then we're probably gonna go south."

"Do you want me to come with you? I can help. This is my country. I can help show you my country."

"Um," Alan said, rubbing the back of his neck, "could you wait a moment while I talk to my family?"

"Hai. I will stand over here and wait while you talk."

She took her duffel bag and walked over to the subway entrance while Alan and his family got in a huddle.

"What do you think? Should we let her come with us?" he asked.

"She can if she's able to pay her way. I'm already supporting four people now," Rose said.

He sighed.

"The only problem I have with this is we might have to let her in on our secret and it's getting tiring having to explain over and over who and what I am."

"Yeah, but if she can help us out, then we won't have to worry about reading signs or trying to figure out the Japanese language," Rain said. "If she's already traveling, she must have money and she said she was going to the hotel so that must mean she has money to pay for a room. I think we should let her come along with us. She would know more about Japan than we would."

"I agree," Awinita said. "If we're gonna get the most out of this trip we might as well have a native along and if she's going to China, she might be able to help out there too. You said you didn't know that much Chinese either and if she's going, she must know some."

Alan glanced back at her.

"It's just odd that she just happens to be goin' to the same hotel we are and she's travelin' as well," he said.

"My dad blessed you on this journey," Rain said." Maybe this is part of the blessing at work. We needed someone to help us through Japan and here she is."

Alan looked at Rose.

"What do you think, Starlight? Should we let her come with us?"

"I think we should, at least for the moment. We don't have to tell her anything about you except the basics, same as we did for Awinita and Rain. If she can pay her way, I don't mind her comin' along especially if she can help us suss out where to go. If she fits in and gets along with us and has an open mind, then all of us can help explain your secret so you're not the only one doin' it. I think Rain is right. I think this is one of those rare opportunities that the universe gives out and we should take advantage of it. I vote for letting her travel with us."

"Okay, we'll take her along then," he said.

He turned around and beckoned to Imiko who came forward.

"We'll let you come with us but you have to pay for yourself because my wife is already supporting all of us."

"That is no problem. I can do that."

He nodded.

"Is it just you?"

"Yes. I have money. Do not worry. I can pay for everything."

Alan smiled.

"Well, welcome to our little group then," he said. "Mind, we're kinda taking you with us on a trial basis. We're used to each other and we weren't gonna have anyone else join us after Rain. But, we're all clueless about where to go and what to do and we'd appreciate any help you could give us. But obviously if it doesn't work out, we'll have to part ways."

Imiko nodded.

"I understand. That is good you are doing that. I hope I will fit in," she said. "But now, you are ready to go to hotel?"

They nodded.

"Come with me," she said, picking up her duffel bag.

She walked off towards the heart of the city while Alan and his family followed behind her.


	142. Chapter 142

Chapter One Hundred Forty Two

Imiko led them through the crowded streets of Tokyo on their way towards the hotel. Rain and Awinita were directly behind her and Alan and Rose held hands as they followed behind all of them. As they walked, Rose felt Alan squeeze her hand and looked up at him. He grinned and leaned into her ear.

"Look at us, Starlight. We've got a British woman, a Cherokee woman, a Navajo woman, a Japanese woman and a British alien/human hybrid. We're quite the multicultural group, eh?"

Rose giggled and nodded.

"Yeah, you're right, we are," she whispered back.

"I got an idea. Let's make sport of finding companions. Get one from every country we visit, just like human souvenirs."

Awinita looked behind her when she heard Rose laugh harder.

"What? What are you guys laughing at?"

"We'll tell you later," he said.

After twenty minutes they reached the hotel. Imiko inquired about their rooming situation and once she learned they wanted a double room she stood with Rose and spoke to the staff in Japanese and served as translator for her. While she was doing this, Alan looked at his sisters.

"You're right, it was a good idea to take her along with us," he said to them.

They got two rooms next to each other. Alan and his family took one room while Imiko took the other. While they were getting settled in, Alan looked at his sisters.

"You know, she has a double room as well. One of you might feel more comfortable sleeping in the empty bed in there. That way you won't have to share."

Rain and Awinita looked at each other.

"I can," Rain said.

"It's up to you; I can sleep in there too."

"Um, it's up to you, sis," Rain said, shrugging.

"Wait a tic," Alan said, reaching into his pocket. "Why don't we flip a coin for it?"

They nodded.

"Heads," Awinita said.

Alan flipped the coin up in the air, caught it and slapped it onto the back of his hand. He looked at it.

"Heads," he said.

"Have fun with the new girl," Rain said.

"Take care of the married couple and look after them so they don't get out of control," she said, hooking her thumb back at Alan and Rose.

Awinita gasped when Alan suddenly seized her from behind.

"No! Don't leave us! What will we do without you around to entertain us?" he moaned as Rose laughed.

Awinita spun around in his arms and grabbed hold of his arms.

"Alan! I don't wanna go! I wanna stay and be entertained by your manic personality while I entertain you in return!" she said melodramatically. "Don't make me go in the other room!"

"I hope to God Imiko doesn't hear this otherwise we might lose our translator and guide the very first night," Rose said.

"Oooooh, you say that with every person we pick up and they're still here," Alan said. "I'm didn't change my personality for Awinita and Rain and I won't change it for her."

"Are we gonna get a Japanese sister now?" Awinita said.

"If you're good and you keep your side of the room clean, then I'll consider it," he said as everyone laughed.

"You know, eventually everyone in the world is gonna be related to him some way or another," Rose said.

"Now wait, it wasn't my idea to get adopted into the Navajo tribe, that was John's doing. He told us that everyone considers everyone in a clan their brother and sister and that's what I'm doin' with Rain. I'm only following tribal protocol here. Besides, Rain is brilliant like her sister here and I love them both like they were my own flesh and blood, I told ya that."

"What about Donna? Donna is part of your flesh and blood so is she a sister then?" Rose said.

Alan considered that.

"I guess she is since you put it that way. Brilliant, I have three sisters here and one in the other universe. So there, I just added another family member to my ever-expanding clan without even lifting a finger."

"What about the Doctor then? Is he your big brother?" Awinita asked.

Alan rolled his eyes.

"Probably, although I doubt he'd claim me," he muttered.

Rose came to his side and took his hand.

"I think if the Doctor saw you now and saw how far you've come he would gladly accept you as his brother," she said.

"I wish I could share that sentiment, Rose. But I seriously doubt he would," he said. "Anyway, it's a moot point since he's not here. But who cares, I have more than enough love and acceptance from you lot without him."

He smiled at them.

"But enough chitchat for the moment. Let's go knock on Imiko's inner door and see if she'll let you come over there," he said to Awinita.

He walked over to the doors connecting the rooms, opened theirs and knocked on Imiko's. There was a pause and then she opened the door.

"Hi, I hope I'm not disturbing ya," he said.

"No, you are fine."

"Good, I was wonderin' if you wouldn't mind having Awinita room with you so her sister can have a bed to herself?"

"No, that is fine. She is welcome here."

"Ah, brilliant, thanks so much. Would you mind keeping this door open also so she can come in and out and you can as well?"

"That is fine."

"Thanks. Now, is there anywhere nearby we can go get something to eat and maybe talk so we can all get to know each other?"

"There are many restaurants nearby."

"Do you know any that are good?"

"What do you want to eat? Tokyo has many different restaurants."

Alan looked at his family.

"You wanna try Japanese food?"

They nodded.

"I know a good Japanese restaurant near the hotel. I think you will like it."

"Fantastic, well, if you need to get ready, go ahead and come in here when you're ready.

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A half hour later, they were sitting in a crowded Japanese restaurant. The white walls were decorated with large paintings showing samurai battles and nature scenes and scrolls with elegant calligraphy on them. They were sitting around a round wooden table eating their meal with chopsticks. Imiko had ordered several different kinds of foods for them to try along with some sake. Alan was giggling at his sisters as they struggled to pick up their food with their chopsticks.

"Here, let me help you," he finally said.

He and Imiko showed them how to position the chopsticks in their hands properly and finally they were able to pick up the food. Rose, who had experience eating with chopsticks in Kyoto, didn't need any assistance and was currently eating a piece of tempura. They had decided to try the octopus balls since they had seen them mentioned on the Travel Channel and Alan was eating that. Rain and Awinita were eating bite-sized pepper steaks while Imiko ate sushi.

"So, you're originally from Tokyo?" Alan asked Imiko.

She shook her head.

"I am from Iga-Ueno. It is near Osaka. You hear of ninja?"

They nodded.

"Ninja live there in Iga Mountains long ago. It is also birthplace of Basho, the poet. That is where I grow up. They have ninja museum there and ninja perform for the tourists if you want to see it."

"Hmmm, sounds interesting," Alan said. "That might be worth a look. We wanted to go to Osaka anyway. Um, we saw a program about Kuidore."

Imiko laughed.

"Yes, Osaka very famous for that," she said. "But it also has beautiful shrines and parks and museums and Osaka Castle and Universal Studios."

Alan paused in mid-chew.

"Universal Studios, the theme park?"

"Yes, Universal Studios is in Osaka."

"Oh Lord, you shouldn't have said that," Rose muttered as everyone giggled.

Alan leaned in to Rose.

"Mrs. Moneybags, can I have a word with you?" he began.

"Yes, I know, you wanna go to Universal Studios," she said as they laughed. "But…seeing as how you didn't get to go to the one in Florida because of the hurricane, I think I'll splurge for it."

Alan leaned his head on her shoulder.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you're fabuloso tremendiosa?" he said.

"No, because I don't think anyone has ever said those two words in quite the same way," she said.

Alan smiled.

"Tokyo Disneyland as well?" he said winking.

"You can go to one or the other because I expect both of them will cost the same."

Alan looked at his sisters.

"Siblings? Your thoughts?"

"I'd rather go to Disneyland," Rain said. "I've never been before."

"I wouldn't mind going again. Disneyworld was fun."

Alan glanced at Imiko.

"Could you afford it?" he said.

"Yes, I have money to go."

"I can help out Rose. I have money. I can pay my way in," Rain said.

"You don't have to, Rain. I can get us in," Rose said. "Save your money for souvenirs and things."

"If you go, you need to go early if you want to spend the day because it closes at 7 at night," Imiko said.

Everyone stared at her.

"Are you serious?" Alan said. "Disneyland closes at 7 p.m. here?"

"Yes, but they are open late on weekend and I think you get special pass and you can stay late some nights," she added.

"So, there's no fireworks there?" Alan said.

"Yes, there are fireworks."

"Blimey, they must set them off early then," Alan muttered to Rose.

"Well, I'll go online tomorrow and look it up," Rose said. "We need to go to a bank and exchange our currency. They accept credit cards but I wanna be sure we have cash on hand as well."

Alan took a bite of tempura.

"So," he said to Imiko, "what's in China? Are you looking for work?"

"I want to live in China. Beautiful country. I am going to Leshan. You know Leshan?"

We had a guidebook on China and I read a little about it. It has the giant Buddha statue, doesn't it?" Alan said.

"Yes, it is very famous. Blind monk carve it into mountain so the water would calm for boats to go down the river. He made himself blind when people tried to stop money for it. He did that to show his sincerity."

"I hope they gave him the money after he did that. That's one extreme show of sincerity," Awinita said, with wide eyes.

She nodded.

"Disciples finish it for him when he died. It is very famous. People climb up to the top of mountain to see it. Something else you might like to see?"

"Yeah, actually we were thinking about it," Rose said.

"I'd like to see it with you before I leave your group," she said. "Of course, if I am still with you. I hope I will be."

"Well you're doin' great so far," Alan said. "Do you have any relatives in Leshan?"

"I have a friend. She is going to let me stay with her so I can find a home and a job."

"So, why not go there now? Why are you going across Japan?" Rose asked.

"My mother died a week ago and left me money. I want to see my home country for one last time before I go. I have never seen all my country before. I guess it is good I found you so I do not have to travel alone, hai?"

They nodded.

"Well, we're experts at attracting fellow travelers to us," Alan said. "Rose and I are from London. Awinita's from North Carolina and Rain's from Arizona. We met them while we were travelin' across the US."

Imiko stared at them in shock.

"You go across the whole US?" she said in disbelief.

"Well, not the whole US, most of it," Alan said.

"How long did it take you to do this?"

"About 6 months," Rose said.

Imiko looked at her.

"You have family member die and leave you money too?"

She laughed.

"No, my mum and dad are still alive and livin' in London. My dad is very wealthy and he's paying off my credit card bill every month so we can do this. I met my husband in London and we were both stressed out and needed time to rest so we decided to take a year off and just see the world. We got engaged at the Disneyworld in Florida and just got married in Sedona, Arizona. But it's a secret marriage. My parents know we were engaged and they're gonna pay for a wedding when we get back to London but we just couldn't wait so we're not gonna tell them because my mum would be angry if she knew we got married without her there. So if you do happen to talk to my mum please don't tell her about the marriage."

"I will not say a word. So you are going to go back to London after you get done?"

Rose glanced at Alan.

"I'm not sure. I mean we were talkin' and we were thinkin' about going back to Arizona and living there."

Alan looked over at his sisters who had stunned looks on their faces.

"You don't wanna go back to London?" Awinita said.

"We're not sure. It's just that…both of us fell in love with the southwest and neither of us really wants to go back to London now. I hate working at Torchwood and I really want to do something different now. It's not a definite though. If you guys want to go to London we'll be goin' back with ya because we still have to get married there."

"Is London that bad?" Awinita asked.

"It's not bad, don't get me wrong. It's just that I've lived there my whole life and I really fancy living somewhere completely different. You two might like London because it's different from where you've grown up but for Alan and me, we'd rather have a change of scenery."

Awinita glanced at Imiko as she thought about how to phrase the next question.

"But if we did and you did go back to Arizona…you'd still come and get us, right?" she said, giving them a pointed look.

"Of course we would," Rose said as Alan nodded.

Alan noticed Imiko was slightly confused but he knew that Awinita had done the right thing. They didn't want to let her know about the TARDIS, at least not yet, and even though what they said was confusing to their new friend, it was a necessary precaution for the time being. But he knew that his sisters got the meaning of Rose's words and he could see them both relax at that. It warmed his heart that his sisters wanted so badly to travel in the TARDIS with them. He wanted them both to come back with them to the southwest, but if they wanted to stay in London, he knew that Rose would help them get settled in and find them jobs before they left. Neither of them would ever leave them stranded somewhere without a clue what to do. And once the ten years were up, they would show up at their doorsteps ready to pick them up and take them to the stars.

They finished eating their meal and once they were done, they paid for it and headed back to their hotel to get a good night's rest.


	143. Chapter 143

A/N: ARRGH! David's leaving!!! Oh God, I'm gonna be so devastated when his last show airs! I was a DW fan before he came along but he's the reason I got so deeply hooked because he made the Doctor seem like a real person. No matter who comes after him, he's always gonna be my favorite Doctor!

Chapter One Hundred Forty Three

"No! No! Anything but that!" Alan screamed. "I'll do anything you want just don't take me in there!"

Awinita giggled along with Rose.

"Come on, Alan, Rain hasn't seen the Haunted Mansion ride," Awinita said as they pulled on his arms. "Not be a good little brother and ride the ride with her."

"No! I'm not going on that dull, tedious ride again, please! I'll do anything but that!"

"Okay, we'll give you a choice then. It's either this or the Tiki Room," Rose said.

"Hell, no. I'll go on this any day than suffer that torture again!" he said running towards the ride while Rose and her sisters bent over laughing.

They looked at Imiko who had an amused look on her face.

"We went on this at Disneyworld and he hated it," Rose explained. "He thinks it's boring."

"I have never gone on it," Imiko replied.

"It's horrible," Alan said as he stood just outside the front entrance. "It's mind numbingly dull!"

"It's not that bad, really," Rose said, waving her hand dismissively. "He just likes to be a drama queen."

"I like to be what?"

She laughed when Alan chased her for a few feet. He let out a sigh as he walked back to Rain.

"Alright, I'll do this for you," he said. "I'll subject myself to the Haunted snoozefest because you want me to go on it with you."

She smiled and hugged him tightly.

"Thanks bro, I have a feeling the ride will be a lot better if you're there cracking jokes at it."

"Oh! You mean I do have permission to make fun of it! Well then, lead the way so I can take the mickey out of Mickey then."

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Once again, Alan was glad they had decided to let Imiko come with them. The narration in the portrait room was in Japanese but she stood in front of them and translated what they were saying so they could follow along. Not that Alan cared all that much since he'd been through it already but still, it was nice of her to do that for them without being asked to. Once they were though the portrait room, they moved on to the moving cars. Alan got into a car with Rose and Rain and set between them while Awinita and Imiko got in the one behind them. As they went through it, he noticed a few minor changes in the ride but it was still extremely boring to him. Another curious thing he noticed was the voiceovers were in Japanese except for the lady's head in the crystal ball who was speaking in English. He wondered why they hadn't bothered to record dialogue in Japanese for her and then decided he really didn't care. He did notice that Rain was having fun and laughing and screaming along with Rose and that made him smile knowing they were enjoying themselves. Still, he was glad when it ended and they could leave.

His smile returned when Rain gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks Te'lesau," she said. "I know how much you hate the ride so thanks for going on it with me."

He smiled and gave her a hug.

"You're welcome. Your happiness more than made up for the tedium."

"So," Rose said, slapping her hands. "Tiki Room next, mates?"

"Oh look, a food trolley. I'll be over here eating while you're trapped inside listening to the robot birds screeching," he said as he headed towards it.

He grunted when his family members piled onto his back. Imiko giggled when all of them put their weight onto him, bending his back over.

"It was a mistake to have so many people join you on this journey," Rose said in his ear. "Cause now we outnumber ya! And you will be goin' in the Tiki Room and on It's a Small World and the Dumbo Ride and…"

She got in front of him when he tried to make a break for it.

"Love, honor and obey, my Stitch," she said sweetly.

"That wasn't a part of our wedding vows, my Starlight," he replied.

"They were in my head. Now come on, Tiki Room awaits!"

"Oi! Back off me!" he said when everyone started pushing and pulling at him.

They let up and backed away as Rose patted his cheek.

"We're just kidding. We'll spare you the agony of the Tiki Room," she said.

"Thank all of creation for that," he muttered.

"You are crazy," Imiko said, smiling at Alan.

"You have no idea," Awinita muttered.

"OI!" he said as he tried to make a grab for Awinita.

"Are we allowed to go on The Pirates of the Caribbean ride then?" Rose asked.

"Yes, we can go on that one. That one I don't mind."

"Well, let's go to that one next," Rose said, taking his hand.

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Alan couldn't stop giggling. He was listening to the pirates singing and talking. It was all in Japanese except every once in awhile he would hear a pirate finish up a Japanese sentence with a loud, "ME HEARTIES"!

"This is all so surreal," he said to them when he sobered up enough to speak. "English pirates speaking Japanese and saying "ME HEARTIES" after every other sentence. I'm so glad we came here. This is tons more entertainin' than Florida."

He grinned and leaned over into Rose's ear.

"___O genki desu ka, ME HEARTIES!"_

___Rose laughed._

_"__What'd you say before me hearties?" she asked._

_"__I said, how are you?"_

_"__Oh. Well, I'm fine…ME HEARTIES!" Rose said._

___All of them bent over laughing, including Imiko, while the Japanese family sitting behind them gave them odd looks and muttered to themselves about the weird foreigners._

___XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

For the rest of the day they wandered around the park riding the rides. Imiko still served as their translator whenever there was dialogue. She was even able to explain the corny jokes the Japanese driver was making on the Jungle Cruise boat ride. Alan was fascinated by the subtle differences between the Tokyo Disney and the Florida one. There were some things he liked about this Disneyland and other things he liked better about the one in Florida. But he was happy that they didn't copy the entire park when they brought it to Japan and it had enough new things to keep his interest going.

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They headed into the Critter Country section so they could go on Splash Mountain. On the way over, Rose announced she had to go to the restroom so all of them stopped and waited while she went into a shiny metal building to use the toilet. Alan stood in front of it with his hands in his black trousers staring at his reflection while Rain and Awinita talked beside him and Imiko stood behind him with her back to him. Alan rocked back and forth on his heels waiting for Rose to come back out when suddenly something caught his attention. As he looked at his reflection, he could see something standing directly him. Something that didn't look human. In fact, it looked like it had a fox's face with long black hair. He blinked in shock and quickly spun around. Imiko was standing there looking off to her left and behind her was someone who was dressed as Brer Fox. He stared at the costumed performer in confusion wondering if that was what he saw. Imiko caught his gaze for a moment and then walked over towards the shade of a nearby tree. Alan stared at Brer Fox and then looked back at the metal siding. He could see him reflected in the polished surface but he could have sworn the thing he saw looked more alive than that. As he stared at the wall trying to figure it out, Rose walked back out and walked up to him.

"Sorry, I really did have to go just then," she said.

She noticed the befuddled look on his face.

"What is it?"

"I…I don't know. I think my mind is messing with me," he said.

"How so, love?" Rose said, concerned.

He sighed.

"I saw something. At least I thought I saw something. I saw a fox face behind me but when I turned there was that guy over there dressed as Brer Fox and maybe that's what I saw, but I coulda sworn…"

He shook his head.

"Never mind, it's nothing," he said. "It was just my mind playing a trick on me, I'm sure of it. Let's go ahead and go to Splash Mountain."

Rose gave him a concerned look. She glanced over at the costumed character before walking off with him.

Ten minutes later they reached Splash Mountain and all of them headed for the queue. But as they were getting in line, Rain, who was at the very back, suddenly called to them. They turned as one and saw her pointing back to Imiko who was standing several feet away.

"Imiko? You comin'?" Alan said.

"No, I do not like this ride. I do not like big hill on water ride. I will wait here."

"Oh, okay," he said, shrugging. "We'll get through it as fast as we can then."

She nodded and they watched while she walked to a nearby bench. As she sat down, they turned back around and walked up to the back of the queue


	144. Chapter 144

Chapter One Hundred Forty Four

Rose had gotten a two day pass to the park since there were two sections to it. The first was the Magic Kingdom, the other was DisneySea and that was where they were going now. All of them had woken early and after rousing Imiko and Awinita in the next room, they went ahead and got ready for the day ahead.

After combing his hair, Alan walked over to his bed and turned on the TV. He flipped through it but everything was in Japanese. He stopped on a news program and tried to make out what they were saying but apart from a few words and phrases, he had no luck.

"Norway all over again," he muttered to himself as he turned it off.

He reached down in his rucksack and pulled out the book Awinita had given him for Christmas and sat back against the headboard while he read it. While he did, he noticed someone next to him and smiled up at Awinita.

"Good morning, my Te'lesu," he said.

She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" she said.

"Of course, you can always talk to me about anything," he said.

She smiled and nodded as she sat down on Rain's bed.

"Bro, have you noticed anything odd about Imiko?" she said softly.

Alan frowned.

"In what way?" he said softly.

"She just acts so weird. She was in the bathroom just now and I was gonna go in there to brush my hair and the moment she saw me, she just ran right out. I told her it was okay, that we could share the bathroom but she told me to just go ahead and use it. And last night, I went to bed first and I took the bed nearest the bathroom and when she came out she just ran over to her bed like there was a fire trail behind her. And…"

Alan frowned.

"Yes?"

"Alan, I think there's another Mary haunting this hotel," she said. "After she did her foot race from the bathroom to the bed, she turned around and…I saw this…glowing white orb near her butt. But when I blinked it was gone and she just got into bed and went to sleep but I could swear there was something there."

"Where is she now?"

"In the bathroom. She has the door closed so I thought I'd come over here and talk to you."

She looked over when Rose and Rain emerged from the bathroom. Rose smiled and went to embrace her.

"Good mornin'," she said. "I hope you slept well last night."

She pulled back and noticed the look on her face.

"What's wrong?" she said while Rain came up behind her.

Using the same soft voice, Awinita told them what she had told Alan. Rose thought over what she had said.

"She might be shy," she said. "She's probably not used to foreigners bein' 'round her. She probably thought you were gonna use the loo or something and scarpered so you could have some privacy. As for the glowin' orb thing, that could very well be another ghost. After all, we did have Mary that one time, yeah? If you see it again and it bothers you, let us know and we'll try to switch rooms like we did before."

They looked over when Imiko peeked into the room.

"Are you ready?" she asked, smiling.

"Yeah, we are," Rose said. "We're just sayin' good mornin' to Awinita. Did you sleep well?"

"Hai, thank you," she said, nodding her head. "I am ready when you are."

"Give us a minute and we'll let you know when we're ready."

"Hai."

Imiko walked back into the other room. Alan looked at Awinita.

"For the moment let's give her a chance. She's only been with us for two days. She might need time to adjust to all this. Rose is right. She's probably not used to rooming with foreigners. If you want to come back in here though, you're more than welcome to. We didn't mean you should go in there just because there's another bed. If you're uncomfortable sleeping with her then come back in here with us. She'll probably feel better being by herself as well. At least until she gets used to us. It'll only be for a few months until we get to Leshan so just hang in there, Te'lesu. In the meantime, let's go get her and have another fun-filled day at Disney."

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The second park wasn't quite as big as the Magic Kingdom but it did have some interesting attractions in it. However they found out that a lot of the park was geared more towards little kids with rides and shows featuring Aladdin and the Little Mermaid and Pixar characters. There was an elaborate show based on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Alan and Rose enjoyed that since they had seen the movie. There were also rides based on Journey to the Center of the Earth and 20,000 leagues under the sea. However on that one, Imiko declined yet again telling them she had no interest in it and she sat and waited on a bench while they rode it.

In fact, Alan noticed that she was sitting out a lot of rides, most notably the ones involving water. He wondered if she had a fear of water but then he remembered that she had ridden the Pirates of the Caribbean with them and didn't seem afraid of it then. He was beginning to share Awinita's view that she was slightly odd but they couldn't force her to go on the rides with them and she had paid her own way so it wasn't like she was wasting Rose's money. Still, he wondered what was up with her and he could tell his family was thinking the same thing whenever they looked her way.

They went into the America Waterfront section of the park which included a recreation of a New York harbor and Cape Cod. They rode in a 1930's delivery truck around the harbor and Cape Cod sections and took an electric trolley ride around the whole park. Imiko rode those but when it came time to board a transit steamer around the park, Imiko once again declined. After that, Alan couldn't keep his mouth shut any longer.

"Imiko, are you bored?" he asked her.

"No, why do you ask?"

"I'm asking because you've sat out three fourths of the rides we've went on today," he said. "I realize there are some things that might not be your cup of tea but you've paid good money to be here just like we have. Isn't it a bit wasteful to just constantly sit and watch us do everything?"

"I do not like water," she said. "I do not like being on water."

"You went on the Pirates of the Caribbean with us yesterday."

"That was dark. I could not see water well so it was okay."

"Yeah but this place is called DisneySea and most of the things here involve water in some form or another. If you don't like water, why did you come with us? You didn't have to do that, Imiko. You could have gone somewhere else and did something while we were here. We wouldn't have been offended. Wouldn't that have been better than just sitting on a bench all day?"

"I am sorry. I did not know I could go somewhere else. I want to be with you and have fun," Imiko said sadly.

"Well, we're a group but that doesn't mean we have to do everything in a bunch like we're joined at the hip. Next time you don't wanna do something tell us. Honestly, we don't mind. We'd rather you went off and did something you liked rather than just sit around and stare at us. Now, I realize you don't like water but this is a huge boat. You sure you couldn't tolerate it long enough to take a ride with us?"

Imiko looked at the large white, wooden steamer as it sat in the dock. She nodded.

"I will go with you."

"You sure? You really don't have to, I'm only askin'" Alan said.

"No, I will be fine as long as I stay away from the edges."

He nodded and smiled.

"Well, come with us then," he said as they walked towards the queue.

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It took about a half hour for them to get around the park and back. All of them were leaning against the rails watching the view and the water below. Only Imiko declined preferring to stay in the middle of the deck. Occasionally Alan would look back at her, concerned that she might freak out being on the water like this. But she remained calm while she gazed out over the bow of the ship towards the park. Once Alan was satisfied she was alright, he went back to looking at the view with his family.

Once they disembarked the boat, Alan deliberately steered them away from the water and they headed towards the Tower of Terror ride. Alan noticed that the hotel was designed differently than the one in Florida. It was a wide, elegant brick structure rather than the lightning damaged pink colored ride in Disneyworld. They stopped and stared at the building when they noticed eerie green sparks coming from the front of the building whenever the elevator went up and down inside.

The differences continued when they went into the building. Instead of being a Hollywood Hotel in 1939, this was a hotel belonging to a Harrison Hightower the Third, an eccentric billionaire who disappeared from the hotel on New Year's Eve 1899 after finding a cursed African idol of a trickster spirit named Shiriki Utundu. He had supposedly taken his elevator up to his private quarters with the idol in hand but the elevator crashed back to the first floor and when they went to recover the body there was no trace of him. Once again, Imiko provided translation when they entered the tiny front room and listened to a guide's narration, but this time Alan actually wanted to hear it since this was completely different from the other ride. He noticed there was no video of Rod Serling either, just the guide talking about how the New York Hotel Preservation Society was sponsoring tours of the hotel in an effort to save it from the wrecking ball. Once they were past the initial back-story they moved into a larger room that was supposedly Hightower's study. The room was dark with a huge stained glass window of Hightower at the back. In front of it was a heavy wooden desk that was piled with papers and personal effects and an old gramophone. On a pedestal to the left of the desk was an ugly wooden statue of a creature and the guide informed them that was Shiriki Utundu. He then cranked up the gramophone and played them a recording of Hightower holding a press conference. As they did the window flashed and they watched a movie of Hightower entering his elevator with the idol. Then it cut to an outside view with a cutaway of the elevator and they watched while the elevator went up to the top floor, stopped and sped back towards the ground while the green sparks they had seen outside flashed around it. They heard Hightower scream before the elevator slammed into the ground and there was an enormous crash. Then it faded and was replaced once more by the window. Alan looked at Rose.

"I like this version better."

"Yeah, I do too," she said. "The back-story's better."

Alan felt a tap on his shoulder and smiled at Rain.

"Hey, you guys were on the one in Disneyworld?" she said.

"Yeah."

"Is it really rough when they go up and down like puke-inducing rough?" she asked.

He thought.

"If it's anything like the other one, it'll start and stop suddenly and you'll feel like your stomach's going up in your throat when it drops but we didn't have any trouble on it. None of us got sick and none of the people around us did either," he said. "Why, are you having second thoughts about riding it?"

"No, I wanna ride it. I just wondered how rough the ride was," she said.

He smiled and put his arm around her.

"You'll be okay. It won't last that long, trust me."

Finally, the narrative ended and the guide led them to the elevator which was made up to look like a storage closet for Hightower's antiquities. He led them in a few at a time and helped them find seats. The five of them clustered together making sure he would seat them together. To their relief, he did and they sat together at the front. Alan was sitting between Rose and Rain while Imiko sat on the other side of her and Awinita sat by her sister. Alan studied the mock antiquities that were bolted to the sides of the car. There were a couple of mummy cases and Egyptian statues and some African tribal masks and Hindu idols. Rose was looking with him and glanced his way.

"This is definitely a better version," she said to him. "Seems like they put a bit more thought into this one."

"On the other hand I do miss old Rod and his eerie voice," he said.

There was a lurch and they felt the elevator start up. Alan sensed Rain tensing up and he took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

"One bad thing about this Disneyland is no Expedition Everest," he said to Rose. "I miss that ride."

"Yeah, I do too," she said. "But that was brand new so I expect it'll get built here eventually."

They felt the elevator stop. Alan squeezed Rain's hand again while they waited for the ride to begin. For a moment, nothing happened and then suddenly the elevator sped downwards. Everyone screamed as it went up and down several times before finally coming to rest back on the ground floor. Alan frowned.

"They didn't slide open any doors and let us see out," he said to Rose. "That's a bummer."

They stood up and waited while everyone filed out before joining them.

"The thing I miss is the hang glider ride," Awinita said. "That was cool."

"Yeah, I liked that one as well," Alan said as they headed towards the exit. "And the Rock and Rollercoaster. It's too bad they don't have as many sections in this Disney but I guess space is at a premium in Japan."

They stepped outside. Alan checked his watch.

"Do you lot wanna go eat before we go on anything else?" he asked.

They nodded and all of them went to find a restaurant.

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After riding a few more rides and seeing some shows, they all gathered on the pier to watch a fire and water themed show. All of them were standing in a line up near the edge of the pier except for Imiko who stood behind and to the right of them. After that was over, they turned and watched the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom park before heading towards the exit. On the way out, they stopped at one of the souvenir shops and got a few small trinkets while Alan got Tony a tiny Mickey Mouse dressed in a man's yukata and Rose got him a little stuffed Pluto. Once they paid for their items they headed back to their hotel room.

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Back at the hotel, Alan gathered everyone in their room for a little meeting. They all sat together on the beds while Alan stood between them.

"We wanted to tell you that Rose and I want to spend a few hours tomorrow at one of those love hotels they mentioned in the guidebook so we can have a bit of marital privacy. We won't be spending the night or anything, we just want some time to…you know since the rooms there can be rented by the hour, but…we wanted you to know so you lot can go out and explore or go shop or eat while we do that, alright?"

His sisters and Imiko nodded.

"Okay, another point we need to bring up in light of what's happened today. Um…Imiko, we planned a few weeks ago to go to one of the public baths at some point when we were here. Now if that's a problem for you, perhaps you can find something else to do and we can meet up at a certain place and time when we're done. Is that alright?"

"Yes, that is alright. I know a good sentō here in Tokyo. I can show you and then go to another place."

He nodded.

"That's fine. I just want you to know that you don't have to accompany us if you aren't comfortable," he said. "Also…you might know about this but all of us saw those capsule hotels on a program about Japan and we thought we might try them out one night for a laugh. Do you happen to know…"

"Yes, there is one in Asakusa district here."

"Brilliant."

"Asakusa hotel take women. Some capsule hotel do not."

"Oh, they don't? Well good job that one does then since I don't wanna be the only one sleeping in the coffin room," he said as they laughed.

He scratched his chin and glanced at Awinita.

"Anybody else wanna add anything?" he said, giving her a pointed look.

Awinita cleared her throat.

"If you don't mind, Imiko, I'm gonna sleep in here tonight. No offense, but I'm used to my family around me."

"No, that is alright. I understand."

Alan glanced at Imiko and noticed she seemed relieved by that.

_I guess we shouldn't have let Awinita go over there so soon,_ he thought. _Maybe she was shy around her and that's why she was acting peculiar._

The other thing is we need some more ideas on what we could do in Tokyo before we leave," he said aloud to Imiko. "So, if you could help us out with that..."

"Of course, I am happy to help."

He smiled and nodded.

"Anyone else have any grunts, gripes, groans or moans?" he said looking around.

No one said anything.

"Well, in that case, meeting is adjourned," Alan said.

Awinita got up to retrieve her things from the other room. Alan got up to go to the bathroom but Imiko put a hand on his arm.

"I want to apologize for not telling you about not liking water," she said. "I did not mean to ruin your fun day."

"You didn't ruin anything, Imiko; we just don't want you being somewhere you don't wanna be because you think you have to stick with us. Trust me; we are a very flexible group. If something like the baths makes you uncomfortable, say so."

She smiled.

"Thank you, Alan-san," she said.

"Thank you for being our translator and for helpin' us out today."

"It is my pleasure. Good night all of you."

They wished her a good night and she quickly hurried back to her room while Alan went to use the restroom.


	145. Chapter 145

Chapter One Hundred Forty Five

The TARDIS let out a low rumbling sigh as she surveyed the scene below her. The Valeyard had adjusted the settings on the mind control disc until her beloved was almost unable to think for himself. She could see into his mind and was anguished when she found it almost completely devoid of thought. Basically he was nothing more than an automaton now, the only independent movement he possessed was the movement of his limbs whenever the Valeyard ordered him to do something. After making the adjustment the Valeyard took him back in the arena and tried the test again. The TARDIS had tried to bring up the images of his Rose but this time she was not successful and she watched in horror as the Doctor rammed the spear thought the android's chest with as much casualness as if he were sipping tea. It was at that moment that the TARDIS truly began to fear for Rose and Alan's safety. The Doctor was no longer himself, just a mindless slave and there would be no reasoning or pleading with him. She knew not even Rose would be able to get through to him. She had to risk warning them once more but the last time she alerted the defender it took every last ounce of strength she had and weakened her for almost a full day. But there was no other choice; she had to risk being punished in order to save the ones she cared about. Being extremely careful, she gathered her strength once more and reached out searching not for Rose's mind, but Alan's hoping that the connection she shared with her Doctor was still alive in the clone. She rejoiced silently when she found his mind. She sensed it was not as strong as her Doctor's mind, sensed the humanity that had weakened it somewhat but the connection was still there.

She sensed he was asleep just as Rose had been when she relayed the message for her beloved. She lingered a moment sensing this human version of her Doctor. There were some things that he shared with his sire but there were many things that were very different. She could see into his thoughts as he slept and noticed that he was not as troubled and burdened with the cares of the universe as her beloved was. Fondly, she stroked his mind for a moment before she entered into his unconscious mind and began to call out to him, entreating him to establish a psychic link with her. There was no response for a few moments and then she sensed awareness dawning in his mind that she wanted to speak with him and a moment later she was linked with him.

Who is this? Alan thought.

I am the TARDIS, my human beloved.

There was a long pause.

The TARDIS? How can that be? The Doctor is in the other universe. How can you be speaking to me?

I'm not in the other universe, Alan. I am here. I have crossed over the void into your world.

Another long pause.

Why are you contacting me then? Alan thought.

I want to warn you, my human beloved. Your family is in danger. The Valeyard is here and he has enslaved the Doctor. They are coming for you and the ones you love. He knows you have wedded Rose. He has been tracking you though the artron energy in your bodies.

There was an even longer pause this time.

What can I do about him then? He finally thought to her. There is nowhere I can run to if he can track us. I don't have my TARDIS yet so we can't get off Earth.

I know that, Alan but I want you to be prepared. I have helped all I could. I am trying to delay them and keep them from coming after you for as long as I can.

What good will that do if we're not able to hide anywhere?

I have summoned a defender to come and help you fight when the time comes.

Who? Who is this defender? How will I know who it is?

There was a long pause.

TARDIS? Alan thought. Are you there? How will I know this defender?

I…I can't…I can't keep going. I am the Valeyard's TARDIS and he has altered me so I'm enslaved too. It's taken all the strength I have to be able to reach you but I…I am failing now. Please remember my words, my human beloved and know that I love you as deeply as my other Doctor. Goodbye, dear Alan.

TARDIS, wait! he screamed inside his mind.

Alan's eyes snapped open. Frowning, he tried calling to the TARDIS again but there was no response. He lay there for a moment letting the TARDIS's words soak into his conscious mind before he got up, threw on his bathrobe and walked over to the balcony door.

"Alan?" Rose muttered sleepily as she rolled over and watched him.

Alan slowly opened the balcony door and stepped out onto it. He walked over to the railing. Folding his arms on it he leaned over and listened to the busy nightlife of Tokyo while he stared at a neon sign on a building a couple of blocks over. His mind was so occupied with what the TARDIS had just said that he didn't realize that Rose was behind him until she called his name. He turned around and saw her standing there in the pink bathrobe she had gotten as a wedding present.

"Love, what is it? What's wrong?" she said with concern in her eyes.

Alan debated whether or not to tell her but he knew he had no choice. She had to know the truth this time. He went past her and silently closed the balcony door. Once that was done, he turned and put his hand on her cheek as he drew her near. Once she was next to him, he wrapped his arms around her and laid his face on her head for a moment preparing himself for what he was about to say. Rose, sensing he was about to tell her something monumental, remained silent. Finally he let out a long sigh.

"Starlight, remember back at the Weatherford when you were awakened by that Valeyard dream?"

She nodded.

"I…I don't think it was a dream now."

Rose felt like her blood had frozen in her veins. She shook her head.

"No, you said if it were true, you could sense the Doctor," she said with a hint of desperation.

"I also told you that the Master was able to hide himself from the Doctor through a hypnotic signal."

"But why do you think…"

"The TARDIS contacted me in my sleep. The Valeyard's TARDIS, it gave me the same warning the Doctor gave you. The Doctor's under his control and they're gonna come after us."

He quickly tightened his hold on Rose when she staggered backwards towards the railing.

"Then what do we do?" Rose said fearfully.

"The TARDIS told me she was sending someone to protect us."

"Who?"

"I don't know but I hope they get here soon. She also said that she's trying to delay the Valeyard and the Doctor for as long as she can."

"But if it's the Valeyard's TARDIS, why would she want to help us?"

"The TARDIS is being enslaved just like the Doctor is but apparently she can still summon up enough strength to fight his influence. I suspect she helped the Doctor send the message to you since your psychic link would have been severed when you stopped traveling with him."

"Oh Alan," Rose said, pressing her cheek against his chest.

Alan kissed her head tenderly.

"There is one chance," he said."We can't leave the planet but I think I can mask the artron energy in our bodies so he can't use it to track us."

"How?"

"I need to make something else for us, Rose. A bio-damper like the one Donna wore that will block the artron energy in our bodies and allow us to walk around undetected. I can do it but I need parts again."

She nodded.

"We'll only need enough parts for the two of us. Rain and Awinita are safe. He can't detect them so if we shield ourselves all of us will be invisible to his scanners. This means though that we have to leave here right after I do it. We have to get out of the city at least, if not out of the country. We can always come back here sometime but my though is we should go to China now. It's a big enough country that I think we'll be able to hide and move freely without detection. We'll go to Beijing and then work our way over to Leshan so we can drop Imiko off. After that, we probably should just move on to another country, just so he won't have a clue where we went."

Rose nodded.

"Let's go get the parts tonight then so you can work on the bio-dampers. I don't want to be unprotected a moment more than necessary," Rose said.

Alan nodded. He hugged her tightly.

"We'll be alright, Rose. Hopefully this protector will show up along the way and help us out. If not, we'll have to fight them with every ounce of strength in our bodies."

"Do you think we should take Rain and Awinita back home?"

Alan thought.

"I would like to, for their sakes, but I'm not gonna do what the Doctor did to you and force them to go somewhere against their will. We'll tell them all this and let them make the choice. They are both adults and the decision to risk their lives should be left up to them."

She nodded.

"For the moment, we'll keep on doing what we've been doing. Training and getting ready and keeping our eyes open for any sign of the Valeyard or Doctor. At least we know now that this is a reality so you'll know not to go near him if you see him."

"Oh God, Alan, is there any way we can save him?" she asked.

"I don't know, Rose. The Valeyard has the Doctor's intelligence and cunning. He'll know we'll want to save him and will probably do something to prevent it."

He sighed.

"Damn it, he had to go and let this happen to himself," he muttered.

Rose stroked his cheek.

"If he's enslaved, it must mean the Valeyard did something to him," she said.

"Yes, but like I told you he's been heading for this for awhile and I'm sure the Valeyard targeted him because of that."

He sighed and shook his head.

"This is gonna put a damper on our journey, my love. But we can't just crouch in a basement with a hard hat on our head and wait for it to come. We're out here so we might as well continue to enjoy ourselves before the inevitable happens because I'm sure once we face him all the laughter and merriment will end right then and there. I don't want you to worry and I don't want Rain and Awinita to worry. Believe me, I will be keeping an eye out for them everywhere we go and at the first sign of trouble I will meet them both head on. I'm not about to watch my family suffer and die in front of my eyes. I will protect all of you even if it means my life."

He brushed away a tear from her cheek and kissed the spot where it fell.

"What about Imiko? Should we warn her as well?"

Alan thought.

"I suppose we have no choice. She'll probably see me working on the dampers and want to know what's going on. Plus, if the Valeyard comes when she's with us she needs to be prepared as well. I'm hoping the dampers will prevent that and at least buy us a big chunk of time so we can get ready, but I can't rule anything out. He's done something to mask both their presences so we won't have any warning unless the TARDIS can figure out a way to counteract that. She appears to be on our side at the moment, thankfully. Let's hope it stays that way."

He let out an angry sigh and looked back at the balcony door.

"I hate to wake them up," he said, staring at Rain and Awinita. "But you're right; we have to get started now. Hopefully, they have an all night shop where we can get the parts."

He hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek.

"Come, my love, let's get this over with," he said.

Rose took his hand and they went back inside.

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After waking Rain and Awinita up, they sat with them and Alan held their hands while he told them what was going on. Both of them listened quietly to what he had to say. He talked for about twenty minutes telling them their plans before he finally got to the subject of their leaving.

"We want to give both of you the chance to leave now," he said. "You don't have the artron energy in your bodies so he can't trace you and I seriously doubt he wants you anyway. It's Rose and me he's after. So if you guys want to go back home we'll pay for plane trips back. I love you both with all my heart and I want nothing more than for you to be safe and away from all this but I'm not going to force you to leave if you don't want to. The Doctor had a nasty habit of tricking Rose into leaving him when she didn't want to. I find that completely repulsive and I'm not gonna do it to people who love and trust me completely. Just know that if you stay we'll have to be vigilant at all times and learn to keep our eyes open and notice everything around us. We'll still continue to train but an attack can come at any time. The dampers will mask the energy in our bodies and prevent him from using scanners to track our location but it's not foolproof since he could come up with some other way to find us. I can't guarantee your safety any longer but I will try to the best of my ability to keep you both safe and I will fight tooth and nail to keep you from getting tortured, hurt or killed. So, what'll it be? Do you want to go home or stay with us?"

"Stay with you!" they both said without any hesitation.

"Are you sure of this? Because anything can happen from here on out."

Rain and Awinita looked at one another.

"Yes!" they both said forcefully.

Alan took both of them in his arms and held them close to him.

"I will do everything I can to keep you safe, I swear that to you, my Te'lesu," he said.

"And we'll do the same for you, little bro," Awinita said.

"We love you and Rose and we don't want you facing them alone," Rain said. "You're gonna need all the help you can get now."

Alan's heart swelled with love and he hugged them tightly while Rose laid her head on his back and rubbed his side.

"Even though a dark cloud has settled over this journey, let's at least try to have fun. Like I told Rose, if they do find us it won't be fun and games anymore so let's try to have a blast before that happens, alright?"

They nodded.

"We'll do what we've always done and look out for one another and keep each other safe. We've got each other's backs and I know we'll get through this safe and sane, especially if this mysterious protector shows up. That's the other thing we'll have to keep an eye out for. But let's take all of this one step and one day at a time and just continue on to China and have fun there. Alright?"

They nodded and he kissed each of their foreheads.

"I love you both so very much," he said.

"I love you too," they both said.

He glanced over at the door leading to Imiko's room. He could see that her light was out.

"Another thing we need to do is let Imiko in on the secret since she's gonna question the dampers and ask why we're leaving immediately for China."

"We'll help you explain it," Rain said.

He smiled and nodded.

"I just hope she's as open minded as you were," he said. "We'll have enough on our plate without dodging scientists and people who might want to experiment on me."

He sighed.

"Well, once again, let's get this over with," he said as they rose and walked to her room.

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They roused Imiko and asked her to get dressed and come into the other room. They sat on their beds waiting for her. After ten minutes she finally appeared in the doorway. Alan asked her to come sit with them and she walked over and sat down beside Rain and Awinita. Alan glanced at his family members and with a long sigh he proceeded to tell her the truth with the help of the others. Imiko listened quietly and Alan gauged her reaction. She had a poker face on and she couldn't tell if she believed anything they were saying or if it disturbed her but Alan was thankful she was sitting and listening to him and not running out to get someone to take him to the funny farm. After about an hour all four of them finished telling her about himself. His wife and sisters then begged Imiko not to tell anyone and how much of a good guy he was and how he was not a threat to anyone. Imiko listened quietly, nodding but otherwise not making any comment. Alan wasn't used to this silence and it unnerved him. When he told Rain and Awinita, both of them had interrupted him frequently with questions but Imiko just sat there politely and took it all in. He really had no clue how she was taking all this and that frightened him. Was she gonna run to the police and have him committed somewhere? He cursed the Valeyard who had put him in this position in the first place and he cursed the Doctor for being careless enough to fall into his hands.

Finally, everyone fell silent and waited for her to speak. Imiko sat in a thoughtful silence for a moment and then finally spoke.

"I believe you, Alan-san," she said.

Alan nodded.

"But…you're not gonna turn me in to anyone, are you?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"I think you have enough trouble now," she said. "I also agree with your family. You are very nice. I am not afraid of you."

Alan relaxed at that.

"We wanted to tell you this because our lives are in danger and the Valeyard and the Doctor might show up before we arrive at Leshan. If you want to leave, that's alright. We understand. I don't want you to get hurt and get wrapped up in all this when all you're doing is just going to your friend's house."

"I want to stay. You are going to China now, hai? So I will stay with you until Leshan."

"You sure?"

She nodded.

"Hai, Alan-san. I know how to defend myself. I know a little karate."

"Um…just letting you know, knowing a little karate might not be enough to save yourself if the Valeyard or Doctor decide to attack you, trust me. I'm teaching them Venusian Aikido and it's far more advanced than karate. So just understand that just because you know some self-defense it might not be enough to save yourself from them and believe me, the Valeyard will show you no mercy and I'm sure the Doctor won't either if he's fallen under his control. You can travel with us but I just want you to be aware of all this so you won't be surprised if it does happen."

She nodded.

"I understand. I accept the danger," she said.

He nodded.

"Okay, now I need to ask you a question. Is there an all night shop or department store where we can purchase the things I need to make the dampers?"

"Hai, there are department stores in Akibahara that are open all night."

"Can you take us to them?"

"Hai, Alan-san."

"Good because I want to get to work right now on the dampers so we can leave for China as soon as possible. And Rose, you better call Jackie and tell her to tell Pete we're leaving so UNIT can alert the government."

She nodded and went to get her mobile so she could talk to her mother on the way over to the department store while everyone else got ready to leave.


	146. Chapter 146

Chapter One Hundred Forty Six

Imiko led them to Akibahara and they went to a couple of huge department stores that sold electronics and other goods. As they walked through the store, Alan noticed that his family was clustered around his side and every time someone walked by their eyes instantly went to them scanning the stranger and making sure he wasn't the Valeyard or Doctor. It amazed him that Rain and Awinita were so protective of him, even willing to risk their lives to be with him. He knew that Rose would watch out for him and he figured Awinita would as well since she had been with them for close to seven months but Rain had barely known him three weeks and she was just as protective as they were. It was another testament to the Doctor's charismatic personality, a trait he apparently possessed as well since his entire family was willing to die for him. He wished fervently that the Doctor had done what he did and brought people closer to him rather than push them away. He felt sure if he had a family like his he never would have fallen prey to the Valeyard.

As he went through the aisles, he picked out the items that were closest to what he needed. He didn't possess the technology to make the bio-damper into a wedding ring so he was going to make it into a medallion that they could wear around their necks. His family and Imiko followed him around. His three women were making small talk while they kept a watch on the few customers still in the store and Imiko helped him by translating any Japanese he came across. He was completely amazed at her. She'd only know them for three days and she was willing to risk death to accompany them. He only hoped all of them had made the right decision. Neither he nor Rose had much choice but everyone else could have walked away from this and gone back to the safety of their homes. And now Rain and Awinita were being extremely watchful and protective of him. He knew now without a doubt they would make good time travelers and loyal companions for him and Rose.

After about an hour and a half he had finished gathering up everything he needed including two strong necklace chains to put the medallions on. Once he confirmed he had all he needed they took everything up to the check-out counter.

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No one slept after they got back. On the way home they stopped into a pizza place and got some pizza and sodas to go. They took it back to their room and the four women ate and talked while Alan sat at the little table, ate and worked on the medallions. As before with the sonic screwdrivers, they would sometimes wander over and observe him but for the most part they left him alone knowing he needed to concentrate.

As he worked, he half listened to the conversation between the women. They were telling Imiko some more about him and for the first time the mood seemed to become more relaxed. He was amazed that just telling Imiko that one little secret cause everyone to open up and be more at ease but he figured it was the same with Rain and Awinita. After they told them about him and they accepted it, they didn't need to pretend anymore and could be themselves so it was easier to bond with them. He supposed it was the same with Imiko. She also told them about Japanese legends which Alan found fascinating. She told them about the Japanese creator god Izanagi and his wife Izanami, the sun goddess Amateratsu and various stories about demons and spirits like Oni, Kami, Inari and Kitsune, the fox protectors and servants of the Inari. In return Awinita and Rain shared with them some Cherokee and Navajo legends they knew. Alan enjoyed listening to all of it. The stories and the pizza and soda made the tedious work he was doing less aggrivating and boring.

As they talked, Rose's mobile rang. She answered it and excused herself from the group while she went into the bathroom to talk to Pete. While she was in there, Imiko excused herself to go use her bathroom and Awinita wandered over to look at the medallion he had finished. She picked it up and held it in her hand. It was small, hung off the small silver necklace chain he had purchased and enclosed in a round metal casing.

This is really cool. You need to find a job as an inventor or something, bro."

He smiled.

"Well, I'm not really inventing anything," he said. "I'm just modifying existing things with the limited Earth technology at my disposal. Ideally it should look like a wedding ring but that requires micro technology to fit everything into something that small. So I did the next best thing and made it into a medallion."

He glanced around as he took a break.

"Your chat group break up, did it?"

"Well, Rose is in the bathroom talking to her dad and Imiko went to use her bathroom. So I guess Rain and I are taking a break too. So this really will hide that energy in your bodies?"

"I hope so. There's really no way to test it and be sure. We're really going on faith here but I got the screwdrivers to work so I'm certain these will work as well."

"What is this artron energy?"

"It's background radiation that you pick up when you travel in the TARDIS. It's harmless. It doesn't poison you or cause cancer or anything like that. When you and your sister come with us, you'll absorb it too. But nothing on Earth will be able to detect it in your bodies."

"But the Valeyard can."

"Yes. I'm not sure how long he's been following us but he's been watching us since Sedona at least because the TARDIS told me he knows Rose is my wife."

"Then why hasn't he attacked us yet?" Rain said, coming over to stand behind him.

"The TARDIS said she's delaying him and the Doctor until this protector shows up. I suspect she's been influencing him through the mental link all TARDISes have with their owners. Normally, they're not supposed to do that but this isn't an ordinary situation. I'm just glad she isn't completely subdued and has enough free will to help us out."

"But if she can get into your mind, can't he order her to do that and find you that way?" Awinita said.

He nodded.

"Yes which is why I'm going to increase the mental blocks in your minds and Rose's as well as my own. The TARDIS knows more than the Doctor does about getting around psychic barriers which is why she was able to do it, but I can make it so not even she can penetrate. Unfortunately, she wouldn't be able to contact us and warn us anymore, but it has to be done to ensure that the Valeyard doesn't use her to track us. She's trying to be subtle about her manipulations because if the Valeyard finds out she's been defying him he can torture her as punishment."

Awinita put a hand on his shoulder when she noticed his eyes flashed anger at that.

"She must be a great ship," Rain said.

He smiled.

"She's the best ship in the universe, one in a googolplex and I'm so glad that you guys will get to meet her offspring one day. I think once you've traveled in her you'll see what I mean about he or she being the best ship there ever was."

"It can be either gender?" Rain said.

He nodded.

"Oh yeah, just like a human child."

Imiko came back into the room and walked over to the table. She picked up the medallion from the table and held it in her hand, staring at it intently.

"This is really interesting, Alan-san," she said.

"Thanks. I'm glad I still have the know-how to be able to duplicate it."

He smiled at her.

"I'm glad you're not frightened at me being a half alien," he said.

"You hear the stories I was telling?"

He nodded.

"Many people in Japan believe them and so do I," she said. "I believe in alien people also so you do not frighten me."

"Good because I'm not a threat. The Valeyard is, on the other hand, which is why I'm making these things."

Imiko turned the medallion over in her hands for a moment, scrutinizing it before she sat it back down. Then she walked around Rain and laid her hand on the back of his head while she looked at the unfinished one.

"So many little parts, Alan-san," she said. "How do you know what part goes where?"

He chuckled and grinned at her.

"Because I'm brilliant," he said with a wink.

Imiko's hand move from his head to his back while she continued to look the parts over. They looked over when Rose came out of the bedroom, reached into her rucksack and grabbed her pad and pen. She sat on her bed jotting something down while she continued to talk. Alan excused himself and went to use the bathroom while it was unoccupied.

"Okay, dad, I got the information," she said, "and we just go to the ticket counter tomorrow to collect the tickets? Okay…I love you too. Tell mum and Tony I said hi and lots of love from me, yeah? Okay, bye."

She hung up and put her mobile away.

"I gotta talk to all of you when Alan gets done using the loo," she said, taking a sip of her Coke.

She wandered over and looked at the finished medallion.

"I'm so glad he has the know-how to do all this," she said, picking it up. "At least we can make it harder for the Valeyard to track us now."

She turned her head when Alan came out of the bathroom.

"Love, I need to talk to ya and everyone else."

"Okey-dokey," Alan said.

He walked over and sat down in his chair. Once he was settled, Rose began to speak.

"First off, Dad doesn't know that we're married which is good. Secondly, he decided to get the tickets for us this time. I told him that there was a huge festival in Beijing in a couple of days that we wanted to see and we decided to go there and come back to Japan later."

"Good thinking," Alan said proudly.

She smiled and nodded.

"I have my Doctor moments," she said. "Anyway, the tickets will be waiting for us at the ticket counter. We're gonna take the 10 a.m. Northwest Airlines flight to Beijing. This includes you, Imiko. I told him you were trying to get to Leshan and he went ahead and got a ticket for you as well."

Imiko was shocked.

"He…he didn't have to do that, Rose-san."

"I know, but that's my dad. He's used to people traveling with us now and since he's paying for four tickets, he decided to go ahead and make it five."

"I am so grateful. Please tell your father thank you."

"I will," she said, smiling. "Now, once we arrive in Beijing we're supposed to go over to UNIT headquarters and pick up special passes from them. Once we get them we keep them with us at all times because if anyone stops us we're supposed to show them to show that we have permission to go anywhere in the country. And Imiko, he ordered one for you as well."

"I am most grateful for your father doing this," she said.

"Well, you need to be covered as well for as long as you're travelin' with us. Dad gave me directions to it so we need to go just as soon as we leave the airport. According to him, the airport is about 16 miles from the city so we need to find a way there like we did for the Tokyo airport. But once we get there, the UNIT headquarters is downtown so it won't take too long. He also paid for four days at the Xinhai Jinjiang Hotel which is near the Forbidden City and is supposed to be one of the best hotels in Beijing."

"Wow, Pete is being extremely nice to us. You need to call him more often, Starlight," Alan said as they laughed.

"Well, he wants me and my credit card to have a bit of a rest so that's why he's done that. I guess he has a mate in China who commutes from Shanghai and stays there whenever he has to work at UNIT and according to his mate it's a very luxurious hotel with all the amenities and beautiful guest rooms. He got us the superior double rooms which I guess is the very best you can get there. It's even better than the hotel we stayed at in Phoenix. So that's taken care of and we can just go out and see the city. He also said if we stay longer than four days to ring him and he'll pay for more days."

She put a hand on Alan's shoulder.

"At least, this is a little bit of happy news after learnin' 'bout the Valeyard," she said. "And I agree with ya, we should just continue to have fun until the Valeyard shows up. There's no sense livin' our lives in fear and sittin' in our room waitin' for the inevitable to happen. We shouldn't let him kill the joy in our lives and makes us afraid to put one foot out the door. When he shows up, then we deal with em but until then, we keep doin' what we've been doin' and making the most of the journey, yeah?"

They nodded.

"Right, that's all I had to say. I guess we better let Alan get back to his work now."

"Here," he said, grabbing the finished medallion and standing up. "This one's yours."

She held her hair up while he slipped it on and fastened the clasp. She gave him a kiss when he finished.

"Like I told Rain and Awinita, I don't know for sure if it's working. We just have to hope it does and go on with our lives," he said, sitting back down.

She kissed the top of his head.

"You got the screwdrivers to work. I know you got this to work as well."

"Gomen, what is this screwdriver you are talking about?" Imiko said.

Alan reached into his trouser pocket, pulled out his and showed it to her. Imiko took it and studied it.

"What does it do, Alan-san?"

"For the most part, it locks and unlocks doors. I'm not sure what else it does since it's a cruder version of the Doctor's screwdriver which could do other things like run scans and repair and disassemble things. I made one for me and for Rose just before we met Rain. I've only used it once since then but I keep it with me because you never know when it'll come in handy."

Imiko handed it back to him and he put it back in his pocket. Rose motioned to them and they went back to their beds and resumed their conversation while Alan went back to the task at hand.

A/N: Gomen is the shortened form of Gomennasai which is the casual way of saying excuse me that you use with friends and family members.


	147. Chapter 147

Chapter One Hundred Forty Seven

It took Alan another hour to finish his damper and by then most of the others had gone off to bed to get a few hours sleep before their flight left. Only Rose remained awake and despite Alan's pleas for her to get some sleep, she sat beside him and finished what was left of her watery Coke.

"I'm glad Pete did that for us," Alan said, inspecting his handiwork. "One less headache we'll have once we land."

"Me too. I just hope we have some time to prepare before they come after us."

Alan laid his hand against her cheek.

"We will, love. I know we will. We've been fortunate so far and I'm sure the TARDIS will continue to delay him for as long as she can."

Rose got up, took the medallion from his hand and put it around his neck. She kissed his head before sitting back down again.

"Now let the stupid sod try and find us," Alan said, winking.

"Like I said, I'm glad you still remember how to do this," she said, fingering her medallion.

Alan leaned back in his chair and stared off into space for a moment before glancing at his sleeping sisters.

"Starlight, I have another thought."

"Yeah?"

"I think I should make Rain and Awinita screwdrivers just in case. I was always going to give them one when they started travelin' in the TARDIS but if they get captured they could use them to help them escape."

"I think that's a great idea."

He nodded.

"That can wait till we get to Beijing though. I'm exhausted and my eyes hurt from looking at the tiny parts."

"Then let's go to bed for a few hours, yeah? I'll set my travel clock to wake us up at 7 so we have time to get ready and go."

She noticed his sudden anger.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Damn him, damn them both."

"Alan?"

"I'm sorry, Rose; it's just that because of them we have to leave after only being in Japan for three days and seeing half of one city. Damn it, Valeyard just couldn't leave either one of us alone. He has to go and ruin everyone's lives and disrupt everything."

Rose took his hand and squeezed it.

"We'll just deal with it like we've dealt with everything else. Just like we dealt with Davros, the Jersey Devil and George. We've fought them all and come out standing on the other side. I have faith that we can all handle ourselves and that this protector, whoever it is will show up in time to help us. Not to mention the TARDIS is keeping watch over us as well. I'm not afraid of him or the Doctor or anyone else. I've traveled with the Doctor and worked at Torchwood and I've become more than just an ordinary naive shop girl because of them."

He smiled.

"Yes, you have, my Amo'tiri. I'm proud of what you've become and I know the Doctor is as well. You've grown into the woman you were always meant to be."

He leaned across and gave Rose a kiss on the lips and laid his forehead against hers.

"I'm ready for a little kip if you are, my wife," he said.

She smiled and nodded and both of them stood up and headed towards their bed.

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When 7 a.m. rolled around, Rose and Alan got up and woke up everyone in return. They hurriedly got dressed and got ready and after his sisters were done, Alan sat with them on the bed and put more mental blocks in their minds making sure their minds were completely sealed off from anyone and anything, except him. Once they were done, he projected a mental image of the Valeyard into their minds so they would know what he looked like. Then he talked briefly to Rain.

"Te'lesu, I want to tell you this so you'll know what to look for if the Doctor comes after us. Obviously he'll look exactly like me but unlike me, he'll more than likely be wearing a pinstriped suit, usually brown or blue. The Valeyard may have dressed him in something else but I have a feeling he'll try to find Rose first and pretend that he's come to take her back to the other universe. If that happens, he'll be wearing his suit so I just want you to know that. If you see someone that looks like me with a suit on, that's him, got it?"

"Yes, bro."

"Awinita already knows because she's seen photos of him wearing the outfit and I'm gonna tell Imiko when she comes back in here but I just want you to know so you won't go up to him thinking it's me."

She nodded and he gave her a hug. They looked over when Rose came out of the bathroom. Alan walked over to her and explained about the mental blocks. Rose agreed, took his hand and led him to their bed. While he was doing that, his sisters each grabbed a small slice of pizza and talked quietly to each other while they ate it. About five minutes later, Imiko came into the room and paused when she noticed what Alan was doing.

"What is he doing?" she said walking over to them.

"He can go into people's minds and put up these barriers so they can't be controlled or detected," Awinita said. "This bastard took control of my mind when we were staying at this campground Rain's dad runs and almost made me kill Alan. After that, he put up these barriers in my mind so no one could do that to me again. He's doing it now so the Valeyard can't use the TARDIS to get inside our minds and track us. He can do that for you too if you want, just ask him when he gets done with Rose."

"Does it hurt?"

They shook their heads.

"Totally painless," Awinita said. "It's actually kinda boring because you have to sit there so long but you don't feel a thing."

"I heard that," Alan muttered.

They looked over and noticed his eyes were still closed but there was a big grin on his face.

"And yes, Imiko," he said while he kept his eyes closed, "if you want this done, I'll be glad to do it once I'm finished with Rose. I just need a few more minutes."

He went back to concentrating while the three women talked amongst themselves. Five minutes later, Alan finished up and kissed Rose's forehead as she opened her eyes. He looked at Imiko.

"Would you like me to shield your mind?"

"No one will find me?"

"Not when I get done. And no one will be able to take over your mind and control you either."

Imiko glanced at her friends and then walked over to him while Rose transferred to the other bed.

"Now, I'm going to tell you what I've told everyone else and I'll probably be telling everyone this until I turn blue and pass out," he said as his family laughed. "If you don't want me seeing anything personal, imagine a door over the memory and close it and I won't look."

She nodded and held up her hand for a moment while Alan waited. Finally she nodded.

"Okay, I think I did what you said about the door," she said. "Go ahead."

He nodded and put his fingers up to her temples and closed his eyes. Rose got up and began cleaning up the trash with Rain and Awinita and getting the room straightened up while he set up the barriers in her mind. It took a little bit longer to finish with her since she had no protection of any kind but by the time he was done, the room was straightened and everything had been packed and they were ready to leave. Alan took his fingers away from her temples.

"Thank you, Alan-san," she said.

"You're very welcome. Now all of us are shielded and safe thanks to the barriers and our handy new toys."

Imiko took a hold of his medallion and stared at it.

"This is fascinating," she said scrutinizing it. "You are very talented."

"Thank you."

She let go and Alan put it down inside his shirt.

"So, are we ready to go then?" he said.

They nodded and all of them got up, got their things together and headed out the door.

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It was a three and a half hour flight to Beijing so all of them decided to take another nap. Alan sat in the middle of a row of seats with Rose by the window and Rain on his other side. Awinita and Imiko were on the other side by themselves. Alan had his arms around his wife and sister and both of them had their heads on his shoulders while he leaned his head against Rose's. On the other side, Awinita and Imiko were slumped in their seats with their heads on their shoulders while they slept. They were roused only once by a flight attendant asking them if they wanted something to drink. All of them declined and went back to sleep.

Imiko was the first to hear the announcement. It was in Japanese and she woke up Awinita and told her they were about to land. Awinita poked Rain's shoulder and had her wake up Alan and Rose.

"Blast, already?" Alan muttered as his wife and sister sat upright in their seats.

They landed at Beijing Capital International Airport and headed into the terminal. As before, all signs had English translations below the Chinese characters and all of them walked through the terminal after going through quarantine and customs trying to find some way of getting to downtown Beijing.

"Do you know Chinese?" Alan asked Imiko.

"I know a little."

"Yeah, I do as well. Hopefully, we'll find people who speak English."

They finally inquired at one of the ticket counters and learned that a shuttle bus took people into downtown Beijing. After getting directions, they headed through the busy airport towards it.

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Twenty minutes later, they were heading towards UNIT headquarters. Rose had the directions in her hand and was navigating them through the city. They maneuvered themselves through the crowds walking on the pavement and dodged traffic and bicycle riders at the intersections. About a half hour later, they finally made it to UNIT headquarters; a huge glass building nestled in the heart of downtown. Unlike some of the buildings around it there was nothing ostentatious about it and they would never have realized it was UNIT headquarters without the directions. They went up to a guard at the door and Rose told them who she was. After that they were escorted upstairs to talk with General Hua. He greeted them warmly and served them hot tea while they sat and stood in his sparsely decorated office.

"We've been expecting you, of course," he said in English as he gave them the passes. "These are your passes. Remember to keep them on you at all times just in case someone does question you. I hope you enjoy your stay in China."

"Thanks, I'm sure we will," Alan said.

"Now, there is one other thing before you go. We want to provide you with someone who can act as guide and translator. I trust none of you knows the language or culture that well?"

"No, we don't," Alan said.

He nodded.

"Then we will allow a young woman to travel with you. She's a relatively new recruit and doesn't have any major duties so she can be spared for the duration of your journey."

He pressed a button on his intercom and spoke to his secretary in Chinese. They waited a moment before the door opened and a young Chinese woman stepped into the office. She was in her early twenties with shoulder length black hair and a thin face with pronounced cheekbones. She was dressed in a standard issue UNIT solder's outfit with red beret. She stood at attention and saluted the general.

"At ease."

She relaxed and smiled at the newcomers. She put her left fist in her right hand and held it against her chest as she bowed deeply.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said. "I am Wu Mingxia."

"I'm Alan, this is my wife, Rose my sisters, Rain and Awinita and our friend, Imiko."

She bowed again.

"I have been asked by UNIT to be your translator and guide. I will be honored to accompany you across our beautiful country."

"And we will be honored to have you," he said.

He noticed the gun in the holster at her side and raised his eyebrow. He caught Rose's eye.

"The protector?" he mouthed to her.

Rose's eyes widened with sudden realization. She stared at her for a moment and then looked at Alan.

"Maybe," she mouthed, shrugging.

Alan stared at her outfit and looked at the general.

"Um, is she wearing her UNIT outfit or is she gonna be in civvies while she's escorting us?"

"She will be dressed in ordinary clothes," he said. "She's on duty at the moment and will join you at your hotel when her shift is done. We have a room reserved next to the two Pete Tyler booked and UNIT will take care of all expenses for her while you are in China."

Alan bit his lip and tried not to laugh when he heard his wife breathe a sigh of relief.

"In the meantime feel free to see the city if you wish. We hope you have a pleasant stay in China."

"Yes, so do we," Alan said.

"And I will look forward to seeing you tonight," Mingxia said.

"We'll be watching for you, Miss...Wu?" Alan said hesitantly.

She smiled.

"Call me, Mingxia, please. I'm going to be traveling with you so there's no need to use my surname."

He nodded.

"Well, we'll see you tonight, Mingxia."

"Enjoy Beijing."

"We will," Alan said.

He looked at the General.

"Is there anything else?"

"No, that is all. Once again I hope all of you have a pleasant and trouble free journey through China."

Alan and his companions looked at each other and a look passed between them.

"Yes, I hope for the same thing," Alan said.

The general smiled. He bowed while they did the same in return.

"Mingxia, please escort them back to the front entrance."

"Yes, sir."

She smiled at them.

"Follow me, please," she said as she walked out the door.


	148. Chapter 148

Chapter One Hundred Forty Eight

The Valeyard smiled as he and the Doctor strode back into his TARDIS. Another peaceful planet, another satisfying slaughter. Ever since he made the adjustments to his acolyte's mind control disc he had seen so much improvement in him. There was no longer any annoying back talk and snide little comments from him and no more hesitation in killing others. He felt sure that soon he would be able to unleash his disciple on the Halfling and his pathetic little family.

"Speaking of the Halfling, let's see where they are today," he said as he shut the door and crossed over to his console.

He brought up the wall screen while the Doctor stood nearby with a blank look on his face. He pushed a few buttons and brought up their last known location, the hotel in Tokyo. But when he stared at the hotel he noticed there were no longer any gold dots indicating their position. Confused, he moved the map around Tokyo trying to find them.

"Where are they?" he muttered to himself.

He punched a few instructions into the computer commanding it to find any traces of artron energy on Earth. There was a pause and the Valeyard was taken aback when he saw the results.

ONE TRACE OF ARTRON ENERGY DETECTED.

"One?" the Valeyard said. "How could there be only one? There must be a mistake."

He input a command, requesting that the map find the one trace. His eyes boggled when the map zoomed away from Japan all the way across the world and fixed onto England. His mouth dropped open when the map zoomed into London and then further and further down finally settling on the Tyler mansion where the Valeyard saw one single gold dot moving through the house.

"NOT THE APE'S MOTHER, YOU IMBECILIC COMPUTER! I WANT ROSE AND THE HALFLING! WHERE ARE THEY?" he screamed at the screen.

He input another request to find them but the result came out the same. The Valeyard stared at his monitor in shock and disbelief. He tried one more time refusing to believe that they were gone. But once more the readout came out the same.

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! THEY CAN'T BE GONE! THEY HAVE NO TARDIS!" he screamed.

Gritting his teeth, he ordered the computer to find all traces of artron energy anywhere in the universe. Four matches came up. When he tested them, he learned the computer was detecting Jackie Tyler, the TARDIS, him and the Doctor. He slammed his fist onto the console letting out a scream of frustration. He turned his anger onto the Doctor standing nearby and ran to him seizing him by his robe and dragging him back to the monitor.

"HOW?" he screamed at his confused acolyte. "WHY AREN'T THEY BEING DETECTED? WHY DOESN'T THE SCANNER PICK THEM UP ANYMORE? HOW ARE THEY ELUDING MY SCANS? HOW?"

The Doctor stared at him, shocked.

"I…I don't know, Master," he stammered.

"They have no TARDIS," he snarled at him. "They have no means to get off the planet. How could they have hidden themselves from us?"

"They…they must have a bio-damper of some kind, Master."

"But why would the Halfling make one…unless…"

The Doctor grunted as he jerked him close to his face.

"YOU! YOU WARNED THEM SOMEHOW!" he bellowed at him.

"No. No, Master. I've done nothing," he stammered out.

He grunted when the Valeyard decked him sending him across the room. With a howl of rage the Valeyard ran to him, grabbed him by his robe and jerked him back to his feet.

"What will I have to do to get Rose Tyler out of your mind for good?" he screamed as he shook him violently. "Because of you, my plans are ruined!"

"Master, please I've done nothing!" the Doctor protested.

He grunted when the Valeyard slammed him against the wall.

"If not you, than who? WHO?" he yelled.

"I…I don't know, Master."

The Valeyard leaned against him and put his enraged face inches from his confused and frightened one.

"I am going to send you down to Japan," he snarled. "And I want them found! No matter what it takes, I want all of them found and brought back to me, do you understand?" I don't care if you have to torture everyone in the country to get information on their whereabouts! You will not sleep, you will not rest, you will not eat until they are imprisoned on my TARDIS, is that clear?"

"Yes, Master."

"I will loosen my hold on your mind a bit so you'll be able to think on your own. But I warn you, I will be watching your every move and if you betray me…if you turn against me the moment you see that ape lover of yours…I will find a way to make you scream non-stop for all eternity! Is that understood?"

"Y…yes, Master."

He grunted when the Valeyard threw him to the floor.

"Get up and get ready," he said coldly. "And you better find them, for your sake."

The TARDIS watched in silent anguish while her beloved took the blame for what she had done. She wanted so much to free him and save him from his tormentor along with everyone else but there was nothing she could do. She couldn't even reveal herself since she was still trying to influence the Valeyard and buy her human beloved time. She could only watch while her precious Doctor was thrown around the console room by his crazed dark self and roughed up, all the while being completely confused about why he was being punished. It tore her up to see it and she hoped with all her circuits that her human beloved would be able to stop the Valeyard and free her and the Doctor from this maniac before it was too late.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So," Alan said as they emerged from UNIT headquarters. "I guess we've picked up yet another companion. See, I told ya, one from every country."

"Yes," Rose said, dryly. "Yet another female to add to the flock."

"Flock? Nah, I prefer to think of all of you as my personal harem."

"Um…ewww," Awinita said as Rain laughed. "You keep forgetting that Rain and I are related to you now."

"So you are," he said, winking. "Okay, I have half a harem then."

They glanced at Imiko who was giving him an odd look.

"Okay, Imiko obviously doesn't want to be in the harem which leaves my wife and that's enough for me," he said, tickling her under the chin.

He looked at the rucksacks on everyone's back and the duffle bag in Imiko's hand.

"Well, how 'bout we go to the hotel, drop everything off, freshen up and then decide where we should go?" he said.

They nodded. Rose got out her directions to the hotel and they followed her across the busy street in search of it.

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They checked into the hotel and got their card keys. They went up to the eighth floor and found their rooms. They stepped inside and their mouths dropped open. The room was more along the lines of an elegant pent house apartment than a room. Just like the one in Phoenix, there was a kitchen, a dining room, living room area and two beds with elegantly carved wooden headboards. Unlike Phoenix, there were two huge crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling throwing a soft light over everything. Across the room were two huge balcony doors that opened up onto a large balcony with a wrought iron fence surrounding it.

"Yes, Starlight, you definitely need to ring Pete more often," he said as they laughed.

He walked into the bathroom and his mouth dropped open. There were white marble floors, a large marble bathtub and sink and a whirlpool in the floor next to the bathtub. Alan let out a shocked curse in Galifreyan, overwhelmed by it all.

"Oh my God…"

He heard Rose behind him and turned to see his family standing in the doorway with shocked looks on their faces. Alan grabbed his wife.

"Can we move in here, Starlight? Please, please, please?" he said as everyone laughed.

"Oh my God, I wish all our rooms had been this posh," Rose said. "If we're gonna have to face the Valeyard, I'm glad we're gonna do it in the lap of luxury. I just tried the telly as well and they have satellite TV so we can get some British channels."

"Thank God for that," Alan said.

"They also had a brochure about the hotel by the telly. Alan, this place has a bleedin' bowling center in it!"

Alan stared at her.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, they have an indoor pool, sauna, fitness center, masseur, spa, beauty salon, a pub, a coffee shop and a restaurant that serves nothing but abalone dishes. They also have a ballroom, meeting rooms; we've got a computer in here with internet access, video game console, DVD/VCR player and a huge stereo system. I mean, this really is like living in a little flat."

"The kitchen's fully stocked too," Awinita said. "Not just pots and pans and dishes but actual food!"

"Blimey, I changed my mind about the Valeyard. He can chase us anytime he wants," he said as they laughed.

"There's only one drawback to bein' here," Rose said. "We don't have the doors connecting the rooms together so we can't go in and out of Imiko or Mingxia's room."

"Blast! Still, that's a minor inconvenience compared to all this," he said. "Speaking of, let's go and check on her and make sure she hasn't fainted dead away."

They walked out of the bathroom, went outside and knocked on Imiko's door. She opened it and they noticed she had the same shocked expression on her face that they all had.

"This is incredible," she said. "I have never seen anything so beautiful."

"Yeah, ours is the same way," Alan said. "But unfortunately we don't have inner doors so you'll have to knock on this door when you wanna come and visit."

She nodded.

"I will come over now," she said, closing her door. "I guess you want to go out?"

"Gee, I don't know if we should now," Alan said as they laughed. "I mean, we could just live in the hotel for four days, seems like."

"Come in here for the moment," Rose said. "I'll go online and see what's nearby. I wanna make sure we're back here before Mingxia gets in so we can get to know her."

"Well, you also have all that information you've jotted down from the travel programs we've watched," Alan said.

She nodded.

"I'm gonna use that but I want to check and get directions to everything. Also, I wanna make inquiries downstairs about the Great Wall and see if they do have shuttle service there and back."

"This place, Amo'tiri, I'm sure they have a chauffeur and a stretch limo with a full bar to take ya," Alan said.

They all went inside. Alan closed the door behind everyone and wandered into the kitchen with Rain and Awinita while Rose got online and Imiko turned on the TV. Alan opened the cabinet doors while his sisters went through the refrigerator. They found that not only were there Chinese foods but also a mixture of foods from other countries including America and England. Awinita reached in and pulled out a gallon of milk. She took the top off and smelled it.

"This is fresh. They put this stuff in here when they know people are coming?" she said.

"More than likely. Maybe they have a person who buys things wholesale and stores them until someone books a room," Alan said. "Or maybe they just go through and check the rooms every day and replace everything that's old and spoiled."

"That must be quite a job," Rain said. "If they do have someone who does that, I hope they get paid well."

"I think everyone who works here gets paid well, Te'lesu," Alan replied.

Imiko wandered into the kitchen.

"They have Japanese channels on the television," she said. "And there are other languages too. This is amazing."

She gazed at the contents of the refrigerator and looked into the cabinet Alan had opened. She looked back in the refrigerator, pulled out a small container of tofu and inspected it.

"I guess my refrigerator is like this too," she said.

"Probably is," Alan said as she put it back.

"Good, I want to make some fried tofu then while I am here," she said.

"Is that any good?" Awinita asked.

"Oh yes, very good, I will make some for you if you want."

"Thanks, I'd love to try it," she replied.

Rose came to the kitchen door.

"Mates, you wanna go to the Beijing zoo and see that? I don't wanna go to the Forbidden City or the Great Wall until Mingxia gets here in case she wants to see it with us."

"That sounds good," Alan said as everyone nodded in agreement.

She walked over to Alan.

"And do you wanna get the parts for the screwdrivers while we're out?" she asked him.

"Oh! Yes, we can do that after we see the zoo."

He smiled when his sisters gave him confused looks.

"My Te'lesu, I'm going to give you both screwdrivers so you'll have them just in case."

They widened their eyes.

"You're gonna let us have one of those sonic screwdriver things?" Rain said.

"Yes. I was always gonna give you screwdrivers when you started to travel with us but circumstances have changed now and you need all the help you can get. But you both have to be responsible with them. No opening locked doors and breaking into buildings, but I know you guys wouldn't do that anyway."

"No, we won't," Awinita said.

"Good. Well, let's go ahead and see this zoo then before Mingxia gets here."

They closed the cabinet doors and the refrigerator, got the things together that they needed and left the room.


	149. Chapter 149

Chapter One Hundred Forty Nine

The Valeyard seethed as he stared at the wall monitor. He could see one golden dot on the ground near the hotel Alan and his family was staying at. He didn't buy the Doctor's claim of innocence for one moment. He knew how powerful his mind was and even if he had his conscious mind bound in servitude there was still his unconscious mind to contend with and he had no illusions that somehow he had reached out to his precious Rose and warned her about him. He hit a button and brought up the images from the spy satellite. He felt thankful that he didn't need to sleep much since he intended to keep an eye on his creation at all times. After making a slight adjustment to the disc, he had given his acolyte one other thing. A device that projected a solid, detailed holographic image over his body, disguising him from Alan and his family. He was wearing it around his neck and at the moment he resembled a middle-aged Japanese man with short salt and pepper hair and a round face who was wearing a dark grey business suit. Add to that the Doctor's ability to speak fluently in every Earth language and dialect and he would be able to stand right next to his prey without them being aware of him. The only clue he was the Doctor was the artron energy signature that he was giving off on the map on the Valeyard's console monitor. He had also given the Doctor a smaller version of the TARDIS's cloaking device so his clone could not pick up on his presence.

"No freakish Halfling will get the best of me," he snarled as he watched the Doctor. "You may be clever, little clone but I am far cleverer than you are and once I have you in my thrall I will make you and your precious family suffer for this outrage!"

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The Doctor looked around with disdain at the humans going about their business. He could hear snatches of conversation from some of them. They were going on and on about trivial things like what food to pick up from the market, what celebrity was dating whom and where to go on holiday. He focused on a few giggling schoolgirls nearby who were sporting tiny Hello Kitty rucksacks on their backs and were playing some kind of game on their mobiles. He snorted. Humans. Why did he ever think they were worth his time? Nothing but a giggling, chattering bunch of semi-intelligent apes. They would be so much better off with him leading and guiding their every move. Perhaps if he did crack the skasis paradigm he could go back and improve their design as well as giving them enhanced intelligence so he and the rest of the universe no longer had to listen to their insufferable babbling.

He looked both ways and ran across the street towards the Holiday Inn. As he ran his black robes swished around him but he knew that thanks to his Master's holographic imager, no one could see them. He was glad. He would rather be in the warm, comfortable robe than the tight, restrictive clothes that humans seemed to favor. Why he used to love wearing those ugly suits he'd never know but he chalked it up to his not being as enlightened as he was now.

He entered the hotel and walked up to the front desk. There was a man standing behind it dressed in a white shirt and blue blazer with a Holiday Inn nametag. He read the Japanese characters on it and learned his name was Toshiro. He bowed slightly and spoke to him in perfect formal Japanese inquiring if any foreigners were staying in the hotel at the moment. He produced a picture of Rose his Master had given back to him from his personal effects and showed it to them.

"This is a sister of my friend," he said in Japanese. "I'm trying to find her because there is a family emergency. Can you tell me if she's staying here now?"

"No sir, she is gone. I'm sorry," Toshiro replied.

The Doctor cursed under his breath but he managed to keep his temper under control.

"Do you know where she might have gone?" he said. "I need to find her, it's a dire emergency."

"I'm sorry, sir. But she checked out early this morning and left with a group of people."

Again the Doctor cursed.

"Do you have any idea where they might have gone?"

"No sir, I'm sorry."

He sighed but thanked the man and bowed to him before walking outside. He leaned against the wall of the hotel and linked his mind with the Valeyard.

_They have left the hotel, Master,_ he thought to him. _What are your orders?_

There was a pause.

_Check the airport, my acolyte. If they know about us, they may have taken an aeroplane out of the country._

_Yes, my Master._

The Doctor ceased communication. He withdrew some Yen the Valeyard had given him from the pouch around his belt and went to hail a taxi.

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Rose walked around the Beijing zoo with her family and Imiko. As they walked, she could see that Alan was deep in thought about something and was only half looking at the animals. She knew that this time he wasn't troubled about the animals being in enclosures. It had something to do with the Valeyard and she ached knowing that he was ruining their wonderful holiday. After about a half hour of unnatural silence from him, she finally asked to speak to him in private and they both headed over to a bench while the others looked at some white tigers.

"Love, what is it?" she said, taking his hands. "I thought we agreed that we wouldn't let the Valeyard ruin our fun until he showed up. Are you scared what he might do to us if he shows up?"

"A little, but that's not what I've been focusing on. I've been trying to come up with a solution to all of this and I think I might have one, but it would be risky."

"What is it?" she said as everyone else wandered over.

"Bro, what's wrong?" Awinita asked with a concerned look on her face.

He beckoned them to come closer.

"I've been thinking about how we might be able to defeat the Valeyard," he said. "Like I told Rose I have an idea but it would be risky."

"Let's hear it," Awinita said.

"This universe is running ahead of Rose's original universe. This means that this probably hasn't happened to the Doctor yet in the other universe and what we are seeing is future events just like Rose saw the stars going out here before the reality bomb went off. Now the Valeyard is here with the Doctor in this universe which must mean he has a void crosser in his TARDIS. If we can get a hold of his TARDIS and take it back to just before the Valeyard captured the Doctor and defeat him there we can do what we did with the reality bomb and prevent this from ever happening. But…in order to do that, we have to figure out a way to get onto his TARDIS, take control of it and pilot it back without getting captured or killed, that's the risky part."

They looked at each other.

"So…you're talking about setting a trap for the Valeyard?" Awinita said.

"Maybe, but I'm hesitant about doing this until this so-called protector shows up and since the TARDIS was cut off before she could tell me who it is or what to look for I don't know if it would be a wise move to draw attention to ourselves at the moment. Rose and I have experience fighting threats like this but you guys don't and the last thing I wanna do is risk your safety, at least not without some kind of protection. I want us to face him fully prepared and I don't think we're ready. At the moment all we can do is rely on these bio-dampers and hope it gives us enough time to do what we need to do to ready ourselves and come up with a plan. I'm sorry, everyone, I really am. I realize I said to just go ahead and have fun but I wanna have a strategy as well. I really am looking at the animals, honestly. I know I haven't been my usual bubbly, babbly self since we've been here but I really am frightened for all of you."

His family embraced him while Imiko watched with a smile on her face.

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After they got done seeing the zoo, they found a department store and managed to get the parts Alan needed for the screwdrivers. They hurried back to their hotel room hoping that Mingxia hadn't made it back yet. But as far as they could tell she still hadn't arrived and all of them went into Alan and Rose's room. While Alan spread the parts out on the wooden dining room table, everyone else went into the kitchen to see what they could fix for supper. They found a rice cooker in a cabinet under the sink and Imiko took that and fixed them some rice while the others cut up some beef and vegetables for a stew. Once the ingredients were in the pot and on the burner, Rose walked out into the other room where Alan was working diligently on the first screwdriver. She put her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on his head.

"Aren't you worried Mingxia might see this and start askin' questions?"

"Starlight, the woman is from UNIT, surely Pete explained to them who and what I am. And if they didn't, I don't care. If she asks, I'll explain myself but time is short and I want these done and in my sister's hands before anything happens to us. If she can't accept that, she can go back to UNIT then and we can get along without her or find someone else. All I know is I'm done trying to hide my true identity from anyone that comes along with us. It's aggravating and humiliating for me to pretend to be something I'm not."

He glanced over at the kitchen when he heard a drawer opening and closing.

"What're you fixin'?"

"At the moment, beef stew and rice. We're still going through the cupboards and refrigerator lookin' at everything they've got for us."

"Sounds good," he said. "I…"

He was cut off when they heard a knock on the front door.

"I'll get it, love," she said, rubbing his back.

She walked to the door as everyone else stepped out of the kitchen. She opened the door and greeted Mingxia who was now dressed in jeans, white t-shirt and white Nikes.

"Níhăo," she said when Rose said hello. "Can I come in?"

"Sure, come on in," she said, stepping aside.

She put her hands together and bowed to the others while they did the same. Alan had stood up and also bowed to her. She noticed the parts arranged on the table and went to look at them.

"What's all this?" she asked, gesturing to them.

Alan sat down and folded his hands in his lap.

"How much do you know about me?" he asked her.

"Only what my superiors have told me."

"And that is…"

"That you are half alien and you have come here from another universe with Rose Tyler."

"Good. Means I don't have to explain everything. I assume Pete Tyler was the source of this information?"

"Yes."

"This…" he said sweeping his arm over the table, "is the beginnings of a device that I use called a sonic screwdriver. I am making two of them for my sisters over there."

"Your sisters?"

"Over here," Awinita said.

She turned and Rain and Awinita waved at her. She stared at them for a moment before turning back around.

"They're your sisters?"

He nodded.

"My adopted sisters and Rose is my wife. Imiko is a friend," he said. "We have reason to believe our lives are in danger from an old enemy of the man I was cloned from. He's called the Valeyard and he's captured my sire who's called the Doctor and now both of them are trying to capture us. We think our capture is inevitable which is why we're trying to prepare as best we can. These sonic screwdrivers can unlock and lock doors among other things. I don't know how much good it'll do but I'm trying to prepare for all eventualities. I want you to know this because they're trying to find us right now and if they find us while you're with us your life will be in danger along with ours. I appreciate you doing this for us and I know you are following orders but I don't want to put anyone in danger without their consent. The Valeyard is ruthless. He's pure evil and he will torture and kill you without a second thought. So if you don't want to take that risk then I suggest you go back to UNIT and tell your superiors to relieve you of your duty to us."

"I'm not afraid. I've faced a couple of threats since my time at UNIT."

"Yes, but this threat is probably one of the biggest threats you will ever face if not the biggest. I'm warning you. The Valeyard was birthed out of something called the Dark Matrix which was the repository for my sire's people's darkest thoughts and impulses. My sire has thirteen lives and he's a combination of the darkness of all thirteen of those lives. Therefore, there is absolutely no goodness or mercy in him and you will not be able to plead or bargain with him. And there's a good chance that your death will not be quick and painless either. He likes to draw out his victim's suffering. I don't mind you staying but I want to give you fair warning like I warned everyone else in this room."

"I want to stay."

He nodded.

"Then I'm glad to meet you. Please make yourself at home if you want. They're cooking stew and rice right now and you're more than welcome to share our meals and our room with us."

She smiled and nodded.

"Now if you'll excuse me. This is very complicated work and I want to get back to it."

"Of course."

He turned his attention back to the parts while she walked over and got acquainted with the others.

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As before, Alan ate, worked and listened to Mingxia and the others talking. She was 27 years old and originally from a village called Ya'an which was nearly 1300 miles from the city. It was a small rural village and she had decided to come to Beijing to go to university because she didn't want to be a rice farmer her entire life. She got a degree in business administration with a minor in English so she could go abroad and work in America or Great Britain. But after graduation she decided she wanted some adventure and life experience before finding something so she joined UNIT because it paid well and offered her the adventure she craved. She'd only been with UNIT for a year but in that time she'd gotten to know Beijing well and knew a lot of good places to go. She looked at the list Rose had compiled from watching the Travel Channel and nodded.

"These are all good places to go. I know them all," she said. "And I can take you to a few more besides."

She paused when she saw one of the things she had written.

"You want to go to Leshan?" she said.

"Yeah," Rose said. "We wanted to go see the Giant Buddha and Imiko is going there to stay with a friend."

"I've been there a couple of times. My village is only 80 miles away from it."

"Could we go see your village then?" Awinita asked.

Alan looked up from his work.

"Well, if you want to. There's nothing there really. It's just a simple village without any tourist attractions but you can meet my family. I'm sure they'd love to have you stay for dinner."

"I'd love to meet your family," Rose said. "It doesn't matter if it's just a village. We see enough tourist places as it is."

"Besides," Alan said, "I'm sure your family will love to see you after being away from them."

She nodded.

"That can wait though. For now I can show you around Beijing. It's a wonderful city and now that the Olympics are over, the crowds are back to normal, which means it's still crowded but not like it was a few months ago."

"I bet it was terrible being here during that," Rain said.

"It was, crowd wise, but I did go to a few events and had fun. I went to the diving and gymnastics events and loved it."

"We were somewhere in the US at that time," Rose said. "I think we were on our way to Disneyworld at that point."

"Oh wow, I've never been. I'd love to go to Disneyworld someday."

"We went to two. The one in Florida and Tokyo Disney," Rose said.

"Wow, you guys must have had fun doing this world journey."

"Yes," they all said in unison.

Rose glanced at Alan who had gone back to working.

"By the way," she said innocently. "How do you feel about eating at a penis restaurant?"

Alan jerked his head up.

"How do I feel about eating at what?" Mingxia said, her eyes widening.

"Alan saw this penis restaurant in a guidebook about China and he's been dying to eat there but the rest of us don't want to because well…it's a penis restaurant."

"Um, I'm gonna have to join the rest of you and leave Alan to it."

Alan's family laughed as Alan eyed Rose.

"Oh, thank you! I'm so glad you're on our side," Rose said.

Mingxia looked at Alan.

"Sorry, I realize we Chinese eat a lot of things westerners don't and I like a lot of foods you might find strange but I draw the line at eating animal penis. You wanna go there and eat, be my guest; I'll go eat with the rest of your family and friends."

"Trust me, my sire has eaten stranger things than that," Alan replied. "There are some foods in this universe that make animal penis look tame by comparison. But…if no one wants to eat it, then I won't waste time going there. It was more of a curiosity anyway."

"There is some good street food that they sell in stalls around the city that you might wanna try. They have everything from meat or fish on skewers to fruit to insects and sea life. It's worth a taste, especially if you want to experience all of Chinese culture. Also, there are a lot of foods that you might not have considered trying that are actually very tasty, at least I think so. Speaking of, this stew and rice is very delicious. Whoever made it did a good job."

"We all helped make it except for Alan since he's busy over there," Rose said.

"I like it. I haven't had stew in awhile," she said. "I like dim sum or dumplings and I love fried tofu with pork."

"Me too," Imiko said. "Fried tofu is my favorite."

"You ever had it?" Mingxia asked the others.

Everyone else shook their heads.

"We'll have to go somewhere where they have it. It's really good," she said. "Or Imiko and me can use the kitchens here and fix it."

She finished her meal. Excusing herself, she went to take her dirty dishes back to the kitchen.

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After four hours of work, Alan finally had the screwdrivers ready and presented them to each of his sisters. Both Mingxia and Imiko stared at them with wonder.

"Cool. I wish I knew how to build something like this," Mingxia said. "You said this locks and unlocks doors?"

Yes, at least that's what we've figured out it does so far," Alan said.

"Can you show me?" Mingxia said.

"Yeah, we can try it on the front door like Alan did when he first made the screwdrivers for him and Rose," Awinita said.

They all got up and went outside. Alan grabbed a card key and locked the door behind them. Awinita turned and aimed the screwdriver at the door. She turned it on and smiled when the red light went to green and she opened the door.

"Wow!" Mingxia said.

She closed the door back.

"Lock it, sis," she said to Rain.

Rain aimed her screwdriver at it and green light turned to red. She jiggled the handle and shrugged.

"See, they work," she said.

"Wow, that's handy," Mingxia said.

"Yes, he also made things that disguise him and Rose," Imiko said.

"Disguises you?" she asked Alan.

Alan reached inside his shirt and pulled out his bio-damper. He explained what it was and what it did.

"And this will hide you from the Valeyard?" Mingxia said when he finished.

"Yes, hopefully. Like I told them we have no guarantee it works but if I can get the screwdrivers to work then I'm sure this works as well."

He put it back under his shirt. Awinita opened the door with the screwdriver and all of them went back inside.

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For the next five hours, they relaxed and talked to one another, getting to know each other better. Alan was glad that Mingxia had a little bit of background on him so he could just relax and not have to hide his past from her. He told her a little bit about the Doctor along with the adventures they had been having over the past seven months. When they finished telling her about the battle with the skinwalker, he offered to shield her mind as he had done the others and she accepted. He also gave her a little bit more information on the Valeyard in case he showed up while they were in China. By the time they were too tired to go on talking it was close to 5 in the morning. While everyone started getting ready for bed, Alan sat with Mingxia. He first projected an image of the Valeyard and the Doctor into her mind and then proceeded to set up the barriers. By the time he had finished and gotten ready for bed it was just past 6 and he eagerly climbed into the huge comfortable bed with Rose while she switched off the light.


	150. Chapter 150

Chapter One Hundred Fifty

Around ten the next morning, there was a knock on Alan's door. Everyone in the room was still asleep.

"No," Alan muttered as he kept his eyes closed. "We don't want any. Want sleepytime. Don't wanna go on the TARDIS to Raxacoricofallipatorius. Slitheen smelly. No want!"

He grinned when everyone laughed. The knocking continued and Alan sighed as he opened his eyes.

"No!" he said forcefully, getting up while they continued to laugh. "Want sleepytime! No wanna fight Daleks and Ice Warriors! Want slumber-bye. Leave 'lone!"

He threw on his bathrobe and walked to the door. He opened it and saw Mingxia and Imiko standing there.

"No," he said to them. "No wanna go on TARDIS to Klom and battle smelly Absorbaloff! Nice and snuggly warm in beddy bye, no want!"

"What?" Mingxia said as everyone in the room roared with laughter.

"Nothing, I'm just being a goof this morning," Alan said. "We're still in bed and we need a few minutes to make ourselves presentable."

"That's fine. We'll be waiting in Imiko's room when you're done."

He nodded and closed the door. Turning, he grinned from ear to ear when everyone laughed again.

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After some breakfast in the little hotel coffee shop, Mingxia led them to a bus stop and they caught a bus over to the Forbidden City. While they walked around the massive courtyard, Mingxia gave them some history on it. Alan smiled. He had memories of the Doctor being here back when it was actually forbidden for commoners to step foot on the palace grounds on pain of death. He had never gotten as far as they had now and it felt good to once again do something he hadn't done and make a memory all his own.

He looked at Rose who was taking photos of everything and tapped her on the shoulder.

"See this place," he said gesturing to the palace in front of him. "I believe this will do nicely for our home until we get the TARDIS. Forget a flat in London and forget a home in Arizona. This, right here, is just right for us. I say we stop the journey right here and move right in."

"Right, Alan, and I'm sure the Chinese government will just let us live here unopposed."

He chuckled and wrapped an arm around her.

"I think we'll win them over if we promise to keep the place tidy," he said.

"Yeah, I'm sure they'll just agree to that straight away."

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and sighed contentedly while they walked together behind the others. He noticed Rain and Awinita looking around them, searching for any sign of the Valeyard and Doctor and once again felt a brief flash of anger that both of them had caused his family to go on red alert instead of just having fun.

He looked around him at the sheer number of buildings.

"Blimey, how many buildings are there in here?" he asked.

Mingxia looked back at him.

"There are 980 buildings and those are the structures that have survived."

Rose's mouth fell open.

"980?" she said.

"See, Starlight, we can move in here and live. Anytime the Chinese government comes to look for us we'll just go hide in another building. They'll never find us in a million years."

"Sod that, I'd never find you in a million years," Rose said as they laughed.

"Man, this whole place needs an entire day just by itself," Awinita said.

"Or two," Rain added.

They walked up the steps into the largest of three halls, The Palace of Heavenly Purity which was the emperor's audience hall. All of them walked through the darkened building gazing at the structure with hushed awe. In the center of the palace was an elaborate platform which had a throne and a large desk on top of it. Mingxia explained that was where the emperor wrote notes and signed documents during councils with his ministers. Rose took a few more photos while the rest of them walked around the desk and examined it. After that, the six of them walked on and continued their tour.

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The Doctor was on the verge of losing his patience and strangling somebody. He had been through the terminals of Narita Airport flashing Rose's picture at the ticket counters but no one claimed to know her or remember her getting on any flight. He finally threw up his hands in frustration and went to sit on a couch in the center of the terminal while he pondered his next move.

"There's got to be a way to find them without searching every single corner of the Earth," he mumbled to himself.

He shook his head.

"Maybe they went somewhere else in Japan?" he mused.

He shook his head.

"No, he's me and I would have fled the country with Rose. I wouldn't have hung about waiting for my double to appear."

He sat back against the vinyl cushion of the couch and thought about what to do. He couldn't sense his clone's presence, much to his frustration. He figured he had his mind closed to him but out of desperation he decided to try to access it. He shut his eyes and concentrated, trying to find the mental link that all Time Lords share. For ten minutes he tried to find something, anything that resembled his clone's mind but finally he gave up and let out a Gallifreyan curse when he found nothing.

Then, he saw something. A woman at one of the ticket counters left to take a break leaving the computer unattended. With a smirk, he quickly hurried over, jumped over the little door and went to the computer. He looked around to make sure no one saw him and then typed Rose Timelord's name into the search bar. He smiled when her name came up along with Alan's in a passenger log for a flight that had left for Beijing the previous day.

"Gotcha now, my love," he said, spitting out the last word.

He quickly hid what he had done and left the counter before anyone saw him. Walking back to the couch he sat down and closed his eyes linking his mind with the Valeyard's.

_Master, I have found them,_ he thought. _They took a flight to Beijing yesterday at 10 a.m._

_Excellent, my acolyte, I want you to follow them there and find them. I will access the airport's database from here and get you a ticket on the next available flight. Then once you are there, stop at nothing to locate them._

_Yes, my Master. And then…kill them all?_

There was a long pause.

_No, not yet, my acolyte. I have an idea. First, I wish you to change your appearance once you get there into something less threatening and then when you find them, befriend them and earn their trust so you can travel with them for awhile. Play a little game with the fools and then when the time is right, you will capture them and bring them to me alive._

_Yes, my Master. _

There was another long pause.

_I have hacked into the airport's computers and booked you a seat on Northwest Airlines. Your flight leaves in two hours. _

_Yes, Master. _

_Go there and find them, my acolyte._

_I will not fail you, Master._

_You better not._

The link was severed and the Doctor rose from his seat and went to the Northwest Airlines counter to claim his ticket.

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After spending three hours exploring the Forbidden City the tourists decided to take a break and get something to snack on. With a smile, Mingxia led them to some food stalls near one of the large gates of the city. There were several of them standing in a row alongside a wall. Each one offering something different. The six of them walked along looking at the choices. There was one that had meat and fish chunks on the skewer, one that had dumplings, one that was selling different insects on a skewer, one that had starfish and seahorses on a skewer and one that had fruit on a skewer. Mingxia got one of each item and brought them over to them. With a grin, she held out the skewer with the starfish on it.

"Anyone brave enough to take a taste?" she said.

Alan took it from her. Everyone watched him while he took a bite of one of the legs. He chewed it for a moment and then shrugged.

"Tastes like a really crunchy fish finger," he said.

He held it out to Rose who took it from him and stared at it hesitantly.

"Are you bein' serious?" she asked.

"About what? It tastin' like a fish finger? Yes," he said.

She hesitated a moment and then tentatively took a bite of another arm. She chewed it and swallowed.

"Not bad," she said. "You're right. Does taste like a fish finger."

She passed it to Awinita who also hesitated before taking a bite. Then she passed it to Rain who did the same thing.

"Pretty good," she said.

They passed it to Imiko who took a bite without hesitation. She nodded her approval. Once it was passed around, Mingxia held out the skewer with the seahorse on it. Alan took it and stared at the tiny creature.

"It's staring at me," he said as they laughed.

He bit the head off and chewed. Halfway through, he made a face.

"I don't like this one. It's too fishy tasting," he said. "Starfish was better."

He held it out to Rose.

"What makes you think I wanna eat it after you said that?"

"What? I'm your official taste tester now?"

"Yes, you are," she said as they laughed. "You don't like it, chances are I won't. Pass!"

She grabbed the skewer and handed it to Awinita who handed it to Rain who handed it to Imiko who took a bite of it.

"Well, at least someone is brave enough to have a go at it," Alan said.

Mingxia got a devilish look in her eyes when she held out a skewer that held several large grasshoppers on them.

"Try this, this is a delicacy in China," she said.

Alan's wife and sisters practically turned green but Alan reached over and plucked a grasshopper off the skewer. They gave him a disgusted look when he popped it into his mouth and chewed.

"Mmmm, not bad," he said, swallowing. "I like it."

He grinned at Rose.

"Love, I suddenly feel like a snog! Come 'ere!"

"No!" Rose said backing up several feet as everyone bent over laughing.

"Come on, Starlight, it really is good. Try it," Alan said, taking the skewer from Mingxia's hand and holding it out to her.

Rose stared at the fried grasshopper with a mixture of fear and disgust and slowly inched forward. She slowly reached out and slid the next grasshopper off the stick. She held it in her hand grimacing while everyone watched her. She closed her eyes and popped it in her mouth wincing at the first crunchy bite but after a couple of chews they saw her raise her eyebrows.

"You're right, this really isn't that bad," she said, swallowing. "A lot less disgusting than I thought it would be."

Alan held the skewer out to Awinita. She slid the grasshopper off the stick and examined it.

"I can't believe I'm going to eat this," she said as everyone laughed.

She looked at her sister.

"You're next so get ready," she told her.

She closed her eyes and lobbed the bug in her mouth. She did the same thing as Rose and had the same reaction after a couple of chews.

"Mmm, you're right, it's a lot better tasting than it looks," she said.

She opened her eyes, swallowed the bug and gestured to her sister.

"She's next, bro," she said.

Rain slid the grasshopper off and held it in her hand. She counted to three, put it in her mouth and bit down. She also had the same reaction as everyone else and nodded.

"I like it too. I guess now I have bragging rights about eating a bug," she said.

Alan held it out to Imiko who was a little less hesitant about eating it. Once everyone was through, Mingxia passed around the fruit and meat and dumplings which everyone readily ate. Once they finished their little snack, they headed back to the Forbidden City for more sightseeing.

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They managed to see a quarter of the Forbidden City before calling it a day. By the time they got back it was dark out and all of them decided to relax for the evening in Alan's room and watch TV for awhile. Alan watched The Princess Bride on Cinemax for awhile with everyone else before he got bored and decided to relax on the balcony. He excused himself, opened the balcony doors and went out, closing the doors behind him. There were a couple of padded chairs with a small glass table between them and he settled down into one of them with a sigh. He sat there watching the crowded streets below him and listening to the sounds of the city. Then he heard the door opening and smiled when he saw Rain coming out onto the balcony with a glass of Coke and a glass of Mountain Dew.

"Thought I'd get you a drink while you're out here," she said, handing him the glass of Coke.

"Thanks, Te'lesu, I appreciate that," he said, taking it from her.

He gestured to the empty seat.

"Sit and enjoy the view with me," he said.

Rain closed the door and sat down.

"Are you alright, bro?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"I just wondered since you came out here in the middle of the movie."

"I'm okay, the Doctor's seen the movie a couple of times and I got bored with seeing it myself," he said. "I just thought I'd come out here and marvel at Beijing for a bit."

"It's hard to believe we are in Beijing," Rain said, looking out at the city.

He smiled.

"Miles away from Arizona, eh?"

"Yes, it is. I never dreamed I'd ever be here and here we are."

"Well, I'm glad you're here to enjoy the view with me," he said, fondly.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"The Doctor…is he a good guy?"

Alan frowned.

"How'd you mean, Te'lesu?"

"I mean, is he as nice as you are? I know the Valeyard's probably done something to him to turn him evil now but normally, is he a nice guy to be around?"

Alan took a sip of Coke while he thought.

"For the most part he is," he said. "There is some darkness in him that is no longer in me. But if you mean would he normally hurt you, no he wouldn't. He is a force for good in the universe and if you are a good person, which you are, then you have nothing to fear from him. It's only the monsters and evildoers that need to beware of him."

"Do you love him like you love me and Rose and Awinita?"

Alan took another sip while he considered that.

"I'd like to love him, Te'lesu. I'd like to be his brother in the same way you are my sister but I don't know if he'll have me. Not after what I did."

"But what you did…you were saving the universe," she said. "You weren't killing the Daleks because they were innocent and you were being evil like the Valeyard. You saved people."

A sad smile spread over his face.

"I know that, my Te'lesu but unfortunately, my other half doesn't see it that way."

"Are you going to save him though? I mean, are you going to try to save him from the Valeyard?"

"Yes, I will try to free him. Despite our differences, I would never allow him to be in bondage to that thing for the rest of his lives. I wouldn't wish that fate on my worst enemy. Rose would never forgive me either if I didn't try to rescue him. He's too important to the safety of the universe to be a puppet to that monstrosity."

"Then…if you do free him, let Awinita and me talk to him. Maybe if we told him how awesome you were he would understand and forgive you."

Alan gave her a loving look.

"You know, I'm so blessed to have you in my life. You and Awinita and Rose have healed me completely, not even the Doctor was healed as much as I am. I don't know what I would do now if I ever lost any of you. I think I'd go stark raving mad."

"So would I."

Alan stared at her for a moment and then sat his glass down on the table and opened his arms. Rain set down her glass and went over to him. His arms closed around her and he held her close.

"I love you, Alan," Rain said.

"I love you too, Rain, so very much."

He kissed her cheek.

"If you do free the Doctor, bro, let us talk to him. We'll talk sense into him," she said. "We'll make him see how wonderful you are and beg him to accept you as his brother."

"Awww, thanks Te'lesu," he said, rubbing her back.

"Because if he's half as wonderful as you are then I want him to be my brother too," she added.

"I think he would be chuffed to have you as his sister, both of you and even if he doesn't accept me, he'll accept you, I know it."

"No," she said, looking at him."I won't be his sister unless he accepts you. I don't want to have to split my loyalties like that. If he won't call you brother than I won't have anything to do with him."

"No, Rain, don't do that to him. That's what got him into trouble in the first place. He needs love just as much as I do, probably more so. He's not a bad guy. Don't shut him out of your life and abandon him just because he makes the choice not to call me his brother, please. He's had far too much abandonment in his life. He needs a family like ours to help dispel the darkness in his life. Please offer to be his sister."

She nodded.

"Alright, if we save him I'll ask him to be my brother no matter what he says about you."

Alan smiled and gave her one more tight hug and kiss on the cheek before they broke apart.

"It's getting a bit chilly out here, don't you think?" he said.

"Yes, it is. You wanna go back inside?"

He nodded.

"Thanks, Rain for the talk and the drink."

"Anytime, little bro."

He smiled and squeezed her hand before he got up, grabbed his drink and followed her back into the hotel room.


	151. Chapter 151

Chapter One Hundred Fifty One

The Doctor paused just outside the Beijing airport and thought. He had solved one dilemma and come upon another. Beijing was a massive city packed with people. Even though his clone and his family weren't Chinese it would still be difficult for him to find them among millions of city dwellers, not without some clue to their whereabouts. Not to mention they could have left Beijing and gone on further into the country or even caught another flight to another country. There were so many possibilities and he knew by the time he found a viable lead they might have gone somewhere else. Time was of the essence now if he hoped to catch them unawares. He scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"They were staying at the Holiday Inn," he mused. "I suppose I could locate the Holiday Inns in Beijing and start there. But first, I need to find somewhere to exchange my money."

He walked back into the terminal to ask where he could get his currency switched.

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After spending the morning seeing more of the Forbidden City, Mingxia took them over to one of the Beijing Opera Houses for a performance. They went to the Grand National Theatre of China for a performance of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The design of the theater was incredible. It was a large domed glass and steel structure that was white on one side and black on the other, resembling a giant Yin Yang symbol. Inside it was just as elegant and beautiful, nothing like anything they had ever seen before. They found seats in the concert hall and sat together on the south side of the stage while they watched the performers clad in colorful costumes and vivid makeup act out the play. The dialogue was in Chinese so occasionally Mingxia leaned over to let them know what was going on and what the colors of the makeup symbolized on each performer. Occasionally Alan could understand a word or phrase but for the most part he had no trouble following the action and he was entranced with the play along with everyone else.

Afterwards they went to a nearby tea house and once again they were stunned by what they saw. The tea masters would walk between the round tables carrying a brass teapot with a three foot long spout. Whenever they served tea they would spin it around in their hands and around their bodies. They would put their arm behind their back and pour the tea with the spout coming over their shoulders. All of them watched entranced as the man spun the kettle around without spilling a single drop of water. Alan looked at Rose when the tea master had finished pouring their tea and walked on.

"Dear, learn to do that for me so I can be entertained at tea time," he said as they laughed.

"If I were you, I wouldn't ask cause I have a feelin' I'd hit you in the face with the kettle or douse you with hot water," she said.

"You can buy those kettles," Mingxia said. "They have some in the gift shop by the front door."

"Oh yeah, I can just see Alan tryin' to carry that thing along with his rucksack," Rose said. "He'd either poke his eye out with it or mine. Either way, we'd both end up blind."

They took a sip of the black tea and savored the flavor as they looked out the window at the nearby lake. They looked around and noticed people were not only drinking tea but playing mahjong or reading the newspaper or laughing and talking with one another.

"A lot of people come in here in the morning," Mingxia said when she noticed what they were looking at. "Some people stay in here all day long just visiting with others and relaxing. The refills are free as long as you keep the pot open."

They stayed there for a couple of hours in the relaxing atmosphere, chatting and getting to know Mingxia better and sipping their tea before they decided to head back to the hotel.

"You know what I think we should do tonight?" Alan said to the others as they headed for the bus stop. "I think we should go down to that bowling center and have fun there. After all, if it's there we oughta take advantage of it."

"That sounds brilliant," Rose said. "I wouldn't mind bowling for awhile."

"Me too," Mingxia said. "I love bowling."

"I've never bowled before," Rain said.

"I also have not bowled," Imiko added

"Well, we'll teach you how," Rose said to them. "It's not that hard. And trust me; I'm not that great a bowler either so don't worry if you roll gutter balls."

They got out their money when the bus rolled up and stopped and they filed inside.

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The bowling center was huge and to their relief it wasn't crowded. It had white walls with minimal decoration. In one corner there was a concession stand; several arcade games and an air hockey table. Chinese pop music blared over the speaker above their heads and it clashed with the sound of rolling balls and toppling pins. Only a few other people were bowling so there were several lanes open. They exchanged their shoes for bowling shoes and went to the concession stand to get some sodas, nachos and hot dogs for their supper. They carried everything over to the far right lane and sat down on a semi-circular couch directly in front of their lane. Right beside the lane was the table where the score was kept. Mingxia volunteered to keep score and sat her food and drinks down on the edge of it. She turned in her seat and everyone proceeded to fill Rain and Imiko in on the rules of the game. Once they were finished, they decided who would go first and Alan volunteered. He got up and walked over to the ball rack.

"I suppose you're gonna bowl a perfect game," Awinita said.

He looked at her.

"Um…probably not, what makes you think I would?" he said.

"Because knowing you, bro, you're gonna take into account the wind speed, the surface of the floor, the size of the ball, the temperature in the room, the condition of your shoes, how many boogers are in your nose, what planet is aligned with Jupiter and so on and so on," he said as everyone laughed.

"Well, I'll try to refrain from counting the bogeys in my nose so I can give you all a fighting chance," he said, winking.

He put his fingers in the holes and held the black ball in front of him while he stared at the ten pins. He hesitated a moment and then ran up to the foul line, letting the ball go. He stepped back and watched with everyone while it rolled down the lane and toppled six pins on the right side. He turned to Awinita.

"There, see, I'm not gonna get constant strikes."

"Well thank you for giving those of us who aren't super geniuses a shot," she said as they laughed.

He picked up another black ball from the rack and held it in front of him. He ran up and let it go and pumped his fist in the air when the final four pins were knocked down. He walked back to his place beside Rose and took a sip of his Coke while Mingxia noted his score and the pins were reset.

"Who's goin' next?" Rose asked.

"I will," Awinita said.

She got up, grabbed a ball from the rack and studied the lane while everyone ate and watched her. She ran up and let go of the ball and cursed when it rolled into the gutter halfway up the lane.

"Damn it, I hate when I do that," she said.

"Can I give you a bit of advice?" Alan said.

"Sure, bro."

"On your last step bend your knee to get down lower to the lane, then slide your foot straight towards the foul line and make sure it doesn't turn. Then counter balance your body by moving your non-sliding leg sideways to the opposite side of your bowling arm. And make sure you keep your upper body semi erect as you get down low to the lane."

"Get all that?" Rose said as they laughed.

"Um…sorta…"

"Here, Te'lesu, let me show you," Alan said, getting up.

Alan stood beside her and mimed the stance a couple of times until Awinita understood what to do. Then he sat back down while Awinita backed up and readied herself. She ran forward, did what he showed her to do and was floored when she got a strike.

"Oh yes! I am so good!" Alan said.

Awinita turned and embraced him.

"Oh my God, thank you; I never bowled a strike in my life!"

"You're welcome. Happy to help," he said, patting her back.

"I'll go next," Rose said, getting up.

"Yay, Rose!"

Rose looked back at Alan.

"Just giving you a bit of support, my darling wife," he said.

Rose grabbed a ball from the rack and held it in front of her. She frowned when Alan suddenly walked to her side and stood there sipping his Coke through his straw while he stared at her intently.

"What the hell are you doin'?" she said.

"I wanna study your technique up close."

"Go and sit your arse down, ya git, before I throw you down the lane!" she said, pointing back to the seat while everyone laughed.

Alan shrugged and sipped his Coke as he walked back to his seat.

Rose readied herself, ran up and let the ball go. She sighed when the ball hit four pins on the left side and grabbed another ball from the rack. She stepped back and gasped when Alan ran up to her, hot dog in hand.

"Now as I was telling Awinita, if you'd bend your knee on the last step…"

"Piss off, will ya!" she said as everyone giggled. "Christ, I'm gonna start doin' that to you when it's your turn."

He gave her a quick kiss on the nose and ran back to his seat while Rose sighed and shook her head. She readied herself, ran up and let the ball go.

"Damn it!" she said when only three more pins toppled.

She turned and walked back to her seat.

"If you'd just listened to me..." Alan said, shrugging.

He grinned when she swatted his head.

"I'll go next," Mingxia said, getting up.

They watched while she grabbed a ball, readied herself, ran up and let go. She rolled a strike and pumped her fist in the air.

"Sorry, guys, I bowl a lot with my friends and I'm pretty good at this game," she said, shrugging.

She sat back down and grinned as she made a big show of marking an X in the box while everyone else feigned anger and booed at her.

"Okay," Alan said. "That leaves the two novices."

Rain and Imiko looked at each other.

"Um…you want me to go first?" Rain asked.

Imiko nodded and Rain got up. She paused and walked over to Alan.

"Bend your knee on the last step?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Gotcha."

Everyone cheered her on as she walked up and took a ball from the rack. She held it up, trying to imitate what everyone else had been doing. She took a few steps toward the lane and sped up as she threw her arm back to release the ball. She gasped when it flew out of her hand and everyone yelled as the ball sailed back and landed under the couch, narrowly missing Rose's right leg. Rain turned redder than a stop light as everyone split their sides laughing.

"No, Te'lesu!" Alan said, thrusting his finger towards the pins. "That way! Not back here! I realize my wife has lily-white legs but don't mistake them for the pins, alright?"

"Oh God, Rose, I'm so sorry!" she said, hurrying over to her. "I'm so, so sorry. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Rose laughed.

"No, you didn't, sis. I moved my leg at the last minute."

They laughed as Rain noticed everyone was looking her way and turned even redder. Alan embraced her and laughed while she stared at everybody, mortified.

"Aaaah, thank you, Te'lesu, best laugh I've had since we found out about the Valeyard," he said. "I'm just glad you missed Rose's leg. I don't think you would have lived too long afterwards once she got through with ya."

He pulled away from her and stood up.

"Here, I'll help you," he said, reaching under the seat and grabbing the ball.

Just as he did with Awinita, he instructed her on how to hold the ball and what to do. He stood nearby and watched while she rolled the ball and it hit three of the pins.

"Good," he said, coming back up. "Now just bend your knee a bit more and relax your arm, okay?"

She nodded and grabbed another ball. Alan stepped back and watched while she did what he suggested and got four more pins. He smiled at her.

"Good! Just keep practicing and you'll get a strike in no time."

"Thanks bro," she said, smiling.

"Thank you…for not killing my wife."

She swatted his arm as everyone laughed. Both of them walked back to their seats. He looked at Imiko while Rain sat down.

"Would you like some help?"

"No, I think I can do it."

He nodded and sat back down.

"Don't throw the ball back here, we don't want nacho cheese all over our faces," he teased her.

She smiled.

"I will try very hard not to, Alan-san," she said while they giggled.

They watched while Imiko grabbed a ball, readied herself, ran forward and let go. They stared at her in shock for a moment when she got a strike and then applauded enthusiastically.

"See, I know what to do!" Imiko said as they laughed.

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Mingxia ended up winning the game but they applauded Rain because she was the most improved, even bowling a couple of strikes. They played another round and Rose ended up winning that one, much to her surprise. After that, they decided to go over to the arcade games and play them for awhile. Rose challenged Rain to air hockey while Awinita played Donkey Kong and Mingxia and Imiko walked off in search of the restroom. Alan looked at the games and noticed they had a Ms. Pac-man. It was the only game he was familiar with besides Donkey Kong so he put a coin in the slot and played. He was ten minutes in to the game when he felt someone walk up beside him. He glanced at Awinita who was watching the game.

"I didn't know you could play this," she said.

"Well, it doesn't really take a lot of skill," he said. "All you do is maneuver her around a maze and avoid the ghosts. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out."

"What level are you on?"

"3."

Awinita sipped her Coke while she watched him. As he played, he noticed everyone else coming up and clustering around him watching his progress.

"Blimey, Love, you're really good at this," Rose commented.

"Well, I know this game and I know Donkey Kong but Awinita was playing that one earlier so I decided to play this."

"He's up to level 7 now," Awinita said. "And he hasn't died yet."

"Course I haven't died, I'm a clone of the man who's a master of getting out of tight spots without dyin'. These little poncey ghosts are no match for me."

"So are we gonna be here all night while you play this?" Rose asked him.

"Nah, I'll let one of you take over after I finish this round," he said. "I need to use the loo anyway."

He finished the round and looked at the others.

"I'll take over, little bro," Awinita said.

"Go for it!" he said, stepping aside.

She took over the game while Alan excused himself and went to the restroom.

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"Ah, that was fun," Alan said as he and his family got ready for bed.

"Yeah, we oughta go bowling more often," Rose said. "I'm shocked I actually won a game."

"Well, I'm glad I didn't break your leg into twenty six pieces so you could win the game."

They giggled and Rose hugged her.

"You didn't mean it," she said. "I'm just glad Alan taught you how to improve your game so you could compete with us."

"Although, her bowling ball assassin skills might come in handy against the Valeyard. I' m bettin' the last thing he'll expect is a bowling ball comin' directly at his head," Alan said.

"Hey, if it helps defeat him, I'll do anything," Rain said.

"Well, if he does come around, sis, we'll be sure to lure him into the bowling alley so you can lob the balls at his brain," Awinita said, pulling the covers back on their bed.

"What brains?" Rain replied, walking into the bathroom while they laughed.

"Well, to be fair, he is quite clever," Alan said, putting his socks in his rucksack. "He is technically the Doctor and the Doctor is very clever."

"You're cleverer," Rain said, peeking around the bathroom door.

He beamed.

"Thank you," he said. "That gives me my ego boost for tonight; just remember to inflate my ego before breakfast tomorrow so I can get through the day."

"If we inflate your ego any more it's gonna press us up against the soddin' walls and suffocate us," Rose said.

"Oi!" he said as they laughed.

He leapt up, grabbed her from behind and tickled her briefly before giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek.


	152. Chapter 152

Chapter One Hundred Fifty Two

The Doctor had just about had it. He had searched all night and tried all the Holiday Inns without success. He had walked several miles in total, he was hungry, tired and he reeked of apes. He had tried several other hotels after the Holiday Inns but there was no trace of his clone or his ex-lover. He was beginning to think this was a bad idea. He leaned against a wall, resting his body.

"Why do we need them anyway?" he growled under his breath. "The Halfling and Rose are inferior to me. Why do we need to waste our time on them? Especially when we could be using this time to conquer and subjugate the universe. If he wants them so badly why doesn't he get his ass down here and hunt them down himself?"

He knew that it was dangerous to think this way since it was tantamount to betrayal but he was so exhausted that he didn't care anymore. He was still angry that the older Valeyard had accused him of contacting Rose when he had done no such thing. He was trying to keep his mind free of rebellious thoughts in case the Valeyard was monitoring him but he really did wish that he would go back to the other universe and mind his own business. He was basically serving as his errand boy now and he was no one's errand boy. He was the Valeyard, the master of all time and space. He had half a mind to rip the city apart, find the clone and snap his neck so he would be out of his hair permanently and he could go back to his bed on the TARDIS. With an angry sigh, he leaned back up and moved his weary legs towards the next hotel he could find.

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The TARDIS was afraid and she was getting more fearful by the minute. The Valeyard was furious and was growing angrier by the second. The fact that her human beloved had been able to hide himself and his loved ones so completely from the Valeyard enraged the dark Time Lord to the point that he was stomping around the console room swearing at the top of his lungs and uttering out loud what gruesome torments awaited them when they fell into his hands.

She listened closely to him while he ranted and raved. They had found the city Alan and his family had gone to and he had ordered her beloved to track them down. Panicked, she tried to access Alan's mind to warn him and found that it was closed to her. She tried Rose but she got the same result. Alan had blocked all entry into his mind and his wife's mind and she suspected his sisters' minds as well. She knew he had done that to prevent the Valeyard from using her to track him but it still hurt not to be in communication with him. She didn't know him that well but she sensed the goodness within him and the love he felt for his family and it made her happy knowing that he had people to support him especially since there were dark forces conspiring against him. Secretly she hoped that once the Valeyard was defeated Alan would claim her as his own. Her beloved still had his TARDIS back at the singing towers in the other universe so once he was freed he would go back there. But she…she would be alone without anyone to take care of her and take her through time and space. And yet, here was someone who would be the perfect candidate. Despite being half human, he was still a Time Lord and a Time Lord's true destiny was to fly through the vortex seeing the stars and suns and planets of the universe. It wasn't right for him to be stuck on Earth living a human's life until he died so she was more than willing to bond with him and his precious family if they would have her. She hoped with all her circuits that her dream would come true because right now she was living a nightmare and if things didn't turn around soon Alan and his family would be sharing it.

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"Rose?"

Rose mumbled in her sleep.

"Starlight?"

Rose opened her eyes a crack. Alan was lying beside her. He was propped up on his elbow and had his head in his hand while he watched her.

"Huh?"

"How are you feeling?" Alan said softly.

"I'm fine," she murmured.

He rubbed her side.

"Is the tiredness gone now? Are you still feeling ill?"

She smiled.

"No, I feel better now," she said. "I have so much energy now. Thank you for putting me in hibernation so I could get some rest."

He nodded.

"The reason I was askin' is I want to start up our training again at the park we saw near here," he said.

"I'm ready."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay, let me wake up my sisters. It's early but I think we can go there and get back before Imiko and Mingxia wake up."

"You're not training them?"

He shook his head.

"No, Mingxia has been trained by UNIT and Imiko won't be with us for long so I really won't be able to train her thoroughly. If she's still with us when the Valeyard comes then I'll either buy her time so she can get away or bargain for her life. She's not important to him so I think he'll let her go if that happens. But I need to concentrate on getting the three of you trained and in shape."

"Then let's get started then," Rose said, pulling back the covers.

Alan pulled back his side of the covers, got up and went around to the other bed while Rose went into the bathroom.

"Awinita," he said, gently shaking her.

"Huh?" she muttered.

"I'm sorry to wake you, but I want to start up the training again and I wanted to do it this mornin' at that park we saw yesterday."

"Oh, okay…"

She yawned and slowly her eyes while Alan woke his other sister.

Once everyone was up and dressed they all silently slipped out the door, locked it and headed for the elevator.

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The Doctor slumped onto a bench, completely spent. He had tried a few more hotels without success and now he was across the street from one called the Xinhai Jinjiang Hotel. Looking at it, he could see it was extremely posh and he seriously doubted that Alan and his family could afford to stay there but he couldn't leave any stone unturned in his search. At the moment though he had to rest his aching legs and get his second wind back.

But while he was resting and staring at the hotel entrance, something unbelievable happened. His jaw dropped almost to the pavement when the front door opened and his clone stepped outside followed by Rose and two women he assumed were the sisters. He stared at them in disbelief wondering if he was hallucinating but there they were standing just across the street pointing and gesturing while they talked. He stiffened when Rose looked his way but he was still disguised as the Japanese man and she gave him only a cursory glance before she turned her attention back to his clone. He quietly observed them. The two sisters were nothing to him; the only ones who mattered were the Halfling and his ex-lover. He seethed inwardly when she gave him a kiss on the lips and repressed feelings of jealousy that he had shoved deep down inside him after seeing them together on the beach came to the fore. He looked at this freakish version of himself and longed to destroy him utterly until not even a molecule remained to give testimony to the fact that he had once been alive.

For a moment he considered summoning his Master but then he thought better of it.

_I should follow them and observe them for a bit before telling my Master,_ he thought. _Although if he's observing me then I'm sure he's seeing them as well._

Truth be told, he really didn't want his older self to have them. He wanted them all to himself so he could do whatever he wanted without the other Valeyard butting in and trying to prevent him from getting his revenge on the abomination. As for Rose…he was on the fence about what to do with her. Part of him wanted her to die along with the clone but the other half wanted her to just be punished and then join him in ruling the universe. Both scenarios warred in his mind and he finally had to push the dilemma to the back of his mind for the moment so he could concentrate on capturing them. That was the first step. Capture them first. Then once Rose was on board the TARDIS and at his mercy then he would decide her fate.

He watched while the four of them ran across the street to the pavement and vanished from view behind a building. Grunting, the Doctor got to his feet and pushed his burning and tired limbs to move so he could keep them in his sights. Luckily once he turned the corner, he saw that they had slowed down and were walking towards their destination. Muttering thanks to the universe that they weren't out for a brisk morning jog he kept a discrete distance from them in case Rose looked back and saw him. But she never looked back. Instead the four of them laughed and joked with one another while they walked along the pavement. The Doctor smirked when he heard his clone laughing hysterically at something his ape sister said and imagined the laughter turning to screams while he slowly tortured the freak to death.

After a couple of blocks they came to a large public park and entered through a wrought iron gate. The Doctor followed them while they walked past a large number of senior citizens performing morning tai chi together and headed deeper into the park until they came to a large clearing. The Doctor backed up and found a park bench. He sat down and tried to adopt a casual air all the while keeping his eyes on them and their movements. He watched while the clone directed Rose and one of his sisters to sit under the shade of a large tree before he and the other sister walked out into the middle of the clearing. Then, to his utter astonishment, they began to kick and punch one another. The Doctor raised his eyebrow, his attention now riveted on them while he wondered what the hell was going on. He could hear his clone praising the woman each time she performed a move correctly and even heard him refer to her as Te'lesu which made him snort with derision.

For an hour they practiced kicks and punches while the Halfling corrected his sister and gave her encouragement and praise. He glanced over at Rose and the other sister who were leaning back against the tree watching quietly. Finally after the hour was up they stopped training and he gave his sister, who he called Rain, a hug. Then she walked over to sit beside Rose while the other sister, Awinita, joined him. He watched while they did more than punches and kicks and engaged in basic sparring.

_What is this? His pathetic attempt to save himself and his family from us?_ He thought disdainfully. _Is he training his little soldiers to fight me? Well, if I were him, I'd send his sisters far away from here instead of turning them into a couple of Jackie Chans. Because if they get in my way I will snap both their __ape__ necks without a second thought. _

For an hour he trained with Awinita before he finally finished and gave her a hug along with a generous helping of praise. Then he called Rose over and both of them engaged in all out sparring. It was only then that the Doctor realized exactly what he was teaching them and his mouth fell open.

_You are teaching apes Venusian aikido?_ He thought. _Do you seriously think that they'll be able to stand up to me after just a few lessons when I trained for years to master it? Cloney boy you are more insane than I thought. _

But looking at Rose he had to admit she was good. His ex-lover was holding her own pretty well against the clone and he couldn't help the brief feeling of pride for her that bubbled up before he quickly stifled it. As he watched her fighting the clone he suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Rose was a warrior that much was clear. Why couldn't he train her himself? Take her under his wing, enhance her training and teach her to be a fearless fighter who would help him lead his armies into battle against individual planets and an enforcer who would make sure those subjugated planets stayed in line. She could be trained to be a ruthless torturer or a cunning assassin. The possibilities were many for this brave little fighter and she certainly would prove more useful alive than dead. He smirked. After all he did take ordinary people and fashion them into weapons, didn't he? Why not finish what he started and hone this human weapon until it was a perfect killing machine?

They trained for an hour and as before the clone gave her praise and encouragement. However, unlike his sisters, he gave Rose an extra reward for her hard work. He seethed when he saw the passionate kiss they shared and his anger deepened knowing she had betrayed him and married the aberration. It disgusted him watching them kiss one another and he looked forward to the moment when the mutation would breathe his last.

His eyes widened when he saw them getting ready to go and he leapt up and quickly hid behind a tree lest Rose spot him again. He watched while they walked past, completely unaware of his presence, and he let them put some distance between them before he came out from behind the tree and followed them again.

As before, the four of them were laughing and chatting and Rose was holding her husband's hand while they walked along the pavement. The Doctor resisted the urge to barrel into them and throttle the clone to death in front of Rose. Instead he started making plans for the next phase of the plan, infiltrating their little family so he could lie in wait for the right moment to strike. He knew that he would have to change his disguise since they would never allow a middle-aged Japanese man to travel with them. He wasn't even sure if they would let a male travel with them so he figured that if he disguised himself as a young Chinese woman and imitated a female voice then perhaps they would be willing to take him along. All he needed to do was come up with a convincing back-story so they wouldn't suspect him. Then once he had gained their trust, he would seize them both, take them back to the TARDIS and then…the real fun would begin.


	153. Chapter 153

Chapter One Hundred Fifty Three

The Valeyard stood inside his TARDIS watching his creation. He knew that the Doctor had found the Halfling and his wife. He could see Alan and Rose with the two ape sisters on the monitor laughing while they walked back to their hotel. What angered him was the Doctor had not bothered to link up his mind and tell him what he'd found. It was true that he was following them and doing surveillance but the fact that he decided to go off on his own made him wonder if perhaps he was regaining too much independence again. He had demanded the Doctor keep him updated at all times even if he was watching him via the spy satellite. He wondered if once again Rose's presence was affecting him.

He shook his head. He couldn't understand how one simple human girl could wield that much influence over the Time Lord. At first glance she looked like any other ape that infested the planet Earth. She was average in almost every way save her ability to absorb the time vortex and survive. But that was one event over a span of two years of travel. At all other times she was just a companion like all the others he had traveled with. Why did she capture his hearts and ingrain herself so deeply in his psyche that her mere presence had the power to counteract his influence? One thing was for sure the woman could not live; she was far too dangerous to have around. But he knew he had to tread gently lest he arouse his acolyte's anger, cause him to forget his true self and revert back to the lovesick twit he was before. He hated this. He was a straightforward man, torture, kill and be done with it. He wasn't used to tiptoeing around a situation so he didn't arouse the ire of his creation and undo everything he had done.

Yes, there was only one solution to all of this…Rose Tyler or Timelord or whatever she was calling herself now had to die so his creation could finally live.

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Alan and his family stepped off the elevator onto the eighth floor and walked softly down the hallway to their room. Alan put his hand up and walked over to Imiko's door. He put his ear against it listening for any sounds inside. He looked at his family and shook his head.

"I think she's still asleep," he mouthed to them.

He walked over to Mingxia's room and listened but couldn't hear any sounds there either. Shrugging, he walked over to their room, opened the door and they went inside.

"I hope they didn't try to knock on the door earlier," Rose said, closing the door behind them.

"I doubt it. If they did, they probably figured we wanted to sleep in and not be disturbed," Alan said getting the milk out of the refrigerator.

He poured himself a glass and Rose did the same while Rain and Awinita lay back down on their bed and rested their tired limbs. Alan came out of the room sipping his milk and paused when he saw his sisters.

"Oi! What's this then?" he said, walking over to them." Don't tell me you're knackered after only an hour's workout apiece?"

"Leave us alone, bro, we're resting," Awinita said.

"Yes, but there's no rest for the wicked," he said, wagging his finger.

"Well, when the wicked knock down the door and come in the room then we'll get up and fight them," she said as Rain giggled. "Until then we're officially off duty."

Alan smiled and took a sip of his milk. Rose came out of the kitchen and the two of them walked over to the TV, sat down and switched it on. They found BBC news and drank their milk while they listened to it.

About a half hour after they turned on the TV there was a knock at their front door. Alan got up, answered it and said good morning to Mingxia and Imiko.

"Do you guys want to do something today?" Mingxia said as they came inside.

"Yeah, if we can get the sleepyheads on the bed to get up and go with us," he said as his sisters laughed.

He looked at his wife.

"Rose, you have any ideas?"

Rose got up and pushed some strands of hair behind her right ear while she went to retrieve her list of attractions. While she did that, Alan invited their friends to have a seat.

"You want something to drink?" he said to them.

They shook their heads. Alan walked over, grabbed the empty glasses and took them into the kitchen while Rose sat down with Mingxia and looked the list over. He washed them out and put them in the wooden drying rack before walking back over to the couch.

"You wanna go see some acrobats?" Rose said. "Mingxia said they have a show where they have Chinese acrobats. Interested?"

"Very," Alan said.

He looked over at his sisters.

"HEY SLEEPYHEADS, YOU WANNA GO WATCH ACROBATS?" he yelled at them.

"Can you carry us there?" Rain asked.

"No," Alan said.

"Oh well, never mind then," she said as Awinita giggled.

"Actually, it's more than just acrobatics. The shows feature all kinds of performers," Mingxia said. "Besides the acrobats, they might have have tightrope walkers, fire breathers, kung fu exhibition, lion dancing on balls where people dressed as lions walk around on big balls, balancing acts, shaolin monks doing demonstrations, that sort of thing. It varies from show to show."

"WHAT ABOUT NOW, SLEEPYHEADS?"

"Only if you carry us!" Awinita said.

Alan looked at Mingxia and Imiko.

"We had a workout this mornin' and the poor little dears are spent after each of them had an hour of intense exercise," he said as they giggled. "I expect we'll have to fetch a wheelchair for them for the day."

"Nah, I'll get up," Awinita said, rising from the bed.

"Me too. The acrobats sound good," Rain said, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"Brilliant," he said to Mingxia, "thanks so much for getting them to move out of the bed. There's too much to do and too much to see to be lying in bed all day."

"You'll get used to this," Rose said. "The man's a ball of energy. The Doctor was the same way."

"Can I help it if I'm in a new city and want to see everything I can while we're here."

He leaned into Rose's ear.

"And before the Sword of Damocles comes crashing down on our heads," he whispered.

She gave his hand a squeeze in return.

"Well, give us a couple of minutes to get ready and we'll get goin'" Alan said.

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The Doctor sat in the hotel lobby. He had brought a paper and was reading it trying not to draw attention to himself. He had gone into the restroom, shut himself in one of the stalls and adjusted the holographic projector picking a new identity for himself since Rose had seen him earlier. At first he was going to become a young Chinese woman until he realized that he was too tall. So he opted instead for the form of a 24 year old attractive brown haired woman with bobbed hair, green eyes, an Asian face and fair skin. He chose a light pink top, jeans and black trainers for her and for her name he thought briefly and then settled on Morana, a name meaning "death" that was also the name of a mythical Slavic goddess of death and winter. He thought it appropriate under the circumstances. He decided he would be a Peking University student who had a British father and Chinese mother who was hitchhiking her way across the country going back to her parent's house in Kashi in the extreme western part of China. The reason for the hitchhiking was because Morana was taking time off from university and wanted to see her mother's country since she had lived in London for most of her life before her mother decided to move back home. It was as good a back-story as he could come up with and he hoped they would buy it. He also knew he would have to be careful when handing items to them or using his hands since they would be able to feel his manly hands under the hologram. He just hoped he'd be able to keep up the charade until it was time to capture them.

He noticed the elevator doors opening and glanced over. He saw his clone getting out with Rose, his sisters and two other women. He could tell they were all together by the way they were laughing and joking with each other. He stared at the women clustered around Alan.

"Omega's orifice, cloney boy, how many bloody companions do you have?" he muttered to himself. "I liked traveling with people but I drew the line at runnin' a hotel in the TARDIS."

He watched while they walked out the door. He got up and slowly walked out after them. He kept his distance as before, keeping a close eye on them. Luckily Alan was tall and he could keep track of him through the swarm of people walking down the pavement. He followed them all the way to an elegant looking theater and watched from a distance while Rose, Imiko and Mingxia paid for admission. Once they were inside the Doctor walked over, withdrew some money and paid his way in. He found them standing in the lobby and neared closer to them making sure he would be able to sit with them so he could start up a conversation. He didn't really know what they were about to see nor did he care. All that mattered was gaining their trust. They entered the theater with the Doctor following a few feet behind. Luckily they chose a semi empty row up near the front and to his relief he noticed there was enough room for him to sit next to them. He waited until they filed in and then squeezed his way past finally settling down next to the sister called Rain. He folded his hands in his lap so there was no danger of her touching them and listened for a moment while she talked to one of the Asian women who had a very pronounced Japanese accent. He waited patiently for an opening into the conversation while he glanced at Alan and Rose who were at the other end of the group. Alan was sitting beside the aisle with Rose beside him followed by Awinita and finally the Chinese woman. A smug grin spread over the Doctor's face knowing that he was only a few feet from his prey and they had no clue he was even there. He longed to reveal himself, longed to see the looks of shock and disbelief on their faces but he knew that his Master would punish him severely if he disobeyed his orders so he forced himself to relax and charm his way into their group.

"This is gonna be so cool," Rain said to Imiko. "I can't wait to see all the acrobats and jugglers and things."

"Yes, this will be fun," Imiko said, nodding. "I want to see the acrobats also."

"Is this your first time seeing Chinese acrobats?"

Rain and Imiko looked at him when he spoke. Rain nodded.

"Yeah, this is our first trip to China," Rain said.

The Doctor smiled. He was using his natural accent with a higher pitched female voice. His people were known for being excellent mimics and he was no different. The voice he was using sounded completely female and he reveled in the fact that Rain was falling for the disguise hook, line and sinker. He gave her the most charming smile he could muster up.

"My name is Morana. Morana Archer."

"I'm Rain Niyol. This is Imiko…"

She looked at her, not knowing her last name.

"Takahashi Imiko," Imiko said, bowing her head. "It is nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

"And these are my family and friends," Rain said. "That's Mingxia, Awinita, Rose and Alan."

Alan looked over and leaned forward when he heard his name.

"You called?" he said.

"I'm talking to this woman. Her name's Morana, Imiko and I were just introducing ourselves and you guys."

"Nice to meet you Morana," Alan said.

"Nice to meet you too," the Doctor said forcing himself to be polite.

By now everyone was looking his way and he waved at them. They waved back. Just then the house lights dimmed and everyone's attention was turned towards the stage as the show started. The Doctor settled back in his seat, smugly confident that very soon he would become a part of the clone's little group.

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Even though he was in the middle of a mission, the Doctor found the show enjoyable. The human tumblers flipped and tumbled through a series of stacked rings in addition to doing handsprings and back flips. After they were finished the plate spinner came on and kept ten plates spinning at the same time. Then tightrope walkers did tricks high above the stage, there was a kung fu demonstration and for the last act, there were four men in two shaggy red and yellow lion costumes balancing themselves on large red balls that had yellow stars all over them. Occasionally the Doctor would lean over and make a comment to Rain who would comment back. He smiled knowing he was making friends with at least one of them and he kept the whispered small talk going. To his delight, his tactic worked and Rain invited him to come along with them when they decided after the show to get something to eat. She asked Alan and he readily agreed which delighted him even more. No one suspected he was the Doctor and all of them were open and inviting towards his alter ego, something he was fully prepared to exploit. Rain smiled at him and made small talk with him while they filed out and walked back up the aisle. Taking care not to let Rain touch his hand he walked up beside her and she and Imiko chatted with him while they walked into the lobby and out of the building. Once they were outside, Alan led them to the side of the building and they all gathered around him. Alan smiled at the Doctor warmly.

"So, you want to eat with us?"

He nodded.

"Yes, I have money," he said.

"Well, you're certainly welcome to then."

The Doctor fought back a smirk. So naïve and trusting, it would be the clone's undoing.

Alan looked at Mingxia.

"Do you know any good restaurants?"

"I know several. Do you guys feel like eating traditional Chinese food?"

Everyone nodded except for the Doctor. Alan noticed his silence.

"Is that okay with you as well, Morana?"

He nodded. Alan looked at Mingxia.

"Lead the way then."

"Follow me, guys," she said, leading the group towards the restaurant.


	154. Chapter 154

Chapter One Hundred Fifty Four

Mingxia led them to a restaurant three blocks away from the theater. It was a large restaurant that had round wooden tables that could seat seven, much to the Doctor's relief. The white walls were decorated with large paintings showing nature scenes, horses and birds. All of them opened their menus and they groaned when it was in Chinese. The Doctor could read his without any trouble and he could barely surpress his laughter when he noticed his clone had to have help from the Chinese lady.

"Why don't I order some things for you guys, it's on me," Mingxia said.

They nodded and the Doctor put his menu down along with the rest of them. A waiter came up and Mingxia spoke to him in Chinese ordering several dishes. Their table had a large glass lazy susan in the middle of it and Mingxia explained that the dishes would be put there and everyone could spin it and get what they wanted.

"That's handy considering we have a crowd now," Alan said.

He glanced at the Doctor.

"Speaking of, what brings you to Beijing?" he asked. "You sound like you're from London."

He nodded and told them the back-story he had thought up. The waiter came up once during the conversation to serve them their tea before he left. They each poured themselves a cup and the Doctor went on with his story while they drank. He finished filling them in on who he was and took a sip of the tea before he spoke again.

"So what about you?" he said to Alan. "You're not from China either."

"Well, actually we're traveling around the world at the moment," Alan said.

"Really? How exciting."

Alan nodded.

"Oh yeah, it's had its rough moments but for the most part it's been fantastic," he said.

"And are you going across China?" the Doctor asked innocently.

Alan nodded.

"Are you heading west by any chance?"

Rose suddenly held up her hand.

"Hold it," she said.

Everyone looked at her. Rose cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry if I'm readin' ya wrong, but I have this funny feelin' you're about to ask if you can travel with us, yeah?"

"Um…I wouldn't mind coming with you," he said hesitantly.

He groaned inwardly when he saw his ex-lover let out a frustrated sigh. A look passed between her and Alan and he nodded.

"Look Morana, we'd love to have you but as you can see we've got six people in our group now and we just can't afford to take on one more," he said.

"I have money," the Doctor said quickly.

"It's not really a matter of money," Alan said. "There…is a chance that we might have trouble in the foreseeable future and we're all risking our lives as it is without adding you to the mix. Plus we've just added Imiko and Mingxia to our group and we're still getting used to them and they're getting used to us. We really don't want another person in the group."

The Doctor cursed inside his head. He hadn't counted on this but then again he didn't know the clone was traveling with a huge entourage. He racked his brain trying to think up some way to win them over.

"Please, I really don't wanna travel by myself. I mean, I realize you have a lot of people but isn't it more fun to travel in a large group?"

"Normally, I would say yes but there are…complications and we can't guarantee your safety."

"I know karate," he said quickly. "I'm a fifth degree black belt."

That gave the clone pause. He watched while he looked at Rose and leaned into her ear. He whispered softly in it but the Doctor was still able to pick it up.

"The protector?" he heard him whisper.

The Doctor was puzzled. Protector? What the hell did that mean?

Rose stared at Alan for a moment and then looked at everyone.

"Can you lot excuse us for a moment. I need to talk to Alan privately."

They nodded and they rose from their seats and walked towards the front door. An uneasy silence descended over the group and the Doctor said a quick prayer to any deity that might be listening that his plan would succeed. He hated to think what the Valeyard would do to him if he failed.

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"Alan, I don't think it's a good idea," Rose said as they stood beside the front door of the restaurant. "We've got four people with us now."

"But, Starlight, what if this woman is the protector? She's got a fifth degree black belt in karate."

Rose laid a hand on his arm.

"Love, we can't keep doin' this. We can't just pick up any person that comes along. We got two new people just in the past week. Thankfully, these other two people can pay for themselves and she claims she can as well but this is gettin' ridiculous. I don't think the Doctor ever had this many people travelin' with him at once, yeah?"

"Not normally, no. But I still think we oughta give her a chance just in case she's the one the TARDIS spoke about. But…it's up to you, my love."

"No, it's up to all of us. I think we should just eat dinner and then have a vote afterwards. Like you keep sayin' we're a democracy and the other four people should have a say in this since they'll be travelin' with her as well. I just want ya to know that once we drop these people off at their houses, that's it. We're takin' Rain and Awinita in our TARDIS but not Imiko and Mingxia and this new girl. I want some room to breathe when we're goin' through time and space."

"And I wholeheartedly agree with you. I never had any intention of asking Imiko to come with us past Leshan and Mingxia will go back to UNIT once we leave China. Morana will be the same. Once we take her home then that's it. I know I was jokin' about one companion from every country but that's all it was, Starlight, just a joke. I don't want anyone else travelin' with us in the TARDIS except for Rain and Awinita."

Rose nodded.

"Well, let's go back inside and eat and let the matter go for the moment until we're done and then we'll all discuss it and decide if we'll let her travel with us."

He nodded and gave her a kiss on the lips. Rose took his hand and they walked back into the restaurant together.

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The Valeyard gritted his teeth. He had overheard the conversation between the Halfling and his wife outside the restaurant and he knew that there was a danger they might not accept the Doctor. He hadn't counted on the two extra people with him and he let out a string of curses at this new development.

You had better accept my acolyte, Halfling, for your sake," he snarled at the screen. "Because if you don't, you will deal with me now and that will be the end of your little family holiday."

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The Doctor was nervous as he ate his dinner along with the others. It was delicious and he was grateful that the Chinese woman was feeding him along with the others especially since he hadn't eaten in several days but the fear that his plan would fail and he would be tortured by his Master killed the enjoyment of the meal. He noticed Rain was smiling at him and he smiled back. Even though she was an ape she still had been kind to him and had been the most approachable out of all of them. None of the others were saying much to him but she kept right on chatting with him making silly ape small talk. To avoid another stifling silence he asked her questions about herself and she eagerly shared her life growing up on the Navajo reservation. She asked a few questions in return and the Doctor had to think on his feet but he managed to come up with some plausible sounding answers about Morana's background. Every once in awhile he would glance over at Rose and fell a pang of jealousy whenever she'd see her whisper something to her husband or giggle at something he'd say and a couple of times they even shared a quick kiss. It tore him up inside and deepened his hatred of the clone. He wished he could take his frustration out on him because it was killing him to sit only inches from his rival and not be able to kill him.

But the moment he thought that he instantly felt a pang of guilt that confused him deeply. Why would he feel guilty over wanting to kill his clone? After all, he was the reason Rose and Donna were lost to him now and why he had been stuck with the Destroyer of Worlds moniker and taken the blame for his actions. He had ruined his life and yet…there was a part of him that rejoiced when he looked at Rose laughing with him and looking at him with unmasked love in her eyes. He could see how happy she was now. It was a happiness he hadn't seen since before Canary Wharf. A part of him wanted to just let them go and let them live their life but he knew he couldn't because the moment his Master learned of his betrayal he would be dead. A million different conflicting feelings raged in his mind and for the first time in awhile he wasn't sure what to think or how to feel.

"Morana?"

He was jerked out of his reverie when Rain called his name.

"Are you alright?" she asked him.

"I'm fine," he said automatically just as he always did when asked that question.

"You've got an odd look on your face, that's the reason why I was askin'" Rain said.

"I've got a lot on my mind," the Doctor admitted.

"Like what? I mean you don't have to tell me if you don't want to but if you want to talk…"

The Doctor smiled at her.

"No, I'd rather not if it's all the same to ya."

"That's cool. Just letting you know I would listen if you wanted to talk."

"Thank you," he said.

He fell into silence, the conflicting thoughts battling each other in his mind while he picked up a chunk of donkey meat with his chopsticks and ate it.

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After they ate they all assembled outside. They asked the Doctor to stand several feet away while they talked amongst themselves and made a decision on whether he could go with them or not.

As he stood there waiting he suddenly felt the Valeyard wanting to link with him. He sighed softly and established the link.

_My acolyte, what is the meaning of this?_

_The meaning of what, my Master?_

_Not contacting me as soon as you found the Halfling and his family! Why have you been silent? _

Anger and resentment flooded his mind. Once again he felt like a little kid that had to tell mummy his whereabouts and what he was doing every five minutes. He fought to keep his temper under control.

_I was busy observing them, my Master,_ he thought calmly_. I wanted to become friends with them and make sure they trusted me before I reported to you._

_NO! _

The Doctor flinched at the forceful "No" the Valeyard projected into his mind.

_You will report to me every chance you get. I want to know what the Halfling and his family are up to since they know of our existence. You will obey this order, my acolyte, or you will be severely punished! Is that understood?_

Rage bubbled up in the Doctor's mind threatening to boil over into a full-blown temper tantrum. He had to take a deep breath to calm himself.

_Yes, my Master. I obey,_ he thought.

_Good! Remember the consequences should you decide to do differently._

The Doctor resisted the urge to grit his teeth and ball up his fists, fully aware that he was being watched from above. Instead he kept his face passive and waited for Alan and his family to deliver the verdict to him.

A few minutes later the little group broke out of their huddle and walked over to him.

"We've decided you can come with us," Alan said. "But you will be in charge of your own expenses and you will part company with us as soon as you get to Kashi. Is that understood?"

He nodded.

"Yes, I understand."

"Okay, well, welcome to the group then," Alan said, extending his head.

The Doctor hesitated a moment not wanting to take it. Then he got an idea and did a traditional Chinese bow. To his relief, Alan followed suit and smiled.

"Do you have enough money for a hotel room?"

"Yes."

"Good, then we'll go back to the hotel and you can get settled in. Do you have luggage?"

"No, I was gonna get items as I needed them so I could travel light."

"Well, you might wanna get a few things now since we're staying in the hotel for at least two more days and maybe more if we haven't seen all of Beijing yet."

He nodded.

"I will," he said.

Alan nodded and smiled.

"Well, in that case, follow us and we'll show you the hotel we're staying at."

The Doctor nodded. He waited until everyone had turned and walked off before he followed along behind them.


	155. Chapter 155

Chapter One Hundred Fifty Five

On the way back to the hotel, the Doctor walked with the others quietly observing them. As he stared at the clone who was leading the way with Mingxia, he slowly felt his anger draining away which greatly confused him. Alan was his enemy, his rival for Rose's affections, the one who ruined his life and took away everything he held dear and yet…watching him with Rose he felt an overwhelming sadness replacing the rage and there was now a longing in his hearts for the love and friendship his clone had. His life since the Valeyard had captured him had been a living hell and he had been beaten, abused, mistreated and degraded by him. He had been forced to sleep on the hard cold floor in a small unheated cell and survive on scraps thrown from his Master's table. His life had been thrown into total chaos and yet, as he walked with this small diverse group of people, he felt a calm and peace that he hadn't known in a long time. He suddenly lost the will to kill the clone and instead longed to be accepted by him and his family and share in the happiness they had found.

Rain looked back at him and slowed her pace so she could talk to him on the way to the hotel. The Doctor liked her a lot. She reminded him so much of Rose, the kindness and gentleness and openness that his ex-lover possessed was also a part of her and he found himself enjoying her company immensely. He knew without a doubt if they had met under different circumstances he would have asked this young woman to accompany him in the TARDIS. Everyone else had been kind to him, no one seemed angry now that he was with them but she was still the only one who made an effort to include him in the conversations. Looking at her, so innocent and trusting, he suddenly feared for her life and what his Master might do to her when he got his hands on her. He had watched her training, had seen how she only knew the most basic of kicks and punches and knew she wouldn't last two seconds against the Valeyard. His stomach churned knowing not only would he defeat her without much effort but he would then torture her for trying to defy him. The thought of his new friend screaming in agony because of him filled his mind with guilt and he suddenly longed to reveal himself to her and let her know that he wanted to protect her from his Master. But he couldn't, not without risking his own torture and death, so for the moment he just let himself be content to walk with Rain and get to know her better.

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Once they were inside the hotel, Alan told him which rooms they were staying in and the Doctor tried to get one nearby. He was relieved when he was able to get one next door to Alan's room. He booked it for two days and afterwards, he went with them into the elevator. When he saw his room, he was taken aback at the elegance of it all and he nearly wept knowing that he was going to be able to sleep in a nice warm bed for the first time in a long time and be able to have proper food instead of just half warm leftovers.

"If you want to come over and spend time with us, just go ahead and knock on our door," Alan said. "We all spend time with each other so you won't be inconveniencing us."

"Thank you," the Doctor said.

"Once you get settled in, come over and we'll decide where else to go this evenin'" Rose added.

"I will," he said.

He stared at her and fought the urge to grab her, take her in his arms and kiss her. He instead bid them goodbye for the moment and closed the door when they left. He walked over to his bed and sank down on it, sadness gripping his mind as he lowered his head to his hands.

"I can't do this. I can't go through with it," he moaned. "What's wrong with me? Why have I suddenly lost the desire to kill the clone?"

_I am responsible for that._

The Doctor jerked his head up when he heard an otherworldly voice inside his mind. He looked around but no one was there.

"Who's there?" he said aloud.

_I know you. I know your true identity._

The Doctor looked around trying to find the source of the strange voice.

"Who are you?" he said.

_I am the guardian of Alan Timelord and his friends and family. I am watching over them and I will not let you hurt them. I have seen inside your mind and know the truth about you, Doctor and I will not let you carry out your evil plans._

"I…I don't want to hurt them, not anymore," the Doctor said softly.

_That is because I have loosened the hold the Valeyard had upon your mind. I see what he has done to you and I have given you enough freedom that you can think clearly but I haven't gotten rid of it completely since your Master could detect it if the disc was turned off. But that is why you have suddenly lost the urge to kill Alan and his family. _

"Thank you, whoever you are," the Doctor said. "Thank you for freeing me from his control."

_You're welcome. You are not the threat here, Doctor. You are a victim too. I have taken pity upon you and given you your mind back because I want you to see the truth. I want you to know that Alan is not a threat, not to the universe and not to you. I want you to see him as he truly is and see how happy Rose and his family are being around him._

"I have already seen a glimpse of it," he said.

_But I wish you to see more. I am the one that influenced them so they'd let you come with them because you need to be healed, Doctor. Not just from the Valeyard but from everything that has happened in your life. You have spent your life denying yourself the true love of family and friends and pushing people away and look where it has led you. You need to change your way of thinking, Time Lord and I want you to see what your clone has done because he has chosen to do the exact opposite. He allows people to share his life and loves them unconditionally with all his heart. You are angry that Rose has chosen him over you but he lets her know without any doubt that she is loved and wanted and appreciated and they have bonded more deeply, far deeply than she ever bonded with you._

A tear ran down the Doctor's cheek.

"I wanted to give Rose the very best," he said aloud. "She couldn't have that kind of a life. Not with me."

_Are you sure? _

The Doctor looked up at the ceiling.

"I can't give her the love that Alan can," he said.

_Who said you couldn't?"_

"She is lost to me now," he protested.

_She is married yes, happily married. But she is not lost. There are other ways to have a relationship with someone besides being their lover. Why not embrace her as a friend and a sister. Can't you love her that way?_

The Doctor nodded.

_Rose is not lost, Doctor. You can still be a part of her life and I believe she would be willing to have you be a part of hers but you must stop being angry at Alan and wishing he was dead and gone so you could take his place. His being here is a part of a wider universal plan and he has just as much right to draw breath as you do. There are no coincidences, Doctor. There are no accidents in the grand scheme of things. Alan was meant to be because he has a part to play in fighting the darkness, same as you. He is not some lurking monster waiting to snatch away everything you hold dear. That is why I want you to travel with them; I want you to see once and for all that he is not a threat to anyone and what he has done to enrich the lives of everyone around him. _

"But the Valeyard will not allow this. Once he finds out what's happened, we'll all be in danger."

_I cannot protect you completely from him but I will help you to fool him so he does not attack. But he must be stopped, Doctor. Eventually you and Alan and everyone else must face him so he'll be defeated. _

"They're not ready. They'll be slaughtered," the Doctor said.

_That is why I am here. I will help when the time comes but for now we will allow the Valeyard to think he still has control of you so he will leave you alone. But he will not sit back and wait forever. Eventually he will grow tired of this and come for you._

"What should I do? Should I reveal myself to them?"

_That is up to you. _

"Alan will never accept me."

_Are you so sure about that? I believe he's more worried that you won't accept him. I cannot tell you to reveal yourself. You must make that decision on your own but know this…your clone isn't angry and bitter any longer. He has been healed, Doctor and I think he'll be a lot more open and welcoming than you imagine. _

"I can't right now. If the Valeyard finds out…."

_If you wish to reveal yourself, speak your intention and I will shield you from him so you can unmask in safety. As I said before, Doctor, you are a victim too and you need protection from the Valeyard just as much as they do. _

"But who are you?"

Just then there was a knock at his door. The Doctor got up and opened it.

"Um, hi," Rain said. "Listen…I wanted to know if I could room with you? You have a spare bed and I have to sleep with my sister and I love her to bits but she snores and sometimes she jerks the covers away from me. Um, I…also like you. You're a nice woman so I was just wondering if you'd like a roommate?"

The Doctor's hearts warmed.

"I'd love it," he said in his female voice.

His hearts flip-flopped when he saw the overjoyed look on her face.

"Great! I'll go get my things then. I'll be right back."

"I'll be waiting," he said.

He closed the door and sat back down on the bed.

_My acolyte, are you there?_

The Doctor let out a sigh and linked his mind with the Valeyard's. He kept calm and his mind free of betraying thoughts while he communicated with him.

_Yes, Master, I'm here,_ he thought, hating the fact that he had to refer to the monster as his Master.

_What is going on there? I cannot see you. Report!_

The Doctor rejoiced that he was hidden from him when he was indoors. He resisted the urge to think any thoughts that would give him away and instead concentrated on him.

_I have booked a room next door to the Halfling. I'm going to get some supplies before I leave here and…_

He was taken aback when there was a sudden flash of light and a small brown bag appeared on the dining room table.

_I have anticipated that. Here is some money for supplies and for your room. If you need any more let me know and I will teleport it down. _

The Doctor was glad of that. He had told them he could pay his way even though at the time he didn't have that much money on him. The fact that the Valeyard was willing to send him money was the only good thing about this whole situation. He got up, took the bag and hid it under his pillow so Rain wouldn't see it.

_Keep me updated, my acolyte. I want to know what they are doing. And have no fear, soon they will all be screaming in pain on our TARDIS. _

The Doctor fought to keep his anger in check. Fighting back the disgust at being this monster's puppet, he took a deep breath, steadying himself.

_Yes, my Master. I must go now and check on them. _He thought to him.

_Very well, keep a close watch on them, my acolyte._

_I will, Master._

He breathed a sigh of relief when the link was severed and cursed out loud, damning himself for ever allowing himself to fall into his hands and endangering Alan and his family and friends. He remembered the innocents he had slaughtered over the past few weeks and his head fell into his hands as sorrow and guilt and regret flooded his mind.

He looked up when he heard someone knocking on the door. He opened it and smiled when Rain stood there with rucksack in hand.

"Come in," he said, stepping aside.

"Thanks Morana. I really appreciate you doing this."

"I appreciate you wanting to stay with me," he said with absolute sincerity while she laid the rucksack down.

"Alan wanted me to tell you that we're probably gonna go out for awhile tonight and then come back here for supper and maybe watch a movie on TV. You're more than welcome to come with us and eat with us too."

"Thanks, I'd love that."

"Also, Alan asked me to do something for him but first I need to ask you if you have an open mind and can accept a lot of things."

"I have a very open mind."

"Good because if you're traveling with us there's something you need to know about my little brother. He's…a lot different than you think he is."

The Doctor could see where this was leading but he feigned ignorance.

"Oh, in what way is he different?"

She hesitated and looked around.

"Um, listen, why don't we go out on the balcony and talk? It's kinda long and complicated and I really don't wanna stand here while I tell you."

"Of course," he said.

Rain got into her rucksack and pulled out a can of Mountain Dew.

"Would you like one?" she asked.

The Doctor nodded and she got out a second can and handed it to him. He followed her out to the balcony and they sat down in the padded chairs. The Doctor listened quietly while his new friend told him about Alan being half human, feigning astonishment at her words. When she finished, a silence descended over both of them.

"Um…so what do you think?" Rain finally said.

"I believe you," the Doctor replied.

"And you're cool with that? You're not gonna turn him in, are ya?"

"No, I won't."

"Well, see, Alan wanted me to tell you because he doesn't want to have to hide from you. Which he shouldn't anyway because I love him the way he is. He's an amazing, awesome, wonderful man and the best brother I could ever have. I love him completely and I want him to be comfortable around everyone and not have to fake being who he is."

The Doctor smiled at that and nodded.

They looked over when they heard a knock on the door.

"Rain, it's me," Alan said.

They got up and went to the door.

"Heya," he said when she opened it. "It's late and we decided we didn't want to go to anything that'll take a long time to get through but there is a cinema in town that plays English language movies and the new X-Files movie is playin' there. How does that sound?"

"Ooo, I want to see that. I love X-Files," Rain said. "I used to watch that when it was on TV."

He nodded and looked at the Doctor.

"How about you, Morana?"

"I'd love to go."

"I told her, little bro, and she's cool with you being half alien."

Alan smiled.

"Good. I asked Rain to do that because I've had to explain over and over who I am to Awinita, Imiko and her and she graciously volunteered to fill in for me this time."

"I'm okay with you being a half alien," the Doctor said.

"Brill, so movie starts in an hour and a half if you two wanna get ready and meet us next door. We'll go and see it and perhaps get another pizza afterwards and come back and just hang out next door. Sound good?"

They nodded.

"Okay, knock on the door when you're ready."

Rain nodded and closed the door. She and the Doctor shared a grin and both of them got ready to go out for the evening.


	156. Chapter 156

Chapter One Hundred Fifty Six

By the time they headed out it was forty five minutes until the movie started and it had grown dark outside. All of them headed towards the cinema in a group with the Doctor and Rain bringing up the rear. There were still a ton of people out, all of them heading to various places of work or play. Since Rain had told the Doctor Alan's "secret" everyone had opened up to him and become friendlier and they were laughing and joking with him just like they did with the others. The Doctor was thoroughly enjoying this. He hadn't had a night like this in a long time. No stress, no strife, no heartache and no running from monsters. Just a group of family and friends laughing and joking while they went to see a film.

As they walked along, they were giggling at Alan who was patting and pinching his wife's ass every two seconds.

"You're gonna get a smack, you are!" she finally said to him.

He gave her a wicked grin when he smacked her hard on the butt and everyone laughed when he ran away while she pretended to give chase.

"And stay back there!" Rose said as he pretended to cower behind Rain.

Alan tapped Rain on the shoulder.

"Sic her!" he said, thrusting his finger at Rose.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You're my sister, you're supposed to go beat up people when they threaten me," he said.

"But Rose hasn't done anything to me."

"So? I didn't say she did. I said you're my sister and it's your job to defend your little brother and avenge him when his honor is besmirched. She besmirched my honor so go pistol whip her in return."

"With what?" Rain said as they laughed. "I can't pistol whip someone if I don't have a pistol."

"Mingxia? You have your pistol on ya so Rain can give my wife a beatin'?"

"Nope, sorry."

"Damn. Oh well, improvise then. Now…sic her!"

"No thanks, I'm back here talking to Morana. This is your mess, little bro. Fix it yourself."

The Doctor laughed when Alan feigned shock.

"Well, fine, see if I come to your rescue in future!" he said, stomping past her.

Rain looked at the Doctor.

"He'll be back," she said loudly.

"No, I wooooooooon't!" Alan sang out as everyone laughed harder.

"Yes, you wiiiiiiiiiiiiiill," Rain sang back.

"Rose, be a good little wife and tell her I won't be back."

"Me? You wanted someone to pistol whip me not two minutes ago!"

"Oh yeah, damn, I forgot. Um…Awinita, tell your sister I won't be back."

"Nope! I'm not a messenger girl," she replied.

"Argh! Imiko, Mingxia…how 'bout you?"

They both shook their heads and laughed when Alan feigned exasperation.

The Doctor smiled enjoying the little interplay between Alan and the others. It warmed his hearts seeing how happy Rose was and knowing he had made the right decision leaving her with Alan. He could see how much he loved her and how she was well taken care of and he was glad now that there was someone that could give her all the love and attention she deserved.

They reached the cinema and Rose paid for her family, Imiko and Mingxia paid for themselves and the Doctor paid his way in. They went and got a couple small tubs of popcorn to split among everyone and everybody got a soda. After that they went inside and sat in a row near the back. It turned out that everyone sat in the same seating arrangement they had at the acrobat show and Alan passed one tub of popcorn down towards the Doctor, Rain and Imiko. They shared the tub while the other four shared theirs. Rain glanced up at the ceiling of the cinema and nudged the Doctor's shoulder.

"Wow!" she said, pointing up.

The Doctor looked where she was pointing and noticed there was a large mural painted on the ceiling that showed a large red Chinese dragon guarding the Forbidden City. The Doctor let out a low whistle while Rain pointed it out to everyone else and they stared at it in appreciation.

"Morana?"

The Doctor looked at Rain.

"Do you need to get anything from the store?"

"I need a few things, yes," he said.

She leaned up.

"Bro!"

"Not talkin' to ya cause you didn't avenge my besmirched honor!"

"Oh, boo hoo hoo!" she said as everyone laughed, "let's throw skinny boy a pity party now!"

"Skinny boy!" he said as everyone bent over laughing. "The absolute cheek! Fine, now I really won't pay attention to ya!"

"Fine! Rose?"

"Yes, sis?" she said, leaning up.

"I'll ask you this since my brother isn't talking to me. Are we doing anything early tomorrow?"

"Um, I assume we'll do our workout and then after that I don't know what we're doin', why?"

"Well, Morana wants to get a few things and I thought we could run over to the store so she could get some stuff before we do anything else. I mean, there's that huge department store just up the road and I didn't want Morana to go by herself."

Rose shrugged.

"As far as I know that's alright. You know we get up early to do the trainin' so by the time you got done with shoppin' it'd probably be the afternoon, yeah? We'll figure out somethin' to do by the time you get back."

Rain held up her finger and looked at the Doctor.

"Um…do you wanna come with us to our workout? Alan is teaching us this martial arts technique. He spends about an hour each with us but you can watch and then afterwards we can just go ahead and go to the store while they go back to the hotel."

"I can do that," the Doctor said, nodding.

She looked back at Rose.

"That's fine," Rose said as Alan nodded.

"Well, I figured only one of us could go so she won't be going alone…unless you guys need something."

"I don't," Rose said.

"I don't either," Alan said. "What about you guys? You need to go to the department store for any reason?"

Awinita, Imiko and Mingxia shook their heads.

"We're fine, Te'lesu, just go with Morana and when you get back we'll figure out what to do next."

She nodded and settled back in her seat.

"You didn't have to do that," the Doctor said. "I could go shopping on my own."

"Nah, that's no fun. I might get a couple of things anyway so it's not an inconvenience for me."

He nodded and smiled.

"Thank you then," he said.

"No prob," Rain replied.

The house lights dimmed and they settled back in their seats.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On the way home, they got some pizza and soda and all of them sat in Alan's room playing poker for the next three hours. Finally, it was time for everyone to retire. Imiko and Mingxia wished them goodnight and went to their rooms. Alan gave his sister a huge hug.

"Behave yourself. We don't wanna wake up and find hotel security escorting you and Morana out of the building."

"Nah, we'll be alright. We won't try to rip the place up too much," she replied.

"I'll wake you up at six, alright?"

She nodded, hugged Rose and Awinita goodnight and went out the door with the Doctor.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oooh!" Rain sighed as she slid under the covers in the bed opposite the Doctor. "That was fun."

"Yes, it was," he agreed.

"I wish they didn't have the Chinese subtitles. I hate when movies have subtitles because it's annoying trying to watch the movie with them flashing but I guess it's necessary here."

"Rain, are you sure you wanna go to the shops with me? I mean, I can go by myself."

"You don't want me to come along?"

"No, I mean, I'd love to have you along. It's just you don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, I want to. I always hated shopping by myself and I think it'd be fun to look at a department store when we're not in a rush."

The Doctor frowned.

"Rush?"

Rain sighed.

"We were in Japan and we found out this bastard named the Valeyard had kidnapped Alan's twin named the Doctor and both of them were watching us. So Alan made these bio-dampers for him and Rose and we fled over here. The first night we were here, Alan went to a department store and got some parts for these sonic screwdriver things for me and my sister so we could protect ourselves."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"Really? What does it look like?" he said, intrigued.

Rain pulled her rucksack to her, opened it up, reached in and pulled it out. The Doctor took it from her and examined it. He was amazed at how clever the design was since Alan had only Earth parts to work with.

"Ingenious," he muttered.

"Yeah, it is. I have one, Awinita has one and Alan made one for him and Rose. It's pretty cool. It locks and unlocks doors but that's the only thing we've tried it on so far."

The Doctor handed it back to her and she put it back in her rucksack.

"Are you worried about this Valeyard?" he asked her.

"A little. I hope we can defeat him if he comes after us and free the Doctor."

The Doctor perked up at that.

"You want to free him?" he said.

"Well, yeah, he's Alan's….well, in my mind, he's Alan's brother since Alan came from him."

The Doctor considered her words for a moment.

"What about you? You're Alan's sister, right? So would that make the Doctor your brother too?" he said.

"I guess so. But I doubt if he'd want me or Alan for that matter. According to him, he's kinda a loner. He travels with people from time to time but overall, he pushes them away eventually because he's depressed."

The Doctor paused a moment while he mulled that over.

"Maybe sometimes he has to push people away to protect them," he finally said.

"Maybe, but that's a crappy way to treat people. Alan would never do that to me or Awinita. When he found out about the Valeyard he gave us the choice to travel with him or go home and both of us stayed with him because we love him so much."

The Doctor couldn't help but smile at that.

"Alan's wonderful. I wish the Doctor could see him now and know that he's not evil or a threat to anyone," Rain said. "I've never met anyone more loving in my life. He risked his life to save Rose and Awinita and I'm sure he'd do the same for me."

The Doctor was intrigued.

"How did he save Rose and Awinita?" he asked.

Rain told him. Both stories chilled the Doctor to the bone especially when she talked about George enslaving Awinita's mind. That one hit a little too close to home and he was thankful Alan had been able to free her as well as save Rose from the Jersey Devil.

"I think if the Doctor were here right now he would tell Alan how proud he was of him," he said when she finally finished.

"Well, I just hope he gets that chance. Poor Doctor. I hate that he's been enslaved like my sister and I hope to God we can rescue him before it's too late for him."

Rain glanced at the Doctor and noticed tears running down his face.

"Hey? What's wrong?" she said, rising up on one arm. "Did I say something wrong?"

The Doctor fought an internal war with himself. He hated lying to Rain about his true identity especially after she'd been so open and honest with him. Looking at her he could see how worried she was about him and it brought tears to his eyes that this woman who he had just met and who didn't even know him was thinking about him and hoping he was safe. He wanted so much to reveal who he was but he was scared if the Valeyard found out the game would be up and all of them would be taken aboard his TARDIS to be tortured and killed.

"Morana? Are you alright?"

"Rain? Can you keep a secret?" he finally said to her.

Rain nodded.

"There's something I want to tell you but I'm afraid to say it," the Doctor admitted.

"Why are you afraid?"

He swallowed hard.

"Because I'm afraid you won't like me anymore."

Rain frowned.

"Is it bad?"

"No, it's just…"

He trailed off as he stared up at the ceiling.

"I haven't been entirely truthful with you and the others," he said. "But it wasn't by choice, I swear. But I'm scared if I tell you I'll lose your friendship and I don't want that to happen because you've been a good friend."

"Tell me and then let me decide for myself," Rain said.

The Doctor looked at her.

"If I tell you, you must swear to keep it a secret from the others, at least for the moment."

"I…I don't know if I can."

"It's nothing bad. I'm not a rapist or a mur…well, I won't hurt any of you, let's put it that way. I want you to keep quiet for safety purposes because my life is in danger and I want to keep all of you safe."

"Okay…"

"Swear to me, Rain. I'll let you know when it's safe to tell them but until then you mustn't say a word."

"I swear," she said.

The Doctor sat up on the side of the bed.

"Before I show you my secret, I want you to know that I'm not a threat to you. I won't hurt you in any way, shape or form and I don't want you to fear me, alright?"

"Alright," Rain said, completely confused.

"I'm doing this because I'm like Alan. I hate pretending to be something I'm not and if we're rooming together I want you to know so I can let my hair down, so to speak. At the moment, it's safe for me to do this but you must keep quiet at all times, especially outdoors, alright?"

"Yes."

"I swear on my life that I won't hurt you, Rain. So please, please don't be afraid."

Rain was completely confused but she nodded anyway.

"Okay, go ahead," she said.

The Doctor lowered his head.

"I hate to do this to you. I know you love your family and I hate that you have to keep secrets from them but I'm only trying to ensure their safety as well as yours, alright?"

"Alright, I understand."

"Rain, I'm not who I claim to be. What you see before you is a disguise."

He held up his hand when he saw her wide eyes.

"I won't hurt you, remember that, please."

Rain nodded.

"I want to show you my true identity but you must be quiet no matter how shocking it might be to you, alright?"

Rain nodded. The Doctor took a deep breath, reached up and deactivated the holographic imager. He knew Rain could see him when she let out a gasp.

"You're him!" she said, "You're the Doctor!"

"Rain, no," he said, standing up and putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright. I swear that to you. I'm not under his control right now. This…person freed my mind. I'm not gonna hurt you or the others, I swear that on my life."

Rain relaxed and stared at him. She took in the long black robe he was wearing and looked back up into his brown eyes that were staring at her sadly.

"He found us?" she said.

The fear in her voice tore at his hearts and he squeezed her shoulder.

"I won't let him hurt you, Rain. I won't let him hurt any of you," he said.

He stepped back slightly when Rain sat up and stared at him.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"In space, in his TARDIS above the Earth. He's watching you but his spy satellites can't see inside buildings which is why it's safe for me to do this indoors."

He knelt down by the bed and gave her a beseeching look.

"My mind is free, I swear. I'm not a threat now. Please don't be afraid of me, Rain. I won't hurt you. He did send me here to infiltrate your group and I did what he told me to do because my mind was enslaved but some mysterious being that's watching over you freed me and now I want to help you and protect you like Alan does."

"How? How did he enslave you? You didn't turn evil on your own, did you?"

"No, I would never do this voluntarily. I'm disgusted that he's done this to me. I hate wearing this robe and that's definitely something I'm going to correct when we go shopping tomorrow. There's some kind of mind control disc that's been surgically attached to the front of my brain and he's used it to control me."

"Oh God, Doctor," Rain said.

He nodded.

"It's still working. The being didn't turn it off completely because the Valeyard would know it wasn't working the moment it was switched off but whoever freed me turned it down enough that I'm myself again."

"But you…he can track us as long as you're with us, can't he? That energy Alan said you get when you travel in TARDISes?"

"Yes, and I can't dampen that because then he really would know something was up. I just want to tell you that whatever Alan did to hide him and Rose worked because he had no clue where you lot went to until he sent me down and I found out you had gone to China."

"So, the bio-dampers and the mind blocks work?"

He nodded.

"Thank God," she breathed.

"A little too well. He threw me around the TARDIS and roughed me up because he thought I might have warned Rose about us."

"Oh God, no," Rain said.

He nodded.

"The…TARDIS. The Valeyard's TARDIS was the one who told Alan about the Valeyard," Rain said.

The Doctor stared at her in shock for a moment and then a grin spread over his face.

"Oooooh, the old girl, she came through for us," he said. "That brilliant old ship."

"Yes and Alan said she told him that she's in the Valeyard's mind secretly controlling him and trying to delay him until some protector shows up to help us."

He grinned.

"Good girl," he said. "Nice to know she still has the strength to fight back. As for the protector, they're with you here or somewhere nearby since that's who freed me, I guess."

"Doctor, please don't hate Alan. He's not a threat to anyone. He's completely loving and sweet and funny. He won't hurt anyone."

He smiled.

"I know that now. I've seen him and I've seen the way he acts around all of you. I don't hate him anymore, Rain, I promise."

"Would you be his brother? I mean, once you let him know who you are?"

The Doctor smiled.

"I would like to be," he said. "If he wants me to be, I will."

He grinned when Rain let out a little squeal.

"I take it you were hoping for that?"

"Yes because he's told us so many stories about you and how lonely you've been and I hate that you lost all your people and don't have anyone. Alan made a family for himself and you should have one too."

He smiled and nodded.

"So, do you promise not to tell them for the moment?" he asked. "Because I just took a big risk coming out to you right now. If the Valeyard finds out you know who I am he could take you and torture you and that's the last thing I want. But I want to at least be able to be myself a little bit of the time since it's rough constantly having to lie and make up a big elaborate back-story."

"And you chose to be a girl?"

He grinned when she giggled.

"Well, I figured that was one way to get into your group. Less threatening that way. Trust me; I don't usually go around pretending to be a girl."

"How did you do it?"

The Doctor held up the imager and explained it to her. He then imitated Morana's voice.

"Wow, that's really impressive."

"Yeah well, it's a Time Lord talent," he said.

He smiled and squeezed her hands.

"I'm glad you aren't scared of me, Rain. I promise I will never hurt you."

"I know you won't, Doctor."

He smiled and stood back up.

"Now if you don't mind, I think it's time for us to get some shuteye if you have to get up early to train."

She nodded and settled back under the covers while the Doctor got back under his.

"Doctor?"

"Yeah?"

She smiled.

"I'm glad you're free and you're down here away from him."

He smiled.

"Me too."

Rain put her finger on the lamp's light switch.

"Goodnight, Doctor," she said.

"Goodnight, Rain, pleasant dreams."

"You too."

Rain turned off the light. The Doctor watched while she turned on her side and pulled the covers up to her chin. He stared at her until she heard her soft snoring and then turned his eyes to the ceiling while he lost himself in his thoughts.


	157. Chapter 157

Chapter One Hundred Fifty Seven

For the rest of the night, the Doctor lay in bed staring at the ceiling while he turned Rain's words over and over in his mind. It hurt to hear what she had said but he knew she was right, he did push people away from him, he had done it numerous times. He thought about what the mysterious stranger had said to him about changing his ways and he looked at Rain who had given him a chance and became his friend. He gazed on her sleeping face and sighed. At the moment she was his only close friend in the entire universe. He had lost Donna and he had just got done sending River to her death. Rose was happily married to Alan and everyone else had friends and lives of their own but Rain had been willing to accept him as a friend and listen to him even when everyone else had been skeptical. She had listened to his explanation and given him a chance even though she had every right to be afraid of him. At the moment he didn't blame her, he still didn't trust himself one hundred percent, not with the disc still implanted in his skull. But he knew no matter what happened he would keep his promise not to harm her or her family and friends.

His thoughts turned to Alan and how he had managed to gather a family around him in just a few short months. He had never been one for the domestic life, still wasn't. But he loved that his clone had made a support group for himself after being stranded on a strange world with only Rose for company. He wanted so much to have the same thing and what Rain had said about Alan being his brother filled him with joy. He had no idea why he didn't see it earlier, the thought of him being his brother had never even occurred to him. But what an opportunity he had staring him in the face. After all, he had been willing to forgive the Master and keep him on the TARDIS so he wouldn't be alone and that was his worst enemy. Here was a man who could not only be a brother but an ally as well. He had been a fool to throw him out the door so quickly. He pushed people away too quickly and kept on doing it until he found out to his cost that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to keep rejecting those who truly wanted to love you.

His head jerked over when he saw Rain stirring and he watched quietly while his friend got out of bed and went to the bathroom. He listened while the toilet flushed and the water ran while she washed her hands. Then the light turned off and Rain came back out into the semi darkness. She was walking over to the bed when she noticed the Doctor staring at her.

"Doctor?" she said, walking to his side. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Rain. I'm just lying here thinking."

She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Can't you sleep?"

He smiled.

"I don't sleep all that much. I mainly take short kips. Unlike your brother, my body doesn't need regular sleep day in and day out."

"Oh. Well, don't you get bored staying up all night?"

"Nah, I just think of all sorts of things. My mind keeps me entertained well enough. I'll be alright."

"Okay, good night, Doctor."

"Good night, Rain. I'll wake you up just before six so you can get ready."

She nodded and he smiled when she squeezed his shoulder. He watched quietly while she climbed back into bed but for a moment she didn't close her eyes.

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Will he come down here and get us?"

"I don't think so. That's why he sent me down so I can do his dirty work. He won't come down unless he thinks something's wrong and I'm gonna do everything in my power to make sure he doesn't think that."

She nodded. She lay for a few minutes thinking while the Doctor watched her with worry in his eyes.

"Rain, it'll be alright, go to sleep, okay?"

"I just had a thought."

"Yes?"

She rose up on her arms.

"Do you have your sonic screwdriver?"

"No, the bastard has it."

"Would it work on that disc thing in your head? To shut it down, I mean."

"Probably, but I can't turn it off without him knowing."

"Yeah, but what if Alan made you a bio-damper and we turned the disc off with my screwdriver and all of us fled the country like we did before. We could hide, Doctor. All of us."

"No, I can't risk that. The last time you lot did that, he flew into a rage and took it out on me. If all of us disappear, he might take it out on the whole planet and rip the world apart looking for us. As tempting as it is, I won't put the Earth in jeopardy just to save my skin."

"Oh, it was just a thought."

"And it's a good though, a brilliant thought, in fact. But it's far too risky. Better to let him think that I'm still doing surveillance so he'll leave us alone."

"Do you wanna borrow my sonic screwdriver just in case?"

He smiled.

"No, that's okay. Alan made that for you, it's yours. I can get along without mine until I get it back. But thanks for asking."

She smiled and closed her eyes.

"Goodnight, Doctor."

"Goodnight, Rain."

He watched while she drifted off to sleep and then went back to thinking.

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"Rain?"

Rain opened her eyes when she felt the Doctor gently nudging her.

"It's quarter to six," he said.

Rain yawned.

"Thanks, Doctor."

"You're welcome."

She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes while she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

"Did you get a lot of thinking done?" she asked.

He chuckled.

"Yes, I did actually. I thought about my whole life, among other things."

"That's good. I'm glad you got that done," she said.

She stood up and stretched.

"I'm going to take a shower."

"Go ahead. Just don't be surprised when you come out and I've changed my sex."

She laughed and picked up her rucksack. She went in the bathroom and closed the door while the Doctor sat back down on the bed. He looked at the imager and sighed, hating that he had to go incognito again. He was so glad he shared his secret with Rain so he could have a break from it. He turned it on and became Morana again. Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Perfect timing," he muttered standing up.

He opened the door and saw Alan standing there.

"Good morning, this is your wake up call," he said cheerfully. "I hear the shower so I guess that's where Rain is."

"Yes," the Doctor said in his feminine voice. "We'll be done in a few minutes."

He nodded.

"Knock on our door when you're ready."

" You got it."

Alan turned away and walked back to his room while the Doctor closed the door. Since there was nothing further for him to do without any clothes or toiletries, he simply sat down on the bed and waited for his friend to get done with her shower.

After about ten minutes he heard the water cut off and ten minutes after that Rain came out fully dressed and ready. She paused and grinned when she saw him.

"Good morning, Morana," she said, amused.

"Good morning, Rain," the Doctor said in his feminine voice.

She shook her head.

"God, that's so creepy now that I know your secret."

"You know what would be even creepier?" he said in his feminine voice.

"What?"

"If I talked like this while I looked like this," he said in his normal voice.

Rain nodded.

"Yeah, you're right, that is creepier," she said as he laughed.

She stared at him for a moment and then walked to his side. She touched his shoulder while the Doctor watched.

"Weird, I mean it's a hologram, right? But it looks so real."

"It's alien technology," he said in his normal voice. "But I'm still the same underneath. Look."

He took her hand.

"Feel my manly hand?"

"Yeah, God, that is creepy too."

"Well, now you know why I kept my hands to myself yesterday."

Rain sighed.

"God, Doctor, this sucks so much. I wish you didn't have to do this."

"I know but I'd rather do this than be stuck up there with tall, dark and evil," he said, pointing skyward.

He smiled at her.

"Are you ready to go and meet your family so you can go kick my brother's butt?"

She smiled.

"You called him your brother," she said.

He shrugged and grinned.

"Well, that's one of the things I thought about last night and I have to admit your logic about him being my brother is irrefutable. I mean I had a daughter created from my genes so…"

"Jenny?"

The Doctor looked at her in shock.

"Yes, blimey, he really did tell all, didn't he?"

She nodded and squeezed his shoulder.

"And I'm sorry she died too. She sounded like a wonderful woman."

A sad smile spread over his face.

"She was. I wish I could have known her a bit longer but there's nothing I can do about it now. I'm just glad I got to know her and be with her for awhile before she died."

He stood up.

"Well, my trusted secret holder. Let's go get your training over and done with so we can do a bit of shopping."

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The Doctor sat under the shade of the same tree they had sat under the previous day when he spied on them and watched his friend learning kicks and punches from her brother. Rose was sitting beside him and Awinita was on the other side of her. He glanced at Rose and smiled, thinking how beautiful she looked. His gaze shifted to Awinita who he also thought was beautiful. Both women were watching Rain's workout and making occasional comments about it. The Doctor watched too but with a hint of sadness knowing that what Alan was teaching them would never work against the Valeyard. He loved that he was trying to get them ready as much as he could since they had no real way to fight back but even Rose couldn't stand up to a seasoned fighter like him. Still, he admired his brother's devotion to his family and to Rose and once again, he was convinced he had done the right thing leaving her with him.

Rain's session ended and everyone applauded while Alan gave her a hug and praised her. Then it was Awinita's turn and Rain went to sit down beside Rose. Both she and the Doctor praised her and she thanked them. They watched while Awinita sparred with Alan.

"You know," Rose said to Rain. "You talkin' 'bout shoppin' made me realize last night that your birthday is two and a half weeks away now. We have to start plannin' your party."

"Really?" the Doctor said. "What day is your birthday?"

"Valentine's Day."

"Really? I'll have to get you something too."

"Aw, come on, guys. You don't have to get me something."

"Yes, we do. We want to give you a proper birthday," Rose said.

"How old are you gonna be?" the Doctor said.

"24. I'm the same age as Rose, I guess."

"And Awinita's gonna be in March so we'll have to plan for hers as well," Rose added.

"And then you in April," Rain added.

They winced when Alan threw Awinita over his shoulder and her back hit the ground hard.

"Ow," she said.

"You alright?" Alan said.

"Yeah, just let me get my spine to work again and I'll be peachy."

"Sorry, Te'lesu, didn't mean to do that with the ground being that hard."

He took her hand and helped her to her feet.

Alan stood with her for a moment talking to her about why he was able to throw her and what she could do to prevent it while the three people under the tree made small talk.

"Do you guys have any ideas about what we could do today?" Rose asked. "And do we wanna stay past four days or move on?"

"Depends on what's out there," Rain said. "I mean Beijing is nice but I would love to move on. I mean, we really didn't spend that much time in any city, right? The only reason we're spending so much time here is because your dad is paying for it."

"Yeah and I'm gonna miss the hotel room when we leave," Rose said. "Speaking of, Alan and I and Awinita were talking last night and if we're not using a car and walking, we're probably gonna be spending the night out in the open like we did when we first started walkin' which means you and Morana need to buy a bedroll today so you'll have something to sleep in when we do that."

"Gotcha, Rose," Rain said.

"Awinita needs to get one too but she doesn't feel like getting it until later on. While you and Morana are out shopping we're gonna have a bit of a rest, even hyper boy, because I want to get a bit of energy back. I just now got caught up on my sleep and I don't wanna go back to being tired all the time."

"Why were you tired all the time?" the Doctor asked.

"I used to travel with Alan's twin called the Doctor and I was separated from him when I came to this universe and for two years I basically worked myself to death trying not to think about how lonely I was, plus I was trying to get back to him any way I could. Then when I did get back to him after using this thing called a dimension cannon I ended up being captured by this bloke named Davros and his little robot creations called Daleks and basically had to fight for my life. Then the Doctor left us here and went back to the other universe and Alan and I went on this journey so we weren't stuck at home being bored. So for the past two years I've basically been goin' from one thing to another without any rest and I was getting ill so Alan put me in this hibernation state for several nights so I could sleep without any interruptions and regain my energy."

Rain's heart lurched when she saw the pain in her friend's eyes at hearing that but to his credit he remained calm.

"I'm glad you finally got caught up on rest then," he said.

"Yeah, me too. Alan was a miracle worker with the hibernation. I'm glad he can do that."

"Me too," the Doctor said.

They looked over when Awinita finished her training. Alan praised and hugged her and then beckoned for Rose.

"Gotta go fight, mates, have fun chattin'," she said, getting up.

Once she was up, Rain quickly scooted over to her friend's side while Awinita walked to a water fountain several feet away. The Doctor glanced at her and leaned into Rain's ear.

"She was exhausted?" he whispered in his normal voice.

"Yeah," she whispered back. "She started getting ill one day and we couldn't figure out why until she finally spilled the beans about working non-stop. Even Alan didn't know she'd done that till she admitted it."

The Doctor let out an angry sigh.

"Bloody Torchwood," he mumbled to her. "Never liked that outfit and I never will. Shoulda known they'd work poor Rose to death. She was just a means to an end for them."

They looked over when Awinita jogged up and sat down beside Rain.

"How's your back?" Rain asked her.

"Still hurts but I'll live," she said. "At least I'm getting better. That aikido is rough."

"Tell me about it," Rain said. "I don't doubt the Venusians have six arms, you gotta have six arms to be able to do all the moves."

"Sis, I wondered if you would do a favor for me since you and Morana are going to the store."

"Yeah?"

She reached into her pocket.

"I need to get a bedroll but I wanna wait and go later so could you find some kind of chocolate bar and get one for me?" she said handing her some money. "Actually, get me two."

"Sure, any particular kind?"

"Um, Hershey's bar if they have it here. If not, just any brand of chocolate bar," she said.

"Gotcha," she said, putting the money in her pocket.

She gave the Doctor an apologetic smile.

"I get chocolate cravings," she said.

He chuckled.

"I do too so there's no need to explain," he said. "I'm more an M&M's person myself."

"I like that too but I don't feel like that today," she said. "I'd rather have a candy bar."

They watched while Rose sparred with Alan.

"God, she's getting good," Awinita said. "I'll be glad when I can do that."

"I'll be glad when I can do what you can do," Rain replied while the Doctor chuckled.

_My acolyte._

Rain jerked her head around when she heard the Doctor sigh angrily.

"What is it, Morana?" she asked.

The Doctor discretely held up a finger. They frowned when he closed his eyes.

"Is she tired?" Awinita said.

Rain shrugged.

They stared at him and noticed his brow furrowing from time to time but other than that, he kept his eyes closed and said nothing. Rain stared at him wondering what was going on and made a mental note to ask him when they were alone and in the safety of the department store.

After ten minutes, the Doctor opened his eyes and noticed both women were staring at him in confusion.

"Sorry," he said to them. "My eyes were hurting me for a moment."

Awinita nodded and went back to watching Rose but Rain locked eyes with him.

"What is it?" she mouthed to him.

"Tell you later," he mouthed back.

She nodded and they turned their attention to Rose.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Doctor and Rain walked together along the busy streets towards the department store. They had bid Alan and the others goodbye ten minutes earlier before heading off on their own. Neither one of them said anything of much consequence knowing the Valeyard might be watching. Rain hated that her friend was under constant surveillance from some maniac high overhead and she hoped with all her heart that he could be defeated once and for all so he could finally be free from him.

Finally, they reached the department store and went inside. The Doctor breathed a huge sigh of relief and Rain once more ached for her poor friend and felt rage at his tormentor.

"Come with me, Rain," he said in his normal voice.

They walked into the men's section.

"Oh Doctor, I hate this. I hate you have to hide from him like this," she said as they walked.

He smiled and put his hand on her shoulder.

"I've had to do worse to evade my foes. Trust me, all this is just a minor inconvenience," he said.

"What were you doing when you were closing your eyes?" she asked.

He put his hands on her shoulders.

"I was communicating with him," he said, sadly.

He tightened his grip on her shoulders when she gasped.

"Don't worry; I didn't give him anything vital. Just a vague report. But I have to check in every so often with daddy since he can't trust me to act on my own. He was calling to me and that's why I let out the angry sigh. Don't be afraid, I'd rather die than give you up to him. But if you see me doing that again, that's why."

He noticed the anger in her eyes.

"No, don't get angry like that. Like I said, it's a minor inconvenience. If it keeps him off our back and away from here then I'll put up with it. Now come with me and help me find something suitable that I can wear under my disguise."

She took his hand and they walked along the racks looking at different outfits.

"Unfortunately my customary suit is probably a bit too expensive. The Valeyard gave me money but I don't wanna blow it all in one place and arouse his suspicions. I just want something I can wear that isn't this sodding robe."

They paused and looked at some trousers. The Doctor pulled a pair of brown ones off the rack and examined them.

"Those are nice."

He nodded.

"Yes, not pinstriped but close enough. I fancy brown or blue, don't know if he told you that."

"He did. He sorta warned me about you and said you liked wearing blue and brown suits. He can project images of things into people's minds and he showed me what the Valeyard looked like so I would know if he came after us."

"He did?" he said as they walked on.

"Yeah, he can do that and the mind blocks. He can put Rose into hibernation and I guess he can feel other Time Lords or something."

The Doctor nodded.

"But he doesn't know five billion languages anymore."

"I noticed he had trouble with the menu and Mingxia had to help him."

"But you don't have that problem."

"Nope," he said, popping the P. "I have a full Time Lord brain. I can read and speak Chinese perfectly, Mandarin, Cantonese and all the various dialects."

"Good cause I can't," she said as he chuckled. "He…um, doesn't have the two hearts and he doesn't have the um…respiratory…um…"

"Respiratory bypass system?"

She nodded.

"Oh, and he can't take cold temperatures like you can. So he thinks most of the stuff that happened to him was physical except for Donna getting most of his mind."

She paused and her eyes widened. The Doctor stopped short when she grabbed his arm.

"Donna, oh my God, she's not a prisoner is she?"

The Doctor gave her a sad look and shook his head.

"No, she's gone. I had to erase her memories of me to save her life."

"Oh God, Alan was right? He was scared you might have done that."

He lowered his head and Rain's heart ached again.

"I had no choice, I had to save her. She was dying," he said in a voice that almost made Rain weep. "But now she's no longer the Donna I knew. The proper Donna. She's back to being this vain, self centered caricature of herself."

Rain put her hand against his cheek and the Doctor smiled when he put his hand over it.

"Can I ask you something, Doctor?"

"Of course, Rain."

"Alan was talking about using this thing called a chameleon arch to make himself into a full Time Lord. What about Donna? If Donna is half Time Lord, would that work on her and make her human so she could get her mind again?"

The Doctor stared at her in shock.

"Omega's Orifice, why didn't I think of that?" he said in disbelief.

"Would it work?"

"Yes, in theory. If she's part Time Lord then it would rewrite her biology and erase the Time Lord part of her and she would regain her human mind."

"Or could it go the other way and make her into a Time Lord?"

The Doctor stared at her.

"I mean, if she became one you wouldn't be the last anymore, right?"

He put his hand on her shoulder.

"Did you think of this?" he said.

"Partly. I mean, Alan wants to use the arch thing to become a full Time Lord and if Donna is the same as him I figured it would work on her too."

"Rain, you are brilliant. Yes, in theory, it could work. Only trouble is my TARDIS is in the other universe at the moment and I'm stuck here on Earth like Alan is."

"But the TARDIS the Valeyard uses has a void thing in it? If we could get it away from him…"

"That's risky though, very risky. But yes, we could take it back to Derillium and get my TARDIS back."

"But….Alan was saying that this universe is running ahead of the other one so if we went back to Derillium and fought the Valeyard and prevented him from taking you…"

"Then none of this would have happened and…"

He raised his eyes skyward.

"The events of the past few weeks would be erased."

"Doctor? What happened to you up there?"

He shook his head.

"Horrible things. Things I'm too scared and embarrassed to mention."

Rain felt his eyes mist up when the Doctor lowered his head in shame and she put her hand against his cheek again.

"It wasn't your fault," she said in a choked up voice. "He made you do it."

He raised his head and noticed the tears falling.

"No, don't cry, please," he said, gently. "Let's not talk about it anymore, alright? It's upsetting you and I don't want to ruin the day like this. What happened up there happened and if and until we can sort it out there's no use crying about it. Alright?"

She nodded and the Doctor gave her a hug.

"Don't cry, Rain. I've been through far worse, trust me."

"Oh great, that makes me feel so much better, Doctor, thanks," she said as he laughed.

He hugged her tighter.

"I'm so glad I told you my secret," he said.

"Me too…except…"

"Yes?"

"If we go back and change things…then I'll forget about all this, won't I, and so will you."

He swallowed hard and nodded. He noticed the anguish in her eyes and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Like I said, let's not worry about it now. Let's just shop and have fun, alright?"

She nodded and the Doctor squeezed her shoulder. He took her hand and they moved on to the shirts.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Doctor finally settled on the brown pants and a navy blue t-shirt. He tried them on in the changing room and came out to show her without his disguise on.

"What d'ya think?" he asked, spreading his arms wide.

"I like it. It looks good on you, much better than that dumb robe."

"Yes, I wholeheartedly agree. I believe the dumb robe will be going straight in the bin once I pay for this and change into it. In fact, let's pay for it now so I can change and walk around as my normal male self for a few hours."

He went back into the changing room, changed and came back out as Morana. He walked with Rain up to the checkout counter, paid for his purchases and headed straight back to the changing rooms. Rain waited for him and five minutes later he emerged dressed in his new clothes.

"Ahhh, much better. Now I can show my face in public. And good job the Valeyard let me keep my trainers since I don't have to worry about getting new shoes. As for the robe, I left it in there for some lucky soul to find. Maybe they can make it into a Halloween costume or something. Now…let's go get some supplies and the bed rolls and the chocolate for your sister, eh?"

He took her hand and they walked out of the men's department.

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Rain looked at her friend as they walked around the store. She was glad he was back in normal street clothes and didn't have to hide behind his disguise. He looked a lot happier now which made her happy. Even though he wasn't as hyper as her brother she could see a lot of similarities between the two of them. The only physical difference she could see was he didn't have as gruff a voice as Alan did. Other than that there was no difference between the two of them. No, she thought, there was one other difference. She could sense a great amount of sadness and pain in him and there was a heavy burden on his shoulders that her brother didn't have. His eyes were sadder also and it seemed to her more ancient, more alien. She could sense he had lived centuries and could sense all the knowledge he possessed. But the more time she spent with him the more she liked him. Despite all these differences, she could see he had the gentleness of her brother and the loving way he had calmed her tears was exactly like him too. She got a hint of his sense of humor also although he wasn't quite as manic as her brother. There were more similarities than differences between the two men and Rain was glad of that.

"Don't they have any shopping trolleys in this place?" the Doctor said, looking around. "They don't expect people to carry everything, do they?"

They looked around and finally saw one left out in the middle of the aisle. They walked up to it and looked around trying to find an owner.

"Mine now," the Doctor said after two minutes of waiting.

Rain followed him while he pushed it. They made small talk while the Doctor picked out a large rucksack and some basic supplies. The other great thing was he didn't need any help reading the signs and he could ask for help from anyone. Rain listened while he asked a female worker in Mandarin where the toiletry items were. She replied and the Doctor led Rain to them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After a couple of hours they had the bedrolls, the supplies and two Hershey bars for Awinita. They paid for their purchases and the Doctor led her back to the men's department.

"Back to being female," he said.

Rain watched while he ducked down, turned on the imager and came back up as Morana.

"Okay, now that I've got my disguise on, let's go back and see what your family has planned for today," he said in his normal voice.

They grabbed the bags and walked towards the exit.


	158. Chapter 158

Chapter One Hundred Fifty Eight

Rain walked with the Doctor back towards the hotel. Occasionally she would glance at him and loathe the female disguise that now covered his body. Now that she knew who he was, she didn't like him being Morana. She wished there was some way that he could be himself without having to resort to the imager.

As they walked she sped up a bit when she suddenly had a thought. The Doctor frowned when he noticed her staring intently at his face and stopped.

"What's wrong?" he said in the feminine voice.

Rain looked around, noticed a bank and led him through the doors. They were standing between doors in a small area where patrons could wipe their feet. Rain looked around and noticed that no one was looking their way.

"Could you…drop the disguise for a moment?"

The Doctor nodded and switched off the imager. He instantly reverted back and stared at Rain in confusion when she stared at his face.

"Rain, what is it?" he said in his normal voice.

"You said he put a disc inside your head?"

"Yes."

"Where'd he put it in at?"

"In the front of my head," he said, pointing to the center of his forehead.

She cupped his face and got up on her tiptoes while she stared at his forehead.

"Where? I don't see any incision," she said.

"He used a special device that repairs damaged tissue so no scar would be visible. That way you wouldn't suspect my mind had been tampered with."

She sighed.

"Isn't there any way to get it out of your head? I mean, if we could take it out and just keep it running while it's in your pocket…"

He shook his head.

"Short of putting me under and cutting my forehead open, no," he said. "I'm sorry, Rain. But there's no way to get it out at the moment."

_There is a way._

The Doctor stared at Rain when she suddenly jerked her head around and looked behind her.

"What is it?"

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Someone just spoke to me," Rain said, looking around. "A woman."

"I didn't hear any woman besides you."

_I am in your mind._

He frowned when Rain stopped short and got a wide-eyed expression on her face.

"Rain?" the Doctor said.

"You're the protector, aren't you?" she said, aloud.

_Yes._

"Rain, what's going on?"

"That protector person, I can hear her in my mind," she said to the Doctor.

_I can help if you wish me to remove the disc from the Doctor's head._

"Doctor, she's offering to take the disc out."

"Well, by all means, let her do it."

"Yes, I want that disc out of his head this instant," Rain said.

Suddenly, the Doctor's eyes rolled back in his head and the bags he was carrying dropped on the floor. Rain gasped, dropped her bags and called his name as he fell back against the wall and slid down it to the floor.

"Doctor! Oh God, Doctor!" she said, kneeling and cupping his face as he became unresponsive. "Oh God, what have I done? I…"

She trailed off when she noticed a small glowing blue desk coming through his forehead almost as if it were floating to the surface of a pond. She stroked her unconscious friend's cheek holding her free hand under the disc while it came out of his mind. After a minute, it fell into her hand and, to her relief, the Doctor's eyes immediately fluttered and he woke up.

"What the hell happened?" he said, when he was fully awake. "Felt like a lorry slammed into me just then."

"It's out," she said, holding up her hand.

The Doctor looked down at the glowing disc and plucked it out of her hand. He stared at it for a moment before they both got overjoyed looks on their faces.

"Yes! I don't know who this voice is but I owe her a pint of lager," he said.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank God, now I know I won't relapse and hurt all of you," he said to her. "Thank you, Rain for doing that for me."

"My pleasure, Doctor. I'm glad you're finally free of it."

_I can do more._

"More?" Rain said aloud.

The Doctor frowned.

"Now what's the voice saying?" he said.

_I can make it so he won't need to use the imager. I can make it so you can see and hear him as he truly is while others will see his disguise and hear his female voice even when he's speaking normally. Only those he chooses to tell the secret to will see his true form. I can also hide his artron energy and seal his mind from any entry and create a fake energy signature that will move around for the Valeyard's benefit so he will be as hidden as the rest of you. I can also intercept the Valeyard's mental messages to him and speak in his stead so he will not be bothered by him anymore. I will also shield him from the spy satellite's video and audio so he will be invisible to them and can speak to you freely without having to come indoors._

The Doctor noticed Rain tearing up.

"What? What does she say?" he said, taking her hand.

Rain repeated everything to him and rejoiced inwardly at the delighted look on his face.

"Yes," she said aloud. "Do that for him."

A bright white glow surrounded the Doctor, so intense that Rain had to shield her eyes and turn her head away. When the glow faded and she could finally look at him she saw the Doctor sitting there with a stunned look on his face.

"Okay, either that was the spell at work or I just farted a supernova," he said.

Rain laughed at that and squeezed his hands.

_I have done all that I have promised. The Doctor is safe and he no longer needs the imager around his neck. Tell him that if he ever wishes to speak to you in private or you need to speak to him, even when you are around others, then think the request to me and I will shield your voices so that only you can hear each other._

Rain repeated her words to him.

"Brilliant! Thank you, Miss Disembodied Voice; I owe you several lagers now."

Rain nearly cried when she watched him reach up and take off the imager.

"Thank you, whoever you are," Rain said aloud. "Thank you so much."

_You are most welcome. My work is finished for the moment but I will be watching over all of you and keeping you safe. _

The voice fell silent and Rain helped the Doctor to his feet. He looked at the imager with disdain before he put it in his pocket along with the disc and they picked up the bags.

"Better keep these toys with me," he said as they walked outside. "Alien tech is far too dangerous to just toss in a bin."

He grinned at Rain as they continued on to the hotel.

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The elevator doors opened and the Doctor and Rain stepped out onto their floor. He looked at her.

"Okay, moment of truth," he said to her. "Now we see if the protector's spell works."

They walked side by side toward Rose and Alan's room. The Doctor hesitated a moment and then knocked on the door. There was a pause and then Rose opened it. The Doctor studied her face. There was no shocked look, no surprised cry of "Doctor!" Instead, she smiled at them.

"Did you guys get your shopping done?"

"Yes, we did," the Doctor said in his normal voice.

Again, there was no reaction from Rose except for a smile and a nod and he grinned, silently thanking his benefactor for her latest act of mercy.

"Well," Rose said, "you lot drop your bags off in your room and then come in here. We've decided to go out to the Great Wall and see it but we wanna talk to ya as well."

They nodded and walked to their room while she closed the door. The moment they were inside, they dropped their bags and embraced one another.

"Oh my God, Doctor, you're free!" Rain said.

The Doctor laughed as he held her tightly

"Are you going to tell them your secret though?" Rain said when they broke apart.

"Not yet. Even if the voice has done this there's still a chance the Valeyard will cotton on and work out what's happened. I don't want to risk their safety."

He grinned.

"Besides, I kinda like the idea of having a secret identity that's only known to one person. Makes me feel mysterious like I'm James Bond. I will reveal myself in time but for the moment I can't risk it and you can't tell them either, but I know you won't do that."

She nodded and watched while the Doctor withdrew the disc and the imager and stowed them in his rucksack.

"Can he still track the disc?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"No, he'll still be able to see it's on but he can't track it. If he could, he wouldn't need to scan my artron energy signature. Besides, even if he could do that, my benefactor would throw him off the scent, I expect.

He stood up and sighed.

"Shall we go next door then?" he said.

She nodded and followed him out the door. They shut it and knocked on Alan and Rose's door. This time Awinita opened it but she also had no idea that Morana was the Doctor. Rain gave a silent prayer of thanks that now she could see her friend as he truly was and hear his true voice. She gave her sister the candy bars and Awinita thanked her as they came inside. The Doctor shut the door behind them and stood behind Rain as everyone else came up to them.

"There's a shuttle bus that'll take us to the wall," Rose said. "Unfortunately the section we're goin' to is the most touristy out of all of them so maybe at some point we'll go to another section that isn't so crowded but this is where the bus goes to so we'll put up with it for today. The next bus leaves in a half hour so it's good that you came back when you did."

"Also," Alan said, "we need your opinion, Rain, on where you want to go once we get through China because there are several options but we can talk about that on the way over. Plus, Mingxia found an unusual attraction and we wanna show what she found to you because all of us want to go to it tomorrow and have a big giggle. For the moment though, we need to get ready to go so if you need to freshen up, you two better hurry."

They nodded. Rain glanced at the Doctor and he turned and opened the door. They walked out and he closed it behind them.

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Fifteen minutes later, they were sitting in the shuttle bus waiting to go to the Great Wall. The Doctor and Rain were sitting together in the back on the right side while Awinita and Imiko sat across from them. Mingxia sat in front of them and Alan and Rose sat in front of Rain and the Doctor.

"Okay, first off," Rose said to them. "We want Mingxia to tell you about this interesting little attraction right here in Beijing."

They looked at her as everyone snickered.

"You may not believe this, but Beijing has a Disneyland," she said.

"It does?" Rain said.

"Yes, only they don't call it Disneyland. They call it Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park and the owner has ripped off the likenesses of Disney characters along with Shrek, Hello Kitty, Bugs Bunny and Doraemon. All these characters are being used without permission and the park is currently in litigation to get them to stop using them. In addition to that, they also have their own Cinderella's Castle, their own Spaceship Earth from EPCOT and they have roller coasters based on Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain. But the owner claims that all these characters and rides are original and that most of the characters are based off Grimm's Fairy Tales. I have some pictures that we printed off from the internet of these "original characters". Take a look."

She handed several sheets of paper to them. The Doctor leaned over slightly and looked at them with Rain. Her mouth dropped open when she saw the photos. The costumed characters were all easily recognizable right down to the outfits they normally wore. She looked at a picture of a crude looking Minnie Mouse.

"This is Minnie Mouse," she said to Mingxia.

She grinned.

"Not according to the owner. He claims that's not Minnie Mouse, it's a cat with reeeeeeeeally big ears."

The Doctor laughed as Rain's mouth dropped open.

"It is not! It's Minnie Mouse!" she said. "It's not a cat!"

She grinned when the Doctor bent over laughing. She looked at Alan and held up the picture.

"This is Minnie Mouse!" she said, pointing to it.

"I know it and you know it, but apparently the owner hopes no one else will know it," he said.

She looked at the other pictures. All the performers were dressed in shoddy cheap costumes but she could tell who they were supposed to be. Rain looked at the Doctor who was giggling uncontrollably.

"They honestly think they can win a lawsuit?" she said to him.

"Hey, denial is a very powerful thing," the Doctor said as everyone laughed.

"And," Mingxia said, "no joke, their park slogan is Disneyland is too far."

"Apparently not far enough if they're getting their arses sued off em," the Doctor said.

"Oh God, yes. We have to go see this," Rain said. "I wanna see rip-off Disneyland."

"Well," Alan said, "we figured we've been to two real Disney theme parks on this trip. It's time to see the crappy country cousin."

"They actually do have good rides," Mingxia said. "There's nothing wrong with that part of it. It's the fact they are blatantly infringing on copyrights and thinking they can get away with it. That's what's so hilarious."

Rain laughed as she handed the photos back to Rose.

"Okay, the other thing we wanna talk about is where do we wanna go when we leave China?" Rose asked.

She handed her another sheet of paper showing her a map of China and the surrounding countries. In the northwest corner a name had been circled with black ink.

"That's Morana's village," Rose said, pointing to it. "We'll drop her off but after that we need to figure out what we're gonna do next. Look at the countries and tell us where you'd like to go next."

Rain pretended to study the map but her heart was sinking as she wondered how the Doctor was gonna talk his way into going on with them once they reached Kashi. She glanced at her friend who was calmly looking at the map with her. Their eyes met and he smiled at her and gave her a wink.

"Um…well, I guess India. I wouldn't mind seeing India," Rain said, looking back at the map.

She looked up when she heard Alan giggle.

"You had to say that," Rose said as everyone except Rain and the Doctor giggled along with him.

"What's wrong?" Rain said.

"He wants to go to India as well so he can recreate Indiana Jones and the Temple of bleedin' Doom," she said as Alan snickered. "And that means finding a maharaja who will serve me eyeball soup so he can watch me eat it."

"What? I think it would be funny to dress you up as a princess and watch you try to swallow monkey brains," he said as everyone laughed. "We've already eaten bugs so we can handle that part of it."

"Oh yes and the next thing you'll be chainin' me up and rippin' out my heart before you lower me into lava," Rose said.

"Well, yes, that's in the movie as well," he said with a gleam in his eyes. "And I get to wear the big skull headdress and recite mola ram, suda ram while you're slowly lowered to your doom."

The Doctor snickered when Rose rolled her eyes.

"Don't mind him, his trolley derailed a long time ago," she said to him.

He giggled when Alan gave her an incensed look.

"Can I help it if the movie has a heart ripping scene, huh? I have to do what the movie says!"

"I think I need to take you somewhere so you can do what a therapist says because you're badly in need of one," Rose replied.

"Okay, how 'bout this? We skip all that and just do the scene where they're in the woods playing cards so you can pick up the gi-normous fruit bat and scream your head off. Te'lesu here will be Short Round, I'll be Indy and you'll be screaming, hysterical fruit bat lady."

The Doctor laughed when Rose lowered her head to the back of the seat and bumped her forehead repeatedly on it while Alan patted her back. He glanced at his clone who had a wicked grin on his face and decided he liked the way he had turned out. He loved the playful teasing he did at Rose's expense; teasing that was mixed with an equal helping of love. He knew some of the wacky behavior was because of Donna's genes in his body and a bittersweet smile spread over his face knowing that a small piece of her was still alive in his twin.

They looked around when the bus driver climbed in, closed the door and started the ignition. There were several people up near the front so everyone toned it down and just made small talk while the bus drove them to the Badaling section of the wall.


	159. Chapter 159

Chapter One Hundred Fifty Nine

It took about an hour and a half to reach the wall. The bus stopped just outside the main gate and everyone filed out. As they left, the driver gave each of them a schedule that indicated when he arrived and departed and a brochure that had a few facts about the wall. They all stepped down onto the asphalt and everyone studied the schedule. As they did, Rain noticed the Doctor turning his head out of the corner of her eye. She looked at him and noticed he had a disgusted look on his face. She followed his gaze and saw he was looking at souvenir stalls. There were nearly fifty stalls lined up against the wall right beside one another. It stretched for nearly a quarter of a mile and had just about everything for sale from t-shirts to little dolls.

"Humans," she heard him mutter under his breath. "Gotta set up their trinket stalls and mar the beauty of national treasures."

Rose looked at the brochure.

"According to this most of the hikes take about 2 hours so we need to all meet back here at…3:30 for the bus, yeah?"

Everyone nodded. Rose turned and noticed the souvenir stalls.

"Oh yeah, that's really lovely," she said, dryly.

"Good, I'm glad you agree with me, Rose," Rain heard the Doctor mutter.

They walked towards the entrance to pay their admission.

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After paying the 80 yuan admission fee, all of them climbed a set of stairs until they reached the top of the wall. Once they reached the top, they moved through the crowds trying to find a spot where they could work out which way to go. All of them looked left and then looked right.

"Ai-yi-yi," Rain said.

The Doctor looked at her.

"What is it?"

She pointed to the left at a steep set of stairs that led up a large hill.

"That looks like hell on the muscles right there," she said.

The Doctor looked the other way.

"This way isn't too bad," he said. "Why don't we go that way?"

Rain turned and saw there were gentler inclines and steps and nodded.

"Yeah, I think I can handle going this way," she said.

The Doctor looked back and noticed that everyone else was headed to the left.

"Just us going this way then? Good, we can talk openly," he said to her.

He took her hand and they slowly worked their way through the mass of people.

"Rain!"

They turned and looked back at Rose.

"Remember, back here at 3:30, yeah?"

"Yeah, I got a watch, Rose. We'll keep an eye on the time!" she yelled.

"Okay, good luck!"

"You too."

She turned and they turned around and headed on.

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Rose walked up to Alan who was waiting for her.

"I see Siamese Twins 1 and 2 are together again," he teased.

He pretended to pout.

"I've been replaced," he said, sniffing. "Little brother is no longer the most important person in her life. My sis is growing up."

"Yeah, well, I hope she doesn't fall apart when Morana has to go back home. They've become really close and I'd hate to see her get her heart broken when her best mate has to leave."

"I'm sure they'll keep in touch after she goes. I'm just glad she's found someone outside of us. I have a feeling she was sheltered growing up with her father and sister and perhaps this is what she needs. A friend she can spend time with and room with. She needed this, Starlight. She needed to get out in the bigger, wider world and see it for herself and make close friends along the way."

Rose nodded.

"Well, I'm glad she has someone lookin' after her and willin' to be her friend."

He smiled and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Well, we better do what they did and tackle this wall before 3:30 rolls around."

She smiled and put her hand on the small of his back while they headed towards the first steep set of steps.

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"Blimey, this is Beijing streets in miniature," the Doctor said as he and Rain tried to work their way through a mass of tourists. "Last time I was here it was in the 6th century and I didn't have this kind of problem."

He noticed a little stall off to the side where an elderly Chinese lady was hawking fruit juices and water. He rolled his eyes.

"And there was none of this rubbish either," he said, waving his hand in her direction. "I'm glad we brought our own water so we can get past eyesores like that."

"Doctor?"

He looked at Rain and frowned when he saw the concerned look on her face.

"Yes?"

"What are you gonna do when they want you to go back to that village?" she asked worriedly.

He chuckled.

"One thing you need to know about me, I'm very good at sweet talking people," he said, winking. "I'll come up with a plausible excuse to keep going and if they don't buy that then I'll reveal myself to them. Once Rose sees it's me she'll keep me around. Don't worry, Rain, I'm not going anywhere."

He breathed a sigh of relief when the crowds started to thin out. They came to their first set of stairs and he let Rain go first while he went behind her. They stayed near the wall so she could use the handrails bolted into the sides.

"At least they did that for people," the Doctor noted.

"They had them on Camelback Mountain too," Rain said. "Have you ever been there?"

"No, but I've been up Everest before," he said, coming up to her side.

"We went to Camelback Mountain when we were in Phoenix. It was steep in places and they had steps but then near the top it was almost straight up and they had handrails like this. I was so glad when I made it to the top."

He smiled at that.

"Sounds fun," he said.

"Yeah, we went at dawn. It was beautiful."

"Hmm, I've been to the Singing Mountains on Equalalis at dawn. That's another beautiful place. The wind blows through the mountain and they sing."

"Wow, I'd love to see that. I hope Alan takes us there when we get the TARDIS."

"He's taking you?"

"Yeah, Awinita and I are going with him and Rose."

He beamed.

"Good, I'm glad. I think you'd make a very good companion. You've certainly looked after me in the short time I've known ya."

"Well, I just hate what's been done to you. I hate what that Valeyard did. It's sorta like what George did to Awinita."

He nodded.

"Yes, I was thinking that when you told me. I'm glad she's alright. I'm glad Rose is alright after the run-in with the Jersey Devil."

"Me too. I love Rose. She's one of the nicest people I've ever met."

He smiled.

"Yes, she is," he said, fondly.

"Are you sad that she married Alan?"

He shook his head.

"No, not anymore. Not after seeing how happy she is with him. That's all that matters to me, her happiness. I wanted that to happen anyway when I left them here. I wanted her to make a life with him and she did. I can't be sad at that."

"Have you ever been married?"

"Once. Long, long ago when I was very young."

"Human?"

"No, Time Lady. She was beautiful and very loving towards me but my vagabond life didn't agree with her so she finally ended it after one too many trips off world."

"Oh God, Doctor, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Nah, it's alright. I got a son out of it. He more than made up for all the turbulence and fights we went through."

"Do you still miss your people?"

"Eh, not really. Not as much as I used to. Time doesn't heal all wounds but it does put scars over them and I don't feel the pain as deeply as I did just after the Time War ended. I can't spend the rest of my life thinking about what happened and my role in all of it; I just gotta press on with my life and see what's waiting for me around the next corner."

They reached the top of the stairs and walked over to the side of the wall to rest a minute.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

"So far."

"Let me know if you need to rest so we can stop."

She smiled.

"I will," she said.

The Doctor leaned back against the wall and put his hands in his pockets.

"How 'bout you?" he asked. "How long have you been traveling with Alan and Rose?"

"It's almost a month now."

"Really? That short a time?"

"Yeah, it's going on eight months now and Awinita's been there with them for all of it except for maybe a week, I think. They started in New York and met her in New Jersey when she was trying to get back to her home in North Carolina."

The Doctor frowned.

"She's a long way from North Carolina, isn't she?"

Rain laughed.

"Well, she decided to keep on going once she got a taste for it, I guess. And on Christmas Day Alan did this Gallifreyan bonding ceremony or something and adopted her as his sister."

The Doctor smiled.

"Ah yes, the old bonding ceremony. I wondered how she came to be his sister. What about you? Same thing?"

"No, my dad's responsible for that. After he rescued Awinita, dad decided to adopt the three of them into the Navajo nation and make them clan members. When you join a clan all the other clan members are your brothers and sisters. My dad adopted Alan and Awinita into our clan so in Navajo eyes they're my brother and sister. Rose is in a different clan because again in Navajo eyes if she'd married Alan she'd be committing incest so my dad put her in one of his friend's clans."

The Doctor grinned.

"So the three of them are officially Navajo?" he said with an amused grin.

"Yup and I guess Alan was made a British citizen before they started so he's got dual British/Navajo citizenship."

"Wow, that's one up on me," he said as she laughed. "So, what led you to join their barmy little tour group?"

"My dad runs this kind of tourist attraction where people can spend the night in Navajo hogans and eat authentic food and things and they came there to do that but the first night I guess Awinita went to use the bathroom and got abducted by George so after they were rescued my dad let them stay in our house where they'd be safe and I got to know them then and I guess I wanted to skip college and go with them to see the world."

"Ah, the whole be a renegade and sod responsibility approach to life. You're a girl after my own hearts," he said as she laughed.

"I just felt like I needed to do this. Like something was calling me to travel with them."

He smiled and nodded.

"I think there are certain people who are born to travel. Rose was one of them and I think you're another. Trust me, I've had centuries of practice picking out companions and you are definitely companion material."

"Aw, thanks Doctor."

He smiled.

"Are you rested now?"

She nodded.

"Shall we press on?"

"Yeah."

He took her hand and they walked off.

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The Doctor and Rain walked and talked. By now the crowds had thinned to the point where there were sparse pockets of people. The Doctor theorized that most people only went so far and then turned back. It was a bright sunny day with just a nip in the air. Rain had on her jacket but he wore nothing but his short sleeves and didn't feel a thing. In fact, the chilly air felt pleasant on his skin.

He glanced at Rain who was looking around her at the green hillsides. It was hard for him to believe that after all he went through with Rose and all he shared with her that he would be able to walk in a different direction than the one she went and not feel the usual longing he felt whenever she was absent. But he knew that ship had sailed now. Rose was a married woman and he wasn't about to be a selfish bastard and break up their marriage. He was content to stand back and watch while she enjoyed a happy married life with her husband.

Besides, he had a wonderful friend right here beside him. Someone who understood him like Rose did. She was a beautiful, friendly, loving, caring person and she had the same spirit of adventure that Rose had. From the first she had accepted him for who he was and didn't judge him even after he guessed she had heard a lot of stories about him from Alan. When she asked about his past he found himself opening up and being honest because she had been honest with him from the first. To his astonishment, he found that he was beginning to crave her company the way he had done when he had traveled with Rose. Just the fact that she had been concerned about him and his being in captivity touched his hearts. She had never met him personally before and yet she had prayed that he would be released and had rejoiced when it happened almost as if she had known him for years. He realized that the more he knew her the more he wanted to be there for her and protect her just as he had done with Rose. The thought of the Valeyard getting his hands on her utterly terrified him especially since he had seen how woefully untrained she really was.

Most telling of all was the fact that he was dreading the moment when they would go back to Derillium, defeat the Valeyard and alter the time line so none of this ever happened and he never met her. He didn't want that nor did he want to just go back to the other universe and be sealed off forever from her.

That thought gave him pause.

_Oh my God,_ he thought, _am I falling in love with her? It's only been one day since I met her and already I'm getting to the point where I don't wanna be without her? But…she's been so wonderful to me, taking care of me and going places with me and worrying about me. She's so young and innocent, just like Rose was when I first met her. But not even Rose fretted over me this fast. I mean, I know she's heard stories about me from Alan but still, after only two hours of talking she acted like we were best mates and invited me to dinner with her and her family. And now damn it, I'm actually jealous that Alan will get to have her in his TARDIS instead of her travelin' with me. But, would she even want me if I asked? Especially since I look exactly like her brother, how weird would that be for her? Still, we don't act exactly the same and perhaps she might differentiate between us. Blimey, now I'm trying to figure out a way to ask her to be with me. I really am smitten. This must be something that happens with old age since I never would have done this in my youth and certainly not with a human who's over 1100 years younger than I am. _

He stared at her and smiled as he watched the brisk wind whipping her long black hair around her face. Her attention was still riveted on the sections of wall that were snaking away into the distance.

_I'll just take my time with her. Just see how this plays out like I did with Rose. It took time for Rose and I to become close to the point I considered her my lover and I'm sure Rain will be no different. We have all of China…at least I hope we do if certain bastards stay away. God, if that son of a bitch touches her in any way, shape or form I'll tear a hole in his forehead, shove the disc in and make the dark bastard spend eternity barking like a dog. Wow! Yup, I'm definitely smitten then. _

His thoughts were interrupted when Rain sighed and slowed down.

"Are you getting knackered?" he said, concerned.

"A bit. This is a workout. I would have hated to be a guard on this wall."

He chuckled as the two of them walked to the side and leaned against the wall. 

"Actually they had quite a few guards on the wall so no one would have had to patrol far," he said, glancing at her.

"This is just massive. I mean, how long did it take to build this?"

"Um, 'bout a thousand years, give or take."

"Yeah, I believe it. It'd take a thousand years to walk through it."

He chuckled at that.

She turned and looked over the edge into the trees below. Suddenly the Doctor heard her laughing and he gave her an amused grin.

"What?" he said.

She smiled at him.

"Alan has this running joke where every time they come to some tall place he claims he's gonna do this whole lover's suicide death leap with Rose off it and people will find their bodies lying together at the bottom of wherever they're at. I'm sure he's already mentioned the lover's suicide death leap off the Great Wall of China to her by now."

He laughed.

"Got quite a sense of humor, he has," he said.

"Yes, he does. He's filled with energy. I envy him because it seems like he could run almost non-stop and never get tired. But I love it. He's always laughing and joking and being silly. He's awesome."

The Doctor smiled.

"I'm glad he treats everyone so well then," he said. "I have to admit I was scared leaving him alone with Rose but I guess she helped to heal him and he's become far more than I thought he would."

"Doctor, he was only trying to save the universe."

"I know that, Rain but you just can't do that to a living sentient species. The Daleks are evil but blasting them to bits isn't the solution unless there's absolutely no other alternative. Killing taints your soul forever, believe me. I wouldn't wish that fate on him or you or anyone else. I know I was harsh and I apologize for that but I did believe at the time that this was the best solution for him and from what I've seen I don't regret my decision because he's become a loving, caring person and I don't think he would have been able to do that in the other universe."

Rain fell silent for a moment.

"Have you killed many people?" she finally said.

The Doctor lowered his eyes.

"More than I would care to admit," he said truthfully. "And I've regretted each death."

She laid a hand on his arm.

"But what you did was defending the universe right?"

He nodded.

"You're a good person, Doctor, just like Alan is. You're not a monster."

He felt his hearts swell with love at that and he gave her hand a squeeze.

"Thanks," he said.

"I mean it. I've heard the stories about you and I admire what you do. I don't think I'd ever have the courage to face all these evildoers and monsters and things."

"I think you do, deep inside. Rose was the same way once upon a time and she's become quite an accomplished fighter. Don't sell yourself short, Rain. You have a lot more courage and strength than you realize."

She smiled.

"Thanks, Doctor."

He gave her hand another squeeze.

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"Well, there they are," Alan said when he saw the Doctor and Rain coming through the dense crowds near the entrance. "Did you two enjoy yourselves?"

They nodded.

Alan looked at the rest of his group who were clustered nearby.

"Well, now that the last of our party has joined us. It's time to catch our bus and go back home."

They all turned and walked down the steps to the front entrance. The Doctor started to follow but Rain tugged on his arm and he turned to look at her.

"Thanks, Doctor, for walking with me," she said.

He smiled.

"Thank you for being my friend."

His hearts leapt when she gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Anytime," she said.

A goofy grin spread over the Doctor's face and he eagerly took her hand and went down the steps with her.


	160. Chapter 160

Chapter One Hundred Sixty

On the way back the group sat in the same seats as before and Rose turned to look at everyone.

"Listen, tonight's our last night," she said to everyone. "Do you want to stay on or go ahead and go after we go to that theme park tomorrow?"

"Is there anything else worth seeing?" Awinita asked Mingxia.

"You've seen a lot of the main attractions. There are many museums and parks and monuments in Beijing but those are also in every major city in China."

"I'm kinda museumed out," Rain said. "I mean this is a nice city but I think it'd be fun to get out in the open and do some camping. I mean, you guys have done that before but I haven't."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to doing that again," Awinita said. "The minivan was nice but I did miss sleeping out under the stars before the Jersey Devil showed up."

Alan glanced at Mingxia.

"Is there anything like the Jersey Devil in China that could potentially pop up and eat us or something? I've already battled the Devil and a skinwalker; I really don't fancy fighting any more so-called mythological creatures."

"There are dragons, of course, but they aren't like European dragons. They're good and they protect people and bring them good luck so if one did show up I doubt it would be a threat. Um…There are several mythical birds and phoenixes…there's Kun which is a giant fish…hmmm…there is a gargoyle called Tao Tie that supposedly is so hungry it eats its own head…um….there is Xing Tian who is a headless giant who supposedly wanders fields and roads…there is the cat goddess, Yifan Zhang and there are Chinese unicorns called Kilin but it's not evil. Offhand those are the ones I can think of."

"So be on the look out for gargoyles, headless giants, cat goddesses, dragons, birds and unicorns, gotcha!" Alan said as they laughed. "If you want my two pence, I'm also for leaving. Beijing has its charm but it's a huge country and there's a lot to see. I'd rather just go ahead and move on towards the next thing."

"I feel the same way too," Imiko said. "Beijing is too crowded. I want to see the countryside now."

"Mingxia, your thoughts?"

"If you want to go ahead and go that's fine. I don't mind either way."

She looked at the Doctor.

"Morana, how 'bout you?"

"I'm the same way. Whatever you lot want to do is fine with me. I love Beijing but I'm sure I'll love the rural areas as well."

"Well, I think I'll side with those who want to leave. I'll be sad to leave that posh room but if we keep booking the room, we'll never leave. So, if it's alright we'll check out tomorrow, go see this theme park and then leave for the countryside."

They all nodded.

"Also, I need to ring dad again and get a pass made for Morana so we can pick it up tomorrow," Rose said.

The Doctor frowned.

"Pass?" he said.

"So you can travel around the country safely," Rain said. "You carry it with you and if you get stopped you show it to the person. It's from UNIT and they got the Chinese government to give us permission to go anywhere in the country."

She reached into her jean pocket, pulled out her pass and handed it to him. The Doctor opened it up and studied it.

"Oh, that's brilliant, good idea," he said. "I'm glad UNIT did that for you."

"Yeah, me too," Rose said to him. "I really don't fancy being arrested and thrown in a Chinese prison because they think we're all spies or somethin'. I'll ring my dad since he's the one that got us our passes and get you one as well."

"Thank you," the Doctor said.

She smiled and nodded. The Doctor handed Rain's pass back to her and she put it back in her pocket.

"Other than that, I don't think there's anything else we need," Rose said.

She glanced at her husband.

"Can you think of anything?"

He thought.

"I need a hug?" he said.

"I mean besides that," she said as everyone laughed.

The Doctor smiled when Rose embraced him and gave him a kiss.

"There, ya big infant. There's your lovin' for today," she said.

"Gee, thanks warder, can I have my crust of bread and dirty water as well?"

They laughed when he ducked down and she swatted his back. When she let up he leaned back up.

"Seriously, I think we should stop by the department store and pick up some food if we're gonna be out camping. Actually, you still need to get your bedroll, don't you, Te'lesu?"

"Yeah, I do," Awinita said.

"Okay, we can get that after we train tomorrow," Rose said. "We'll pop in, get some last minute supplies and be on our way to rip-off Disneyland."

"I better get another hunting knife too," Alan said. "Especially considering what happened the last time we camped out."

Alan thought for a moment.

"You know…it might be a good idea for you lot to get some self defense spray like pepper spray or something, just in case. I'm not sure how much it costs but we're gonna be out in the open where there's not only the threat of the Valeyard attacking but also wild animals. Um, are there any dangerous animals in China, Mingxia?"

"There are Siberian Tigers in the Northeast, not many but they're still there. If you're speaking about dangerous creatures, they have alligators, bears, boars, leopards, pandas, wolves…"

"So, yes on the self defense spray then," Alan said.

"I would, just to be on the safe side."

"Do they have pepper spray in China?" Awinita asked.

"Yes, it's usually about 100 Yuan which is… um, in British pounds, it'd be about 9 pounds, I think."

"That's not too bad," Rose said. "Okay, guys, let's get that as well because I've already been attacked once and I don't wanna go through it again."

"Other than that, I don't have any other thoughts. Anyone else?"

Everyone shook their heads. Rose turned around in her seat while everyone else settled back and enjoyed the ride.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once they got back to the hotel. Rose made a call to Pete and talked to him while everyone went to their rooms to relax from the hike. The Doctor opened their door and let Rain through.

"So, off into the wild Chinese countryside tomorrow afternoon," he said, coming in behind her.

"Yes, I can't wait. I just hope nothing happens to us," she said.

He shut the door.

"Nothing will happen. I won't let it," he said to her.

He looked around.

"I will miss this place though. This is probably one of the best hotel rooms I've ever been in. One thing to be said about the Chinese, they know how to do things in style."

"Are you hungry?" Rain asked him.

"I could eat something. Why? You feel like cooking?"

"Well, I don't know if you know it cause I don't know if you get up after I'm asleep but this kitchen is stocked. All of our kitchens are."

"Really? I didn't look," he said, following her into the kitchen.

Rain opened the refrigerator door and showed him all the food. He let out a low whistle.

"Blimey, you're not kidding. This place is like a little flat."

"I know, this is the best place we've ever stayed at. Usually we're at Holiday Inn or something inexpensive like that."

"I noticed that. When I was searching for you, I went to the Holiday Inns first. But you cheeky buggers went and switched hotels on me, shame on you," he said, wagging his finger at her.

She giggled and smiled at him.

"I'm so glad you're not under his control anymore."

He smiled.

"Me too, Rain, me too."

He began to rummage through the fridge.

"What do we got here?" he muttered as Rain watched.

"I've seen the stuff in Alan and Rose's room and I'm assuming it's the same as ours. If it is, I can fix a couple of things but there's a bunch of Chinese food that I wouldn't have any clue how to cook."

"I can cook a bit. Not gourmet cooking but it's passable," he said, examining the tub of tofu. "The TARDIS provides my food for me and my companions and usually cooks it so I have no need to develop my culinary skills past a rudimentary knowledge. I can boil water though if you need assistance with that."

He smiled when she giggled.

"But when it comes to Chinese cooking, I'm just as gormless as you are, I'm afraid," he said, putting the tofu back. "However, if you want to cook something, I'll be more than willing to eat it."

"Well, do you like hamburgers and fries?"

"Love it."

"I think they have hamburger in there somewhere," she said, coming around the fridge door and looking in. "They did in their fridge…oh! Here it is."

She pulled out a wrapped package of hamburger and set it on the counter. The Doctor stepped back when she opened the freezer door and took out a sack of French fries. He took the door from her and examined the contents of the freezer while she rooted around in the cabinets for a frying pan and baking sheet for the fries. Meanwhile, the Doctor had pulled a pint of vanilla ice cream out, opened it up and stuck his finger in it. He licked his finger and smacked his lips before he put the lid back on and put it back.

"Um, Doctor?"

He looked at Rain.

"Yes?"

"Bro said that he has a larger than normal stomach and he has to eat a lot more than normal humans. Are you the same?"

"Yes."

"So, a great big heaping pile of fries?"

She laughed when he widened his eyes and nodded rapidly.

"Gotcha, just wondering how much to fix," she said.

The Doctor closed the fridge doors and opened the cabinet next to it. His mind boggled when he saw all the food.

"Blimey, do they have someone here that does nothing but buy food full-time?" he said.

"That's what we wondered. And if they change out the milk and meat when it gets spoiled or do they go through and check the rooms every day?" she said, grabbing a small amount of meat and making a patty with it.

He grabbed a large box and looked at it. With a grin, he walked over to Rain.

"Fancy making bird nest soup? Here's the kit for it," he said, showing her.

Rain made a face.

"Um, no," she said as he laughed.

"Actually, bird's nest soup isn't that bad. However, I wouldn't fancy eating soup that came out of a box," he said, walking over and putting it back.

"How many burgers, Doctor?"

"Two will be fine, thanks."

He continued his examination of the cabinet while Rain put the patties in the skillet, put the fries in the oven and searched for a spatula. She found one in a drawer and laid it on the counter beside the stove.

"My, my they have foods from all over the world, don't they?" the Doctor said, glancing at her.

"Yeah, they do. The first night we were here we fixed beef stew and rice."

"Mmm, that sounds good too, now that you've mentioned it."

He smiled when he took out a box of couscous.

"Wow, I haven't had this in donkey's years," he said.

"What's that?"

"Couscous. It's delicious. Ever had it?"

She shook her head.

"Wanna try it? I can make this."

"Sure."

"Good, I hate to just stand here and be a lump while you're doing all the work," he said.

He took a quick glance at the directions and with a cheerful whistle searched for a cooking pot. Rain smiled at that knowing the Doctor was happy and she glanced at him when he found a cooking pot and went to assemble the ingredients he needed.

"I'm thinking that perhaps we could go through and nick some of this food for our trip. After all, why spend money when they have a larder right here we can raid," the Doctor said.

"Yeah, I thought about that too. But if we do that, I think we might have to get a cooking pot or camping stuff because I don't have anything. I mean, this is really the first time we're gonna be camping out. Before we had a minivan and we stayed in hotels all the time. And we ate out so this is something new, at least for me."

"You've never camped out?"

"Um, I've spent the night in my dad's hogans before but I don't consider that camping since I was only a half mile from the house," she said.

"Ah, well, you're in for a treat. Camping is fun. Sleeping out under the stars is lovely."

"I know, that's why I wanted to leave the city."

"That wanderlust kickin' in now?"

"Exactly."

The Doctor smiled at that. Rain flipped the burgers while he made the couscous and put it on to boil. The Doctor smelled the burgers and fries and his stomach rumbled in anticipation. He frowned when Rain began to open and close cabinets rapidly.

"Whatcha looking for?"

"Bread. Buns or bread or something or…oh, wait, here we go."

She pulled out some white bread and set it on the counter.

"No hamburger buns," she said to the Doctor.

"That's okay, we can make do," he replied.

"Um…what do you like on your hamburgers?"

"Oh, the works, usually. Here, you mind the stove and I'll find the condiments."

Rain nodded and walked to the stove while the Doctor rooted around in the cabinets and fridge. She turned the burgers, checked the fries and stirred the couscous while the Doctor slowly found the condiments.

"They need to put an inventory in these bloody cabinets so we don't dig through them looking for every little thing," he said to her.

"I know. And put things together that belong together."

"I have a feeling that whoever stocks these kitchens does it as fast as they can so they can go on their break," the Doctor replied.

He rubbed the back of his neck when he finished looking through all the cabinets.

"That's all I can find," he said, looking at the condiments. "If they have any more they must have them behind secret doors or something."

Rain glanced at what he found. There was catsup, mustard, relish, mayonnaise, sliced cheese, tomatoes, onion and a jar of pickles. She grabbed a cutting board and walked towards him.

"I'll cut up the tomato and onion."

"No, that's okay, I can do it. Just tend to your fires, wench."

He giggled when she raised her eyebrow and gave her shoulder a squeeze. He smiled when she rubbed his arm and walked back to the burner. He grabbed a knife and began to slice the tomato and onion.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Molto bene!" the Doctor said as they ate their food.

They were sitting together on the couch watching Batman Begins on HBO. Rain took a bite of the couscous.

"Oh my God, this is good," she said.

"Told ya. And you did an excellent job too. Everything is wonderful."

"Thanks, I learned to cook so I could help my sister and dad cook meals for tourists. But that was all traditional Navajo food, which I wish they had the ingredients for so I could have cooked you something other than burgers and fries."

"Burgers and chips are good anytime," he said. "I don't mind eating this. You don't have to bend over backwards to impress me. I'm not that hard to get along with. Just cook me a meal and you'll be my friend for life."

"God, you sounded just like Alan then," she said as he laughed. "Not that you don't sound like my bro anyway but that was a classic Alanism right there."

"Well, nice to know Donna didn't take his appetite away," he said to her.

"I wish you had been able to save her without taking her memory away," she said.

He nodded.

"Me too and bugger, I didn't think of the chameleon arch. It was right there above me but I was so scared she was gonna burn up any second that I did the first thing that came to mind."

She stared at him sadly when he shook his head and muttered a curse under his breath.

"At least you know it now so you can go back and get her when you get your TARDIS," she said, trying to cheer her friend up.

He nodded.

"Yeah, only problem is I gotta go deal with Sylvia again."

"Who's that?"

"Her mother," he said, rolling his eyes. "Her mother who hates me because I want to give Donna a better future than working as a temp somewhere. I'm sure if I went back there she'd instantly yell at me and try to talk me and her granddad Wilf out of changing her back."

He gave her an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to do that. It's just that I've had the worst luck with companion's mums lately and she has to be the worse out of the three I've had to deal with. I didn't mean to cast a dark cloud over our lovely meal."

"She sounds like my sister," Rain said.

The Doctor took a sip of milk.

"How'd ya mean?" he asked, curious.

She looked at him.

"Can you keep a secret?"

The Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"Can I keep a secret? After all you've done to help conceal my identity, you have to ask that?" he said, amused.

She chuckled and sobered up.

"It's just that…I wanna tell you something personal and I really don't want the others to know."

"Your secrets are safe with me, Rain. What you have to say will never leave this room."

She smiled.

"I…uh…haven't had a…very good life, so far. I mean, I love my dad but my mom died giving birth to me and I grew up with only my sister for company and she's…a bit of a…bitch."

The Doctor stared at her sadly but said nothing.

"I do love her but she's a control freak and a bit of a bully and I was kinda pushed around when I was growing up and there were times when she would do things and blame it on me and I'd end up getting punished for it. Um…"

She glanced at the Doctor.

"Go on," he said gently.

"Well, I was also picked on by kids at my school and on the rez. I was kinda a nerd and kept to myself because I grew up kinda…sheltered, I guess. I love to read and I was teased for it."

"That's just plain ignorance," the Doctor said. "There's nothing wrong with having a thirst for knowledge."

She nodded.

"I…uh…was also told I was ugly."

The Doctor was taken aback.

"You are not!" he said incensed. "There's not one ugly bone in your body! Oooh, I'm glad they didn't say that within earshot of me because I would have throttled the stupid gits."

Rain smiled at him.

"I wish you'd been there too," she said. "Anyway, I had that to deal with at school and my sister to deal with at home so I…uh, had no self esteem."

"I can imagine."

"I also never had any boyfriends so I've never…"

The Doctor nodded his understanding when she trailed off.

"Anyway, I grew up kinda being bossed around and doing what was expected of me and doing what I thought people wanted me to do which is why I helped my dad and went to college."

"But you hated it," the Doctor guessed.

"With a passion. But I never would say that to my dad because I was trying to be the dutiful little daughter. I didn't say this to Alan and Rose because I don't want them to worry but I did kinda blame myself for my mom's death even though I told Alan and the others I didn't."

"But surely you know that was beyond your control, Rain. You had nothing to do with it. It could have been any number of complications during the birth. It could have been doctor error. It had nothing to do with you."

"I know, but with all that happened I couldn't help feeling that and wondering if my coming out of the womb killed her. I mean, logically, I know it's not my fault but…"

"Your low self esteem made you believe that," the Doctor said sadly.

She nodded.

"But, that's the way I was when Alan came into my life and it's funny but I mean…I finally saw a way out of my situation and a chance for something better."

The Doctor smiled and nodded.

"My dad is awesome, don't get me wrong. He's never abused or hurt me and I love him to bits. He was the one I told I wanted to go with Alan and he was behind me one hundred percent."

"Good, I'm glad," the Doctor said.

"Alan was out with Awinita doing the training when I told him. At the time Rose was in that hibernation state so she'd get better so she wasn't doing it and we were keeping an eye on her while she slept and my dad was cooking breakfast for everyone and I went in the kitchen and told him in a roundabout way that I wanted to do it and it kinda shocked me when he said to go for it, because frankly I thought he'd be angry. But, I was kinda afraid to ask Alan when he came in to breakfast and we were all sitting there eating and my dad prompted me. I asked and my sister just about hit the ceiling."

The Doctor snorted loudly.

"She laid into me telling me I was foolish for wanting to go and Dad told her to be quiet."

She grinned when the Doctor laughed at that.

"Yes! Good for dear old dad! I'm glad someone was on your side!" he said.

"My dad was the one who talked for me and told her that some people have a different path to follow than the one that leads to college and a steady job and that I could always pick up where I left off but I had a golden opportunity and I didn't want to pass it up."

"And bravo to you for taking it," he said. "And for having the courage to stand up to your domineering sister in the process. Rain, I'm so glad Alan let you come because this is exactly what you needed to do. You needed to get away from all that and get around people who actually love you and want your company and let you have a voice in their decisions. I'm glad they're letting everyone, even me, have a say in the decision making process. That's wonderful and it's exactly what you need because your opinion counts just as much as anyone else's. I'm sorry about your sister. I hope she does become more enlightened someday and learns that bullying and controlling people isn't the answer but for the moment you need to be out here learning to be the beautiful, strong independent woman you were meant to be."

He laid a hand on her cheek when he noticed a tear staring to fall. He took the plates off their laps and pulled her in for a tight hug.

"Thanks so much for listening, Doctor."

"Thank you for being brave enough to tell me. And don't worry, I won't tell a soul unless you want me to."

He rubbed her back while he held her. He glanced over at the wall separating their room from Alan's and silently thanked him for doing this for her. He gave her a loving look when she gave him a kiss on the cheek and pulled away from him.

"And don't worry, Rain. I know what it's like to grow up being ostracized. I had the same thing happen to me too."

"Oh, Doctor," she said.

She gave him another kiss on the cheek and he put his arm around her shoulder when she scooted closer to him. They picked up their plates and started eating again enjoying one another's company. As he ate, the Doctor thought over everything she had said and felt a lot of pride that she decided to finally stand up for herself and demand that she have a life of her own. He had sensed some of what she had said in her demeanor but he didn't realize it had been that bad for her. He sighed hating how humans sometimes had a nasty habit of treating others like dirt to make themselves feel better. He wondered if her sister also blamed her for her mother's death and answered silently in the affirmative.

_Might be the reason why she was so abusive towards her,_ he thought sadly.

He glanced at her and suddenly had an idea.

"Rain?"

"Yes, Doctor?"

"I noticed that your brother calls you Te'lesu which is great. Do you call him any endearments in return?"

"Um…I call him Te'lesau sometimes."

He grinned at that.

"And also little bro or bro. Um, Awinita calls him Te'lesau, little bro, bro and…"

She giggled.

"What?" he said, amused.

"Um, my brother got her a British dictionary for Christmas because we wanted to go back with him to London and she was trying to learn the slang and she was looking through it and found twee and said that was the perfect word for him."

The Doctor chuckled.

"And I guess Alan got mad that she called him twee so she kept on and called him Tweety bird."

He snickered.

"And then she called him Tweebo and that one stuck. So on occasion she likes to tease him and call him Tweebo."

The Doctor laughed.

"Tweebo, I like that."

"Um, he calls her Te'lesu too and he calls Rose Starlight and Amo'tiri."

"You know, I never considered calling Rose a Gallifreyan endearment. I don't know why because it's so obvious," he said.

"What do you call her?"

"Angel."

"Aw, I like that. It fits her."

"Yes, it does."

"What does she call you?"

"Usually, she just referred to me as her Doctor," he said.

"Aw, that's nice too," she said.

He nodded

So, what does Rose call Alan then?" he said.

"Um…you ever see the Disney movie, Lilo and Stitch?"

"Once, a long time ago."

"Well, you know how in the movie Stitch was this evil alien that came to Earth and got adopted by Lilo and she taught him to be good? Well, Rose calls Alan, Stitch."

His eyes widened.

"Now that I never would have thought of in a million years. But it makes sense since you put it that way. I swear, her thought processes amaze me sometimes," he said.

"Um, she also calls him her little Vashta Nerada."

The Doctor jerked his head around and stared at her with wide eyes.

"What? Why?" he said.

"Well, I guess the name means shadows that eat the flesh?"

"Melt the flesh."

"Yeah, melt the flesh. Um, well, Alan follows her around like he's her shadow and every time she looks at him her flesh just melts, so Vashta Nerada."

She laughed when the Doctor gave her a stunned look.

"Correction, Rose's thought processes absolutely scare me," he said. "And what's even scarier is it makes complete sense when you put it that way. Wow! I'm glad she can suss out things like that because I wouldn't have made that connection either."

"If I tell you something, will you keep it a secret?" Rain said, conspiratorially.

The Doctor leaned in.

"What?" he whispered.

"Don't tell them I told you because Alan will kill me but he has a tattoo of Stitch on his right arm."

She laughed when the Doctor's eyes nearly popped from his sockets.

"A TATTOO!" he said in a high pitched voice as Rain bent over laughing.

"Yes, it's Stitch playing a ukulele. It's on his right arm under his shirt sleeve."

"He actually allowed someone to put ink under his sodding skin?"

"Well, it was Rose's idea. I mean she has Amo'tiri in Gallifreyan writing on her arm."

"Yeah, I know about that. I watched their wedding courtesy of the Scrapyard up there and I saw hers since she was wearing a strapless wedding dress but he's got one too? And Rose talked him into this?"

"Yeah, um…they got it done before they left New York."

"WHY?" he said as she bent over laughing.

Rain shrugged.

"It was Rose's idea, that's all I know."

The Doctor glanced over at the wall.

"He went and got a tattoo on his skin!" he said as Rain laughed harder. "Is he completely daft? What was he thinking? What was Rose thinking? What was he thinking, thinking Rose was thinking correctly at the time? Omega's orifice, why is it when I leave a universe everyone suddenly takes the train to Crazyville? Do people go off their rocker when I'm not around keeping an eye on them and their behavior? I need to make more clones just so I can watch every single universe and keep people from doing insane things they normally wouldn't do in daylight!"

He grinned at Rain who was now completely incapacitated with laughter.

"Rose is persuasive, I'll give her that and I admit I have given in to her on occasion. But I would rather saw my arm off with a rusty butter knife than have someone permanently put ink on it. I can't believe he went and did that. I take back what I said; I question my double's sanity now."

He sighed.

"Okay, what I was getting to before you went and dropped that bombshell on me was I was wanting to give you a little endearment and you can give me one in return just so you can call me something other than Doctor and I can call you something other than Rain. If this is trend for you and your family then I'd like to follow it."

"You mean it?"

"Yes, I mean it. But be reasonable. No Tweebo please."

"Um, well, do people call you anything?" Rain said.

"People call me many things. And some of them are actually repeatable in polite society."

"What are some of the repeatable ones?

"Well, the Daleks…do you know them?"

"Yes and I know about Davros. Alan told us and showed us what they looked like."

"Okay, well, the Daleks refer to me as The Oncoming Storm."

She nodded.

"You know that?"

"Yeah because Alan's said it before and Awinita teased him about that too."

"Really, why?"

"Well, Doctor, no offense but the way you and Alan look, neither of you looks like an oncoming storm."

The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"I know, pretty boy," he muttered.

"But listen, that's an advantage for you."

"In what way?"

"Well, you don't look like a threat so people probably underestimate you."

The Doctor considered that for a moment and then nodded.

"You might be right," he said.

"Well, back before Alan found out he could do the whole entering mind things, I guess sis kept teasing him and telling him he was a sweet guy and he couldn't possibly be a threat and be this scary Oncoming Storm and when he learned he could put images in people's heads he finally showed her when the Daleks blew up on the Crucible but Awinita still teases him about it. And really, Doctor, it is hard to buy that looking the way you look now. I'm not trying to insult you; it's the truth you do look very…um…"

"Unassuming."

"Yeah."

"I guess you're right and I'm betting you're right about people underestimating me because of it."

"But I guess this whole Oncoming Storm thing applies to bad guys because Alan said you'd never hurt someone like me."

"No, I'd never hurt you, Rain," he said.

"Hmmm," she thought.

She giggled and ruffled his hair.

"What are you doing?"

"I love your hair. Alan has the same cute tousle you have."

She giggled when the Doctor gave her an incensed look.

"It is not cute," he said as she laughed harder.

He grinned.

"Okay…maybe it's a little bit cute," he said, winking.

"Could call you Ruffles cause of it."

"No!" he said as she giggled. "Don't call me Ruffles. That is right out!"

She stared at him while she thought. Suddenly, she clicked her fingers.

"Got it! I'll call you Sprinkles."

She laughed when the Doctor's eyes bulged.

"Why?" he said.

"Okay, you know Winnie the Pooh?"

"Yes."

"Well, in one story Winnie the Pooh wanted to get honey out of a tree filled with bees so he disguised himself as a tiny black raincloud, right?"

"Yeeeeah…"

"So, if you're not gonna be the big, bad Oncoming Storm around me, you're gonna be the little black raincloud and little black rainclouds sprinkle rain so…Sprinkles."

She laughed when the Doctor's mouth dropped open.

"I am not Sprinkles," he said.

"Oh, come on, Doctor. It fits, don't you see? I'm Rain and you're Sprinkles."

The Doctor tried to give her an annoyed look but he couldn't make it stick and he smiled at her while she laughed.

"So, in other words, you have the most precipitation between the two of us," he said.

Rain thought.

"Mm-hmm," she said, nodding.

"Sprinkles," he said as she snorted out laughter. "Oooh, you humans and your bizarre trains of thought."

He feigned exasperation.

"Oh, alright, I'll be Sprinkles then," he said.

She laughed and embraced him.

"Okay, Sprinkles, your turn," she said, pulling away.

"Sprinkles. God, I think I'm catching my clone's do anything anyone suggests disease," he said as she giggled.

He leaned back and stared at Rain trying to think of the perfect name for her. He took in her beauty both inside and out and thought of her kindness and generosity. He started going over Gallifreyan endearments in his mind trying to pick a good one. There was one for treasured friend but he wanted something a bit better than that. Then he had it and smiled.

"Latara. That's what I'll call you."

"Oh, I love it. Is it Gallifreyan?"

"Yes, it is."

"What does it mean?"

He smiled.

"Rain."

She gasped.

"Oh, I love it. It's beautiful."

"Yes, it is."

She gave him an evil grin and ruffled his hair.

"Thanks, Sprinkles."

She laughed when he rolled his eyes. He smiled when she embraced him.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome, Latara," he said, rubbing her back.

They finished hugging.

"Just do me a favor. Call me Sprinkles in private, okay? Let these be our personal names."

"I will, Doctor, but I was going to do that anyway because it would look odd if I called Morana Sprinkles in front of everyone, don't you think?"

"Oh! Well, yes, that's true," he said as she laughed. "And one other thing, when I do show my true self to Rose, don't tell her you call me Sprinkles because the woman will never let me live it down."

"It's a promise."

He smiled and they picked up their plates and finished off the rest of their meal.


	161. Chapter 161

Chapter One Hundred Sixty One

Once they finished eating, the two of them washed the dishes and tidied up the kitchen before sitting back down to watch HBO. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was on so they sat next to each other in a companionable silence. Halfway through the movie, the Doctor sensed Rain was staring at him and turned his head. He frowned when he noticed she was staring at his chest.

"What is it?"

"Do you mind if I do something just out of curiosity," she said.

"No, go ahead."

His eyes widened when Rain leaned over and put her ear against his chest. Smiling, he put his hand on her back loving the closeness of her body.

"Wow, that's weird," Rain said.

"What is?"

"Your two hearts. I was just wondering what two hearts sounded like since bro only has the one. It's going really fast."

The Doctor didn't mention his hearts were beating rapidly from her being so close. She leaned back up.

"Sorry," she said. "I was just being curious."

"No, it's alright, you've done nothing wrong."

He was taken aback when she leaned into his face. For a moment he thought she was going to kiss him but she paused a few inches from his face and listened before leaning back up.

"Your breathing, it's like mine. If you have two hearts and they're going that fast, how come you don't have rapid breathing to go along with it?"

"That's just the way my body's made," he said, shrugging.

She put her fingers on his hand.

"You're cold too, are you always this cold?" she said, taking her hand away.

"Yes, I have a lower body temperature than you do."

"How low?"

"60 degrees."

"Jesus, no wonder your skin is like ice."

"Well, yours is the exact opposite. Your skin feels like it's on fire."

She shook her head.

"Bro doesn't have cold skin like this. I guess that's another difference," she said.

She gave him an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, I'm being rude."

"No, you're not. I don't mind you being curious. You're not bothering me, Rain, honestly. I like that you're asking questions. Go ahead and ask away."

"Well, besides the stomach is there anything else different about your body?"

"My blood is a bit different than yours but other than that and the larger stomach I have everything humans do in the same places and proportions."

"But you can't pass for completely human like Alan can, not with the two hearts."

"I can altar my heartbeat and make it seem like its one heart and I can raise my body temperature for a short time. So I could pass for human if no one takes any of my blood. That I can't mask," he said.

He smiled when he noticed Rain thinking for a moment.

"You know in movies where the alien gets captured and is lying on this metal table while all these scientists stand around wanting to cut him up? Has that ever happened to you?"

"Um…not here on Earth but I've had several similar scenarios happen on other planets."

"And you managed to escape all those times?"

"Yup," he said, popping the P.

"But you've died…nine times?"

"Yup."

"Did it hurt?"

"Nah, not really. My body usually went into shock immediately before the regeneration."

"What was the most painful death, if you don't mind my asking?"

"No, I don't mind. Um…most painful….hmmm…have to say my fourth life. I fell off a radio telescope control tower and slammed into the ground. The slamming into the ground hurt like hell but after that I didn't feel anything."

"Jesus," Rain said, shaking her head.

"The pain only lasted a second, if that. So even then I really didn't feel anything."

"Is there anything that'll kill you before your last life?"

"As far as I know…a Dalek laser if it hits me dead on and if both my hearts are damaged beyond repair then I can't regenerate. That's all I know for the moment. I'm sure there are other things that can kill me permanently, though."

"I'm sorry; I know this is kinda gruesome, what we're talking about. But it's fascinating too. I mean I've only known Alan before I met you and he's not a full Time Lord so you're the first full actual alien I've ever met."

He smiled.

"Greetings from outer space, Earthling," he said, making the live long and prosper gesture.

She giggled. They looked over when they heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it, Sprinkles," Rain said, patting his leg.

She got up and answered the door.

"Hey, are you two awake?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, come on in. Morana and I are just watching a movie and talking."

"Hi, Rose," the Doctor said as she came inside.

"Hi, Morana. I wanted to tell you guys what dad told me so you'll know," she said, closing the door.

"Sit with us," Rain said.

She nodded and followed Rain. She sat down next to the Doctor and Rose perched on the end so she could face them.

"I talked to my dad and he's ringing UNIT so he can get you a pass," she said to Morana.

"Thanks, I appreciate that."

Rose nodded.

"And not only that, he's also wiring me money. A thousand pounds."

They stared at her in shock.

"Wow, Rose, your dad is being really generous."

"I'll say," the Doctor added.

"Well, he still wants to give me and my credit card a rest. I'm glad that he is sending the money because I was going to buy a handheld GPS so I can navigate us to Leshan properly. China is huge and I wanna be sure when we're out walking we can get around without goin' in circles especially since I'm sure there are lots of undeveloped areas with no motorways. It's not like the US where you run into one every few feet and I don't wanna take two years to get across the whole country."

"I agree, Rose. We need that anyway for other countries," Rain said.

"Yes, which is why I'm going to ignore how expensive they are and get it. It'll more than pay for itself in the long run. Also, Alan is gonna try to find a little hand axe in addition to the hunting knife so we can gather firewood when we need it. I just hope we don't get arrested for choppin' down the trees because you need permission from the government or somethin'. And you guys have umbrellas, don't you?"

They nodded.

"Good, I was gonna say get some because we'll definitely need those. And torches. You get torches?"

They nodded.

"Good. Um, if you think of anything else that might be helpful, let me know."

"I have something to say," the Doctor said.

"Yes?" Rose said.

He pointed to the kitchen.

"I told Rain earlier we should take some of the food so we don't have to buy so much."

"We thought of that too and we are. Not a whole lot since I can't carry that much but yeah, we're all gonna do that so you guys gather what you can as well. And I'll try to find a cooking pot that I can tie onto the side of my rucksack so we can cook. If you don't have them get a little cutlery set when we go tomorrow so you'll have something to eat with and maybe a plastic bowl or plate too. Um…other than that, I can't think of anything else. You two think of anything else we need?"

They shook their heads. She glanced at the TV and smiled.

"Yeah, we're watchin' this too. Alan's in there singing the Oompa Loopa song as loud as he can so feel fortunate you're in here," she said as they giggled.

She glanced over at the wall separating their rooms.

"I don't hear him either. Blimey, these walls are sure thick cause he's in there bellowing like a dying cow. Unless he's stopped cause I'm in here. But if he has stopped and I leave here and it suddenly sounds like someone's getting murdered over there, that's Mister Musician serenadin' me and Awinita."

They laughed and she smiled.

"Well, I'll leave you to your movie. Feel free to come over and share in the musical torment whenever you want. I'll be glad of the company and so will Awinita."

"We will, Rose," Rain said.

"Good night, sis," she said.

"Good night, sis," Rain replied.

She smiled at the Doctor.

"Um, I apologize if we haven't been as cordial with ya but we're still trying to get used to Mingxia and Imiko as well as you but we're all glad you're here."

"So am I," the Doctor said.

"And don't be afraid to come over. You're a part of the group too for the moment."

He smiled.

"Thanks, Rose."

"No problem. Thanks for being friends with Rain here. We appreciate it."

"I'm more than happy to be friends with her. She's been a great friend as well and I'm glad I met her."

Rose smiled at that. The Doctor's hearts swelled when she watched Rose give her sister a hug.

_Yup, this is definitely what my Latara needed,_ he thought.

They finished hugging.

"I'll see ya later. Wake up time's the same. Six a.m. for the trainin' except this time everyone's goin' because we're all gonna go to the department store afterwards to get the supplies."

"Okay, Rose."

"Night, Rain."

"Night, Rose."

"Night, Morana."

"Night, Rose."

She got up from the couch. They watched while she walked to the door, opened it and closed it behind her.

"Pete Tyler is being very generous," the Doctor said to Rain. "I'm glad since I guess Rose is paying for all of you."

"Yeah, she's handling the bills for us all so I'm glad he's also doing this. She's been so good to us and she really needs someone to foot the bill for awhile."

"I bet, especially if you've been at this for eight months."

"Do you have money?"

"Yes, actually I do. Um, the Shipyard actually teleported a wad of cash down to me."

He grinned when she giggled.

"I like your clever nicknames for him."

"Oh, they're old nicknames, actually."

"So, now that you're not in his power what will you do if your money runs out?" Rain asked, concerned.

"I'll think of something. I always…"

His eyes widened and he trailed off into silence.

"Doctor?"

He pointed over her shoulder. Rain shifted around and noticed a brown bag sitting in the middle of the dining room table.

"That's how he delivered the money last time," he said.

Rain looked at him.

"Oh God, he can still hear you? What if he's figured out what you've…"

She trailed off when the Doctor held up a hand.

"Doctor?" she said when a grin spread over his face.

"We're safe, Latara," he said, taking her hand. "Our mystery benefactor was speaking in my head to me. She imitated my voice and told my former Master I needed more cash and he just teleported some down. He doesn't know what's happened."

"Oh, thank God," Rain said, putting her hand over her heart.

He put his hand on her shoulder, got up and walked over to the table. He grabbed the bag and brought it back to the couch. Sitting down, he opened it up and pulled out a fistful of Yuan.

"Whoa!" Rain said.

He grinned.

"I don't think I have to worry about money for awhile. Especially since I still have a lot left in the other bag. Good, anything to ease the burden on poor Rose is fine by me. The last thing I want is for her to start supporting me along with all of you. If our benefactor continues to do this then I won't have to worry about supporting myself."

She watched while he got up, walked to his bed and transferred the money into the bag under his pillow. When he was finished, he walked back and gave the empty bag to Rain.

"Here ya go, handy dandy bag for your stuff."

"Thanks."

"Yup," he said, sitting down beside her.

"I hope she'll fix it so if he does teleport more money it comes down wherever we are."

"Me too. Otherwise, the maids are gonna get one hell of a tip," he said as she laughed.

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They finished watching the movie and watched Batman Begins one more time before they finally decided to retire for the night. They bid each other goodnight and Rain turned off the light. The Doctor watched her lovingly while she slowly drifted off to sleep. He waited a few hours until he was sure she was deep in sleep and then he quietly got up from the bed. He walked to her side and stared down at her for a moment before he leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on her temple. He knelt down beside her and laid his hand on top of her head while he studied her face.

_I will take care of you, my Latara,_ he thought. _I will keep your safe on this journey and if you want to come back with me to the other universe I will beg your family on your behalf. If the Valeyard has a void crosser I can have my TARDIS copy it and install it under my console so you can see them whenever you want. I just want you to be happy now and I want the rest of your life to be better than the beginning of it. You have so much trust in me and I won't betray that trust, my Latara, not ever._

He gave her one last gentle kiss on the cheek and lingered near her face for a moment listening to her soft, steady breathing, loving the fact that she was resting peacefully. He gave her a loving look before he rose and went back to his bed to keep watch over her.


	162. Chapter 162

Chapter One Hundred Sixty Two

Just before 6 a.m. the Doctor rose from his bed so he could take a shower before they headed out. He paused by Rain's bed and gave her another gentle kiss on her cheek before he headed to the shower.

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"Rain?"

Rain opened her eyes a crack and turned her bleary eyes up towards the Doctor.

"It's nearly 6."

She smiled.

"Okay, thanks."

He squeezed her on the shoulder and sat back down on the bed while she slowly got up. Yawning, she grabbed her rucksack and walked into the bathroom while the Doctor ran a comb through his damp hair.

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After they were finished, the Doctor and Rain put a large amount of their money into their pant pockets before they shut the door to their room and headed next door. All of them assembled in the living room area since Rose wanted to talk to all of them before they left.

"We got to talkin' last night after Alan finally got done howling the Oompa Loompa song in our ears…"

Alan gave her an incensed look as all of them giggled.

"I was not howling. I was serenading ya," he said.

"Anyway…" Rose said as he gave her a light punch on the arm. "Back to what I was saying.

While Rose was talking, Rain glanced at the Doctor and fought to keep from laughing when she noticed he was staring intently at Alan's right arm with an odd look on his face.

"We were thinkin' that since China has open areas with not much in it that we will have to find a way to live off the land while we're out there because there's not gonna be fast food places like there was in America," she said, grabbing a pad of paper from the coffee table. Now the three of us have brainstormed and tried to come up with what we might need to survive. We wanna go over the list with ya and see if you can also come up with things we might need. Um…this is what we have, hunting knife, hand axe, pepper spray, couple of collapsible fishing rods and bait, collapsible bow and arrows, pup tents and we'll get enough so everyone will be able to get in one which we figured would be four since I think two people can fit in each…um, we need a tarp to cover our stuff and we also figured we could use it for emergency shelter by draping it over tree limbs, so we need to find tent stakes or something to stake it down. Cooking pot and pan, can opener, utensils, a tiny electric lantern and of course we're gonna need to get a couple of shoulder tote bags so we can carry this extra stuff and we'll all take turns carrying the load…plate or bowl to eat out of and a glass, compass, I'll get the GPS, maybe a small radio and a first aid kit. That's the list so far, anything else you guys can think of?"

"How about rope to make snares?" the Doctor said. "That way you can catch rabbits and small animals."

Rose nodded.

"Yeah, good idea," she said, writing it down. "Anyone here know how to set the snares?"

"I do, Starlight," Alan said. "We also need something to clean and gut the fish with as well."

Rose wrote it down.

"And um…a canteen for water," Rain said.

Rose wrote that down.

"And we need toilet paper and hand sanitizer," Rose added. "This is gonna be a lot but if we take turns carrying the extra stuff it won't be so bad."

"How about we get a camel then?" Alan said as they laughed.

"You know where we can find one, do you?" Rose said looking at him.

"The desert, most likely," Alan replied, shrugging. "Or you could hop on a plane this afternoon, go to Australia, rustle one up and bring it back to us."

"Right, Alan, I'll get right on that," she said, rolling her eyes as they laughed.

"If we get a radio will we be able to understand what they're saying?" Rain asked.

"We get BBC World Service here. That's in English," Mingxia said.

"Oh good," Rain said.

"Also…"Rose said. "If you guys wanna get something to pass the time like puzzle books, book, handheld game, somethin' like that. We'll have the lantern at night and we'll have the fire so we'll be able to see things."

Rose scanned the list.

"Anything else you guys think we might need?"

"Will we need blankets?" Rain said. "Not heavy blankets, I'm talking about those little lap throws."

Rose looked at Mingxia.

"How cold does it get in winter here?" she asked.

"It gets cold. About 10 degrees Celsius or colder."

"Yeah, blankets, definitely blankets," Rose said as they laughed. "And to that end, get hat, gloves and scarves if you need em. Okay, anything else?"

She looked around but no one else said anything.

"Right, this'll do for starters. If anyone does think of anything else, please tell me so we can write it down. As for the rucksacks, we'll leave those here and check out after we get done seeing rip-off Disneyland and then we'll take a bus or the tube to the outskirts of the city and start walking there, okay?"

They nodded and Rose set the pad and pen down.

"Right, let's get to trainin' so we can get the day goin'" she said, standing up.

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After the training session was over, all of them headed to the department store. Once inside, they decided to split up to look for the items. Rain started to follow the Doctor when suddenly she let out a gasp as she was seized from behind. The Doctor spun around in a panic and grinned when he saw it was only Alan who was hanging off her.

"No!" he moaned in her ear. "Don't leave me! Why do you keep runnin' off with Morana? I thought I was your special friend?"

"Bro! Stop it!" she said as he squeezed her tight and Rose bent over laughing.

He grinned and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Only kiddin'," he said, leaning back up. "Just feeling lonely for my sis."

He let out a melodramatic sigh.

"But if you want to go off with Morana here and leave me with this thing behind me…"

He yelped and Rain and the Doctor laughed when Rose smacked him hard on the back of the head.

"Ow!" he said, rubbing the spot. "Domestic violence. It's a pain in the arse, that's for sure. Next think I know it'll be a rolling pin to the skull."

He smiled and hugged Rain.

"Meet back here in a couple of hours if we don't see you sooner," he said.

"We will and don't let Rose beat you up too much."

They giggled when Alan rolled his eyes. He winked at her and took Rose's hand. The Doctor watched as they walked off.

"The comedy stylings of Alan and Rose everyone!" he said as Rain laughed.

He smiled at her.

"I'm glad they get along so well, though," he said as he grabbed a shopping trolley.

"Yeah, me too. I hope I find someone that wonderful someday."

"I hope you do too," he said, secretly hoping it was him. "You deserve it after all you've been through."

He walked off and she followed along beside him.

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They paused by a store map and the Doctor read the labels for the different departments, all of them written in mandarin.

"Blimey, it's a good thing none of the others are around," he said to Rain. "It'd look kind of suspicious if they see me reading Chinese like this."

"Just tell them that you learned Chinese from your mother," Rain said, shrugging.

"Hmm, good idea. I'll keep that in mind. Maybe then I can act as a second translator since I'm sure Mingxia gets run ragged helping them out. Let's see…where do we wanna go first?"

"Do you need a jacket or a coat?" Rain asked. "I mean, if it's gonna get that cold?"

"My body can take it. I mean, you're wearing a jacket but I can't even feel the cold. I can go into Antarctica and just wear a light coat and leave it hanging open and I'm perfectly fine."

Rain stared at him.

"Geez, I wish I could do that," she said.

"How 'bout you? Do you need a heavier coat or hats, gloves…"

"No, this is very warm and I have all that stuff from when we went skiing."

"Oh yeah, you did, didn't you? I saw that too. Did you have fun?"

"Yeah, I did. I'd never been even though it was in Flagstaff and it was about a three hour drive from my home but I guess I never had anyone to go with and I didn't want to do it by myself. But it was fun."

She grabbed his arm and the Doctor gave her a quizzical look.

"We asked Alan if he'd ever been skiing and he told us that you went down a mountain on a piece of sheet metal. You really did?"

He grinned.

"Yeah…oh blimey, that was ages ago. That was an interesting day, to say the least."

"What happened?"

He smiled and told her the story while they walked to the sporting goods section. Once they were there, they noticed Rose and Alan were standing by a number of bows discussing what to get. The Doctor glanced at Rain and they walked up to them.

"Oh hullo," Alan said. "We've found a couple of collapsible bows; we're just discussing what we should get."

"How many are you getting?" the Doctor asked.

"Not sure. Depends on who can hunt. I've used a bow before but not sure about anyone else. If it's just me, I'll get the one and take hunting duties."

"I did go hunting when I was younger," the Doctor said. "My dad used to take me."

"Bow and arrow?"

He nodded. Alan glanced at Rose.

"Okay, so two bows then?" he said. "I can use one and Morana can use the other."

"But what size should we get?" Rose said, gesturing to the selection of collapsible bows.

"I would say the one with the longest range," Alan replied.

He squatted down and examined the ones on the lower hooks. Rose glanced at the Doctor and walked to them.

"What kind did you use?" she asked.

"I had a long bow but that might be too big to carry," he said. "I could use any size, I think."

Alan grabbed a package and stood back up.

"This one is medium sized and it's got a good range according to the specs. It might do."

Just then Awinita came around the corner with a small bundle of rope in her hand.

"Found the rope for the snare," she said, dropping it in their trolley. "Hey guys."

The Doctor and Rain waved.

"Bro, I need your opinion on the pup tents," she said, walking over to Alan.

"Okay, I'll be right there, Te'lesu," he said, dropping the bow in the trolley.

She walked over to Rain and the Doctor.

"Can you guys come here too? I need some help deciding."

The Doctor turned the trolley and followed her to the far end of the sporting goods section. She led them over to a display and showed them a tiny blue pup tent.

"This is one of the ones they have, but is that too small?" she said. "I mean, I've been camping before but with regular tents and unless I climb inside, I'm not sure if this is gonna fit two people. I need your opinion badly."

The Doctor walked over and knelt down. He opened the flap and stuck his head inside.

"Seems roomy enough," he said, looking around the interior.

He stuck his head out and looked around. He grinned when there was no one around.

"Rain, come here," he said.

She walked over and her eyes widened when he turned and crawled back in the tent.

"Come inside with me and see it two people can fit."

"Morana! Oh my God, I can't believe you did that," Awinita said as Rain bent over laughing.

Rain grinned. Awinita looked around as she got down on her hands and knees and followed him inside.

"Well," the Doctor said from inside the tent. "We're not packed in here like sardines. My opinion is yes, it's roomy enough for two."

"I can't believe you guys actually did that," Awinita said as they giggled.

Alan walked up to her.

"Okay, what do you need to know?" he said.

"Nothing now since doofus and doofus junior just crawled in the tent."

Alan jerked his head down when he heard the two of them laughing inside the tent. He knelt down and opened the flap.

"It's roomy enough," the Doctor said as Rain turned beet red.

"I hope CCTV isn't picking this up," he said with a grin. "I swear, Rain, this woman is a bad influence on ya."

Rain glanced at the Doctor who had a mischievous grin on his face.

"Yeah, you're right, she is," she said, nodding.

"Well, you better come out of there now before they cart you off to jail in this thing."

He stood back up and the Doctor and Rain quickly came out of the tent and stood up.

"The other thing I need to know is…is this too large?" Awinita said to Alan. "I told them I've only camped in large tents and I have no idea if this is gonna be small enough to take with us or do we need smaller or…"

Alan looked around and noticed the boxed up tents were on a nearby shelf. They walked over and he glanced back and forth until he finally found the tent in a box near the bottom. He picked it up and stared at it.

"Well, the box is kinda small if that's any indication," he said to her.

He read the dimensions and his brow furrowed while he thought.

"This might be all right judging from the measurements. I don't think it'll be too much of a burden. I wish we could do without them but if it's gonna get that cold, it's gonna be a necessity."

"Dear?"

He turned to see Rose walking up.

"I got two bows and a couple of sets of arrows," she said.

"I need your opinion."

He held out the box to her and let her look at it. While they were doing that, the Doctor looked at Rain.

"Let's go ahead and get what we need while they're doing this."

She nodded and after telling them they were off, they walked over to another section of the store.

"So, I think they have the camping supplies taken care of, we can look for other things," the Doctor said to her. "I guess we can get the little puzzle books or games or whatever."

They turned into an aisle when they saw a magazine rack. The majority of the magazines were in Chinese but Rain saw some crossword puzzle and Sudoku books on the bottom row. She knelt down and looked up at the Doctor.

"You want some?" she asked.

"Oh God, Latara, I would have the whole book finished in ten minutes flat. That's not even a challenge for me."

She nodded and grabbed a crossword puzzle and a Sudoku book and put them in the trolley. She stood back up and stared at the magazines.

"I couldn't even begin to read any of those," she said, gesturing to them.

"You wouldn't want to. It's all celebrity gossip judging from the blurbs on the covers, and you wouldn't even know the celebrities because I sure don't," he said. "And they also have fashion magazines as well. No matter what country it is, humanity is still the same, fashion and celebrities rule people's worlds."

"You like science magazines like bro does, don't ya?"

"Yup, but even science magazines don't hold my interest. I'm sorry, but having an advanced mind means my prospects are pretty limited here on Earth. Nothing like this can keep me entertained for long. I can read most magazines in thirty seconds flat. Even advanced science books aren't advanced enough for me."

"Bro reads some of those."

"Well, I'm sure it's because he has no choice. I suspect even he gets bored of them," the Doctor said. "He doesn't have his whole Time Lord mind but he's still brilliant enough that he would know everything on Earth, same as me. Like I said, it's irritating because it means I really don't have much to amuse me. But I can still think, so go ahead and get what you want."

They walked on and entered the toy aisle. The Doctor glanced around at the colorful plush toys and read the Chinese on some of the boxes. He paused by a stuffed cat wearing a blue vest that was holding a little fish in its paws and pressed a button on the little plastic stand it was affixed to. The cat began to bob up and down while a high pitched woman's voice sang in mandarin. Rain looked around and wheeled the cart back to it.

"What's it saying?"she asked the Doctor.

He smiled.

"It's singing this silly little song about how it likes eating fish. It's kinda cute actually."

They watched as the cat bobbed up and down and danced in place. The Doctor giggled when the song ended.

"Hey, let's get this and we can lie in our tent at night, play it and irritate the hell out of everyone else," he said.

She giggled and grabbed the box. She held it over the trolley.

"Should we?"

"Hey, you wanna carry it, be my guest. I was just havin' ya on but if you're all for it…" the Doctor said, shrugging.

"Nah, I better not. I really don't wanna carry it," she said, putting it back.

They walked on until they reached the handheld games. Rain sighed when she noticed everything was in Chinese again.

"I hate to keep asking you…" she said to the Doctor.

"Don't worry; I know you can't read it. You're not bothering me. What do you need?"

"Do they have solitaire?"

He looked them over and pointed to one near the top.

"Is that what you want?"

"Yes."

He pulled it off the hook and gave it to her.

"Thanks, Sprinkles."

He grinned.

"You're very welcome, Latara, anything else?"

"No, I just wanted one game," she said putting it in the trolley.

They walked on.

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After a couple of hours, everyone met up back at the entrance. They examined all the carts and made sure they had gotten everything on the list before heading over to pay for them. Once outside, they divided the bags up and walked back to the hotel so they could drop them off before going on to the theme park.


	163. Chapter 163

Chapter One Hundred Sixty Three

The first thing they saw when they exited the bus was the huge mock up of Cinderella's Castle. It wasn't an exact replica, there were a few small differences but it was close enough they knew what it was supposed to be.

"Here we are, everybody, Copyright Infringement Land," Alan said as they laughed. "Sod Disneyland, the happiest place on Earth, we have Rip-Off Disney, the crappiest place on Earth, come one, come all to every solicitors nightmare!"

They grinned and hurried up to the ticket booth. Which to their astonishment was located in the skirt of a huge shoddy looking Snow White statue. They stared at the Snow White who looked exactly like the Disney version.

"Could they be any more obvious?" Rose said as they bent over laughing. "They could at least try to hide it by painting the clothes a different color, but no, they just have it lookin' exactly the way it does in the cartoon. This is gonna be one hell of an interestin' day, I can already tell that much. Well, come on, gang. Let's go buy our tickets from the guy inside Snow White's kit."

They could barely walk they were laughing so hard. Rose, Imiko, Mingxia and the Doctor got in front so they could all pay the admission fee.

Once they got past the ticket booth, they started to look around and were amazed at what they saw. Not only were the costumed characters wearing shoddy but easily recognizable character costumes, there were also statues and murals with licensed characters on them. None of them could keep from laughing while they walked along. It earned them a few odd looks from other tourists but they didn't care. They split up slightly and took in the murals giggling insanely at them.

"Look, Rain," the Doctor said, pointing to a mural of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. "It's a couple of cats with reeeeeeeeally big ears."

Rain bent over laughing. A moment later, Alan and Rose walked up beside them.

"Yeah and here's Mickey and Minnie Mouse," Rose said to Alan.

"No," the Doctor said. "They're a couple of cats with really big ears. Shame on you for getting it wrong."

They laughed hysterically.

"Oh yeah, they are, aren't they," Rose said to the Doctor. "Sorry, my mistake."

Alan pointed to a street performer dressed as goofy.

"And that over there is a guy that ate a hot dog whole and now it's lodged sideways in his mouth which is why his face is so distorted," he said as they laughed.

The Doctor spied someone dressed as Winnie the Pooh.

"And that over there is a wombat in a red t-shirt that rolled around in really sticky gold dust."

They bent over laughing and walked on.

"Sod the rides. We'll get entertained just looking at the potential lawsuits around us," Alan said to them.

"Shhh, love, there are no potential lawsuits because they're not doin' anything wrong," Rose said to him. "Why would they need to sue when everything in here is an original character thought up by the owners?"

"Oh yeah, that's right," Alan said as they snorted out laughter. "Gee, I wonder who all these original characters really are then. Cause I've just never heard of any of them, have you?"

Alan pointed to a crappy looking Shrek up ahead.

"Like that chap there. I've never seen such an odd looking creature in my life! Whatever could it be?" Alan said, scratching his chin while they laughed hysterically.

"I think it's an alien," Rain replied.

"Yeah! That's right! An alien named Chad!" Alan said as they split their sides laughing. "Chad the alien, the well known Chinese cartoon character. I never miss a one of his adventures on the telly. I just stayed glued to CBeebies whenever he's on."

They leaned against a nearby wall calming themselves down. They looked over when the other three walked up.

"This place is surreal," Awinita said. "Why is it even running? Shouldn't they have closed it down years ago?"

"No, because they're not doing anything wrong," Alan said sternly. "Everything in here is an original creation. Like Chad over there. That's Chad the Alien, can't you see that?"

They looked where he was pointing and laughed harder when they saw it was Shrek.

"Oh yeah, you're right, that is Chad, isn't it?" Awinita said. "I'm so sorry, my bad. It's just that I get Chad and Shrek mixed up all the time."

They sighed as they tried to calm down so their sides would stop aching. While they rested a Chinese woman dressed as Snow White passed by with the seven dwarves in low-rent costumes. Rain let out a gasp and pointed to her.

"Oh my God, it's Blizzard Black and the seven abnormal sized people!"

They all howled with laughter.

"Damn it, Te'lesu, I just got my sides to stop hurtin' and you came up with that!" Alan said. "Oh God, Blizzard Black, that is brilliant! Ten points to you for thinking that up, Rain."

She glanced at the Doctor who was giving her a proud smile and she gave him a playful punch in his ribs.

Alan let out a long sigh.

"Okay, should we go on some rides before we soil ourselves laughing?" he asked them.

They nodded, leaned up and headed towards the first ride they saw. It turned out to be a haunted house ride. Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Their version of the Haunted Mansion?" he said, gesturing to it.

"Aw, come on, dear. Let's ride it," Rose said.

"Ooooh, I fully intend to. For the first time ever, I'm actually looking forward to seeing what's inside," he said as they laughed.

They got in the queue.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh my God, this is soooo wrong," Rain said as the Doctor giggled.

They were in a little red car with a skull painted on the front of it. Up ahead of them Alan and Rose were laughing hysterically while they watched what was going on around them. As expected, the ride was just as low-rent as the rest of the park. The Doctor giggled when a cheap looking mummy affixed to a hydraulic rig jerked out at their car while a scream echoed from a speaker overhead.

"Oh yeah, I'm just urinating all over myself now," the Doctor said as Rain laughed. "My hearts will never recover from this shock."

He turned his head when he felt Rain grip his arm and saw her staring at him with mock fear.

"Oh, please rescue me from this demonic hell house!" she said melodramatically.

The Doctor laughed and put his hand on hers.

"I don't know if I can," he said just as melodramatically. "I'm afraid I can't win against that…um…bat high above us on the string!"

Alan and Rose heard him and laughed hysterically while they turned to look at him.

"I know, I can't fight that bat either!" Alan said. "It's far too powerful! Rose is dead meat now! I'm sorry, my darling, I've failed you! You're about to become bat guano and it's all my fault!"

Up ahead of them Mingxia, Imiko and Awinita roared with laughter and gave out little fake screams as they waved their hands around.

Suddenly they saw Awinita's car going up a hill.

"Ahhhh!" she said, looking back at Mingxia and Imiko in the next car. "Help! I'm going upwards to my doom!"

Their car started up the hill.

"We can't! We're going up too!" Mingxia said. "Oh! What will become of us?"

Alan and Rose gripped each other as they went up.

"I hope to God they actually finished building the track when we get up this hill!" the Doctor said to Rain.

There was a jerk and they went up the hill.

"Oh no, save me!" Rain said, gripping the Doctor's arm.

He snickered and stared at her with wide and ominous eyes while she laughed.

They noticed far above them a door opening and Awinita going outside.

"Damn it! We lost one!" Alan said loudly. "I guess you can take her tent now, dear!"

The door opened again and Imiko and Mingxia went out.

"And now we've lost three!" Rose said. "We'll give their tent to Rain."

They watched while Alan and Rose's car reached the top of the hill and the door opened.

"I REGRET NOTHING!" Alan screamed back at them as they went outside.

The door closed.

"Well, I guess we get all the tents now, Latara," he said as she laughed.

They reached the top of the hill and squealed while they held each other. The door opened and both of them blinked furiously while they went outside into the bright sunshine. The car followed the track around the outside of the wall which was painted to resemble a graveyard before another door opened and they went back inside. Rain screamed when the car sped down a steep hill and then immediately it resumed its normal slow pace.

"Well, that was your one cheap thrill, Rain, be happy with it," the Doctor said as she laughed.

Up ahead, Alan turned and pointed back to them.

"Rose! Look! They survived the pointless roller coaster hill of doom! It's a miracle!"

Laughter echoed through the darkened room from everyone. There were a few more cheap monsters and ghosts that jumped out at them before a bigger door opened and they went outside. The cars stopped and they got out still laughing. All of them stumbled down the metal stairs and leaned back against the wall while they tried to get their laughter under control.

"Wow! I can't wait to see what the other rides look like now," Alan said. "They're gonna have to be something special to impress me since I've just been spoiled by this award winner."

Once they calmed down they pushed up from the wall and headed to the next ride. On the way there, they amused themselves by trying to guess what the names were for the characters that resembled famous characters but were absolutely in no way the actual characters. As they walked, the Doctor leaned down into Rain's ear.

"Oh my God, I haven't laughed this hard or had so much fun in years. I'm so glad dumb dumb let me come down. I wouldn't have missed this freak show for anything."

Rain glanced at the people in front of her.

"I'm so glad, Doctor," she whispered, giving his hand a quick squeeze.

The Doctor smiled at her. They found a carousel and got in line. Unlike the haunted house, it resembled a normal carousel. Alan looked back at the Doctor and Rain.

"What? You mean the horses weren't made to look like the characters?" he said as Rose laughed. "I mean, if you're gonna use licensed characters, you might as well use them everywhere, yeah?"

"Yes," the Doctor said. "Just flaunt other people's trademarks openly and show the world you don't give a damn about who they belong to!"

They all laughed and Alan nodded at that. Rain smiled knowing that the Doctor had accepted his twin and was getting along with him now. She hoped when the time came to reveal himself her brother would do the same.

_But why can't he reveal himself now,_ she thought_. After all, if the benefactor is throwing the Valeyard off the scent then there's no reason for the Doctor to hide himself. He should at least reveal himself to Rose so she won't have to go all the way across China when there's no reason to._

She tugged on the Doctor's arm and he glanced at her.

"Can I talk to you privately for a moment?"

"Sure."

She led him away out of earshot of the others.

"What is it, Latara?" he asked.

"Doctor, I've been thinking and I think you should reveal yourself, at least to Rose so they don't have to go all the way to this so-called village of yours if they don't want to. If the protector is keeping the Valeyard away from us, there's no reason for you to hide."

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck while he stared at Rose still waiting to get on the ride.

"Will she be angry that I did this though?" he said.

"Not if you explain. Doctor, when you first did this, you weren't in your right mind. You're free now and you won't hurt her or anyone else. I think she'll feel better knowing you're out of danger because I know she is frightened for you. And she'll feel safer knowing you're with us and looking out for us."

The Doctor nodded.

"I think you're right, Latara. I think Rose deserves to know the truth. But we'll wait till she gets off the ride since I'm sure she wants to ride it. In the meantime, why don't we see if we can find something to drink because I know I've just about laughed myself hoarse."

Rain nodded. The Doctor squeezed her shoulder as they set off in search of a food stand.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"There you are," Rose said walking over to them when she got off the ride and noticed them leaning up against a wall sipping lemonade. "We thought you were right behind us. You didn't wanna ride?"

"We decided to get something to drink," Rain said.

"Oh, good idea, I need somethin' too after all that laughin'."

"Rose, can we talk to you for a minute privately?" Rain said.

"Sure," Rose said, shrugging.

The Doctor and Rain glanced at each other and beckoned to her. Frowning, Rose followed them behind a building.

"I guess you really want privacy, yeah?" she said. "What's the matter?"

Rain looked at the Doctor.

"Let me start," she said.

He nodded.

"Guys, what's goin' on?"

"Before we do this, please just hear "Morana" out, okay?"

"Okay…"

"Morana hasn't been entirely truthful with you."

Rose sighed angrily and folded her arms over her chest.

"No!" Rain said. "It's not that. She's not a con artist or nothing. It's just that…"

She sighed and looked at the Doctor.

"She's not a she, she's a he," Rain said.

Rose's eyes boggled.

"What?"

Rain handed her drink to the Doctor and took her hands.

"Rose, Morana is the Doctor in disguise."

Rose stared at her.

"Rain, that's not funny."

"It's not meant to be. This is the Doctor."

Rose glanced at him.

"Yes, Rose, I'm the Doctor."

He noticed her recoiling and putting a hand over her eyes while the bright light from the bank illuminated him and blinded his vision. When it faded, Rose took her hand away and gasped.

"Doctor?" Rose said in disbelief.

The Doctor blinked and took her hands when he could see again.

"Rose, I'm alright, it's me."

He embraced her and gave her a tight hug.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I didn't mean to deceive you."

"How?" she said, stepping back and taking his hands. "How did you do this?"

The Doctor explained everything to her starting with his capture and enslavement. While he talked, tears fell from Rose's eyes and her heart ached listening to him talking about how he was forced to come down and infiltrate their group. She cried tears of joy when he told her about being freed with the help of the protector. He finished up by explaining all that their benefactor had done and how the spell worked.

"I'm so sorry I've lied to you, Rose but I wanted to make sure you and the others were safe. I only told Rain because we were rooming together and I wanted to have a break from the charade. Rain has been just stellar. She's been a great friend and has looked after me and she's the one that suggested I reveal myself to you since there's no real danger of the Valeyard tracking us anymore and she was terrified you were gonna take me all the way to Kashi and leave me there, even though I kept telling her I'd sweet talk you into letting me stay. I saw you get married, the Valeyard forced me to watch it as a way of tormenting me."

"Oh God," Rose sobbed.

He briefly hugged her.

"But I won't interfere in your marriage, Rose. I'm not here to take you back with me because you're happy with Alan and I'm thrilled that you are. And I'm no longer mad at him. I'm proud of what he's become and from what I've seen he's a great bloke. I'm thrilled he's forged his own identity and he loves you so much and has become a loving husband. So, please don't think I'm here to snatch you away because I'm not. I'd love to remain best mates with ya but that's it."

"I'd like to still be mates too. But, Doctor, you shouldn't hide from the others like this. It's not fair to you or them. If this protector is hiding you then there's no reason to hide like Rain said. Alan won't hate you, Doctor. He's told me before he would love it if you accepted him and at least became his friend, if not his brother. You're welcome to travel with us until you can get back to your TARDIS. In fact, I'm thrilled that you're here because you're safe now. And I'm glad you found a friend in Rain. We were all so happy that she found someone to hang out with and I'm so glad it's you. So, please, let the others in on this secret, alright?"

He smiled and nodded.

"They can't see you until you tell them, right?"

"Right."

"Okay, let me go and talk to them. Just wait here. I'll handle Alan and prepare him for this."

She hugged him.

"Oh God, I'm so glad you're alright."

She kissed his cheek.

"Wait right here."

Rose ran around the corner. Rain smiled at the Doctor.

"Now you can be yourself all the time," she said to him.

"Yes, thank you for talking me into this. I'm so glad I did it."

Five minutes later, Rose came back around the corner with everyone else. He noticed they were all staring at him in disbelief.

"Doctor?" Alan said.

"Yes, it's me."

He winced and shut his eyes when the light came and they all recoiled.

"Blast, I was gonna tell them to cover their eyes first," he said.

They blinked and stared at him silently.

"Oh, my God," Awinita said.

"Um, hello there," the Doctor said, waving at them.

They came forward and surrounded him, staring at him with shock on their faces.

"So…"Alan finally said. "Are we now the only ones who see you? Is the general public still seeing you as Morana?"

The Doctor frowned.

"I'm not sure. I know it was supposed to hide me from you but I'm not sure about everyone else. I suppose I could go up to someone and ask them to describe me and know for sure. But, I only know that the voice told me that whoever I didn't tell the secret to would see me as a woman."

"Can you see you as you?" Rose said. "When you look in a mirror can you see yourself?"

"Yes."

"Bugger. We can't test it that way," Rose said. "Um, I guess we'll try your idea and find someone."

They all went around the corner and looked around at the people, trying to find someone who he could go up to. They saw a young woman nearby eating some candy floss. Rose pointed her out to the Doctor.

"Wait a tic, I'll be right back," he said.

They watched while he went up to her and nervously asked her in mandarin to describe him. He explained he had just gotten a makeover and wanted her opinion. They listened while the woman spoke to him in mandarin.

"She's seeing a woman," Mingxia said to them.

"So unless he gets on a tannoy system and tells everyone in the park, we're the only ones who'll see him as the Doctor," Alan said. "This is just bizarre."

"Yeah, but I guess this protector is with us now," Rose said.

"Yeah but if it's just a voice, where is the rest of her? Or is there even a rest of her?"

The Doctor thanked the woman and walked back to them.

"I'm a woman to her. I guess it applies to everyone," he said.

"So we have to be careful talking about you to others since they'll think we're strange if we call you a man," Awinita said.

The Doctor nodded.

"Does the Valeyard know what you look like?" Rose said.

He thought.

"Maybe, he used to contact me until the voice intercepted all of it so he'd leave me alone. But I will say that your dampers and mind blocks worked because that's why I'm down here. You are both hidden from him."

Rose breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank God you made them work," she said to Alan.

"He roughed up the Doctor when he found out you were gone," Rain said.

They gasped. The Doctor shrugged.

"S'alright, I've had worse beatings."

"Damn him," Alan growled. "Ugh! I curse the day that bastard was born."

"Rain wanted me to reveal myself so you don't have to go all the way to Kashi if you don't want to," he said.

Alan shrugged.

"We were heading that way anyway," he said. "But you are more than welcome to come with us, Doctor since you don't have the TARDIS at the moment."

"I'd like to," he said. "I've had a lot of fun, more fun than I've had in years."

They smiled at that.

"Good, I'm glad," Rose said.

The Doctor looked at Alan.

"And I respect your marriage. I would rather die than break you guys up especially since you're happy. I would like to be friends with Rose but that's it."

He smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Doctor, for respecting our marriage," he said. "And I wouldn't dream of you not being friends with Rose. Rose has the right to be friends with anyone she wants so that's fine with me."

"Can I say something?" Rain said.

"Course, Te'lesu," Alan said.

"I was thinking. If we don't have to go to Kashi now, can we go back to Japan for awhile? Not this instant but you know, I'd rather go back there before going on to India or something since the Valeyard interrupted us and I really, really want to see the country."

"I would like to do that too but if we do, what's Mingxia gonna do? We'd have to go through China first," Alan said.

"Not if she comes with us. I mean, does she have to check in with UNIT?"

Alan looked at her.

"I don't have to check in with them but they would know I've left the country. The airplane ticket would have to be reported since they're the ones paying for me."

"Not if I pay for you," the Doctor said.

They looked at him.

"I've been getting money from the Valeyard. A huge amount. I've gotten two bagfuls. The first time I was in personal contact with him and the second time the protector apparently told him to send me money because Rain and I were talking about what I was gonna do for money when I wasn't in his thrall and it just appeared on the dining room table. I have more than enough to pay for a plane ticket if you lot wanna go back to Japan. It's the least I can do since I had a hand in making you flee the country."

Rose grabbed his arm.

"You didn't have a hand in anything. You were under the Valeyard's control and it wasn't your fault. So, don't blame yourself, okay?"

He nodded.

"But I was also thinking that we could still use the camping equipment since I'm sure Japan has a lot of open areas too," Rain said.

They looked at each other.

"How 'bout it? You wanna go back to Japan and pick up where we left off?" Rose asked them.

All of them nodded.

"So, after we get done in here, we'll take a flight back to…um, you guys wanna go back to Tokyo or start somewhere else?"

"I've never seen Japan," Mingxia said. "So, anywhere you guys go is fine with me."

"Same here," the Doctor said.

"Same here," Awinita added.

"I would like to see Tokyo or go to Osaka," Rain said.

"Yeah, we could go to Osaka and work our way up," Rose said.

Alan looked at Imiko.

"You said Iga-Ueno was near there, right? Your hometown?"

"Hai, very close to Osaka."

"And they have that ninja museum, that's something different from the norm," he said.

Rose nodded and looked at the Doctor.

"We've been at this for 8 months now. Um, how long has the Valeyard…"

"He captured me just before you two got married. That's how long I've seen you. I have no idea how long he was watching before that," the Doctor said.

"Okay, well you started watching in Arizona so before that we'd been almost the entire US and we'd seen and done so many things. It was great. But with museums, most of them looked the same after awhile and the exhibits felt like they were running together from one state to the next so we started looking for museums that weren't normal history and art museums which is what Alan's getting at with the ninja museum. We rarely go to the museums now unless it's something we haven't seen like…we went to a toy museum in Tennessee and there was a doll museum and there was this one that was all these oddities like freak show things. That sort of thing. Alan's part Time Lord and I'm sure you're the same way, but he kept getting bored looking at dusty objects that he could have seen in their original form if he used the TARDIS."

The Doctor nodded.

"Same," he said. "Museums are nice but yeah, I would get bored after awhile if all we saw were art and history museums."

"And even science museums were dull," Alan said.

The Doctor nodded.

"I told Rain earlier that Earth science bores me since you lot aren't that advanced yet."

"Exactly," Alan said, nodding. "Don't get me wrong, I will go if they wanna go but it's just not my cup of tea. But…things like the toy museum have been interesting so that's why we go out of our way to find things off the beaten path, so to speak."

He grinned and gesturing around him.

"Case in point…" he said as they laughed.

He put a hand on the Doctor's shoulder.

"But I am glad you're here and free of that bastard's control and you are more than welcome to come with us for as long as you like."

The Doctor beamed.

"Thank you, Alan."

"You're welcome and thank you for being Rain's friend; I'm glad you two get along so well and have become best mates. Now, about the rest of the park, I…"

He trailed off and they noticed him staring off to his right in shock. They followed his gaze and were stunned into silence. Several feet away, a man dressed as Bugs Bunny was standing talking to someone in a Tigger costume. What shocked them was Bugs Bunny had his head off in public and was holding it under his arm while he talked to his friend.

"You have got to be kidding me," Alan said. "The git took off his head in the middle of the crowd? What the hell is this place? It's insane here! Isn't he concerned that little kids can see that?"

"Maybe they've been sued so much; they don't have money for a proper break room. So that's the break room there," Awinita said as they laughed.

"This place is just bonkers," Alan said. "I thought we saw weird crap in our journey but this beats all."

They stared at kids and parents who just walked around the man without even a second glance.

"Is this the norm in China?" Alan added. "Because no one is sayin' anything to him. Not even a scream of terror from the kids that Bugs's bleedin' head is off."

He looked at Rose.

"I miss the real Disney. At least they were professional about their park and took pride in it. This is completely crappy and low-rent."

"I agree," Rose said. "If you're gonna copy a park at least try to copy the way they do things."

Alan looked at the others.

"Well, let's go see what else they have in here so we can leave and find a flight to Japan, eh?"

They nodded. As they followed Alan, Rain looked at the Doctor and they shared a smile as she gave his hand a squeeze.

A/N: This is a real amusement park in China, guys. I didn't make this up. They really do have a park in Beijing where they have taken licensed characters and rides and buildings and tried to pass them off as original creations and they have pictures online of the costumes. They are crappy and cheap looking like somebody's mother made them but you can tell who they're supposed to be just by looking at them. And the ticket booth is inside Snow White's skirt and the owner has told news reporters that Minnie Mouse was a cat with really big ears. All that I got from the internet except for the interior of the haunted house but I figured if the costumed characters were crappy looking then I could see the rides as being shoddy too. They also said that the performers actually do take their costume heads off in public and walk around like that. The last time I looked they were taking away everything that was an infringement so supposedly the park is legal now but this was too good not to have Alan and company see it.


	164. Chapter 164

Chapter One Hundred Sixty Four

The Valeyard chuckled to himself as he stared at his monitor. He watched while his acolyte followed the others through a history museum. The others were laughing and talking and completely unaware of his slave's true identity.

"The fools, if only they knew…" he said with an evil grin.

He checked the artron energy signature on the wall map and watched while it moved through the building.

"Outwit me, will you, Halfling?" he sneered. "Your doom is right behind you and you don't even know it!"

He went back to watching his monitor with an evil chuckle.

(At the exact same moment…)

"Ah, flat sweet flat," Alan said as all of them walked into their hotel room. "Livin' in the lap of luxury has been wonderful. I hope we find something just as good in Japan."

He closed the door behind the Doctor. Alan walked into the kitchen while Rose got online to book the tickets. The Doctor walked over to her and frowned when he saw what she was doing.

"So will I have to wait to book mine and Mingxia's at the ticket counter then?" he asked.

She turned in her seat and took his hand.

"No, I'll get everyone's ticket tonight. If the Valeyard is giving ya money, I don't want the voice asking him all the time for more and makin' him suspicious."

"Rose, you don't have to."

"I know, but I want to. You've been through so much, Doctor. Let me do this for you so you can have money to live off of for the time you're with us."

"Thanks, Rose," he said, giving her hand a squeeze.

She smiled and he let go when she turned back around. He put his hands in his pockets and watched her navigate through the airport's website. While she was doing that, Alan wandered out and walked up to her.

"Hon, you wanna get pizza again? Awinita and I were discussing it and we could run over to that pizza shop and get some so we don't have to cook a big meal."

"That sounds good," Rose said, nodding. "Is that okay with everyone?"

They all nodded. Alan looked back at Awinita who went to use the bathroom before they left. Alan looked at the Doctor.

"I'm assuming I don't have to ask you what you want considering I sprang from ya."

He grinned.

"You assume correctly," he said as everyone laughed.

"Oh hell," Rose muttered.

The Doctor and Alan frowned.

"Oh hell…what?" Alan said.

"Um…next flight to Osaka leaves at 9 p.m. tonight. There is a flight going out at 4 in the mornin' but either way, we'd have to book the rooms for one more night and if we're doin' that, I'd rather leave on the early mornin' one since I'm thinkin' that'll get there between 7 and 8 in the mornin' I would try something else but Northwest is the cheapest one and if I'm paying for everyone, I'd rather use it."

Alan shrugged.

"The Valeyard doesn't know where we are so I think we could afford to spend one more night here and get some rest," he said to her. "If we have to book the room again I'd rather we make the most of it and not leave a couple of hours after we do that."

"Yeah, my thoughts as well," she said.

She turned in her chair.

"Okay, if we're gonna be here for the rest of the night then, how 'bout we skip the pizza and go see another movie and eat out and celebrate the Doctor being free from the Valeyard. How 'bout that, guys?"

They all said yes while the Doctor smiled.

"Okay, let me book the tickets and find a movie and after we pick the movie, we can go down, book the rooms and go so if you guys need to get ready, go ahead," he said.

"How long will it take, Rose?" Awinita said, leaning out of the bathroom.

"Um, it won't take too long, why?"

"I wanted to jump in the shower."

"Oh! Go ahead, sis. We'll wait on ya."

"Yeah, I need a shower too. I'll be right back," Mingxia said, leaving the room with Imiko.

Awinita went and got her rucksack and walked back in the bathroom while everyone else sat down on the sofa and chairs. The Doctor sat down on the end of the sofa while Rain sat down next to him and Alan next to them. He turned on the TV and looked at the Doctor.

"Could you do us an enormous favor?" he asked him.

"Sure."

"I know you can read Chinese well, unlike me. There's a weather channel on here and I was wondering if you could listen and tell us the forecast for tonight?"

"Happy to."

He turned it to the weather channel and the Doctor listened.

"Chance of rain tonight, about 60 percent," he said after a moment of listening.

"That's what we figured. Mingxia told us that last night but I wanted to make sure it was the same so we could take umbrellas if we needed to," he said.

"Okay, I booked the 4 a.m. flight," Rose said. "The tickets are ready and waiting at the ticket counter."

"Brilliant," Alan said as the Doctor smiled.

"Okay, now to the movies," Rose said.

She beckoned to the Doctor.

"C'mere, translator," she said as they laughed.

The Doctor grinned and got up from the sofa. He walked over and leaned over, peering over her shoulder while she brought up a website for the closest movie theater. She asked the Doctor to tell her what was playing and he recited the list of movies. He reached Mamma Mia and she stopped him.

"Have you seen that?" she asked.

"No, I haven't."

She grinned.

"Do you want to? It's really good. We saw the DVD but I think it'd be better with an audience."

"I'd love to see it."

"You like Abba?"

He nodded.

"You guys wanna see it again?"

"I wouldn't mind," Alan said as Rain nodded. "You're right, it'll be better with a lot of people."

"Okay…the next showing is in two hours so that'll give Mingxia and Awinita time to shower. And…then we need to find somewhere to eat afterwards but I can ask Mingxia when she gets back. And also we can pop into UNIT and pick up the pass for you so when we come back to China we can just go ahead and go somewhere else."

She patted the Doctor's cheek.

"Thanks, translator," she said.

"Anytime, plane ticket lady," he said.

He went and sat back down while Alan switched over to HBO. He giggled when he saw Shrek was on.

"Hey! It's Chad the Alien!" he said pointing while they laughed.

Five minutes later, Awinita came out of the bathroom. Rose told her their plans.

"Oh! Yes, I'd love to see Mamma Mia again," she said.

She noticed the TV.

"Hey, isn't that Chad?" she said as everyone bent over laughing.

When Mingxia and Imiko returned, Rose repeated their plans.

"I've love to see it," Mingxia said. "I love Abba."

"Me too," Imiko replied. "That is fine with me."

"And Mingxia, if you could help me figure out where to eat afterwards, I'd appreciate it," Rose said.

She nodded and Rose looked at everyone else.

"Ready?" she asked.

They nodded and all of them got up and followed her out the door.

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After picking up the pass from UNIT headquarters they hurried on to the same theater where they had seen the X-Files movie. They found seats near the front and settled in with their popcorn and sodas. Alan and Rose sat on the end followed by Mingxia and Imiko and the Doctor sat in between the two sisters. The three of them shared a small tub of popcorn.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Awinita said to him. "I've heard a lot about you from bro so it's nice to finally meet the man behind the stories."

"Well, I'm glad to know you. I'm glad Alan found you and Rain and he's taking you in the TARDIS."

"Yeah, I'll be so excited when the ten years are up."

The Doctor took a sip of his Coke while he thought. He looked at Alan.

"Alan?"

"Yeah?"

"You have the coral?"

"In my rucksack, why?"

"When we finally do kick the Valeyard's sorry ass, I'm gonna use the TARDIS to accelerate the growth of the coral and grow the TARDIS so you don't have to wait ten years."

His eyes widened as Rose, Rain and Awinita let out gasps.

"Thank you!" Alan said as the three women squealed.

"Well, you guys should really be travelin' instead of workin' for bloody Torchwood. Besides, you've more than proven yourself worthy of it and this universe needs a protector, so…"

He gasped and they laughed when Rain and Awinita threw their arms around him and kissed his cheeks repeatedly.

"I think you've just become their bestest friend in the whoooooooooooole wiiiiiiiiide world," Alan said as Rose laughed.

He smiled at them when they finally let up.

"And you know, his TARDIS will have a chameleon arch, so you can get changed there as well."

"Trust me, I intend to."

"And before we part, I wanna go get Donna and change her back so she can be with me again."

Alan stared at him for a moment.

"Oh God, you didn't…"

"I had to, she was about to die. I didn't think of the chameleon arch because she was degenerating right in front of my eyes."

"Oh, Donna…" Alan moaned as Rose squeezed his shoulder. "Yes, then we need to go get her because I'll be damned if she spends the rest of her life stuck in that house with that mother of hers."

"My sentiments exactly."

"But, Doctor, if you go back and prevent the Valeyard from attacking you, wouldn't this cancel everything out?" Rain said.

He sighed.

"I'm afraid we may have to let events stand as they are. As long as he doesn't do anything monumental to threaten all of creation we could afford to do that. If we defeat him and take his TARDIS and hide it somewhere where no one can get it…"

"But…" Alan said. "Why hide it? If we can undo what he did to her why can't we take it over and use it instead of the coral? That way it'll be broken in with everything we need onboard and we wouldn't have to hide it and risk someone stumbling onto it."

"That's a brilliant idea. Yes, because the last thing I wanna do is discard her where she's not needed. Okay, when the time comes we defeat the Valeyard, take his TARDIS, go back to the other universe, get my TARDIS and let me copy the void crosser so I can come see you and you can come see me safely."

Rose grinned at that, thrilled that the two men were working together to figure out a way to resolve everything. The fact that the Doctor would be able to see them filled her with joy since she figured Rain would be heartbroken when he left.

The house lights dimmed and they settled back in their seats while the movie started.

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All of them were having a blast. They were singing and the entire theater was singing with them whenever there was a song.

"Oh yeah, this is definitely better than watching it at home," Awinita said.

All of them were currently singing along to Dancing Queen while they watched Meryl Streep skipping and leading a throng of singing, dancing women behind her. Everyone was getting into it and the packed house was singing at the top of their lungs. A couple of times they looked behind them just to watch Chinese people of every age singing enthusiastically.

"Oh yeah, leave it to a Swedish pop group to bridge the gap between cultures," the Doctor said to Rain while she giggled and nodded.

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After the movie, they went to a nearby steakhouse and talked. The Doctor filled them on what had been going on, leaving out the slaughter he had committed since he didn't want to upset Rose or Rain. Alan chewed on his steak thoughtfully.

"I assume this voice has taken care of absolutely everything," he said after he swallowed the bit in his mouth. "Because if he can transmat you down, then couldn't he transmat you back up?"

"I would say yes but the voice, whoever it is, has been kind to me so far and I would think she would have thought of that eventuality."

"Good because the last thing I want is to turn around and see you vanish in a flash of light," he said as everyone nodded. "And then have creepy boy find out you've been lying to him the entire time. If he thinks you're here then maybe it is better to go back to Japan just in case he cottons on somehow. I'm also assuming the TARDIS is still delaying him?"

"I hope so," the Doctor said. "And I hope to God he doesn't find out."

"No, me neither. I'd hate to think that he might make the old girl scream in agony, especially after helping all of us."

"I appreciate you also training everyone, by the way. But you know, that won't do much against him."

Alan nodded.

"I know, but what else can we do? At least it's something and it's better than not having any fighting skills at all and letting him torture all of us to death. My thought is it's also readying them for when they do travel with me and have to face lesser foes. Plus, it's building up their self-confidence."

The Doctor nodded.

"The other reason I'm glad Rain thought of this is her birthday is nearly here and I wasn't about to celebrate it in the middle of the woods somewhere in China. I'd like to at least be in a city so we can take her out or do something."

"You don't have to," Rain protested.

"Yes, Te'lesu, we do. You deserve a proper birthday and we wanna give you one."

Rain looked at the Doctor.

"When's your birthday, by the way?"

The Doctor gave her a blank stare.

"I haven't the foggiest, Rain."

She stared at him in disbelief.

"You don't know your own birthday?"

"Rain, I was born ages ago. I've never celebrated my birthday because I can't even remember when it was."

"Then we need to give you a birthday!" she said. "We need to celebrate your birthday too since you've never had one."

"Um…you don't…"

"Yes, we have to," she said as they laughed. "If they're gonna throw me a party then I want them to throw one for you too."

"Yes Ma'am," he said as they laughed hysterically.

"Um…do they have a Japanese Chuck-E-Cheese so we can do what we did with you?" Awinita asked Alan.

"You mean scare the staff all over again when they ask who the birthday boy is and the Doctor raises his hand?" Rose said grinning.

"Yeah, let's go scare another group of Chuck-E-Cheese people," she said.

"Chuck-E-Cheese?" said the Doctor.

They explained it to him and he laughed.

"Gee, I like the idea of getting a ton of free toys," he said grinning. "And I'm always up for pizza."

"Gee, we could fly over to Arizona, take him and fly back!" Awinita said shrugging.

"Let's don't and say we did," Alan said as they laughed.

He thought.

"Okay, how 'bout this? When we get to Osaka, we'll take them both to Universal Studios as an early birthday present."

The Doctor stared at him.

"They have a Universal Studios in Japan?" he said.

"Hai, Doctor-san, they do," Imiko said.

"Oh! Didn't know that, but I'm not current with where these theme parks are at," he said, shrugging.

"And, if Te'lesu insists on you havin' a birthday, why not take hers?" Alan said.

"Hey yeah, that way you can remember it," Rain said.

He chuckled.

"Okay, I'll take Valentine's Day as my official birthday," he said as they cheered.

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Rain crawled into her bed and turned to face the Doctor.

"This is gonna be so fun," she said to him.

"The whole thing has been fun. I'm having a grand old time. I was stuck on Earth for a time during my third life but I mainly spent that being a lackey for UNIT. I've never really done anything like this before."

"Maybe that's why you're here," Rain said.

"How'd ya mean?"

"I mean, Sprinkles, that you've been through so much grief and pain and horror and hurt that maybe your benefactor convinced the Valeyard to let you come down here and be with us so you could take a break and have fun and be healed like little bro. Maybe that's why you're still here and not up there fighting him. You need a rest, Doctor; after all you've been through."

He smiled.

"I think you're right. I certainly needed this and I love being here with all of you. This is wonderful and I really will hate it when it ends."

"But you could still do stuff like this from time to time even after you go up and fight the Valeyard. You don't have to keep going from one crisis to the next. I mean both you and bro had the same gripe with Rose and look what happened to her. She was getting so sick that he had to put her in that hibernation so she could finally get some rest. You're gonna end up the same way, Doctor. You need to have fun, real fun and real relaxation, not just a short little break between battling monsters. So, that's why I think you're here. I think whoever the protector is put you here so you can finally get your break."

He smiled.

"You're wise beyond your years, you know that?"

She smiled.

"Thanks," she said.

"I mean it; you really are very wise especially since I hadn't really thought of my so-called exile in those terms until you said it. But I think you're right. It this protector has a hand in events then it's not a big stretch of the imagination to think that she's done this for me, especially since she told me after she freed my mind that she wanted me to truly see Alan and what he's become. It's quite possible that she was the one who put the idea in the Valeyard's mind in the first place so he would send me down here."

"I'll just hate it when you finally leave. You've been such a wonderful friend."

"Come with me then."

Rain stared at him.

"Come with you?"

"Yes, travel with me as my companion. If both of us have void crossers in our TARDISes you can see your family whenever you want and they could see you. I can alter mobiles to call anywhere in time and space so all they'd have to do was come over the void, call us, arrange to meet somewhere and we'd go to the meeting spot. And we could do the same thing if they wanted to see you. You've been such a great friend, Rain and I don't want to see you go either. Come and travel with Donna and me. Donna will love you, I know it."

"You really mean this?"

"Course I mean it, Latara, I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't being serious."

"I'd love to, Doctor. I'd love to come with you."

He grinned.

"Then when the time comes, I'll ask your family on your behalf so you don't have to worry about it."

She got up from the bed and hugged him. The Doctor smiled and held her tightly.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," he said, rubbing her back.

His hearts leapt when she gave him a peck on the cheek. She walked back over and climbed back into bed.

"Now, you better get some sleep since Rose wants to get us up at 1:30 in the morning."

Rain sighed.

"Good night, Doctor, I'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Good night, Latara, I'll be right here and I'll get you up as usual."

She smiled, closed her eyes and sighed contentedly as she drifted off to sleep under his watchful eye.


	165. Chapter 165

Chapter One Hundred Sixty Five

Rain yawned as she and the Doctor got ready. She was still struggling to wake up while he was wide awake and energetic which peeved her to no end.

"Why can't I have two hearts?" she whined while he giggled.

He walked out of the bathroom running a comb through his hair. He walked by the dining room table and paused when he noticed some papers and a little blue booklet lying there. He walked over, picked them up and his eyes boggled when he saw it was a passport with his picture and his alias, John Smith, and some other vital papers he would need to travel.

"Rain?" he said.

She came out of the bathroom.

"Yeah?"

"The voice has been here again," he said, showing her the passport and papers.

She stared at them.

"You didn't have a passport before?"

"No, strangely enough they never asked me for one and just hurried me through customs at the Beijing airport. I assumed at the time that the Valeyard did something to stop them from asking but it could just as well been the benefactor. At any rate, I have one now."

"Maybe because you're traveling long term with us and if they're gonna stop us then they'll stop you also," she said, shrugging. "You were by yourself the last time so you could get away with it."

He nodded and stared at his passport picture.

"I don't have any idea where this picture came from," he said, showing it to her. "She must have conjured up a photo and put it in here."

Rain took the passport from him.

"John Smith?"

"Yes, that's the alias I normally use," he said.

"But…I know you have a TARDIS and can go anywhere but surely you've been somewhere where they've wanted identification like this," she said.

"Well, I have this thing called psychic paper that I use for most situations like that. It's this special paper that I can project my thoughts onto and I can show it to people and they see what I want them to see. Unfortunately, it's in my original trousers along with my screwdriver and I hope to God he didn't decide to incinerate them with my outfit because I'll make him sorry he did that. Anyway, I have this for the moment so I guess I'm set to travel with the rest of you."

They finished getting ready, gathered their things together and went to join the others in Rose and Alan's room.

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The Doctor sat quietly thumbing through a magazine while they flew to Osaka. Rain was beside him next to the window and she was laying with her head on a little white pillow while she was covered with a little yellow blanket. Awinita was next to him, her seat reclined while she also used a pillow and blanket. Across the way, Alan and Rose were snuggled against each other while Imiko sat by the window staring out at the night sky. In front of them Mingxia was asleep next to two Japanese businessmen who were also asleep.

The Doctor looked over when a female Japanese flight attendant wheeled a trolley up beside him.

"Would you like something to drink, sir?" she asked him in English.

"What do you have?"

"Coffee, tea, milk and orange juice, sir."

"Tea, please."

"Ma'am?"

The Doctor glanced at Rain who was half awake.

"Yes, ma'am?" the attendant said.

"Can I have some orange juice, please?" she murmured.

"Yes, ma'am."

Rain yawned and straightened up while the Doctor took his tea and a sealed plastic cup containing the orange juice from the attendant. He balanced the orange juice on his leg, lowered his tray table and sat both things on it before taking her straw and his cream and sugars and plastic spoon. He thanked her and she turned to Rose and Alan and Imiko who all requested tea. The Doctor glanced at Awinita who was still asleep and looked over at Rain who was sipping her orange juice.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he fixed his tea.

She nodded.

"I feel better now, more awake. I just felt like some orange juice as soon as I heard her mention it."

She glanced out the window.

"Where are we? How long have we been in the air?" she said to him.

"Mmm, bout…an hour I think," he said.

"Yeah, it's a little over an hour," Rose said, checking her watch.

He glanced at them.

"You alright over there?"

"Yeah, I'm more awake too," she said as Alan nodded. "I just needed a bit of a kip and some caffeine in my system, you?"

"Oh yeah, I needed a spot of tea as well."

"You sleep any?" Rose asked.

He shook his head.

"I don't sleep much, remember?" he said to her.

"Boy I'll be glad when I can do that," Alan muttered, rolling his eyes. "Sleep, sleep, sleep. How boring can you humans get?"

"How often do you need sleep?" Rain asked.

"Um, usually a little kip once a fortnight or so and I can go even longer if I need to stay awake. But nothing like you lot. No need to sleep a full eight hours or anything."

"Alan's right, it must be nice," Rain said as they laughed.

He frowned when the attendant came by and passed them out papers.

"What's this?" the Doctor said to Rain.

"It's the stuff you need to pass quarantine. It's a bunch of medical questions and stuff."

"Um…they don't take blood, do they?" the Doctor asked her.

She shook her head.

"No, just the questions. You need it along with your passport cause you have to go through quarantine too," she said.

He nodded and studied the questionnaire along with Rain. While he did that, Rose reached over and shook Awinita.

"Huh?" she said, opening her eyes.

"Sorry, love, you gotta fill out the quarantine information again."

"I'm perfectly fine and healthy, nothing wrong with me, leave me alone," she said, grinning, as they laughed.

She sighed and raised her seat back up. She thanked the Doctor when he handed her a copy of the papers and she passed out pens that Rose gave to them. The three of them filled them out while the Doctor and Rain sipped their drinks.

"I'm gonna have to lie on a few of these because I honestly have no idea," the Doctor whispered to Rain. "I don't know my blood type because we never determined blood type on Gallifrey and like I said, my blood isn't like human blood."

"When we were in school we did that one time in science class, I think I'm A+ so put that down."

He nodded and jotted it down.

"As long as they don't take a blood sample, it'll suffice, I suppose," he whispered to her. "Why are they asking though if they don't? People could lie like I'm doing. What's the point?"

"I think they do it so they have a record of you entering the country and that's one of the ways they identify you," she whispered back.

"But if they are able to lie…never mind, just answer the questions, Doctor, and quit asking questions of your own," he said while she giggled softly.

They continued to fill out the questionnaire. Suddenly the Doctor began to giggle. Rain leaned in.

"What?" she said, smiling.

"Have I ever had surgery, why yes I have!" he whispered in her ear. "Had one that killed me and made me regenerate into my eighth life and I had a nutter put a mind control disc on my brain among other fun surgeries I've been subjected to, should I answer truthfully?"

"I dare you," she said."Oh God, Doctor, I dare you to put that."

"Dare him to put what?" Rose said, raising her eyebrow.

The Doctor told her quietly.

"Don't you dare, Doctor," she said as Alan bent over in silent laughter. "Do not put that on there if you know what's good for ya!"

"But it says answer truthfully!" he protested as Awinita took her pillow and slammed it over her mouth to muffle her laughter.

He recoiled and Alan snickered when she shot daggers in his direction.

"Fine, Rose, I'll lie then," he said as Rain lowered her head onto her tray table and shook with silent laughter.

He rubbed Rain's back and continued with the questionnaire while she leaned back up and finished filling hers out.

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"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We'll be landing momentarily at Kansai International Airport."

The Doctor jerked his head at Rain when she let out an enormous gasp.

"Oh no, not again! Quick Doctor, run for the front door so we can fling ourselves onto the runway before it's too late!"

"What?" the Doctor said as everyone bent over in silent laughter.

He gave her an odd look as Rain put her hand over her mouth trying not to laugh too loudly. Awinita tapped him on the shoulder and explained the joke to him while Alan and Rose giggled hysterically.

"Oh God, that was a classic moment," Alan said. "I'm so glad someone did that because the look on the Doctor's face…oh Starlight, you should have had your camera with ya."

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By the time they got through quarantine and customs it was nearly nine o' clock. Rose had checked out hotels before going to sleep and they took a shuttle bus into downtown Osaka. From there she led them to the Sheraton Osaka Hotel where they booked four double rooms for two days. Thankfully, the hotel had connecting doors and they kept all of them open so everyone could move in and out of the rooms.

The rooms were elegant with a huge comfy bed complete with pink comforter. They had a lot of the amenities that they had in China including a bidet in each of their rooms, which Alan found amusing. They also had unisex kimonos and slippers which everyone tried on. Each room had a refrigerator, microwave and minibar and had the computer with internet, much to Rose's relief. There was also hairdryers, coffee and tea makers and radio/alarm clocks by the beds. They also had a lot of the same services that the other hotel had including a fitness room, heated indoor pool, beauty salon, barber shop, florist, currency exchange and much to the Doctor's delight, a little shop. They also had several restaurants and lounges serving Chinese, Japanese, Italian, International food and a tiny deli. Alan looked at Rose.

"Is is me or are you getting better at picking out hotels?" he said to her with a grin.

Alan noticed that even though they had booked double rooms, there was only one huge bed in each. He had a thought and walked next door to the Doctor and Rain's room. They were sitting on opposite sides of the bed getting settled in.

"Um, we didn't realize double room here meant one big bed. Are you alright with it or do you wanna sleep with me and Rose can sleep with Rain?"

The Doctor glanced at Rain.

"I don't mind, bro. it's a big bed and the Doctor's not gonna bother me," she said, shrugging.

"Okay, I was just checking in case you were uncomfortable," he said. "I realize he's not gonna pounce on ya but you know, being a man and all."

"No, I'm fine," she said, much to the Doctor's relief.

He had no intention of making love to her but he liked the idea of her sleeping near him and the fact that she was okay with that made him happy. But since he still wasn't entirely sure how Alan would react to that sentiment, he kept a poker face on and pretended to be nonchalant about it.

Rain turned to him when Alan went back into the other room.

"Are you alright with this? I mean, I really could switch."

"No, I'm alright. Trust me, I'm not gonna take advantage of you, Latara."

At that moment, Rose came into the room and paused.

"Latara? That's pretty. Is that Gallifreyan?" she said.

He smiled.

"Yeah, she told me all your nicknames for each other and I thought I'd continue the trend. Latara means Rain."

"Oh! I love that. Yes, it suits her perfectly. What about you, does she have a nickname for ya?"

He blushed when Rain giggled.

"What?" Rose said, amused. "What'd you call him?"

Rain glanced at the Doctor.

"Might as well, Rain, since she's standing here and won't leave till you tell."

Rain beckoned Rose over. With a grin, she came to her side and knelt down while Rain whispered it in her ear what it was and the reason why she chose it. The Doctor sighed and shook his head when he saw her shaking with silent laughter.

"Please don't tell, Rose," she said when she finished.

"Oh, I won't, I swear," she said, trying not to burst out laughing. "I like it though. It's a cute idea. 'Bout as bizarre as me calling Alan, Stitch. Um…the reason I came in here though was because before we have a little kip we wanted to know if you want to go anywhere this afternoon or wait until this evenin'. I have to check the internet but we could always do that food thing the Travel Channel bloke was talkin' 'bout. Not gorge ourselves although I'm sure both boys will be doin' that."

She gave the Doctor a pointed look and he chuckled and winked at her.

"But anyway, I will check and see what else there is, I just wanted your thoughts."

"I'm not as tired as I was this morning so I could do something this afternoon," Rain said.

"I'm not tired at all, so same," the Doctor said.

"Okay, well, let me see what I can find. I do know that we'll go to Universal tomorrow for your birthdays so just be aware of that."

She walked around the bed, paused by the Doctor and gave him a peck on the top of the head.

"Nighty night, Sprinkles."

The Doctor blushed and Rain giggled as Rose patted him on the head and walked back in the other room.

"She will never let me live that down ever," the Doctor said as she giggled.

"At least it's out in the open," she said.

"I know, that's the problem."

He grinned at her and patted the bed.

"Do you want a kip as well? I'm not sleepy so I can move over to the chair over there."

"You don't have to move, I can sleep over here," she said, pointing to her side.

"You sure? Because I don't wanna disturb ya."

"Are you gonna roll across the bed over and over?"

"No."

"Then you won't disturb me," she said as he laughed.

He got up and let her pull down the covers.

"Are you sure you're okay with me sleeping here?" she asked hesitantly.

He smiled.

"I'm sure."

She nodded and slid under the covers. The Doctor waited until she was settled in before he sat down on the bed, took off his trainers and put his feet on the bed.

"Phew!" Rain said, waving her hand in front of her face.

"Oi! You stop that, cheeky!" he said as she laughed.

She smiled at him.

"See you in a few hours, Doctor."

"Good night or morning or whenever it is, Rain."

She laughed softly and sighed as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	166. Chapter 166

Chapter One Hundred Sixty Six

The Doctor sat on the bed staring down at Rain while she slept. He sensed that now he was the only one who was awake and he marveled at how beautiful she was with her long black hair framing her face. He watched while she shifted slightly in her sleep and carefully brushed a few strands away from her eyes. He wished that he could do more than touch her and kiss her in her sleep. His hearts went out to her knowing that she hadn't had that much love in her life except for her father and now her family and friends but he wanted to show her that there were men who did love her in a romantic sense. He didn't know why he was being such a coward about it. She had never recoiled from him in any way. In fact, she seemed to like being close to him and had kissed and hugged and touched him. He wondered if it was the fact that he had fallen for her so fast but he really did love her and wanted her to be in his life which was why he offered a spot on his TARDIS. And he knew this time he wouldn't do what he did to Rose. He wouldn't push her away or trick her or do any of the other things he was ashamed of. He had a second chance to get it right and he wanted to show her that he would never hurt her in any way.

_Maybe that's why I'm scared,_ he thought. _Maybe I'm scared Alan will accuse me of abandoning his sister at some point like I did with Rose. But I won't. I won't make that mistake again, not with Rain. But what if Alan wants to be my brother? If Rain's his sister, how's that gonna look? Although Rain never did the bonding ceremony which in my mind is more binding than being adopted into a clan. Then again, Rose is Rain's sister in law and they call each other sis so perhaps it could work that way. Blimey, I hate being in this kind of dilemma. Maybe if I tell her, let her know at least and we'll keep it a secret for awhile until I can get a sense of what the others might think of it. The worse thing she would say is no and then we could just be best mates like now. But when do I tell her? _

He put his arms over his chest and thought.

_Maybe tomorrow at the theme park? I could tell her then and make that my birthday present to her. Although if she refuses me, it won't be much of a present. Oh hell, Doctor, quit being a damn chicken and tell her! She likes you at least. Even I can see that. Just bite the bullet and say something. _

He looked over when Rose peeked into the room. She looked past him and noticed Rain was asleep. She beckoned to him and he carefully got off the bed and followed her into the bathroom.

"I woke up early," she whispered to him. "And I've been checking sites that list stuff in Osaka. I knew you were awake so I wanted to ask ya. Have you ever seen kabuki?"

"Long time ago," he whispered back.

"Did you like it?"

He nodded.

"It takes some getting used to because they have all these exaggerated movements and facial expressions and they sometimes talk in high-pitched voices but I thought it was interesting. Why? You found that online?"

"Yeah but it's kinda odd and I don't know if anyone would want to go to it, except maybe Imiko."

"Yes, but you said you wanted things off the beaten path and that's about as foreign for you as you can get. Plus, kabuki is one of those things that are synonymous with Japan just like Sumo Wrestling or Sake or Samurai. I think if you lot like doing unusual things that everyone would probably want to go. I…"

They looked over when Rain suddenly came inside, half awake. She gasped and her eyes widened.

"Oh," she said, holding her hand over her heart. "I'm sorry; I was coming in to use the bathroom and didn't know you guys were in here."

"We were just talking about what to do today," the Doctor said. "We'll get out of your way."

They walked past her and Rain shut the door. They went over by the front door.

"Anyway, as I was saying before we scared the hell outta Rain, I think you should do what you always do and take a vote."

"I will but you know, I figured if anyone had ever seen kabuki, it was you and I wanted your opinion on it," she said.

The door opened and Rain came out. She walked over to the Doctor and without comment, grabbed his arm and led him to the bathroom.

"Um…hold that thought, I'm needed, I guess," he said as she laughed.

Rose laughed harder when she heard Rain say…

"What the hell is this thing next to the toilet?"

"It's a bidet, Latara."

"What's it for?"

"You wash your private parts and butt with it."

Rose grinned. She came to the bathroom door and watched while he demonstrated it.

"Oh, good thing you told me that. I thought it was a water fountain."

Both of them lost it. The Doctor put his hand on Rain's shoulder.

"No, Latara, don't drink out of it, please, "he said with barely contained mirth.

He gave her a hug.

"Yup, welcome to the bigger, wider world where they have bidets," he said, giving her a wink.

Rose finished laughing and came in to tell Rain about the kabuki. Rain frowned.

"Um, I've never heard of it but I'll go and see it. It sounds kinda interesting. It's like a play, right?"

"Yes," the Doctor said. "It's like Chinese opera in a way."

"Oh! Well, I liked that when we saw it so I think I'll like this kabuki," she said. "I'll go if you guys want to just as long as we go and see something, it's fine with me."

Rose began to giggle.

"What?" the Doctor said amused.

"Well," Rose said, grabbing their arms. "We could all skip the kabuki and go to the ramen noodle factory and watch ramen noodles being made."

The Doctor seized her arms.

"NO!" he said as Rain bent over laughing.

He let go.

"I hope I made myself clear just then," he said, putting his hands in his pockets while Rose laughed.

"Well, according to the site, Osaka is where ramen noodles are made."

"Mmm, well, they can keep on makin' them without me having to view the process," the Doctor said. "They'll get along just fine without me seeing them. Yup, pretty sure they will be fine and dandy without my critical eye scanning them."

"Where did that wife of mine get to now?"

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me, the infant is missing mummy," she said, loudly.

Alan stuck his head through the connecting doors.

"Oh, hello…mummy," he said as they laughed. "The infant woke up and noticed you weren't there. I need my dummy to suck on and a good burpin'. Whaa!"

He came in the room.

"Havin' a meetin' without everyone present? Are you ill, mummy?" he asked, putting a hand on her forehead.

"I didn't want to wake everyone up. I knew the Doctor would be awake and I was askin' his opinion on seein' kabuki this afternoon. Then Rain woke up and I told her and now you're up so I'll ask you. What is your opinion on it?"

He shrugged.

"It's not too bad if you like exaggerated theater. But then again we did go see the Chinese opera, so…"

"Or we could go see the ramen noodle factory," the Doctor said.

"Oh God, shoot me now and get it over with," he said as the Doctor and Rain laughed. "That's almost as bad as the soddin' Tiki Room at Disney."

"Well, if you guys don't wanna go see kabuki they do have an aquarium as well and the usual parks and museums. They also have this big tall structure called the Tsutenkaku Tower where you can go up and look at all of Osaka and I'm just sure you'll wanna do the obligatory lover's suicide leap joke when we get to that."

Alan snickered. He looked at the Doctor and started to explain when he held up his hand.

"Rain filled me in on that particular running joke, no need to elaborate," he said.

"Well, any one of those sound good except the bleedin' ramen noodle factory. I can give that one a miss," he said.

"Well, you guys wanna see if Mingxia and Imiko are up yet and go ask them what they wanna do?"

They nodded and followed her out the door.

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After holding a meeting they finally decided on the Kabuki and took a bus to the National Bunraku Theater to see it. The Doctor sat next to Rain on the bus but his mind was outside the bus a million miles away while he debated whether or not to tell her he loved her.

"Doctor?"

He was snapped back to the present and he looked at Rain who had a concerned look on her face.

"Are you alright? You have this weird look on your face," she said, concerned.

"I'm just thinking," he said.

"You looked like you were a million miles away," she said.

He noticed Rose was also giving him a concerned look and he gave her a reassuring smile before he looked back at Rain.

"It's nothing bad, just trying to come to a decision about something."

"Do you wanna tell me? Maybe I can help you," she said.

He smiled tenderly at that.

"How about you help me out with it tomorrow and I come back down to Earth and concentrate on the here and now?" he said.

She nodded and he breathed a sigh of relief while the bus slowly pulled up to their stop.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Doctor sat next to Rain enjoying the kabuki with her. They each had headphones that translated what was going on; not only in English but Japanese since what they were hearing was in an archaic dialect of Japanese. The Doctor still was having trouble concentrating while he went back and forth on whether or not to tell her.

_If only there was some kind of sign that telling her is the right thing to do,_ he thought.

Just then he felt pressure on his shoulder and saw Rain leaning against him while she watched the play. He stared at her.

_Okay, that was eerie, but I did ask for a sign,_ he thought.

He sighed through his nose finally deciding he would take a chance, tell her and let the chips fall where they may. Once he made up his mind, he turned his attention fully to the play and listened quietly with Rain.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After watching the play they decided to go to the aquarium before heading back to the hotel for the evening. The Doctor and Rain sat in their room on opposite sides of the bed.

"I think I wanna use that beauty salon downstairs and make myself look pretty for my birthday tomorrow," she said.

The Doctor gave her a shocked look.

"You're not gonna cut your hair, are you? I like it long like that."

"Nah, I just need a trim. How 'bout you? Do you need one?"

The Doctor ran his hand down the back of his hair.

"Don't think so. I got a haircut just before…"

He trailed off.

"Just before what?" Rain said.

He lowered his eyes.

"Just before I took this companion of mine named River to Derillium where my TARDIS is," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "We were having a picnic there and I got my hair cut for the occasion."

"Oh. Did you like her?"

"As a friend," he said. "She was a good friend but that was it."

He could have sworn he saw a hopeful look on her face for a second.

_Or is that just my mind seeing things that aren't there?_ He wondered to himself.

"I hope you had a good picnic…"

She trailed off.

"Wait, that's when you got captured," she said, sadly.

"I had a good picnic up until that point."

He decided not to tell her the truth about crying over River's departure knowing it would upset her.

"Where is she now?"

"She had to leave. I took her there to say goodbye to her."

"Oh. That's too bad. I hope she's doing well."

He tried to keep his face passive.

"I'm sure she is," he said.

"What about you and Donna? Were you…"

"Oh no, we were just mates…mates as in friends, not a couple," he quickly clarified.

Again, he thought he saw the hopeful look. He hoped he really was seeing it and not just wishing it was there.

Rain paused a moment and reached down to put her shoes on.

"Well, I'm gonna go down to the beauty salon, but I promise I won't trim much off," she said.

"Good. Your hair is beautiful. You need to keep it long."

She smiled at that. She finished tying her shoes and leaned over to pat his head.

"See you later, Sprinkles," she said.

He smiled and nodded and watched while she got up, walked around the bed, grabbed some money from the bag the Doctor had given her and went out of the room.


	167. Chapter 167

Chapter One Hundred Sixty Seven

The Doctor looked over when Rain entered the room.

"I didn't cut it off so you can stop worrying," she said, gesturing to her hair.

He frowned when she walked over to him.

"Did you get any cut off?" he asked. "I don't really see a difference."

"About an inch. I wanted to get rid of the split ends mainly."

The Doctor frowned.

"Split ends?"

"Yeah, hair gets dried out and splits if you use a hairdryer or hair coloring or eventually you brush it so much it gets frayed. The ends need to be trimmed so the hair will grow."

"I never heard that before. But then again, my people weren't concerned with things like that."

She bent over and ran her hands through his tousle.

"You have a few that I can see but not too bad," she said, leaning back up. "I really don't think you have to worry though since this is the most hair you have."

"I had more on the back and sides but I got that trimmed."

"I like it this way. I like short hair on men," she said. "I don't like the whole mountain man look with long beards."

He made a face.

"Neither do I," he said.

"Have you ever had long hair?

"Um, longest I've ever had it was shoulder length. I didn't want it longer because doing what I do it's impractical since someone could seize you by your hair."

She laughed.

"Yeah, that's true," she said.

She sat down beside him.

"It's not a bad beauty salon," she said to him. "They have a lot of nice shops down there. We keep getting all these nice hotels now. I think my dad's blessing keeps working."

"I would like to meet your dad someday. He sounds like a great chap."

"He is. He's the best. It's too bad he couldn't come along but he has his business to run and he said he was a bit too old to do this."

"Now, now, he shouldn't talk. I'm over 900 years old, after all."

"1200 years old, you mean."

He sighed angrily.

"Is there anything he didn't tell you?" he said. "He didn't blurt out my real name, did he?"

"No…why? What's your real name?"

"Sorry, that's very private and not just for you, for everyone. But I'm glad he respected me enough not to say it. He didn't tell Rose did he?"

"I don't think so. Is it bad?"

"My name? No, it's just that…there are some things in my past I want kept in the past and my name represents a part of that. I'm not meaning I'm evil or a criminal, I just want some things buried."

"I understand. I won't ask then. I kept wondering why you called yourself Doctor but then I assumed that your people named themselves like that."

"Um…no, not really. I call myself Doctor because I like to help people."

She smiled.

"That's great, I like that."

"Thanks and one of my enemies called himself the Master because that's what he wanted to be in regards to everyone else but no, not everyone on Gallifrey did that. We did have normal names…well, normal for Gallifreyans. And I have a normal name too but I just prefer Doctor."

"Or Sprinkles?"

He laughed.

"Yes, or Sprinkles," he said as she giggled. "There were other people who called themselves by shortened versions of their name like my friend Romana or another enemy I had called the Rani."

"Bro mentioned Rani. She was a mad scientist Time Lady?"

He nodded.

"Yes and I love that he has told you some things since you know what I'm talking about but I really wish he would have kept personal things like my age to himself."

She smiled.

"Well, I won't tell people you're three hundred years older than you actually are," she said.

"Thank you. I know I sound vain but if you've lived as long as I have you tend to start doing that because 900 sounds a hell of a lot better than 1200."

"Yeah, I can understand that, definitely. And…you know, you can lie and who's gonna know it since you don't age or anything."

"Exactly. But getting back to my point, if your dad thinks traveling is hard at his age, try it at mine."

They looked over when Rose entered the room. She walked over to the Doctor and put her hands on his shoulders while she addressed him and Rain.

"We're gonna go out tonight for that kuidore thing.

The Doctor craned his neck up at her.

"What's that?" he said.

"We saw it on a travel program. I guess back during Samurai times merchants lived here and they weren't allowed to spend their money on anything except food and drink and amusements so Osaka is sort of the food and entertainment capital of Japan. They have this thing called kuidore where you go restaurant hopping and eat as much as you can until you just drop."

"Well, count me in then!" he said as Rain laughed.

"We wanted to do it because we thought it would be a fun way to sample Japanese food and see the nightlife. So we're gonna leave in about two hours when it starts getting dark," she said. "Um, now Rain knows this but originally before we left Alan and I wanted to go stay at a love hotel for a few hours for privacy so you lot can go exploring and we can meet up later when we do that."

"Okay," the Doctor said.

"Also they have these capsule hotels where they have this teeny tiny coffin-like room with a bed and telly in it and we thought it would be fun to stay the night. There's only one problem with that though."

"And the problem is…" the Doctor said.

"If we did, we'd have to split up since the women's floor is separate from the men's."

"But…if everyone sees the Doctor as a woman, he could stay with us," Rain said.

"Yes, but what about Alan?"

The Doctor smiled.

"I have the solution. I have the imager that disguised me as a woman before the voice fixed it permanently. He can wear it around his neck and disguise his voice and pass himself off as a woman."

"Oh, thank God, I'm so glad you have that," she said.

The Doctor got up, went to his rucksack and gave it to her. He briefly explained what to do.

"Thank you, Doctor; I'm glad you had this because we can also stay together in the public baths. We wanted to do that as well."

He sat back down.

"But, there's another thing I need to do when we do go to the baths or any swimming pools. See, they don't allow tattoos because of the Japanese mob here. The Yakuza tattoo their bodies so tattoos are associated with them."

"But you have Gallifreyan writing. It would just look like a design to them."

"I know, Doctor, but they don't care. They wouldn't care if Alan had Stitch on his arm, it's still a tattoo. Now this imager would hide his tattoo, yeah? Even if he did take his shirt off?"

The Doctor nodded.

"Okay, so I'm the only one who has to hide mine and I'm thinking about getting a couple of flesh colored plasters and stick them on my arm. I've read reviews and they don't care if you have them if you can cover them up so no one can see them. Awinita has a tattoo but it's on her lower back and her cozzie will cover that. But, anyway, this was some things we were goin' to do before we left for China."

"Sounds good to me," he said.

"So with the capsule hotel, I was thinking when we check out day after tomorrow, we spend the night there and come back here or find somewhere else. I don't wanna pay for a room here and go spend a night there."

He nodded.

"Um, also with the love hotel, I'll run you off some places you might be able to go to while we're there and I'm sure Imiko knows places as well since her hometown isn't too far away. But we just want a bit of married privacy time."

"I understand completely, Rose. Go ahead and do that and we'll keep ourselves amused," he said.

"These hotels can be rented by the hour so we're not spendin' the night. We'll have a room here or somewhere and we'll just go over there. I guess since it's so crowded in the cities couples go there so they can shag in private without people breathin' over their shoulders. I guess it's a comment on how crowded the cities really are if you have to do that."

"Well, probably 75 percent of Japan is mountainous so they really do have to cram into the cities," the Doctor said.

She nodded.

"I got online out of curiosity and looked at population figures because Tokyo was horribly crowded. London has about 7.56 million people, New York has 16 million and Tokyo has 28 million. It's the most populated city on Earth."

"Jesus!" Rain said. "Yeah, Doctor, the streets were packed there and now I can see why. It was a nightmare trying to walk around everybody."

Rose nodded.

"Osaka has a little over 10 million people so not as bad," she said. "I don't think we'll be going elbow to elbow like we were in Tokyo and actually Beijing has 12 million so Tokyo is a little over double their population. But compared to all of this, London is tiny, yeah?"

"I'll say," Rain said. "It's amazing the sheer number of people in the world."

"Oh this is nothing, you lot keep on growing and growing until the Earth becomes packed to the gills and then you have to spread out across the stars just so you can breathe. Trust me; humans are not only resilient but very fertile. But that won't be for a few centuries, yet."

"How many people were on Gallifrey?" Rain asked.

He thought for a moment.

"Um, at the time of the Time War…my best estimate would probably be a little over 4 billion. We weren't a numerous as you lot but there were a fair amount of us."

He grinned.

"Course we were superior in all ways to you apes," he teased.

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Don't listen. He's just as bad as your brother sometimes," she said as he sniggered.

She squeezed his shoulder.

"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you what we were doing and let Rain know that what we discussed in Tokyo is still on."

"Good because I thought the whole idea of staying in the little coffin hotel would be fun."

She nodded.

"We did want to try to climb up Mount Fuji but unfortunately at the moment there's too much snow and ice and it's too treacherous to do it which upset Alan since he had his heart set on it."

"What about Everest when you get there?" the Doctor said to her. "I know that's probably a long ways off but it's not too bad a climb if you go up with Sherpa guides. You also don't have to go all the way to the top. I didn't."

"Hmm, that might be a possibility. Although, could you handle it, Rain?"

"I think so especially if we do all this camping and walking after we get done in Osaka."

Rose nodded.

"But I'll look that up online here and see what it says. I expect we'll have to wait till spring but I'm sure it'll be warm by the time we get there."

She smiled.

"Well, I'll let you guys get ready for tonight. Just come in the other room when you get ready."

They nodded and she gave the Doctor's shoulder one more squeeze before she headed back into the other room.

"Do you need to get in the shower, Latara?"

"No, I think I'm alright. You can go ahead if you want."

He took an experimental sniff of his armpit.

"I think I'm fine till tonight," he said.

Alan came into the room with an overjoyed look on his face. He walked up to the Doctor.

"God bless the Valeyard!" he said, holding out the imager.

The Doctor laughed.

"And it's not often you'll say somethin' like that," he said.

"Too right. I was so worried about being separated from all of you but thanks to him I don't have to be. Thank you for letting me borrow this."

"No worries, glad I kept it then. Just be sure to adjust it since it's still on Morana setting," he said.

Alan frowned as he studied it.

"Now if I go in the water, it's not gonna short out and electrocute me, is it?"

"I hope not. I wouldn't think so. I think he'd fix it so I could be out in the rain and go take a bath if I needed to."

"Do you still have the disc as well? Just wanna see it out of curiosity."

He nodded and retrieved it from the rucksack. Alan turned the glowing disc over and over in his hands and sat down beside Rain while he studied it.

"This is fiendishly clever," he said glancing at the Doctor. "He must have made it himself because I've never seen anything like it."

"Yes and I think he made the imager as well," the Doctor said.

Alan shook his head.

"Sick bastard. I'll be glad when we no longer have to deal with him. He's been nothin' but trouble since the day he sprang out of the Dark Matrix," he said.

He gave the disc back to the Doctor who put it back in his rucksack.

"How many times have you guys fought him?" Rain asked.

"Several times," the Doctor said, walking back and sitting down. "He's like every other villain I've faced. Every time I think they're defeated, they resurface."

"And he's you guys?"

"He's a dark version of us, yes," Alan said.

"But I still don't understand. If he's you, why is he trying to kill you? Won't that cancel him out?"

"I don't think he was trying to kill us this time so much as take us over," the Doctor said. "He wanted to take Alan and make him a full Time Lord and turn him evil so there'd be two of us. I heard him muttering something about dividing himself in two and entering us, taking us over and destroying our souls until he became us."

Alan shook his head.

"Just like the Master tried to do in your Eighth life," he said.

"Exactly. And he wants Rose. I suspect so he can kill her because he thinks that's gonna make us forget her somehow."

"Over my dead body he will!" Alan said angrily. "He lays one finger on my wife or my family and I'll rip his hand off at the wrist and then I'll throw it in the fire so it can't regenerate. He better stay far away from everyone if he knows what's good for him. And as for forgetting her if he kills her, p'eh, that's about as likely as me marrying a Dalek."

"I don't think he wants Rain and Awinita unless they get in his way or Imiko or Mingxia. They're all inconsequential. It's us and Rose he wants."

He looked at Rain.

"To him you're inconsequential. Not to us," he said.

"But he's not above torturing them if it serves his ultimate purpose which is why I won't let him get a hold of them," he said. "He wants to deal with me, he can. I'm not letting my family be tortured by that maniac."

"Nor will I. I'm not letting anyone fall into his hands. He can deal with me as well."

Alan looked over when Rain put her chin on his shoulder and smiled softly.

"I love that you two get along," she said happily. "I'm so glad."

The two men shared a smile.

"Well, you know, we do have a lot in common," Alan said as the Doctor sniggered.

"Yeah, but you've gotten past what happened and you're friends. I'm glad."

"Well, you know, I don't wanna carry around all this anger and hatred. I told Rose that I didn't want that in my life."

"Nor do I, not anymore," the Doctor said.

"Good, Doctor, I'm glad to hear you say that," Alan said, smiling.

He reached up and patted Rain's cheek while she kept her chin on his shoulder.

"Um, Doctor, you even have swim trunks or something for the baths?" Rain said. "I just realized that you just got this outfit that day we went shopping and that was it."

The Doctor looked down.

"No, I didn't think of it because I didn't know you wanted to do that. But, I should, shouldn't I? Might wanna take a swim when we go out camping."

"In the middle of win…oh wait, you can wear an open coat in Antarctica, never mind," she said as they laughed.

"And the spas too. Rose was looking at one called Spa World in Osaka. They have all sorts of spas plus swimming pools and baths. The reviews were favorable she said. But…if we go, Imiko won't join us."

"Why not?"

"She's afraid of being near water unless she can't see it. That Tokyo Disney we went to before we left, they have a second park with it called Tokyo Sea and that's almost all water rides and she barely got on anything that day. She thought she had to go because we all wanted to but we told her that if we did something she didn't like she could do something else. So she'll be off doing something else when we go to the baths."

They looked over when Awinita came in the room.

"Very interesting talk I've been having with Mingxia in our room. We've been having another cultural exchange. It's pretty fascinating," she said.

She came up behind the Doctor.

"I'm glad we have the inner doors again. I hated having to go out in the hallway whenever I wanted to go into another room."

"Same here," Alan said. "I think in future we should try to always get rooms like this. Especially since there are seven of us now. I don't wanna keep going out and knocking on your doors and waking the other residents up."

Awinita glanced down at the Doctor and with a smile she put her hands on his shoulders and began to knead his muscles.

"Oooo, that's nice," the Doctor said as they laughed. "Keep that up, please."

"Sure thing," she said.

She continued to massage his muscles while she talked to them.

"So…speaking of what I'm doing at the moment. Does this spa thing have a masseur?"

Alan frowned.

"I don't think so. I think it's just baths and swimming pools."

"Who needs a masseur when we have you?" the Doctor said.

"I used to do this for my mom. She'd be tired after work and I'd give her a little massage."

"You're very good."

"Thanks. But seriously, we oughta ask Rose about it. I wouldn't mind getting a massage. Especially after all we've been through and…all the Doctor's been through."

"Hmmm, a day of pamperin'. I could go for that," the Doctor said.

"Yeah, ask your sister to go online and see. That might be something you guys can do while we're at the love hotel."

"You don't wanna get a massage?"

"Nah, I'm fine. Rose and I are more than capable of massaging one another but you guys could go and relax and maybe get something to eat afterwards or go to the cinema or whatever. We just don't want you guys sitting around with nothing to do while we do this."

Rose came into the room and Awinita asked her about her idea.

"I could check. That would be nice for you guys. You could relax and get a bit of pamperin'."

She came up beside her and watched her giving the Doctor a massage.

"How does that feel?" she asked him.

"Goooooooood!" he moaned while they laughed.

They laughed harder when he made the Homer Simpson drooling noise.

"But yes, let me go online and see if I can find something like that if you want to go to it. I'll try to get a combination of things for you lot. But, I came in here because Mingxia and Imiko are ready if you guys are?"

Everyone nodded except the Doctor who shook his head vigorously. Rose grinned.

"Sis, stop now or he'll never move from that spot," she said.

He groaned when she took her hands away.

"Rose, you killjoy, I was enjoyin' that," he said as they laughed.

"Fine, you wanna sit here and not go eat, be my guest."

She smiled when he leapt up.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," she said, nodding.

She turned and everyone followed her out of the room.

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The seven of them sat around a large wooden table in one of the restaurants in Dotonbori. They were having Takoyaki that was cooking in a large cast iron fryer that sat in the center of their table. The little octopus balls were frying in special holes set in the fryer while they turned them with wooden chopsticks.

"How do we know when they're done?" Rain asked the Doctor.

"When they start smoking?" he said as they laughed.

Alan touched one near the center and plucked it out. He bit into it while they watched.

"Tastes alright to me," he said.

All of them plucked out a ball and began to eat them.

"Mmm," the Doctor said.

"You've never had these?" Rain said.

"Never had these but I've had octopus before. This is really good."

"We had them in Tokyo along with some other food," Rain said as they nodded.

"They're not bad, quite a start to the evening," he said, turning a few more with his chopstick. "And I like the idea of us doing the cooking. It makes it more fun that way."

He took a sip of sake and looked at Rain who was drinking tea.

"You don't like sake?" he asked.

"Ick, no, I tried that stuff and it was weird tasting. I'd rather have tea."

"So would I but I haven't had sake in awhile and wanted a cup."

"I'm with sis, I don't like it either," Awinita said, plucking a ball out of the groove. "I'm not a fan of alcohol anyway."

All of them glanced over at a group of Osakan teens who were coming in the door. The two boys and three girls were laughing and joking with one another in Japanese. The Doctor smirked listening to their dirty language and he could tell Imiko heard it also by the way she giggled to herself.

"I'm glad others are havin' fun," Alan said. "This is nice. I like this city better than Tokyo. More of a party town. I like a party, you know."

"Yes, dear, we know you do," Rose said as he nudged her in the ribs.

The Doctor looked at Rain when she tapped his arm.

"Hmm?" he said.

"What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten?"

The Doctor stared at her for a moment and then took a bite of his Takoyaki while he thought. He glanced at Alan.

"If you can think of it, feel free to speak up," he said.

"I don't know, you've eaten some pretty wild things in your time."

"I know, but what would be the wildest since little Rain is so curious to know."

"Not that this would be an appetizing thing to mention but you did eat that fried Norusa feces on Belos Thirteen."

They all made a face.

"I don't think I wanna know what a Norusa is," Rose said. "Just knowing he ate feces is bad enough."

"The chief of the tribe offered it to me as a welcoming gesture. It would have been an insult not to eat it," the Doctor said to her. "Trust me, I didn't stroll into the Belonian village saying, where's that feces I've heard so much about, let me have a bite!"

"What about you, Rose?" Rain asked.

"Oh, I've eaten quite a few gross things in my travels with him and sometimes I was even aware of what I was eating," she said as he snickered. "This git liked to hand something to me and not tell me what it was until I got done eating it."

"Yeah and the funny thing is…you ate it! You never really questioned what it was, you'd eat it. If it was so repulsive, how come you shoved it in your gob, Rose? Don't blame me. I only handed you the food, I didn't pry open your mouth and shove it in."

He winked at her and looked at Rain.

"What about you?"

"That cricket I ate," she said as they laughed.

"Yeah, that would be my answer too," Awinita said.

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After finishing up there they went to find another restaurant. There were so many choices it was overwhelming. The whole area was filled with restaurants and bars and small hole in the wall eateries. They stood there on the neon illuminated pavement and conferred with one another about where to go next.

"They have this pancake thing they mentioned on the Travel Channel but I have no clue where it might be," Alan said.

"Pancake?" the Doctor said.

"Yeah, they shove all these ingredients together and make a large pancake-like thing. We watched the host order an entire breakfast. They threw in eggs, bacon, hash browns and sausage and just smushed it all into a big pancake."

"That is Okonomiyaki, Alan-san," Imiko said.

"Do you know where they serve it?"

"Hai. Many places. It is very popular."

They looked at each other and followed her while she tried to find a place that served it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After a couple of tries they finally found one that served it and went inside. Alan tried the breakfast version while the Doctor had a hamburger, sausage, egg and cheese combo. Rose came up behind Rain and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Do you wanna split one?" she asked her. "I can't eat all that by myself, not if we're gonna be at this for awhile and I'd really like to just sample different things rather than eat one large dish after another."

"Yeah, I'll split it with ya, sis," she said.

She looked at Awinita.

"You wanna split it with us?"

"Yes, I couldn't eat that big mound by myself. There's no way."

They conferred amongst themselves while Mingxia and Imiko banded together to order one. While they did, Rain felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to the Doctor.

"Have you ever had crab meat?" he asked her. "They have crab meat here."

"No, I haven't," she said casting a glance up at the menu that was written entirely in Japanese.

The Doctor stepped back slightly and stood with the three women.

"They have crab," he said as he read, "sushi, soba noodles…"

Mingxia stepped up behind him and listened while he read it off. When he finished, the three women went into another huddle trying to decide what to get. Mingxia and Imiko joined them and they decided to go together and get different things that they could split between them and the two men if they wanted to join in. They decided to get the breakfast Okonomiyaki, some crab meat, a little plate of sushi and some deep fried bean curd called Kitsune Udon along with hot tea. Once the two men's meals were finished, they went up and Rose ordered for them.

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Once they were finished there, the women were full and all of them decided to walk it off. They came upon the kuidore clown, an animatronic Japanese man standing outside one of the restaurants that was dressed in a red and white striped clown outfit with blue trim on the collar and the bottom of the sleep cap he was wearing. He was wearing black round spectacles and slowly beating a snare drum while a big bass drum was attached to his back and a sash with Japanese writing was draped across his body. They laughed when the Doctor told them the writing said, "Eat until you are dead." They knew from the Travel Channel program that it was a famous landmark and Rose took their picture in front of it just as many others were doing. Then they walked on. Some of the buildings had amusing things that Rose took pictures of. One crab place had a gargantuan red crab that was mounted above the door and spanned the entire front of the restaurant. Another window had a robotic octopus that was sitting behind a Takoyaki fryer and was grilling little balls while he prodded them with the chopstick. What was disturbing to them was the balls were cut in half and they could see tiny versions of the octopus sitting inside them while the balls spun around and around in the holes.

"Um, isn't this cannibalism?" Alan said as they laughed. "The octopus is cooking little baby octopuses, how creepy can you get?"

They moved on.

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Five minutes later, they were passing by another restaurant when the Doctor suddenly grabbed Rain's arm.

"What is it?" she said.

He grinned and gestured to the restaurant beside him.

"Alan, they have fugu here," he said with an evil grin."Care to press your luck?"

"Fugu? What's fugu?" Rain said.

"It's blowfish, sis," Rose said. "And if it isn't cooked properly it can poison and kill ya."

Her eyes widened.

"Are you serious?"

She looked at the Doctor.

"Come on, be adventurous," he said, winking. "I'll go first. Then if I die, you can watch me regenerate."

"Um, I don't know."

"Come on, Te'lesu, you have to have a license in order to prepare it because you have to know what you're doing. If the chef in here kept cocking it up and killing everyone he'd be out of business and probably in jail. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Come on, we'll split it three ways," he said. "Unless you lot wanna join in?"

"Not me," Rose said.

"Why? Are you scared?" Alan said.

"No, I'm full. I can't eat any more. I know it's probably safe but if I eat any more, I'm gonna vomit. If sis wants to join ya, she can. I've had my fill of kuidore for tonight."

The others nodded except for Rain. Both men looked at her expectantly.

"Okay, I'll try some," she said hesitantly.

"Yes!" both of them said in unison.

Rain was taken aback when she heard her brother in stereo. They grinned and glanced at each other.

"What's the matter, Rain? Did we scare you?" they said in perfect sync.

"Okay, that's freaky," Rain said as the other women bent over laughing.

"What's freaky, Rain?" they said in sync.

They giggled and embraced her. Both of them took her hands and the others followed them into the restaurant.

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"Now guys, don't do the whole I'm dying joke and scare us or we'll all throttle ya!" Rose said after the Doctor ordered for them. "I don't want my sister havin' a heart attack because she thinks her brother and best mate just got poisoned when they really didn't"

"We won't," the Doctor said.

"We promise," Alan added.

"How can you eat it if it's poisoned?" she asked the Doctor.

"It's only the liver that's toxic. Everything else you can eat," he said. "Like Alan said, you have to be licensed to prepare it. Most of the people who get poisoned are people who just catch the fish in streams and then try to cook it themselves. You have to be extremely careful getting the liver out but if you do it properly there's no danger of being poisoned. Just relax. I'll go first since I can regenerate if something does happen."

They looked over when a waiter served all of them hot tea and walked away.

"Have you ever had this, Imiko?" Mingxia asked.

She shook her head.

"Could not afford it, it is expensive," she said.

"Yeah, I noticed. I'm glad you have money, Doctor."

"I have more than enough for this little treat. The Valeyard has been quite generous. I've never had the meat and I like to seize these rare opportunities when I can."

After about twenty minutes, the waiter brought out the dish and sat it in front of them. The meat was raw and cut into paper thin slices that were arranged artistically with garnish in the shape of flowers. A little bowl of soy, chive and bitter orange sauce was set beside it and after thanking the waiter, he bowed and walked away. They watched the Doctor while he picked up a slice, dipped it in the sauce and popped it in his mouth.

"Mmm, this is good," he said, swallowing.

His eyes widened when he noticed everyone's eyes were boring into him.

"I'm not gonna die," he said as they laughed.

Alan was next. He took a slice, dipped it in the sauce and ate it.

"Yeah, you're right, this is really delicate, very sublime," he said. "It certainly is worth the price."

He smiled.

"Te'lesu, your turn," he said.

Rain picked up a slice, dipped it in the sauce and after a moment's hesitation put it in her mouth.

"Mmm, it is good," she said.

The other women looked at each other and each of them tried a slice. They all nodded in agreement that it was good and helped them finish off the rest.


	168. Chapter 168

Chapter One Hundred Sixty Eight

"That was so fun," Rain said, getting under the covers of their bed.

The Doctor who had just gotten out of the shower smiled, waited till she was settled and stretched out beside her.

"Yes it was. I like Osaka. I like the whole sod it all and have a good time while you're alive attitude the people have here. I loved the food too. And thank you so much for trying the fugu with me and your brother."

"I liked it too. It was really good."

"They say that people get addicted to it. I can see why," he replied. "But blimey, it was expensive. I guess you pay for the skill involved in making it. Still it's one more thing I can tick off my list of things I'd like to do in my lives."

"And now we get our birthdays tomorrow."

He laughed.

"Yup, my first ever birthday party. I can tick that off too since I spent my first ever Christmas dinner with Rose and her family right after I regenerated."

"Isn't that odd for you?"

"Is what odd, Latara?"

"Changing your whole body? After you do it, isn't it weird looking in the mirror and seeing a different face staring back at you?"

He thought.

"I guess in a way it is but it's a part of my culture and it's what all my people did so it's not as big a shock as you might imagine."

"Can you pick what you'll look like?"

"I can pick sex and species and to an extent age but I can't pick my appearance. If I did, I'd be ginger."

"Why would you wanna be Ginger when you've already been Morana?" she said.

"You are so cheeky," he said as she giggled. "I like that about you. I think this brilliant sense of humor is coming out now that you're away from certain people."

"Well, you're easy to joke with like my bro. Which I guess is obvious since he's your clone but I feel so comfortable around you and him."

"Good, I'm glad. I want you to feel comfortable and I know he does as well. Not all men are bastards who pick on you because you're have an I.Q. that's far higher than pond scum. Believe it or not there are decent men out there."

"Yeah, they come from outer space."

She laughed when he gave her arm a playful slap.

"I hope Universal Studios is just as fun as Tokyo Disney."

"Can't be worse than Rip-off Disney."

She giggled.

"That's true."

She sighed.

"I wish you could have seen Tokyo Disney. It was fun."

"Well, you know, I have money. Maybe when we get to Tokyo I can take you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Rose said we were allowed to go off on our own if we wanted and I can pay for you. If we're gonna be doing a lot of walking between here and there it'll be a nice treat to reward us for actually getting to Tokyo without collapsing."

"I'd love to, Doctor. I'd love to show you the rides. It was wonderful. All of it."

He smiled at that.

"Bro was upset though because they have this new roller coaster at the Florida one called Expedition Everest that has this huge robot Yeti in the middle of this mountain. He loved it. He said the Yeti was awesome. I wish they had it here because it sounded so cool when he described it."

He nodded.

"Well, if I get my TARDIS, maybe I can take you there to see it," he said.

"I'd love to."

He smiled at that.

"I can't wait to go camping too. I really can't. That'll be neat."

"I'm so glad you're enjoying yourself, Rain."

"I'm glad you are too, Doctor."

He saw her looking past him and turned his head to see Rose coming into the room.

"I have a request," she said.

"Yes?"

"Alan and I need you to come with us and I was wondering if you would take a walk with us for a couple of hours since you don't sleep."

"Um…sure, just let me say goodnight to Rain."

"Okay, when you get done, meet us in the other room."

She smiled at Rain.

"Good night, sweetheart."

"Good night, sis, I'll see in the morning."

"Yup, for your birthday."

The Doctor's hearts swelled when he saw the smile on her face. Rose walked over, gave her a hug and kissed her cheek and then exited the room.

Once she was gone, the Doctor suddenly decided to be bold and seized an opportunity.

"Can I give you a kiss goodnight too?" he asked as nonchalantly as he could.

His hearts leapt when she nodded. He sat up and leaned over. He was only planning to give her a peck on the cheek but he was pleased when she turned her head up and puckered her lips. He kissed her lips and felt his hearts race as he tasted how soft and sweet and warm they were. He longed to just linger there but he quickly pulled away and smiled as he laid his hand against her cheek.

"Goodnight, Latara."

"Goodnight, Doctor. I'll see you in the morning."

He nodded and gave her a quick hug and another quick peck on the cheek. Then as she turned and settled in, he rose up from the bed feeling like he was walking on air. He entered the other room and noticed everyone was assembled and dressed warmly in their jackets. Rose beckoned him over.

"Is she goin' to sleep?" she whispered.

He nodded.

"All of us wanna go out and get her presents for her birthday and we want you to come with us."

He grinned.

"Course," he said.

"We only said it was Alan and me in case she was nervous staying here by herself but all of us are gonna run down to the department store and get some presents for her."

He nodded.

"Okay, mates, let's get goin' so we can get back in time to get enough sleep for tomorrow," she said.

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All of them managed to get Rain some gifts including the Doctor who found her a few things he thought she might like in addition to a deep blue shimmering crystal teardrop pendant that he wanted to give her after he confessed his feelings to her. Even though it was a teardrop he preferred to think of it as a raindrop instead. He quickly went up to the front and secretly paid for it before he put it in his trouser pocket and went back to shopping.

Once everyone had made their purchases they hurried back and checked on her. To their relief, they noticed she was fast asleep and all of them sat by the bed in Rose and Alan's room while they wrapped her gifts. A half hour later they were done and everyone went off to bed except for Alan and Rose who grabbed a little stuffed black and white cat and an envelope that had a birthday card in it. They followed the Doctor into their room and tiptoed over to Rain. She was lying on her back fast asleep and they gently placed the cat on her stomach and placed the card in front of it so she would see it when she awoke. Once that was done, they hurried around the bed while the Doctor sat down and untied his trainers. He noticed Alan going out the door and thought Rose was behind him when he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Rose was standing there holding an identical envelope out to him.

"Happy birthday, Doctor," she whispered.

"Thank you," he whispered back, taking the card from her.

She gave him a peck on the top of the head.

"Good night," she said.

"Good night, Rose."

She went back into her room while the Doctor laid his card on the bed beside him and took off his shoes. He arranged them by the bed and looked behind him. Satisfied that Rain was asleep, he took his card and very slowly eased down onto his back. He looked at Rose's writing on the front of the envelope.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOCTOR.

He smiled and turned it around. Carefully he opened it up and pulled out a card. It was yellow with two little Japanese boys walking hand in hand. His eyes widened when he read the Japanese above it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY BROTHER.

He grinned, opened the card and his eyes widened when twenty 100 Yen bank notes and a folded up note fell out onto his stomach. He glanced at the Japanese sentiment in the card.

MY BROTHER,

THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES IN OUR LIVES WHEN WE DIDN'T GET ALONG.  
BUT MY LOVE FOR YOU HAS ALWAYS BEEN STRONG.  
AND AS YOU CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR.  
JUST REMEMBER MY BROTHER THAT I'LL ALWAYS BE HERE.

His eyes misted over when he saw Rose and Alan's signatures under it. He picked up the note and unfolded it. He noticed there were two separate notes on the page, one from each of them. He read Rose's note at the top.

Doctor,

I just wanted to jot you a quick note and wish you a very happy birthday, your very first. I want to tell you how glad I am that you're here with us and not under the Valeyard's control. I hate that you were captured but at least you're where you can be happy and have some protection and the love of family and friends. I'm also glad whoever this mysterious voice is that speaks to you and Rain is looking after you as well. You have always meant so much to me and I'm so glad that you still want to be mates with me even after all that's happened. I hope you know that everyone here is just as much your family as they are mine and we all love and care for you deeply. Thank you so much for being Rain's friend and taking care of her along with the rest of us. I know it's selfish but I hope you travel with us for the rest of this journey or at least for awhile since I and everyone else here enjoy your company.

Please know that you are dear to me and I will enjoy watching you heal from all that's happened to you just like Alan was healed during this journey. May this be the first of many happy birthdays for you and the start of a happier life than you've ever had in all ten lives.

Sincerely,

Rose.

The Doctor smiled at that. His eyes went down to Alan's letter.

Doctor,

I also wanted to echo everything that Rose has written above me and how happy I am that you're safe and away from that bastard. I know that one day you must face him but I also hope that is far off since this is what you need right now. You need to heal just as I've healed and now you have the love of family and friends to help you do it.

Having said that, I want to offer you a very special birthday present. The Yen was Rose's idea but I want to do for you what I did with Awinita and have Rose conduct the bonding ceremony between us so we can truly become brothers at last. I do care for you, Doctor and I would like nothing more than for us to stop being Doctor and clone and become true brothers. And now I have moved to the bathroom to write this because Rose is crying with joy at what I've written because she and everyone else wants it just as badly as I do. Rain and Awinita want you to be their brother as well and since Donna is related to me genetically she would also become your sister once she is restored to us. So, my brother, this is my birthday present to you. I offer you the family that the universe has blessed me with and the love and support and laughter and joy they bring. Know now that you are no longer the last of your kind because there is me and even though I'm half Time Lord I am a Time Lord nonetheless and will become a full one eventually once I get access to the chameleon arch. There is no need for you to look to those like the Master for the love you crave since idiots like that will never love you in return but here I am and here we are and in addition to the four of us you have Imiko and Mingxia who wish to be your lifelong friends and Rain's family in Arizona who will also accept you as they've accepted me. This is my simple gift to you, Te'lesau, and I hope sincerely you will accept it and become my lifelong pal and identical twin brother.

Wishing you all the best and the happiest of birthdays now and to come,

Alan.

The Doctor laid the note down and wiped the tears off his cheeks.

"I accept, my brother," he murmured to himself. "I accept you with all my hearts, now and forever."

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For two hours he laid there holding the note and the card against his hearts thanking the universe and the protector over and over for this enormous gift that had been given him. Where he once saw Alan as a curse now he saw him as a cherished blessing and the Valeyard as the unwitting participant that had reunited them. For once, the universe was on his side and now he was no longer alone. The past few days had been filled with more laughter and love and friendship than he had ever known in all his lives and he found himself opening his closed off hearts more and more with each passing minute until he felt as though he was about to burst open with love and joy. He looked at the woman he loved sleeping beside him and knew that her love would complete the picture. He still wanted to be with her even if Alan did bond with him. It would be awkward telling the others but he knew he couldn't live without her anymore. She had imprinted herself on his hearts the way Rose had and even if he was Alan's sister and by extension his, he still wanted to make an exception and think of her as his lover instead.

_But how will I tell her tomorrow?_ He thought. _My family will want to spend time with us. I don't think I could get us away long enough for me to confess. _

Just then, he noticed Rain stirring and he knew she was getting up to go to the bathroom.

_Now,_ he thought_. I will tell her now while everyone is asleep. That way I can be sure we're not interrupted. _

He grinned while he watched Rain open her eyes and stare at the gifts in shock. She looked at him.

"Did you do this?" she whispered.

"No, Alan and Rose did."

She looked at the stuffed cat.

"Awwww, I like it," she said.

The Doctor watched her lovingly while she held it to her chest for a moment. Then laying it aside, she opened the card. She gasped when the same twenty 100 Yen bills fell out of her card. He saw her frown in confusion and she turned over on her stomach and handed him the card.

"It's in Japanese; can you tell me what it says?"

He nodded and looked at the front. On the front of the white card was a young Japanese girl strolling down a lane wearing a white kimono with cranes all over it, a red obi sash around her waist and sandals on her feet. She was holding an open paper parasol in her right hand, shielding her head from the sun and smiling happily. The Doctor pointed to the caption above her.

"Happy birthday, my sister," he whispered to her.

He opened it up and read her the sentiment.

"To my sister on her birthday. You are everything I have ever wanted and I will always love and cherish you. I am so glad you're in my life and I hope we'll have many more happy years together. Happy Birthday and everyone's signed it, except for me since I didn't know they did this, sorry."

"Awwww," she said. "Thanks for reading it for me."

He nodded. She laid the card and the cat on the bedside table and got up to use the bathroom. While she was in there, the Doctor sent out a mental request to the protector to shield their voices so they could have privacy.

_It is done, Doctor,_ the voice said in his head.

He laid there, his hearts thudding in his chest while he waited for her to emerge. Finally, he heard the toilet flush and a few minutes later; Rain came out with a huge smile on her face.

"I'm so glad they did that for me," she said sliding under the covers. "I love the cat and the card."

He smiled.

"They got me a card as well."

"Can I see it?"

"Can I speak to you first before I show you?"

"Sure."

She bent her arm and put it under her head while she waited for him to speak.

"I've asked the voice to mute our conversation because I want you to hear this in private," he said.

Rain gave him a confused look but said nothing. The Doctor took a deep breath steadying his nerves.

"Latara, I just want to say first off that these past few days have been wonderful and you have been absolutely stellar and a wonderful, wonderful friend and I treasure every moment I've spent with you."

She grinned.

"Me too, Doctor. You've been the same way."

He smiled.

"Good. I'm glad you feel that way because there's more. You see, I know that you know I loved your sister dearly and once upon a time she and I were lovers."

She nodded.

"But…circumstances kept tearing us apart. The first time it happened it was cruel fate that separated us and the second time…it was me. I brought her here and left her with your brother and thought it would be the best thing for her because I thought at the time that I couldn't give her the love and support she needed and deserved. That's why I left her with Alan and what has happened between them has exceeded all my expectations. I am just so thrilled that they have made a life for themselves and got married and now have a beautiful family who they love and love them in return."

Rain smiled and nodded.

"For the longest time, I regretted my decision and wished I hadn't left her here, especially after Donna was lost to me. I was all alone and my hearts were aching and I'm ashamed to admit that I blamed poor Alan for taking her from me and taking Donna since it was her touching his jar that put the Time Lord consciousness inside her. I was filled with so much anger and bitterness because of everything the universe had done to me and…I was an idiot, a stupid fool who let his anger and bitterness consume him until I finally fell prey to the Valeyard and the darkness he represents. I became his slave but in actuality I was already a slave to my own dark feelings and had been for quite some time."

He paused and laid a hand against her cheek when he noticed the tears about to fall.

"But all that has changed. Whoever this benefactor is has given me a second chance that was long overdue and this time I intend to hold onto it with both hands and never let go."

Rain smiled at that.

"I'm glad, Doctor. I'm so glad," she said as a tear fell down her cheek.

"But there's more, Latara, you were also instrumental in healing me and showing me that there was happiness for me. And…"

He paused and took a deep breath.

"What is it, Doctor?"

He took her hand.

"I have fallen in love with you, my sweet Latara."

He paused and let her take it in.

"Me?" she finally said as she stared at him in disbelief.

"Yes. I didn't think it was possible but I found someone to love again and I do, I love you so much."

"But…why me?"

He frowned.

"Why not you?" he said.

"I…I'm nothing special."

"No, that's not true, my Latara."

"But…why would you want me?"

He stared at her sadly as he scooted close to her.

"Why wouldn't you think I'd want you?" he asked, cupping her face with his hands.

The tears began to fall down her face.

"Because you're wonderful and I'm not worthy of you. I mean, you're the Doctor and I've heard all these stories about you from bro. you're a legend, why would you want me? I'm nothing."

The Doctor's hearts ached and he shook his head.

"I love you, my hearts. Being a so-called legend doesn't enter into it. I'm not a god on some pedestal somewhere that everyone must fall down and worship, including you. I know I'm not human but I'm still a man, only a man and you are just as worthy of mine or anyone else's love as anyone else in the universe. If I wanted a fawning goddess, there are a hundred different planets I could have gone to get one but I don't want that. I want you and only you, my sweet little Rain. I love you just as you are. I know that you have never really known love like this but I want to change that. I want to be with you for however long that may be since I'm not mortal like your brother is. But I don't care anymore if I do outlive you, I want you by my side for the rest of your life and I swear I won't make the same mistakes I made with Rose. I will never abandon you or deceive you or treat you like dirt. Those days are gone forever. Please, my Latara, don't look at me as some emotionless mythical being that's completely inaccessible. See me as I am now, your best mate that you've been clowning around with for the past few days and taken care of and watched over. You weren't afraid to be around me then so don't be afraid to be around me now. Please, let me love you. Let this be my birthday gift to you."

Rain wept quietly and the Doctor embraced her and held her close.

"I do want you. Please love me, please," she begged.

The Doctor's hearts nearly stopped from the joy that flooded his mind and body. He held her close, raining kisses down on her cheeks, willing them to stop now and forever. He didn't want her to ever cry tears of sadness again. He held her tightly until she calmed down enough that he could give her the other gift. He shifted slightly while Rain watched and pulled the teardrop necklace out. Rain gasped.

"For you," he whispered.

He kissed her cheeks when the tears started again and soothed her with words of love. Once she was calmed down again she lifted her hair and he put the necklace around her and fastened it.

"This has been quite a night, eh?" he teased.

She smiled and nodded.

"Are you going to tell my brother?"

"I don't know if I should. I don't know how he'll take it especially after what I did to Rose."

"No, don't do this, Doctor. Let them know so you don't have to skulk around hiding this from them. He won't mind. I'm an adult. I have the right to love you if I want. I know he's my brother but I can still consider him that and love you too. I don't want to have to sneak around. I want what he and Rose have and the freedom to love you openly if I want. Please I'll tell bro so you don't have to face him. I'll tell him you've changed and you won't hurt me, not ever. Please?"

The Doctor nodded and held her close.

"Can I ask you something, Latara? Do you love me just as much as I love you?"

She nodded and let out a sobbing laugh.

"I think I loved you before I even met you in person. I listened to bro's stories and just thought how wonderful you must be but I just never imagined…I mean…"

"Shhh, I do love you. I love you deeply and you are more than worthy of that love. I'll help you become the beautiful woman you were meant to be and in time these feelings of worthlessness will fade and vanish just like they did with Rose. Rose was the same way in the beginning, trust me and now look at her. But please remember that, Latara. You have the right to love me and be loved in return, no matter what anyone past or present says about that."

She nodded and he gave her one more hug and kissed her cheek. They lay together for a few minutes, the Doctor holding her against his chest silently loving the feel of her warm body against his colder one. She shifted slightly trying to find a comfortable position and he adjusted so she could be more comfortable. He held her close giving her time to process what has just happened and let it sink in. Just knowing that she was near and knowing she loved him was enough for the moment. He smiled knowing this was the capper to a fantastic day, evening and night. When she calmed down, he rolled with her onto his back so he can show her the card and note. He lay with his head on his pillow while Rain hovered over him, her left hand over his right heart. He read the Japanese on the card and she squealed with delight at the brother reference. Then with a smile, he showed her the letter and watched quietly while she read it silently. He held her again when she began to weep knowing that soon Alan would make him his brother. They lay together for several more minutes before they finally rose, put the cards, letter and money on the table by the cat and both of them crawled back under the covers. Not caring if her family saw them now, he turned on his side and brought her close letting her cuddle against him while he held her protectively. He watched with love and devotion while his beloved let out a contented sigh and drifted off to sleep in his arms.


	169. Chapter 169

Chapter One Hundred Sixty Nine

The Doctor waited until he figured it was nearly time for everyone to get up before he decided to get up and get a shower so Rain could have some hot water. He nuzzled her head and kissed it, whispering endearments in English and Gallifreyan to his sleeping lover before he walked away from her. He slowly got up, grabbed his rucksack and headed to the bathroom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By the time he got out, Rain was up and putting her share of the money in the front of her rucksack. The Doctor smiled and walked over to her. She stood and put his arms around him while they embraced.

"Let me talk to Rose like I did when you revealed yourself. She can help us out like the last time," she said.

He nodded and kissed her on the lips, grateful that he no longer had to hide his feelings from her.

"Shower will probably be ready in a few minutes. I got out maybe fifteen minutes ago so it should be warmed up again."

She nodded and hugged him once more before she took her rucksack and went into the bathroom. The Doctor grabbed his card and money and put it in his rucksack. His hearts felt lighter than they had in a long time and he was looking forward to spending a wonderful afternoon riding the rides with his girlfriend.

By the time Rain got out he could hear Rose and Alan in the other room. Rain glanced at the open door and walked over to him. She kissed him gently on the cheek.

"I'll get Rose," she said.

"He nodded and gave her hand a squeeze before she walked into the other room. He sat there watching the open door praying they would accept what had happened.

A moment later, Rain entered with Rose behind him. She smiled at him.

"Happy birthday," she said to him.

"Thank you. Thank you for the card and the money. And I accept. I want Alan as my brother."

Rose put a hand over her mouth trying to hold back the tears.

"Oh God, I'm so glad. Let me go get him so he can hear it himself."

"Wait, Rose, we want to tell you something first."

"Yes?"

The Doctor glanced at Rain.

"Sis, could you sit down for a moment?"

She nodded and the Doctor scooted over and let her sit near the headboard.

"Something else happened last night, sis. Something wonderful," Rain said softly.

"Yeah? What else wonderful happened?"

The Doctor scooted to the edge of the bed so Rain could sit down beside her. She took her hands.

"The Doctor told me that he loves me and wants me to be his sweetheart."

Rose stared at her with shock but the shock quickly became joy when the words sank in. She looked at the Doctor.

"You love her?"

"I love her with all my hearts. I've fallen in love with her and I want her to be with me for the rest of her life."

Rose put her hand over her mouth when the tears threatened to fall again.

"Oh Rain; I'm so happy for you. You couldn't have asked for a better man, you really couldn't have. Oh God, this is wonderful. First Alan wants you to be his brother and now this."

"But will Alan be angry? Because the Doctor's worried that he'll think he might abandon me."

"And I won't, Rose. I won't hurt her. I've did some horrible things to you and I'm so, so sorry I did them and I won't make that mistake with her. I want her with me no matter what and I want her to come with me back to my TARDIS. When I defeat the Valeyard, I'll have my TARDIS copy his void crosser and if Alan takes over that TARDIS we'll both have them and we can cross over and see one another any time we want. I'll modify your mobile again and give her one and I swear the moment you wanna see her or she wants to see you I will stop everything and take her to you wherever you are."

Rose was weeping now. She embraced her sister.

"I know you won't hurt her, Doctor. I know things are different now and you aren't that way anymore and I'm just sooooo happy for you, sis. If there was anyone I'd want falling in love with you, it'd be him. And don't worry, sweetheart, Alan won't be angry at this. You'll always be his sister and you have the right to be in this relationship. In fact, he'll be chuffed the Doctor did find someone to love and isn't pining away for me forever more."

She hugged her tightly and then hugged the Doctor.

"Look what he got me, Rose."

She showed her the necklace.

"Oh God, that's gorgeous. I love it."

She took her sister's hand.

"Come on, we'll tell Alan together. Doctor, wait here a moment, yeah? We'll be right back."

The Doctor waited nervously. First he heard everyone cheering and he figured she had told him he had accepted him as a brother. Then it grew deathly quiet and his hearts pounded in his chest. He could hear both Rain and Rose but they were speaking so low that he couldn't make out what they were saying even with his enhanced hearing.

Then he saw Alan enter the room. He walked over to the bed and sat down beside him.

"Do you truly love her?" he said.

"I do, with all my hearts."

"And you will never abandon her?"

"Never, I would die before I did that."

"Then you have my blessing and believe me I am glad for this even though I know you were nervous about telling me. But you and I both love her more than anything and both of us know that she needs a lot of love in her life and I'm glad that you're the one who will be there for her and protect her. I also don't mind her going with you since that is her decision, not mine. But I am glad you will take the void crosser and put it in your TARDIS since you also need to see us, not just her. And I am so glad you want to be my brother. That yell you heard was everyone else when Rose told us and the reason you don't hear anything after that is everyone is weeping with joy over both things because all of us love Rain dearly and want the best for her just as you wanted the best for Rose. Now, come in the other room and join your family. We wanna do the bonding ceremony so we can get ready to go to Universal Studios."

The Doctor grinned and he and his brother embraced and hugged one another before they got up and went into the other room. Once they saw them everyone let out a cheer and ran to hug him and congratulate them on gaining a brother, a lover and a family all in the same night. He took Rain's hand and kissed her lips while everyone cheered for them.

Then he and his brother sat in front of the bed while Rose read from the ceremony that she had kept stored in the front of her rucksack. Everyone stood around them weeping while the two of them pledged to be brothers forever. After they were finished, Alan had a thought and called Awinita to him. He asked her to go through the same thing with the Doctor and Rose repeated it again binding them together. After they were done, the Doctor embraced his sister.

"I won't do it with Rain since she is your lover but I would like to do the ceremony with Rain and I, Rose, since I've never bonded with her like I have with Awinita."

Rose nodded and they got up so that Alan and Rain could go through it. After they were done, the two of them embraced and Alan kissed her cheek.

"Now it's official, Te'lesu, you are truly my sister and I'm so glad that my brother loves you."

He gave her another kiss and she stood up and took the Doctor's hand while Alan and Rose got up.

"Wow, this has been one hell of an emotional mornin' so far," he said as they laughed. "I think now's the time to dry these tears with some rides and celebrate my brother and sister's birthdays. So everyone get what you need and let's get goin'"

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As they rode the bus over, the mood was even happier than it had been before. Everyone was so excited and laughing causing some of the other riders to cast odd looks on the weird, noisy gaijin but they didn't care, they were all happy and looking forward to the day. Awinita tapped the Doctor on the shoulder and he turned to look at her.

"So, I guess you're big bro then since you're older than me," she said.

"Yup and I guess you're little sis or I could call you Te'lesu as well."

"I'd love that," she said, ruffling his hair.

Mingxia who was sitting beside her, smiled.

"I'm so happy for you both, "she said as Imiko nodded in the seat beside them.

"Thanks and I would love to remain friends with you, and you," he said to both of them.

"Definitely," she said as Rain turned and looked back at her.

"I would love that too, Doctor-san," Imiko said.

Rain looked beyond them to Alan and Rose who were smiling at them.

"Sis, when we get to Tokyo, the Doctor and I want to go back to Tokyo Disney for one day. I was talking about how wonderful it was and he's offered to pay for me."

"Oho, a date, eh?" Alan said as they laughed. "But seriously, that's fine. The rest of us will be passed out in our rooms but you can go if you want."

Imiko pulled the cord when she saw their stop and all of them got off the bus.

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"Oh yeah, much better," Alan said, looking around at the interior of the park.

They looked at the Doctor and Rain.

"So, any thoughts about where you wanna go?" Rose said.

"Somewhere nice and dark so they can snog, most likely."

They laughed when Rose shot Alan a look.

"What? That's what I would have done," he said.

"Doctor, tell your brother to belt up," Rose said.

"Belt up, brother!" he said as they laughed.

Both couples took each other's hands as they headed further into the park.

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"Oh, cruel fate, how thou dost mock us!" Alan said as they stared at a life sized model of the delorean sitting just outside the Back to the Future Ride. "A time machine and it doesn't even work. We just can't win for losin'"

Rose had all of them stand in front of it and she took a picture.

"Hey," Alan said, when he was finished, "I guess we're gonna have to get the family photo updated now."

"Family photo?" the Doctor said.

Rose reached into her pocket and pulled a little red wallet out. She took out the picture they had taken of them in Phoenix and showed it to him.

"Oh wow, this is wonderful," the Doctor said. "You all look great."

"You can have that one. I've got another," she said to him.

"Brilliant, thanks," he said, putting it in his pocket.

He took Rain's hand and they all walked over to the queue for Back to the Future.

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When it came time to go on the Jurassic Park river ride, Imiko headed off to take in a quick show. They arranged for them to meet her by a nearby bench before getting into the queue.

They slowly walked along as the line inched forward. The Doctor had his arm around Rain's shoulder while he watched the boats going down a long log flume hill that ended with a huge splash. He hugged Rain close to him while he continued to watch.

"Oh…barf."

They looked at Awinita who was in front of the Doctor with Mingxia. She looked back at them.

"Look at this," she said, pointing to a tree a couple of feet in front of them. Alan and Rose came up and looked around the Doctor and Rain while she pointed. The tree's bark was covered with used wads of chewing gum, some of them so old the color had faded.

"Ugh!" Alan said. "How tacky can you get?"

"Yeah and we're the ones who have to stand here and look at it," Awinita said while Mingxia nodded in agreement.

"Well, hopefully Te'lesu the queue will move again and we can all get past it quickly," he said.

"Makes me glad we're not eating," the Doctor said.

"Exactly," Alan replied. "I guess maybe people put that stuff up there faster than they could get it down and now they've given up on it."

They finally moved up several feet and both Awinita and Mingxia breathed a sigh of relief when they walked past it. But they felt sorry for the others who were still stuck looking at it. To avoid doing that, the two couples faced each other and talked waiting for them to get past it. Eventually the line moved again and Alan gestured to it before they turned and finally walked past the tree.

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The women were laughing hysterically at Alan and his brother while they went through the ride. They managed to get into a boat by themselves which was good since both men were hamming it up for the ladies. Occasionally a dinosaur would either pop up out of the water or pop out of the shadows to menace them and they were screaming and pointing at them with wide eyes and exaggerated movements. They were also quoting lines from the movie.

They rounded a corner and saw a herd of animatronic Dilophasaurus staring at them while they chirped and tilted their heads inquisitively.

"Look it's the little friendly dino that isn't friendly cause it spits poison goo at your eyes when you're legging it out of the park," Alan said as they laughed.

Suddenly the frills came up around their heads and they hissed at them.

"Incoming! Poison gloppy goo at twelve o' clock! "Alan said. "Run for the loo! It's the safest place! Ask the solicitor!"

"Or don't ask him because the front half's gone!" the Doctor yelled.

"Oh yeah, my bad! Sorry, can't ask him, run for the hills or trees or giant electric zappy fences! Mind the sudden current though or you're hair will look like a koosh ball!" Alan yelled back.

By now the women were laughing so hard their sides were aching.

They looked up when a Brachiosaurus leaned his head down.

"Prehistoric moo cow with a cold!" Alan screamed as he pointed up. "Watch out for flying dino bogeys!"

"You guys are gonna get us ejected from the park if you don't calm the hell down," Rose said breathlessly while they laughed.

They rounded another bend and saw the T-Rex standing there roaring at them.

"Don't move, its vision is based on movement!" the Doctor yelled, pointing at it.

They women laughed when both men froze and stared it with bulging eyes.

"Um, why are we still moving?" Alan said looking around him while they roared with laughter.

"Damn it, the boat is still going!" the Doctor replied. "The fools, haven't they seen the movie? Stop the boat before we end up in its stomach with the solicitor!"

It passed by him and the track curved again and up ahead they saw a couple of raptors peering at them though a fake forest.

"Don't move, their vision is based on…oh wait, these are raptors, sorry," Alan said while they split their sides laughing.

The Doctor looked back behind him.

"Hey, Rexy, come and kill these raptors! That's what you're good for, isn't it? Savin' the humans at the last minute?"

"We're not humans though," Alan said. "You're not and I'm not all the way, what 'bout us?"

The Doctor scratched his chin.

"Got it, we go get frill boy's blue goo and chuck it at the raptors. Then Coldasaurus can sneeze all over them and they'll get his dino germs and die!""

"Brilliant! I'll go fetch the goo, you blow pepper in Bronty boys face," Alan said. "Working together, we might just have a fighting chance."

"You know, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to get these two to accept one another," Rose said as the women laughed.

They rounded another corner and saw the final drop up ahead. Both men grabbed their women while Awinita and Mingxia braced themselves. As they neared, the T-Rex's head came down by the exit and roared at them.

"Don't move!" Alan said as they reached the drop. "Its vision is based on moooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooovemeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeent!"

They yelled as the boat sped down the hill and hit the bottom in a spray of water. Rain gasped as cold water hit her face and the Doctor laughed as he hugged her close to him. They rounded a bend and headed towards the station.

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Imiko hadn't returned so they waited by the bench for her. Three of the women sat together while Alan and his brother and Mingxia went to get them some drinks from a nearby stand. They returned five minutes later and passed them out. Mingxia sat down while the two men sipped their drinks and looked around trying to find Imiko. Rose pulled a park map out of her pocket and studied it.

"They have an E.T. ride and they have Jaws but I'm sure these two will get hyper again on that one," she said.

"Hey, we're havin' a good day, the both of us," Alan said. "I got a brother; he got a girlfriend and a family. It's their birthday, we're celebrating."

"Rain, love, they have Wicked, the musical, they have a show based on that."

"I wanna see that. I'd love to see it."

"We did see it in Chicago," Awinita said. "It's awesome."

"Hmm, they have several different Wizard of Oz things, maybe that's why they have it here," Rose said.

They looked over when two people dressed as Snoopy and Woodstock walked by. They stopped and waved to them while they waved back.

"Doctor, you and Rain go and stand with them so I can get a picture," Rose said.

The Doctor smiled and held out his hand. Rain set her drink down along with him and took it. They walked over to the costumed performers and stood in between them with their hands on each other's backs while she took a picture. While she did that, Imiko walked up.

"Hey, what'd you do?" Alan said.

"Went to a show called Toto and Friends, it was cute," she said. "You have fun on the ride?"

"A little too much fun," Rose said as the two men sniggered.

They waved at Snoopy and Woodstock who moved on.

"Right, let's go see this Wicked show then," Alan said to them.

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They had gone through half the day exploring the park. They had gone on the E.T. Ride, a Spider-Man roller coaster; they went on the Jaws ride while Imiko went to another show and they went on another coaster called Snoopy's Great Race. After seeing all that, they decided to break for lunch and headed to Snoopy's Backlot Café. The interior was filled with Snoopy and Peanuts memorabilia and all of them had burgers and chips while they talked and Rose studied the park map.

"They have a Backdraft stunt show. We could go see that," Rose said. "And Terminator in 3D. Other than that, I think we've covered most of the adult things. Seems like a lot of stuff is for kids. But I think after a few more things it'll be time to leave. Any other ideas for things we could do for their birthdays?"

"There aren't any birthday places in Japan?" Alan said. "Restaurants like the Chuck-E-Cheese or somewhere where they could get a cake or something."

Rose shrugged.

"I haven't seen anything online yet," she said. "We could get a cake though and actually, we need to stop somewhere so the Doctor can get some swim trunks. If we do that then perhaps we can go swimming later in the pool."

"If we do, you better get plasters too in case they also frown on tattoos at the hotel," Alan said to her.

She nodded.

"Yeah, that's gonna be a headache and I hate coverin' up my tattoo like I'm ashamed of it, which I'm not but anything to allow me to swim with all of ya," she said.

She glanced at Imiko and winced.

"Oh! But then again…"

"No, Rose-san, you can swim. I want to rest anyway," Imiko said, holding up her hand.

"You sure?"

"Hai, go ahead and swim."

"Can I ask you something, Imiko?" the Doctor said.

"Hai, Doctor-san."

"Not to be rude but when did this fear of water start? Have you always had it?"

"No. When I was 4, I was swimming with my father and I went under the water and drowned and died for two minutes and that is why I hate the water."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I'm glad you survived," the Doctor said.

"Me too, Doctor-san."

They went back to eating and talking and when they were finally done they left the building and went on to the Terminator show.

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After finishing with the park, they headed back to the hotel on the bus. Rain leaned her head on the Doctor's shoulder. He had his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder while he listened to Awinita and Mingxia talking. He glanced at her and smiled when he saw the love in her eyes. He laid his head against hers for a moment silently thanking the universe that she was his.

They took the bus past the hotel and stopped at the department store. They went inside and the Doctor led Rain to the men's department to find some swim trunks or shorts he could wear while the rest of them tried to find a cake.

"Do you have a swimming costume, love?" he asked her.

"Yeah, it's in my backpack."

"Good. Help me pick out a color for my swim trunks then."

They managed to find them on some shelves and looked through the choices.

"You said you like blue or brown, right?"

He nodded. She looked and noticed some navy blue swim shorts. She held them up.

"Perfect. But this is a tad too big. Wait a tic."

He squatted down and looked through them, checking the tags. He smiled when he found one in his size and gave his lover a triumphant look.

"Good, now I can join you in the baths and swimming pools."

"I hope sis and bro can cover up their tattoos."

"Well, I think the imager will cover up Alan's and I'm pretty sure it's waterproof but Rose will have to get waterproof plasters so they don't fall off while she's swimming."

He shook his head.

"I know it's a cultural thing but surely they don't think there are Japanese mafia members who are tattooing their bodies with Disney characters," he said. "That's goin a bit overboard, I think."

He sighed.

"But while we're in the country we have to play by the rules no matter how strange they may seem."

He grinned.

"Bet my brother and his wife is regretting those tattoos now, eh?" he said as she laughed.

He took her hand and they headed up front to pay for the item.


	170. Chapter 170

Chapter One Hundred Seventy

After getting back to the hotel, they decided to take a swim so Rose could test out the plasters and Alan could test out the imager. The Doctor stood with him in Alan and Rose's room along with everyone else and explained how to adjust it and what the different settings were. He turned it on and immediately his body was covered by the Morana hologram. Rose sighed.

"Great! Now I have to look at this instead of my husband," she said.

The Doctor helped him adjust it until he looked like a young woman in her early twenties with straight blonde hair that reached down to the middle of her back, dark green eyes and a heart shaped face. He looked down at his dainty hands.

"This is bizarre," he said.

"Yes and be careful who you touch because everyone will be able to feel your real hands. That's why I kept my hands to myself the first night and when you went to shake hands with me, I made you bow."

"I wondered about that but I just figured it was a cultural thing so I didn't question it."

He walked over to Rose and took her hand.

"Yup, I can feel your hands," she said.

He cleared his throat and tried out a female voice. He used an Irish accent and everyone nodded their approval.

"Okay," he said in his normal voice. "Now I need a name."

"You mean, an Irish name?" Rose asked.

He shrugged.

"Sure, whatever sounds good, Irish or otherwise."

"How about Bridget?" the Doctor said.

Alan nodded.

"Okay, Bridget will work."

All the girls giggled.

"Hi, Bridget!" they said in unison as they waved to him.

"Hello there!" he replied in his feminine voice. "I'm your new traveling companion."

Rose shook her head.

"This is gettin' more bizarre by the minute," she said. "Well, let me get my cozzy on and see if the plasters will cover my tattoo."

She went in the bathroom and emerged a moment later wearing a black one piece swimsuit. She rolled her eyes and grinned when everyone hooted and hollered and wolf whistled at her.

"Now stop that," she said to them.

She sat on their bed and opened the box of plasters. Alan came over and helped her stick them on. It took three large plasters to completely cover up the tattoo. Rose stared at it and shook her head.

"It looks ridiculous but I guess it'll have to do," she said. "I just hope they stay on there."

She looked up when she felt the Doctor take her left arm and she noticed him looking at her scars with a sad look on his face.

"Yeah, I got those as a little souvenir from the Jersey Devil," she said.

"I'm glad Alan was able to save you," he said.

"Yeah, me too."

"Well, you know the technology the Valeyard used to repair the incision from my surgery? The same technology will fix these scars and heal your arm so it'll be as good as new and Alan's leg as well."

"Oh, thank God, I was worried about explainin' this to mum. She still doesn't know what happened."

"Because she'd kill Alan?" the Doctor said.

"Yes, more than likely," she said while Alan rolled his eyes.

"We do get along now though," Alan said. "We finally came to an understandin' of sorts."

"That's good," he said to him. "Especially since you're married to her daughter."

He made a face.

"Ugh, having Jackie Tyler as your mother in law, you poor man."

"Don't remind me," Alan said as Rose swatted the Doctor's arm.

Alan had a thought.

"Listen, I don't know how long you'll be with us. I hope it's all the way to London but even so, when we get married again, would you please be my best man? I really need one."

He smiled.

"I'd be honored, my brother," he said as everyone cheered.

Alan hugged him.

"Also…when we kick the Valeyard's butt, which we most certainly will, we can use the void crosser to not only go get Donna but all our friends as well and bring them back here. We want everyone we know from both universes to be there."

The Doctor nodded.

"Plus, Rain's father and sister want to come. And speaking of, sis, you better give him a call and let him know what's happened with you and the Doctor."

"I will later on tonight," she replied as the Doctor rubbed her back.

"And another thing I was thinking of…" Alan added. "And this is for both our TARDISes…but if we have void crossers, why limit ourselves to this universe and the other? We could cross any void safely and I think it'd be fun to pop into one of the other realities like Rose did and do comparisons. Besides I'm sure the other universes might need a helpin' hand from time to time."

"That's brilliant," the Doctor said. "The possibilities are endless that way. I like the idea of seeing what else is out there in other universes."

"So…do you lot wanna go down and swim awhile so Imiko can have a bit of a rest and get away from our insanity for awhile?"

They nodded and everyone went to their respective rooms to change.

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Rain looked at the Doctor while all of them went down in the lift to the ground floor. He was dressed in his swim shorts and had one of the hotel towels slung over his shoulder.

"Doctor?"

He smiled at her.

"Hmm?"

"If people are seeing you as a girl, they will see you in a bathing suit, won't they and not your swim trunks?"

He glanced down at them.

"Blimey, I hope so," he said as they laughed. "I don't wanna be arrested for indecent exposure."

He looked over at "Bridget" and began to giggle.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Alan said in his normal voice as the Doctor patted his shoulder.

The lift doors opened and they stepped out into the lobby. The Doctor froze when the people behind the front desk looked their way but they only smiled and bowed at them.

"Do you need to know where the swimming pool is?" a lady asked.

They nodded and she pointed to a door on the other side of the lobby. They thanked her and went through it. They went down a short corridor to another door and opened it. They entered a large room that held an Olympic sized pool with a Jacuzzi in the corner.

"Well, I guess it worked," the Doctor said. "Either that or they don't care if women come in here topless."

Alan hesitated a moment and then walked over to the pool. He put his towel on a nearby deck chair, went to the edge, got down on his hands and knees and slowly lowered the imager into the water while everyone watched nervously. He paused when it was just over the water and then lowered it in. He breathed a sigh of relief along with everyone else when nothing happened.

"Good," he said, standing back up.

Everyone else put their towels on the deck chairs beside Alan's. The two couples decided to use the Jacuzzi first while Awinita and Mingxia went for a swim. The Doctor and Alan let them go in first and the Doctor followed while Alan walked over to the wall and turned a dial, setting the timer and turning on the water jets. The Jacuzzi began to bubble and froth began to form while Alan walked around and went down the steps into the hot, soothing water. He sat down beside Rose and sighed as he put his arm around her and let the hot water soothe his body.

"How's the plasters holdin' up?" he asked his wife.

She checked them.

"So far, so good," she said.

"Good, because look..." Alan said pointing to a sign affixed to the wall behind them.

They looked at it. It was the rules for the pool room written in Japanese on one side and English on the other and halfway down the English version of the list they read…

NO TATTOOS OF ANY KIND.

"Good, I'm glad I thought to cover mine up then," Rose said. "And I'm glad that imager covers yours so we can make the plasters last longer."

They smiled at Rain when she cuddled next to the Doctor and he put his arm around her.

"You two do make a cute couple," Rose said. "I'm glad you're together."

The Doctor nodded and kissed Rain's head while she laughed softly.

Alan looked over at Mingxia and Awinita who holding on to the side of the pool while they talked to each other.

"I'm glad those two became friends too," he said, gesturing to them. "Mingxia's a really nice woman."

"It's too bad she works for UNIT so she can't come with us past China," Rain said.

"I know but we will invite her to the wedding. I think she'd kill us if we didn't," Alan said.

"When you get the TARDIS, can you take her for a ride somewhere? Just as thanks for doing this?" Rain asked.

Alan looked at his wife.

"I think that's doable," he said as she nodded.

He looked at his brother.

"Just one trip, you know!" he said as the Doctor laughed.

"Yes, just one trip, that's how it always starts out!" the Doctor replied.

"What do you mean?" Rain asked.

They explained about Martha.

"Oh!" she said when they finished. "Okay. Well yes, if you put it that way, I guess it does just start out with one trip then and leads to more."

Alan brushed away some froth that was beginning to bunch up around them. He suddenly had another thought.

"You know, I don't know if you're gonna be teaching Rain anything about the TARDIS. But if there is me and Rose and Awinita in our TARDIS and you and Rain and Donna in yours, that makes six. When we get together we could all pilot the TARDIS and give you and me a rest."

The Doctor's eyes widened.

"Yeah, we could, couldn't we? That's a brilliant idea. I think Rain is smart enough to grasp TARDIS travel and the various controls."

"Really?" she said.

"Sure, I was trying to teach Donna. Teach being the operative word since she kept sassing me and telling me that my controls were rubbish, but she learned a little and you can as well and even with three people at the helm, it would be a lot smoother ride and a lot less taxing on me."

Alan nodded.

"Just have them each take a section of the console and teach them the controls there and have them man that section so you don't have to run all around it and I can do the same with my family."

Rain and Rose shared a grin at that.

"Then say…we wanna see Rain, we land on the moon as an example and you land on top of us and take our TARDIS into yours so ours will be carried with yours wherever you go. That way you don't have to go back to the moon or wherever, we can just leave wherever we are."

"Can the TARDIS do that?" Rose asked him. "I know it can land on people since it did that to me but we can put our TARDIS in his TARDIS?"

"Oh yeah, that's easy. It would be the same for ours if we picked him up. It's just like landing in Jackie's flat. His TARDIS would be sitting in our console room and they could go in and out of it like normal. That actually happened to the TARDIS a long time ago. The Master's TARDIS materialized inside the Doctor's TARDIS. So there's nothing to it. All we'd have to do is come over the void or he comes over here, we call each other and arrange a meeting place, turn the shields off and the TARDIS lands on top of the other one. Put the shields back up and off we go on a hunt for adventure."

Alan glanced over at his sister and Mingxia who were still hanging onto the side of the pool talking.

"Oi! You're in a swimmin' pool, not a chattin' pool! Shut up and swim!" he said as everyone laughed.

Awinita turned and flipped him off while Mingxia laughed.

"Flip me off, will ya?: he said, getting up and sprinting out of the Jacuzzi. "I'll show you what happens to disrespectful sisters!"

Both girls screamed and tried to swim away as he jumped in behind them. He let out a yell when the cold water hit his warmed skin but he quickly dove under the water while they tried to swim to the other side. Everyone laughed when he came up behind her and seized her body, tickling her furiously while Awinita howled with laughter. He let up after thirty seconds and swam back towards the side. Reaching it, he pushed himself up and out and went back to the Jacuzzi.

"Sorry about that, I hated to do that but cruel to be kind and all," he said as they laughed.

He sighed and settled back down beside Rose while he pushed his wet hair to the side of his forehead. A few minutes later, Awinita and Mingxia walked over towards them.

"Te'lesu, before you get in can you walk over to the dial and turn it back to the beginning so we can stay in without having to worry about it shutting off?" Alan asked.

She nodded and walked over to the wall. She turned the dial back before joining them in the hot, frothy water.

"Love," Rose said to Alan, "I wanna tell ya this before I forget. I told the Doctor about wanting to go up Fuji and he suggested Everest instead when we get there."

"I figured that would work since Nepal is right between China and India so if you were planning on going to India, it would be on the way," the Doctor said.

Alan thought and nodded.

"And I'm sure by the time we got down there It'd be warm enough to climb," he said. "Perhaps we could practice a bit on other mountains here in Japan and China to build up the stamina since I know it's arduous in some spots even if you do go with the tours. Rain got up Camelback Mountain, but only just, and I think we all need to build up our stamina so we don't collapse a quarter of the way up."

"Not to mention the oxygen will thin out the higher up we go so there's that concern as well," the Doctor added.

"And the yeti," Rain said innocently.

The two men snickered and the Doctor patted her shoulder.

"Yes, we have to beware of the yeti but if we come across them we'll throw Rose at em before we run away," the Doctor teased.

"Oi!" she said as they laughed.

"I told him about you going on that Expedition Everest ride," Rain said to her brother.

He smiled.

"That was brilliant. Big animatronic yeti tries to snatch the cars at the end. They don't have it at Tokyo Disney which is a shame because it was my favorite ride at Disneyworld. But it was brand new so hopefully they'll build it here as well."

"I told Rain I'd take her when I got the TARDIS so I could see it for myself," he said.

"It was clever. Mind you, there are clever things at Tokyo Disney but nothing like that. I'm talking about a massive yeti that just hung off the mountain and swung its arm down towards us and tried to grab us while it roared. It was a great example of human ingenuity."

"Did you ever tell them about the yeti we know about?"

He nodded.

"Oh yeah, I did mention it after riding that because…I think Rain was the one who asked me if you'd ever seen any real ones."

The Doctor looked at Rain and shook his head.

"Not real ones, just robotic ones," he said to her. "I heard the stories about the real ones from Sherpas who claimed to have seen them from afar. Perhaps when we go up Everest we can coax one of them to tell us if he has had a sighting."

"Just as long as they don't attack me," Rose said as they laughed.

"Or me, I've had enough of big furry beasties with huge claws wanting me to die," he said while Rose nodded in agreement. "So, what's on the agenda for tomorrow while most of us are here?"

Rose thought.

"How 'bout we go to that love hotel tomorrow and let them go to the spa and perhaps a movie or something. We can stay for awhile and relax and they can relax too and go eat or see a movie and then after we get back we can check out and go to the capsule hotel for the night."

"Sounds good to me," he said as everyone nodded.

"I'll try to get a package deal that has different things so you get a bit more than just a massage," she said. "And you two can think of it as another birthday present as well."

"Thanks, Rose," the Doctor and Rain said.

She nodded.

"After that, we'll have to see what there is. I can check for other things but eventually I would like to get going on our camping trip since I'm lookin' forward to that."

They nodded.

"I know we wanna do the baths and maybe we can do that after we leave the capsule hotel. But I wanna check and see if there are other things that look interesting before we leave Osaka. Also, I do think we should get an updated family photo with the Doctor in it, don't you guys?"

The Doctor beamed when they all nodded.

"You are family now so you need to be in the picture with us. Only problem is you'll show up as Morana, won't you?" she asked.

"Did he show up as Morana when you took the picture of him and Rain earlier?" Alan asked.

"I could see him but that's because I can see him all the time. I guess I'll download it to my photo folder and print off a picture of it and see if he shows up there. If not, perhaps your benefactor can fix it so you will show up in the photo because I really do want you both in one picture."

The two brothers smiled and nodded. Alan thought for a moment.

"Te'lesau, I have a question. Is the Valeyard blocking your mind from mine? Because I sensed your mind on the beach and I can't anymore."

He nodded.

"He's done something to mask it just like he's masking his mind. I have no idea what he did but it irritates me to no end."

"What do you mean?" Rain asked.

"Time Lords and Ladies can sense one another's minds and speak to each other telepathically. Now as close as he is, I oughta pick up his mind with no problem but the Valeyard's done something to block it because he was trying to hide my presence from him. Now, like he said, we sensed each other's minds. In fact, I sensed him from the moment he drew breath which is why I didn't freak out when it appeared the TARDIS had "died." I didn't know exactly what had happened in there but I could sense a Time Lord in the TARDIS and did sort of guess at the metacrisis thing. I didn't let on that I knew the TARDIS had escaped because the Daleks were there but if she had truly died, I would have felt that too. I could tell that the TARDIS was dematerializing on screen and I heard it dematerializing. I've been with the old girl long enough to know what it looks and sounds like when she vanishes. Granted, I didn't know you would come back to try to rescue us but I knew Donna and the TARDIS were safe."

"So, that was all a show for the Daleks like when you pretended Jack was dead?" Rose said.

He nodded.

"Even yelling at Caan about his role in Donna's death was a ruse designed to make Davros think I had really lost my TARDIS. You know me, Rose; I know how to manipulate and lie to people if I really want to."

She nodded.

"I can't feel my TARDIS at the moment because she's back over the void but normally I can, Rain, along with any Time Lords and Ladies that are in the same universe. Unless they do something to block or mask it like the Valeyard and the Master did."

"So, what does it feel like? You can read his mind?"

He shook his head.

"I can't read his mind. I can communicate with him if he projects his thoughts into my mind and vice versa but I just can't stand here and tell you what he's thinking at any given moment and he can't do that with me. It's hard to explain but it's just a sense that he's alive and conscious and I can sense his mind being active. Um…It's kinda like…white noise in the background, just a very pleasant humming that tells me that he's conscious. When my people were alive I could sense them all, but again it was just one big massive humming in the back of my mind. If I wanted to communicate with someone specific I simply brought their mind to the forefront of my consciousness and concentrated on it then once I was done I would push it back into the mass. I'm not sure if you can do that right now, Alan, perhaps you can only sense my presence at the moment. If idiot boy up there wasn't blocking us we could test it to be sure, but we can't. But that's how it works, Rain, in simplistic terms."

"Wow, cool. Can you do that with anyone or just Time Lords?"

"Um, I could in theory connect your mind to mine and we could sense each other but that's as far as it would go, there would be no telepathy because your mind isn't strong enough."

"Could you do that though? Connect me?"

"Go ahead, bro. I think it would be nice to have that sensation in your mind," Alan said. "At least you'd have something until you could reconnect with me and the TARDIS."

He nodded.

"Okay, I assume you know how the whole entering the mind works since Alan's blocked your mind before."

"Yes."

"Okay, well, it's the same concept except I'm gonna go in and plug my mind into yours and yours into mine. It won't hurt at all so just stay still while I concentrate."

Everyone watched and smiled as they shifted to face each other.

"Okay, in a few minutes you'll feel a humming, buzzing sensation in the back of your mind. That's just my mind so don't be alarmed," he said.

He cleared his throat and brought his fingers up to her temples while he closed his eyes.

"Can you do that with Rose?" Awinita asked Alan.

"I don't think so, I don't think my mind is strong enough right now," he said."You need a lot of mental dexterity to go in and make the connections and my mind isn't capable of that. It's far more complicated than just setting up mental blocks."

"That sucks."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Alan said as Rose nodded in agreement. "But eventually it will be remedied along with everything else and then I'll do this with Rose."

"But if he could sense everyone on his planet and they all died at once…" Rose said, her heart in her throat.

"Over four billion people's minds screaming inside his mind and then…nothing, nothing at all, "Alan said grimly.

"Jesus…" Awinita said, her heart aching for her brother.

If the Doctor heard that, he didn't say anything since he was too busy concentrating on connecting with Rain. Rain, meanwhile, slowly felt the humming the Doctor was talking about. It was barely noticeable at first and then it became stronger and she began to sense her lover's conscious mind. Like he described, it was a pleasant sensation, not only because he was alive but she could sense the love he had for her and she was thankful that she had thought to ask him to do this. She was disappointed that she wouldn't be able to speak to him through the link but feeling him was enough and she knew if they needed privacy the voice would provide it.

After another fifteen minutes, the Doctor opened his eyes and took his fingers away.

"Done," he said. "No offense but it's tricky doing that to a human. I'm don't mean any disrespect but your mind isn't as advanced as mine and I had to build a few neural pathways in your brain while I was doing it just so you really could feel me. Is it working though?"

"Yes, I can feel your mind. I love it."

"Yup, same here."

They applauded and cheered when the two of them embraced and kissed.

"There ya go, Te'lesau, now you have one mind comforting ya," Alan said.

He nodded and smiled and let out a low whistle while he settled back against the wall with Rain so he could rest from performing the complicated task. Rain sat there loving the feel of his mind in her own, it was such a wonderful sensation and she knew now without a doubt that he loved her because she could sense that too. She had a thought and looked at him.

"What happens if you get knocked out or something like that?"

"You'll know it because the humming will suddenly cut out when my mind becomes unconscious and I'll feel the same for you. Same for your death. I will know when you die because there will be no more mind to sense."

"So what they were just saying. I could hear…"

"Yes, I heard them talking as well and yes, I almost lost my marbles right then and there after the last person's mind ceased to function. It's like…being in the middle of a buzzing active beehive and then suddenly you're in the middle of the void with nothing around you. It's why I was the way I was, Rose when you first met me."

Rose reached out through the water and squeezed his hand. He squeezed it back and smiled.

"And if we can shut off whatever the Valeyard's done to us, I will feel my brother without any effort just because that's the way Gallifreyan minds are made. It won't require me plugging in like I just did with Rain."

"And the TARDIS too?" Awinita said.

He nodded.

"Yes, I can feel her all the time. That was my one comfort after I lost everyone else and I wasn't faking that when I felt her screaming in pain in the core of the crucible. That was for real because all TARDISes are living, sentient beings that can feel and have emotions, same as us, and they do bond to their owners and by extension, mine bonds with my companions. That's why I hope to God the Valeyard doesn't find out her role in helping us because he will torture her and she will feel every agonizing moment of it."

Rain swallowed hard thinking how horrible it must be for the Doctor to sense his ship's anguish and torment along with other people's distress. She drew nearer to him and he smiled at her. When he did that, the loving feeling in her mind flared up momentarily, doubling in intensity before it settled back down into the continuous feeling of being loved and cherished by the man she loved in return. She frowned and tried to concentrate on his mind forcefully sending all the love and affection she could muster up towards the Doctor. She knew it worked when she saw his eyes widen with delight and he chuckled and gazed at her proudly while he gave her arm an affectionate rub.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After they got back to their rooms, they all laid down for about an hour before it was time for their mini birthday party. Everyone made themselves look presentable again and gathered in Rose and Alan's room to celebrate the twin birthdays. They had brought a large white sheet cake that had red roses all over it and HAPPY BIRTHDAY written with green frosting. Rose opened the lid and put the candles on while Alan brought out half pints of chocolate and vanilla ice cream and Awinita set out three 2 liter bottles of Coke, Sprite and Mountain Dew. Everyone had brought in their plates, bowls, glasses and cutlery from their camping equipment since they didn't want to buy a bunch of paper plates and plastic cutlery that they couldn't carry with them. The Doctor and Rain sat side by side on the bed waiting while they got everything ready.

Finally they were ready and Rose used her matches to light the candles while Alan turned off the lights. By this time the sun had gone down and the pitch black room was bathed in a soft glow from the candles.

"Now, we were thinkin' about getting 1200 candles for the Doctor but then we though nah, bit too impractical and expensive and we didn't want a bleedin' bonfire in here," Rose said as they laughed hysterically.

The Doctor held Rain's hand and walked over to the table while everyone sang Happy Birthday to them. At the end of the song they looked at each other and blew out the ten candles together while everyone cheered and clapped. Alan turned the lights back on and they all hugged them and wished them well. Rose cut the cake and gave them the first two pieces. Both of them took some chocolate ice cream and the Doctor poured himself some Coke while Rain got some Mountain Dew. After they were done and back on the bed the others took their turns getting their share. They sat around them eating the cake and ice cream and chatting and laughing with each other.

After they got two helpings of cake and ice cream apiece, they washed up their cutlery, bowls and plates and topped up their sodas while everyone brought the presents out from their closet and put them in front of Rain. Lastly, Rose reached in and brought out a huge white bag from the department store and handed it to the Doctor.

"We got this stuff while you were shoppin' for your swim trunks. We figured it wouldn't be right for you not to get presents too," she said.

"You didn't have to. I have a family and Rain, that's more than enough birthday present for me."

"I know, but we wanted to do this for ya."

"Thank you," he said.

He looked at Rain.

"You wanna go first?" he asked.

She nodded and looked at the presents. She chose a small one from Rose and Alan and opened it while the Doctor watched. She gasped when she saw it was a light blue IPod.

"There, now you can ignore my brother anytime you want," Alan said as they laughed.

She noticed something else was taped to the back of the box and smiled when she saw it was an ITunes gift card for 3000 yen.

"That'll get you started downloading songs," Rose said.

"Oh my God, thanks Rose and Alan. I've always wanted one."

"Well, we figured you can lie in your pup tent and enjoy some music while No Sleep For Me Ever Doctor just lies there and leers at ya," Alan said as they laughed.

She set that down and looked through her gifts before choosing one from Mingxia. She opened it and her mouth dropped open when she saw it was a pink Nintendo DS.

"Oh my God, I wanted this too!" she said.

"Well, I was also trying to get you something you can use while we're camping and luckily I have a lot of money saved up from working at UNIT because I think they would frown on me charging something like that to them," she said as everyone giggled.

Rain gave her a hug.

"Thanks so much, Mingxia."

"You're welcome, honey, happy birthday," she said.

She set it aside and picked up one from Awinita. She opened it up and grinned when she saw it was four games for her DS.

"Well, you can't just sit and stare at it, gotta have games," she said to her.

She looked through the games. She had gotten her Age of Empires, Sim City, Monopoly and Crosswords DS."

"Now we were talking and we got you games that the Doctor could play too since I'm sure he'll be bored at times and want to play it," Rose said.

Rain smiled at him.

"Yes, everything except the crossword one sounds good," he said. "That one would be too easy for me."

"Just don't let him take it and run away and hide it where you'll never find it," Alan said to her. "And don't let him bully you when you play Age of Empires telling ya that you're screwing up the time lines."

The Doctor laughed.

"Oh yes, I'm sure whatever she does in the game I'll have to go and fix to prevent a universe shattering paradox," he said, rubbing Rain's back.

Rain set them aside, thanked her sister and picked up one from Imiko. She opened it and laughed when she saw four more games.

"Wow, you're gonna be set for awhile," the Doctor said.

They looked through them. They were Zoo Tycoon 2, Roller Coaster Tycoon, The Sims and Namco Museum which had classic arcade games like Pac-Man, Galaga and Dig Dug among others.

"I got that because Alan-san likes Pac-Man and I figure Doctor-san will like it too," Imiko said as they laughed.

"Oh yes, I'll definitely be hogging this game system, no question," the Doctor said with a twinkle in his eyes.

She gave Imiko a hug and thanked her. She picked up a present from Rose and opened it. She gasped when she saw it was the Twilight novel.

"Oh God, I've been wanting to read this, Rose," she said.

"Good, I'm glad."

She hugged her and gave Rain a kiss on the cheek while she thanked her. She set it aside and picked up the last present from Alan. She opened it and gasped when she pulled out a necklace with a purple butterfly pendant.

"There, I finally got you a piece of jewelry since I've gotten all my other women necklaces."

"I love it! Thanks, bro."

Alan hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek.

"Did you show him what the Doctor got ya?" Rose asked.

"Oh! No, I didn't."

She pulled out her necklace and showed it to them.

"Wow! That's beautiful," Awinita said.

"That's gorgeous, it suits you perfectly. So now you have two necklaces," Alan said, "one each from the men in your life."

Rain nodded. The Doctor took it and put it on her while she held up her hair. Once it was fastened, she lowered her hair and put both necklaces under her shirt. She looked at the Doctor's bag as he brought it up to his lap.

"Now these aren't wrapped because we didn't have time to do it," Rose said.

"Eh, more wrapping paper just makes more rubbish. It's the gifts that count.

He reached in and pulled out a black IPod with a 3000 Yen gift card.

"Damn it, I wanted to hog yours," he said to Rain as everyone laughed.

He thanked them and set it beside him. He reached in and pulled out a wooden yo-yo.

"Oh yes, I miss my other one," he said.

"You like yo-yos?" Rain said.

"Love em! I can do all sorts of tricks but I'll show you later. For the moment…"

He laid it beside the IPod and reached in. he laughed when he pulled out a large bag of peanut M&Ms.

"And this is much appreciated as well," he said as Alan and Rose snickered. "The contents will find a nice little home in my stomach and Rain's stomach as well."

He reached in and pulled out a 5000 yen gift card for Hankyu Department Store where they'd been shopping.

"That's all over Japan, not just in Osaka," Rose said. "They'll have one in Tokyo and other cities so you don't have to spend it now."

"Thank you so much," he said, laying it aside.

He reached in and pulled out the last gift. An orange. He stared at it in confusion and looked at Rose.

"But isn't that always the way, you get right down to the bottom and there's always one stupid Satsuma, who wants a Satsuma anyway?" she said with a grin.

He laughed hysterically, threw the orange up and caught it with one hand. He explained the joke to everyone else and thanked Rose and Alan for all the gifts.

"And if I see any Sycorax about, I'll be sure to use this little bugger," he said, pointing to it.

"I'm just glad you grabbed it last, otherwise the joke wouldn't have worked," Rose said.

Both of them thanked their friends and family and accepted their hugs and kisses. Afterwards, they put all their gifts in the Doctor's bag and had another round of cake and ice cream.


	171. Chapter 171

Chapter One Hundred Seventy One

The Doctor and Rain lay side by side on their stomachs on their bed reading the instructions for the IPod. She also wanted to read the instructions for the DS but wanted to start with the IPod since the Doctor had one too. She had explained a little bit about using the gift card online and promised to download a song so he would know what to do. He had given her a kiss for that, much to her delight. The Doctor sighed softly sensing his beloved's content and happy state of mind. He was so glad she had thought to do it. He loved feeling another living being's consciousness in his own mind again, especially someone he loved so much. Rain finished with the page she was on. She knew the Doctor had finished long before her so she turned it and they read the next bit.

"Oh crap!"

They jerked their heads towards the connecting door when they heard Rose's voice followed by Alan asking her what was wrong.

"C'mere, hon," Rose said with a sigh. "We may have a problem."

Rain looked at the Doctor.

"What problem?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Latara."

They heard Rose speaking in a barely audible voice followed by Alan's loud cursing.

"Rose?" Rain called out. "What's going on?"

A moment later, Rose came in their room.

"We might have a problem concernin' the baths," she said, kneeling down beside her.

"What problem?" Rain asked.

Rose sighed.

"Rain, I was looking at a website about the baths in general because I wanted to see what the etiquette was so we wouldn't insult anyone. And I found something I hadn't found before and it's no big deal to me but it might embarrass ya."

Both of them frowned.

"Embarrass her?" the Doctor said.

"Doctor, they require everyone to be naked when they enter the baths."

They stared at her.

"We can't wear bathing suits?" Rain said in disbelief.

"Not in the baths, sis. In the swimming pools, they require a swimming costume but it's the norm to go starkers in the bath area because the Japanese consider the bath to be the social leveler where, you know, an executive can bathe naked with a plumber and be equal, that sort of thing. We'd be in the women's section with a bunch of naked women and Alan would be disguised, but the Doctor…"

Rain suddenly realized what she was getting at.

"Rain, love," Rose continued, "gettin' naked with Alan is no big deal to me. I've seen him naked and he's seen me naked but you and the Doctor only decided to be a couple last night and we don't want you doin' anything that'll make you uncomfortable."

"Same here. Latara. If you don't feel comfortable we can go swim where they'll let us keep our kit on, okay?" the Doctor said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I don't want you to see me naked if you don't feel ready for it. The last thing I want is for you to be embarrassed around me."

"Everyone's naked? Completely naked?"

She nodded.

"They give you a towel you can wear over your private parts until you get in but the water is clear and if you're next to the Doctor you could look down and see his bits clearly and they said that most of the time in same sex baths people don't even bother with the towels, they just walk around not caring who sees them. The site said that they don't judge anyone there, not even foreigners, because the point is to have a communal experience and meet and talk with others. I don't think anyone will care if you're a naked foreigner, Rain. I'm just concerned you will be looking at the Doctor naked before you're ready to do that. That why I got upset."

Rain looked at Alan who had come into the room.

"Rain, they have the swimming pool so you could do that at least," Alan said. "But yes, we don't want you doing it if you're scared or self-conscious. Not just him, but you as well and even if it is women, it's still a bunch of naked strangers."

"But they don't judge you?"

"Not accordin' to the site. Everyone is naked so no one looks at anyone else and makes fun of em. No one will care and I know we won't either but like I said, this is a new thing between you and the Doctor and you need to go at your own pace and not rush into things you don't feel like doing yet."

"What about you?" Rain asked the Doctor.

"I can do either one, Rain. I'm not self-conscious about being naked and I won't be looking at any woman but you but I won't put you through that if you're not ready, so it's your call, love."

"Can I think about it?"

Rose shrugged.

"Sure, hon. I just want you to be aware of it so you won't step inside and be shocked by all the naked people. And I am gonna tell the others too because now we'll have to hide Awinita's tattoo since she won't be wearin' anythin' if she goes in. And, like I said, you won't see your brother naked because he'll be wearin' the imager so he'll look like a naked woman but the Doctor won't. But just think about it, sweetheart. We're not gonna do it until the day after tomorrow and even then you could always go off with the Doctor and do somethin' else. You don't have to come with us, alright?"

She nodded and Rose kissed her cheek.

"Now, I also wanted to ask ya if you've opened your IPod and DS and checked them because we bought a ton of batteries and if you two need batteries we have them. So just let us know."

They nodded.

"I'm sorry I freaked you out. I got freaked out readin' that online. But that's all it was. Just me bein' shocked at that. Welcome to Japan, yeah?" she said with a wink. "Now, I went and found a spa here in Osaka and they have a package that I can get you that has a shiatsu massage where they walk on your back, a mineral rub where they rub this seaweed stuff all over your body, a water therapy treatment and herbal tea. But before I get that, do you guys wanna do that or do somethin' else tomorrow?"

Rain glanced at the Doctor.

"I wouldn't mind it," he said shrugging. "But if you wanna do something else, I can."

Rain thought for a moment.

"That sounds cool. I've never done that before so yeah, I'd like to do it."

"Okay, so that's two for it," she said to Alan. "We'll ask the rest of them and see what they think then."

She smiled and squeezed her shoulder.

"Let us know about the baths and if you wanna do somethin' else I'll find you somethin' else to do, yeah?"

They nodded and she smiled at them while she got up.

"Okay, um…continue reading your IPod directions then," she said.

"Okay, night Rose."

"Goodnight, Rose," the Doctor said.

They both wished them goodnight. Rose took Alan's hand and they walked out of the room.

"Rain, honestly, if you're uncomfortable with this, we can go swimming or do something else," the Doctor said. "You've never been naked with a man before and I don't want to do something that will cause you discomfort because you should be able to enjoy everything on this trip without fear of embarrassment. So, just know that I won't be offended or upset if you don't wanna see me naked, alright?"

She nodded and he smiled while he rubbed her back and kissed her cheek.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After getting some batteries from Rose, they put them in the DS and tried a game. The Doctor quickly got a hang of all the buttons and played Pac-Man while Rain lay next to him talking to her father.

"Yeah, I'm having a blast, dad!" she said.

The Doctor smiled at that while he played the game.

"We're in Osaka, Japan right now and it's just incredible here. I love it so much….yeah, everyone's alright. They're in the other rooms right now and we have two women traveling with us, Imiko and Mingxia, both of them are great and I've become really good friends with them. But dad, listen, you know the Doctor, the guy that Alan came from? We found him, dad and he's traveling with us now and…well, he's fallen in love with me and last night we became a couple."

The Doctor paused his game and laid the DS on the bed while he listened to her.

"He's right beside me now. They threw a birthday party for both of us become the Doctor's never celebrated his birthday and doesn't know when it is, so he took my birthday for his own and we went to Universal Studios earlier today and everyone gave us presents and cake and ice cream but the Doctor told them earlier this morning that he loved me and they accepted it and Alan accepted him as a brother and did that bonding ceremony with him and me. And then Awinita did the ceremony with the Doctor so he's a part of our family now. But he's just been incredible, dad. He's every bit as wonderful as Alan is…"

The Doctor smiled at that.

"And he loves me and I love him…I know, I'm in love with an alien."

The Doctor snickered.

"He's laughing at that now but it's true, he's just so wonderful. And he was being held captive and he escaped from this guy called the Valeyard so he's safe with us now and he's been traveling with us for about a week. I was the first one who befriended him and we started rooming together and he was in disguise and he told me his secret so for awhile, I was the only one who knew who he really was."

There was a pause and Rain looked at the Doctor.

"Dad wants to talk to you."

"Okay."

"He says okay, dad. I'll put you on the speaker, hang on."

She lowered the mobile and put it between them.

"My dad's name is John," she said to him.

He nodded and she hit the speaker button.

"Okay, dad, go ahead."

"Hello?" John said.

"Greetings, John, I'm the Doctor," he said cheerfully.

There was a chuckle.

"So, I finally get to meet the original Star Child," he said.

The Doctor grinned and looked at Rain.

Star Child? I like that! He mouthed to her.

"Yes, I am. I finally found this wacky little tour group," he said aloud.

John chuckled.

"And it seems you found something else or should I say, someone else."

He laughed as Rain blushed.

"Yes, I have. I've fallen in love with your daughter."

Rose peeked around the door and came in the room.

"Is that John?" she said to Rain.

She nodded.

"Hi, John!" she said.

"Hello, Wolf Child, nice to hear from you too."

Rain giggled when the Doctor gave Rose an amused look.

"Nice to hear from you as well, John," she said.

Alan came in the room with Awinita. Rose glanced at them.

"Alan and Awinita are in here now."

"Oh, the other Star Child and the woman without any nickname!" he said as they laughed. "It's nice to hear from all of you again. I hear you have more kindred travelers now."

"Yes, we do," Rose said. "We picked up one from Japan and we went to China briefly before coming back and we have one from China."

"And now you found the Doctor."

"Yup!" Rose said. "So we have seven in our group at the moment."

"My, my so many. I'm happy you have so many friends and loved ones to keep you company on your journey. My daughter tells me that the Doctor fell in love with her."

"Yup," they all said.

"Good, I'm happy my little Rainshower found love."

The Doctor beamed.

"Rainshower? I love that," he mouthed to everyone.

"I'm glad she's being well taken care of and having so much fun," John said. "It warms my heart to know that she's happy and healthy and has the love of family and friends and now the love of an alien it seems."

They giggled.

"I hope all of you have fun in Japan and wherever you go next when you leave the country. I wish I could talk longer but I've had a long day. We've had two families check in today and Amber and I ran ourselves ragged cooking for them. So, my Rainshower, I'm sorry but your old dad is very tired."

"That's okay, dad, I just wanted to let you know I'm alright and I have a sweetheart now."

"I'm glad, Rain. If he's anything like Alan, you'll be in good hands. However, I want to speak to Alan before I go. Is he there?"

"Yes, I'm here, John," Alan said.

There was a pause.

"How can I be sure?" they said while everyone laughed.

"You'll just have to take my word for it, I guess," Alan replied.

"Are you going to be staying in Osaka for very long?"

"We're going to be here for at least the next day and a half. We haven't decided if we're gonna stay longer yet."

"Good. Because I wish to wire my daughter some money for her birthday and I want to be sure she gets it."

The Doctor grinned at her.

"Go ahead and wire it, John, we'll make sure she gets it," Alan said.

"I will send it Western Union then."

"That's fine, John. I can go online and find the nearest place to pick it up," Rose said.

"Good. Happy birthday then, Rain. I hope you have many more exciting adventures and please keep me updated on your romance with Star Child."

Everyone slammed their hands over their mouths when the Doctor turned beet red.

"I will, dad," Rain said, trying not to laugh.

"And Rain…"

"Yes, Dad?"

"Don't let this one get away. I would like to dance at your wedding before I die!"

The Doctor turned even redder while everyone ran into the other room, ran into the bathroom and slammed the door so they could laugh. Rain tried hard not to do the same thing but she was having trouble keeping it together, especially since her boyfriend was now red from head to toe.

"I don't think we're to that point yet, dad. We only became a couple last night."

She put her hand over her mouth when she heard muffled hysterical laughter coming from the other room.

"Oh, well good luck to you both and may the Great Spirit bless you and the others you love," he said. "And if the Doctor is still around after I said that, I was only kidding so don't think I'm expecting grandchildren from you or anything."

"I'm still here and I figured you were having us on," he said.

"Good. Well, good night, my precious Rainshower. Have fun and happy birthday."

"Thanks dad."

"And happy birthday to you too, Doctor."

"Thanks John."

"Well, I better go or I'll never get off the phone, so goodnight, my daughter, sleep well."

"Thanks dad, you too. I love you."

"I love you too. I'll tell Amber you called and you said hello. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

She hit the end button and grabbed her pillow as she pressed her face into it and howled with laughter. The Doctor chuckled and rubbed her back. He smiled when the others came in holding their aching sides.

"He hung up," the Doctor said.

"Oh God, he doesn't waste time when it comes to marriage and grandchildren, does he?" Alan said as they laughed. "Only been a couple for a day and already he wants a wedding. Ooooh, that was great. The laughs just keep gettin' better and better on this trip."

"Wolf Child?" the Doctor said to Rose.

"Damn it, Doctor, we just got done laughin'," Alan said as they giggled hysterically. "Our sides are achin' enough as it is."

"And I'm Star Child?"

"Yes and so am I. So one of us is gonna have to be Star Child Jr. or something so John can keep things straight."

Rain got up and put her mobile back in the front of her rucksack.

"So, tomorrow we'll go pick up Rain's birthday money first thing and then part ways for the day and afternoon," Alan said.

"I'm glad he did that for you," the Doctor said to her as she lay back down.

"Yeah, me too," Alan said. "Now you have some more money you can spend and you can have some to spend at Tokyo Disney when you and your husband-to-be go there."

They all laughed while Rain blushed. The Doctor gave her a kiss on the cheek and nuzzled it while everyone else went in the other room to calm down.

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After they left, the Doctor went back to playing Pac-Man while Rain watched him.

"You're good at this. Just as good as Alan."

"Well, there's nothing to it, really. Just go around the maze and eat dots. It really doesn't require much brainpower to do it. It's more of a fun little diversion, really. I'm glad they got it for you."

"If you want, you can use it when you're up at night. Give you something to do to pass the time."

"I might, but I don't want to run down your batteries so I won't play it constantly. If you can show me how to use the gift card I can get online over there and download songs onto my IPod and listen to that."

"I can do that now if you want."

"Wait a tic, let me finish this round," he said.

She watched him for a moment while she mulled something over in her mind.

"Doctor?"

"Yes, love?" he said, keeping his eyes on the screen.

"I have a thought."

"Hmm?"

"Could you…go in the bathroom and get naked with me, just to see if I do feel comfortable with it?"

He paused the game and looked at her.

"Are you sure? I said you don't have to do that if you don't want to."

"I know. I do want to try this because I was thinking how will I ever know if I'm comfortable if I don't try it. I trust you, Doctor. I know you're not gonna ridicule me and I want to give sis a definite answer before we go. So could you just take off your clothes with me? Not do anything sexual, just stand there for a moment in the buff."

He nodded and put the game down on the bed. He got up and took her hand when she got up beside him. He led her to the bathroom and they shut the door.

"Now, before I do this, let me know the moment you feel uncomfortable, alright?" he said.

She nodded and he took his shirt off and laid it on the sink counter. Rain did the same and they slowly disrobed until they finally removed the last bit of clothing and stood naked before each other.

"Are you okay?" the Doctor asked.

She nodded.

"Yeah, this isn't as bad as I thought it'd be. I'm actually not embarrassed or anything."

"Good, I'm glad."

She frowned.

"Lord, you are one skinny man," she said, raising her eyebrow.

He chuckled.

"So I've been told," he replied.

"Not that I'm an expert but you have a nice body."

"So do you, Latara. You're very beautiful, inside and out."

He watched while she neared closer to him until she was inches from his body. She paused and stood there a moment before she put her hand on his chest. The Doctor smiled as he put his hand over it and kissed her forehead.

"I really do think I'll be alright in the bath. If it's only you and a bunch of women that's gonna be there, I think I can handle it."

"And Bridget, let's not forget Bridget."

She giggled.

"Yes and Bridget," she said.

She hesitated a moment and then put his arms around him. The Doctor sighed and did the same lowering his face to the top of her head.

"You are still really cold but I like it. It's different," she murmured.

She glanced at the bathtub.

"I guess next step is showering together?"

"Only when you're ready to."

"Not right now though because I'm tired and I wanna show you the download thing but I was just thinking if we're naked here I guess showering is the next step."

He shrugged.

"Whatever you feel comfortable doing, Latara. I won't push you to do anything you don't wanna do."

She smiled.

"Thank you, my Sprinkles."

He smiled and gave her another kiss on the lips before the two of them turned and put their clothes back on.

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After demonstrating how to use the gift card and downloading Dancing Queen from the Mamma Mia soundtrack onto her IPod, she left the Doctor to it and with a kiss on his head, she went over to the bed, pulled back the covers and snuggled down under them. The Doctor got up, kissed her lips as he pulled the covers up around her, bid her goodnight and turned off the light letting her sleep while he used the light from the computer monitor to see his gift card.

For the rest of the night he occupied himself with downloading songs, surfing the net and playing a few rounds of Pac-Man on the DS until the sun came up and it was time for his lover to wake up again.


	172. Chapter 172

Chapter One Hundred Seventy Two

"Rain?"

Rain opened her eyes and saw the Doctor stroking her cheek.

"Yes?"

"Time to wake up, love."

"Did you get your stuff downloaded?"

"Yes, I did. I used up nearly all my money and got about 30 songs now," he said proudly, showing her his IPod.

Rain opened her eyes all the way and took it from him. She scrolled down the menu reading what he had selected.

"You have a wide selection of things," she said. "You like a lot of different types of music."

"Yes, I do. I'm not one of those that sticks to any certain genre. I judge each song by its own merits."

"I do too. I like a lot of older songs from the '60's through the '90's. Dad had the same kind of varied taste as you do and I grew listening to just about everything."

He smiled at that.

"Well good, when you finish picking yours, we can share them."

She nodded and smiled.

"Is Rose and Alan up?"

"I think Rose might be. I saw her going to the loo about twenty minutes ago," he said.

"I wanna talk to her about going to the baths before I forget."

"You sure you're alright with going in there?"

She smiled and laid her hand against his cheek.

"Yes, I'm fine. I know if anyone says anything you'll punch their lights out."

"Too right I will," he said while she giggled.

She got up, yawned and rubbing the sleep from her eyes walked towards the connecting door. She looked in and saw Rose sitting at the computer while Alan was still asleep. Rose smiled when she walked over.

"Hey there, sis," she whispered.

"Hi, am I bugging you?"

"No, just be quiet like this so Alan can rest. What's up?"

"I wanna do it," she whispered as the Doctor walked up behind her. "I wanna go to the baths."

"Are you sure, love?"

She nodded.

"The Doctor and I stripped and stood naked in the bathroom last night so I could see if I would feel comfortable and I do."

Rose raised her eyebrow.

"Blimey, I missed a lot last night then," she teased. "Was that your idea, Rain?"

They both nodded.

"And you're sure you're alright with it?" Rose whispered.

She nodded.

"As long as it's a bunch of women and the Doctor I won't be embarrassed."

"See that, she counts me among her girlfriends. I feel so special," the Doctor said.

He kissed her cheek when she giggled softly.

"I wanted to show you somethin' else while you're here, sis," Rose said.

She brought up a website while they neared closer to her.

"I thought this would be fun to do before we leave," Rose said to them. "They have a photography studio near here where they will dress you up as geishas in the full outfit and makeup and take pictures."

The Doctor's eyes widened.

"My Rain as a little geisha?" he whispered. "Count her in on my say-so."

Rose laughed softly.

"I just found it so you're the first to hear about it but I would like to do it as well for Alan."

"And they make us up and everything?"

"Yeah, look…"

She clicked on a photo sample and both of them smiled when they saw a woman in full geisha regalia and makeup.

"Oh, Latara, you have to do this. You'll look beautiful this way," the Doctor whispered as he wrapped his arms around her. "Please, do it for me."

"Okay, I will."

"Yippeeeeeeeeee," he said softly while they giggled.

They looked over when Alan groaned and yawned. He raised his head and paused when he saw the group by the computer.

"Are we now waiting until I'm asleep to have meetings?" he said to them.

"No, Rain came over and told me she wants to do the baths after all."

"Are you sure, Te'lesu?"

"Yeah, the Doctor and I stripped down and stood in front of each other naked and I'm alright with it."

"Oh, okay, but just remember if you change your mind, that's perfectly fine too," he said, getting up and swinging his legs over the side.

While he was sitting there, Rose told him her idea for the geisha photos.

"Oh yeah, I have to see you in geisha makeup. I'm all for it," he said as they laughed. "Did you check the Western Union locations?"

"Yeah, that's why I was online this early. There's a couple of banks nearby we can go to."

"Good," Alan said stretching his back. "Because I wanna make sure Rain gets her money."

He groaned while he slowly stood up.

"Chameleon arch, where are ya when I need ya?" he said while they laughed.

He wandered over to Rain and leaned his forehead on hers.

"When you travel with the Doctor and Donna, don't let Noble near any more jars with hands in them, eh? Because I don't want any other Time Lords suffering like I'm suffering."

They laughed when he made an exaggerate groan.

"Oh! Why must I be old and mortal and half human? Curse you Noble, you mind thief. I was having a normal life in my jar before you got your grubby paws all over it."

"Oh, boo hoo hoo, cry us a river," Rose said as they laughed. "Go to the loo and deal with it."

Alan stared at her in shock and looked at the Doctor.

"Brother, feel blessed that you will be traveling with this sweet little jewel instead of Miss PMT here."

"Oi!" she said.

They laughed when she rose up out of her chair and Alan ran to the bathroom and slammed the door.

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After everyone else got up and ready they headed out. They walked over to a bank about three blocks away and Rose picked up the money order for her sister after Rain called her father again since he had forgotten to give them the password and identification number for it the night before. When they finally did get it, Rain was shocked when the amount turned out to be 400 dollars.

"Wow, sis, you're really racking up the money," Awinita said as Rose handed her the equivalent in Yen.

"And I haven't really spent much of the money he gave me originally so I've got about 900 dollars now," she said.

"Well, it's a long journey, love and you're gonna need it," Rose said. "I'm just glad you have your dad looking after ya from home."

They nodded in agreement. Rain put the money in her pocket and they headed out of the bank.

"Okay, the spa's all paid for and it takes about two and a half hours to get through it all. We're gonna stay longer than that so we'll just meet all of you back at the hotel tonight and then we'll check out and go to the capsule one."

"Have fun, sis," Awinita said.

"You too and be careful."

They waved at them and ran to catch a bus while Imiko went to find something else to do besides the spa. The Doctor read the directions Rose had printed off and led the rest of them to the spa.

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"Ow!" Rain said to the Doctor.

They were lying across from each other on massage tables while two women walked on their backs. The other two women were currently undergoing the same treatment in the room next to theirs. The Doctor winced when the woman stepped on the area around his spine.

"It feels good once she gets done stepping on the area," he said to her. "I just hope she keeps my spine in one piece when it's finished."

"She's hurting you a little, isn't she?" Rain asked.

"Sorta, kinda," the Doctor grunted.

"I can sense it. I can feel your pain."

The Doctor gave her a shocked look.

"Oh, Latara, why didn't you say something earlier? I can dampen the link a bit till this is done so you don't have to feel that."

"No, I want to feel it. I like feeling it, Doctor. Don't do anything, please. I want to feel your pain as well as your joy."

The Doctor gazed at her tenderly. He winced when the woman stepped directly on her lower back and she grimaced.

"Okay, I just felt that as well," the Doctor said, making a face. "I hope we survive this in one piece so we can move on to the next thing."

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"I'm so glad you decided to see me naked because you would have anyway, I guess," the Doctor said to her.

They were lying on their sides facing each other in another room while they lay on massage tables. Only this time both were naked with large white towels draped over their genitals. A woman and a man were taking a seaweed and mineral paste and spreading it all over their bodies making their skin look a sickly green.

"I have had many things done to me in my lifetimes but this is the first time I've been stripped naked and smeared with smelly, green goo," he said as she giggled. "Still could be worse, they could be walking all over our smelly green goo covered bodies while they were doing it."

"I do feel better after they did that."

"I do too, Latara. But it was the pain we went through to get to the point of feeling better that was the problem with that whole exercise. I want to be pampered, not stepped on like a bunch of grapes."

They finished covering them from the neck to their ankles with the seaweed paste and then both attendants left them alone. The two lovers stared at each other.

"Oooookay…what happens now that we've been covered in green, smelly goo and left to our own devices?" the Doctor asked her.

"Maybe they're trying to turn us into seaweed monsters?" Rain offered.

He laughed.

"More than likely, my love. With my track record that is definitely a possibility."

"Then there are evil people watching us?" Rain said.

She giggled when his eyes bulged.

"Yes," he said in a hushed whisper. "An evil slimy seaweed monster has infiltrated Osaka and is using this as his base of operations while he turns unwitting spa goers into his evil seaweed army!"

He grinned when Rain laughed at that.

"You have been at this a long time, haven't ya?" she said.

"Yes, I have. I've seen so many evil people infiltrating cities and turning the innocent populace into something scenarios that I know the routine by hearts now."

They lay quietly for a few minutes.

"I feel a tingling, is that me becoming the seaweed monster now?" she said to him.

He smiled.

"More than likely, Latara. I'm sorry but I'm afraid we're doomed. I'm powerless to save you from this, "god-awful, smelly, stinks to high heaven; where in the bloody hell did they find this stuff, under a rock?" fate."

She laughed.

"I agree, this stuff looks and smells like it did come from under a rock."

"I wouldn't doubt it," he replied. "I really wouldn't."

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After a half hour the door finally opened and the attendants entered. By that time Rain was cold and the Doctor was peeved that he had to sense her discomfort in his mind while he watched her shiver with only a little towel over her genitals for protection. They helped them sit up and then walked them into the next room where they had the hot and cold water therapy. They eased them into the hot water first and both of them sighed while they relaxed next to each other.

"Much better," the Doctor said as they sat in the black marble tub.

Rain got a thought and glanced down. The Doctor noticed where she was looking.

"So, I guess this is a small preview of the baths for you," he said.

She nodded.

"You're right; it wouldn't have mattered if I saw you naked or not because I'm seeing you naked now. But it really doesn't bother me."

"Yeah, but this is just us. How are you gonna feel with a bunch of women around?" he asked.

"I don't think it would freak me out as much since it's just women. if other men were there besides you I would have a problem, I think. And I won't be able to see my brother's body so I really do think I'll be alright."

He nodded and held up an arm smiling when he noticed the paste was nearly off his skin. He took an experimental sniff of his hand and grimaced.

"Ugh, I hope it doesn't take twenty showers to get the smell off," he said to her.

"But they did say it was beneficial for your skin," Rain replied.

"It probably is but they could have used their human ingenuity to make it smell like chocolate or warm biscuits or something pleasant. Rose and Alan will be steering clear of all of us for the next few days, that's for sure."

They looked over when the female attendant came back.

"Please come with me now," she said.

The Doctor and Rain got up and got out. They toweled off but she led them to the cold water tub next. The Doctor got in first. He felt the ice cold water on his legs and he winced knowing poor Rain was about to get the shock of her life. He took her hand as she stepped into the bath. The moment her foot touched the water she instantly jerked it back.

"Hell no!" she said.

"Go on, please," the lady urged.

"No! That's way too cold!" she said.

The Doctor could tell the lady was annoyed at her but she kept calm and polite while she urged Rain once more to get into the water.

"Good for circulation, good for body," she said to Rain pointing to the water.

Rain groaned and slowly put her foot in. the Doctor grimaced when he sensed her discomfort and anxiety with just a hint of anger, anger he surmised was due to the fact she had agreed to do this in the first place. She was gnashing her teeth and he could see her begin to shiver as the chill settled in. He led her over to a marble bench under the water and slowly sat down. He could feel the cold but it wasn't affecting him and wouldn't affect him the way it would affect her. He dreaded the moment she'd sit down but the lady was standing there watching her and he knew she wouldn't leave until she'd seen her sit down. Gently, he urged her down and watched while she slowly lowered herself in squealing as her body went into the cold water. He felt extreme discomfort from her and noticed her teeth were beginning to chatter as she sat down beside him on the bench. The woman, satisfied that she was gonna go through with it, finally turned and left, leaving them alone.

"God, this is the worst thing yet," Rain said in a quavering voice. "My heart feels like it's gonna stop from the shock of the cold water."

"Hopefully your body will adjust in a moment," he said, soothingly.

She looked at him.

"I'd give anything to have your ability to withstand temperatures right now," she said, her teeth chattering.

The Doctor pulled her close to him. He cursed his lower body temperature knowing he wouldn't be able to warm her up but he could at least give her a bit of comfort and support. He was relieved when after a minute, her body began to adjust and her teeth stopped chattering as she sat with him in the square bathtub. Eventually she adjusted to the point where it didn't bother her and the anxiety left her mind, much to the Doctor's relief. They sat together in the bath with the water up to their neck waiting for the attendant to return.

"I wonder how Rose and Alan are doing?" Rain asked.

He chuckled.

"Probably having a much better time than we are," he said as she nodded. "I don't think I'll be doing this again. I've had my fill of pampering from spas now."

"I'm just glad my body stopped shaking."

"Me too, Latara," he said, rubbing her arm. "I could feel every moment of your discomfort."

"Are you sorry you did that? Linked our minds, I mean?" she asked.

"No, I love it. I love having that feeling of a mind inside mine again," he said. "It was natural for Gallifreyans to do this so not sensing anyone was completely alien and terrifying to me. I don't regret linking with you for a second."

"Same here."

He smiled and nuzzled her cheek.

"I guess we can tell Rose you really will be able to go to the baths tomorrow since you seem to be comfortable with me being naked like this."

"I'm glad you're here with me. I would never have gotten in if it'd been just me. Having you here is very comforting."

"Good, I'm glad."

After fifteen more minutes the lady returned and let them get out.

"Now where are we going?" Rain asked him.

"Probably to the tepid bath and then the slightly warmer than tepid but not quite as warm as the first bath bath," he said as she giggled.

The woman led them to a steam room and opened the door. Steam drifted out while she ushered them inside. They smiled when they saw their other two companions sitting on plastic benches while they sweated profusely.

"There you guys are," Awinita said. "How do you like the whole spa treatment so far?"

"So far, I think I will give it a miss the next time someone offers," the Doctor said.

"Yeah, we went through the walking on the back, the seaweed crap and the burning/freezing water," she said as Mingxia nodded. "And now we're gonna sweat to death and I think next is the sauna where we roast alive and then finally we get the herbal tea."

The Doctor and Rain sat down by the door.

"I see the two of you are cool with being naked," Awinita said to Rain. "I know sis said she was worried about you seeing him naked before you were ready."

"We did that last night in our bathroom so this is really the second time we've been naked together," she said. "I don't mind it anymore."

"Good because I know we were all worried about that too," she said. "Actually, we asked the lady doing our therapy if she knew someplace fun to go after we get outta here and she mentioned there's this amusement park called Expoland that has a lot of roller coasters and rides. It's not far from here and she said it's not too expensive. We can take a monorail to it and she gave me directions to that. You wanna do that next?"

"We can," the Doctor said. "It sounds like fun."

"If we survive long enough to get to it, that is," Rain said as they laughed.

"This isn't quite as bad as being walked on," Awinita said. "I thought she was gonna crush my ribs a couple of times. I feel better now that it's over but at the time I just wanted to scream at the lady to get off me."

"Same here," the Doctor said. "I've been treaded on before but that wasn't for health reasons and it certainly wasn't meant to benefit me in any way. I like your method of massage better. Much less painful."

"I agree," she said.

"We're almost done at least," Mingxia said. "All we have left is the sauna and then the tea and we can go have a better time at the amusement park."

"I think I'll just view this as another tick off another life experience for me. It was interesting but I won't do it again."

He laughed when the others nodded.

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After twenty minutes they were led to the sauna for the last part of the therapy.

"Augh!" Rain said.

The Doctor looked back at her.

"What is it, Latara?"

"The heat's burning my nose hairs," she said, wrinkling her nose while they laughed.

The Doctor took her hand and led her to a wooden bench. They all sat down and leaned back as the heat evaporated the sweat on their bodies. Rain looked around at everyone's naked bodies.

"Yeah, I guess all of us will have no problem with the baths now that we've seen each other naked," she said.

Awinita looked at the Doctor.

"You're a very skinny boy. You are a lot like Alan."

"I know, I know, I'm thin. I get that now!" he said while everyone grinned. "I don't know why it shocks everyone since I don't think I'm wearing a fat suit in addition to my clothes."

"We just don't get the full appreciation of how thin you are with the clothes on," Awinita said. "But you're right, we shouldn't be surprised especially since bro has told us how often you run. Why you aren't all bones and skin now I'll never know."

"Well, my theory is each body maintains a certain weight because there's been very little weight loss and gain from life to life and that's no matter how fast I run or how much I eat. I had friends who were the same way back on Gallifrey. Could eat anything and everything and never gain a pound."

"See guys, now we have to find a way to become like him so we don't have to diet anymore," she said as they laughed. "But bro did tell us a bit about your other lives. I know a lot and Rose does too since he filled her in on everything you did with Martha and Donna while she was gone and Rain knows some too."

"Such as? What do you know about my other lives?"

"I know some about your academy days. Rose knows more than I do and she's also filled me in a bit when we've got a chance to talk."

"You lot talked about me?"

"Well, yeah, you're a fascinating person."

He grinned.

"Thank you," he said. "So you know, I assume, about my involvement with the Prydonnians and things like that."

"A little. I know the Master was your classmate and you used to run around with him till you had the falling out which I'm sorry to hear happened. I had the same thing happened with friends. Although none of them became evil and wanted to enslave everyone…at least as far as I know."

"Did he tell you about the initiation we have to go through at eight?"

"No."

He briefly filled them in and the reason behind the Master's madness. The three of them sat there, shocked.

"I'm sorry, bro," Awinita said when he finished. "I know this is your culture and I don't pretend to understand it but…they did this to innocent little kids and they didn't care if some of them went out of their mind? Were they insane too?"

The Doctor smirked.

"Sometimes I wonder," he said. "But my feeling is they felt the benefit outweighed the risks. They were showing the children their inheritance before they entered the academy. I have never seen the vortex with my own eyes other than that one time because my TARDIS is closed off and other TARDISes are the same way. This is a chance to see that but some kids couldn't handle the shock."

"But to do that at the age of eight, it seems cruel," Mingxia said. "This Master, what did they do for him afterwards? Did he and the others that got damaged receive treatment?"

They stared at him in shock when he shook his head sadly.

"The Time Lords were not always admirable which is why I never stayed around them. I also had differences with most of them which is why they regarded me as a renegade and an oddball but no, not only did he not get help which was unknown on my planet, he was shunned because he was considered a weakling for not being strong enough to withstand the initiation, which I suspect was the other reason for it."

"And because of that, you've had to deal with him all these years," Rain said sadly.

The Doctor nodded.

"Yes and I've always pitied him rather than hated him because I know he's not in his right mind. I assume he told you about the year that never was?"

Rain and Awinita nodded but Mingxia shook her head. The Doctor filled her in very briefly on the main points and then went back to the point he was making.

"When I offered to imprison the Master on my TARDIS and take care of him that was the reason. I wasn't trying to be cruel. I knew it wasn't safe to let him run loose in the universe but I was hoping I could find a cure for his madness and perhaps rekindle our friendship but Lucy shot him. Then he selfishly took his own life to torment me, so now I'll never know."

"Bro wondered why you didn't do the same thing with him," Awinita said. Because you called him a threat to the universe."

He sighed sadly.

"And I was harsh about that but at the time I was scared something might have gone wrong with him during the metacrisis and made him a little bit crazy and that's why he was so eager to annihilate the Daleks. I left him with Rose because if anyone could heal him, she could and I see now they healed one another. I considered imprisoning him but I didn't because I wanted to give him a chance. He was a threat, I thought, but I also thought he could be redeemed and taught a better way of doing things. And a normal life on Earth, at least for awhile, was just the thing. Get him away from all the blood and guts and gore of my life and let him heal. This trip here was the best idea they ever had because it satisfies his wanderlust while at the same time is relatively safe and stress free. Then he found all of you and you gave him a family and a support system and love and now he's become a wonderful brother and friend and husband to everyone around him and I'm proud to know him and be his brother. And I see now that's what I needed as well although at the time I felt as though the weight of the universe was on my shoulders and I had a duty to protect it. I never really made time for me like I'm doing now and looking back I see I was just as messed up as he was but when you're that close it's hard to step back and see yourself as you really are. Much easier to judge others, you know. As I was telling Rain, I'm not perfect, a god, infallible or right all the time. I'm just a man and I can make mistakes or jump to conclusions or let my emotions get the better of me and there are times when I've been guilty of doing the very thing that I accused poor Alan of doing. But like I said, it's hard to judge one's self and ego does tend to get in the way more often than not. But I'd rather have emotions and make mistakes than be an unfeeling, heartless Dalek."

"How you managed to survive 1200 years and be this sane I'll never know," Awinita said. "Especially considering you went through this Time War and lost your entire planet. You are probably the strongest, most resilient person I've ever known."

"Yeah, why you aren't a drooling basket case by now, I'll never know," Rain added.

He grinned at her.

"Who says I'm not?" he said, winking. "I just hide my mental illness behind a fun, carefree personality. Keeps people on their toes when they have to wonder about me and my sanity."

He grinned when they laughed.

They looked over when the door opened and the attendant smiled at them.

"Come this way, please," she said.

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"Aw, this is much better," the Doctor said while they lounged in chairs in a room sipping herbal tea. All of them were wearing their underwear but the attendant insisted on them wearing blue cotton kimonos until they were done drinking their tea.

"So," he added, "We've been trampled on, given seaweed suits, given third degree burns and frostbite, we sweated to death and baked alive and now we get tea, Bless the Japanese," he said as they laughed.

"This isn't bad," Rain said. "I like orange tea best but this is delicious."

"You ever had Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea?" Awinita asked her.

She nodded.

"Yeah, my sister likes that. It helped her get to sleep at night. It's okay but I usually had a glass of milk before bed."

"Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Milk?" the Doctor asked with a grin.

They laughed.

"No, but I'm surprised they haven't thought of that since some people do go to bed after drinking a glass. But then again, that's not tea, its milk so that's probably why they haven't come up with their own brand of milk."

She took a sip of tea and suddenly her eyes widened in surprise and delight. The others frowned when the Doctor snickered.

"What'd you do?" Mingxia asked him.

"Oh, I did what she did to me and sent a huge amount of loving feelings through our link. After she did that, I thought I'd return the favor. She needed it after going through that ice cold bath."

She leaned her chin on his shoulder and they shared a kiss.

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All of them breathed a sigh of relief when they stepped out of the spa into the afternoon sunlight.

"So, direction lady, which way to the monorail?" the Doctor said.

Awinita glanced at the directions the attendant had written out for her and beckoned to the others to follow her while she led the way.


	173. Chapter 173

Chapter One Hundred Seventy Three

The four of them stood together on the concrete platform waiting for the monorail to pull into the station. They stood together and talked while a few families did the same several feet away from them.

As they talked, Rain glanced over at a nearby wall. They heard her giggle and asked her what was so funny. She led them to the wall and pointed at a poster hanging on the wall that had two side by side illustrations on them. Both of the pictures had Japanese writing around them. The first picture showed a cartoon mobile standing inside the monorail while it held on to one of the rings above the seat that served as the handholds. On its display was a smiley face and his other hand was pointing to a button on his keypad. A little red word balloon with the English word, OFF was right beside it. The second picture showed the same mobile only now he had his finger up beside his little O shaped mouth as if he were shushing someone and a wide-eyed look on his face.

"Pretty self explanatory, I guess, even if you can't read Japanese," the Doctor said.

"Why does mister cell phone look so frightened in the second picture though?" Awinita asked.

Rain giggled.

"What?" the Doctor said amused.

"Okay, the Japanese writing above the first picture says, please turn off your cell phone. And the writing above the second picture says, because if you don't, we will torture your cell phone mercilessly and you don't want that to happen, do you?"

They roared with laughter causing the other Japanese on the platform to give them odd looks.

"I think you're right," the Doctor said. "It doesn't say that but I think that's what they're implying. Your mobile will pay the price if you are insolent enough to leave it on and disturb others. Yes, love, that would explain the fearful look on his face, good job!"

They looked around when they heard the monorail pull up. They were taken aback when they saw it. The entire thing had been painted with rainbows and fruit and suns and hearts.

"Wow, pretty colorful," the Doctor said. "I guess we're about to take the train to Happyville Sunshineland then."

They ran over and got inside before the doors closed behind them.

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It was approximately fifteen minutes before they reached the park. As they neared their stop, they looked out the window and stared at an enormous sculpture in the distance towering over the amusement park. It was white with red squiggly designs going down it. It tapered to a point at the top where a satellite dish had been affixed to it. On the sides were two white hornlike appendages. But the most surprising thing was there was a large, carved stone face in the middle of it that was scowling as if it were having a really bad day.

"Um…why is the statue guy angry?" Awinita asked them.

"I haven't the foggiest," the Doctor replied. "I know it's not exactly the kind of thing to put right beside a fun amusement park. What are you supposed to think when you look up and see this big evil-looking face glaring at ya. Have fun, BUT NOT TOO MUCH FUN OR ELSE!"

They giggled. Rain reached into her jean pocket, pulled out Rose's camera and snapped a photo of it.

"Sis has to see this," she said to them.

The train pulled into the station and they got out. Rain quickly got a picture of the monorail before they headed down the stairs to the ticket booth.

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They rode a couple of the roller coasters, one of them sit down and the other was stand up. As they headed for the queue for each one, they noticed that in the metal walkway that led to the queue some of the Japanese tourists had taken off their shoes and left them as if they were entering a house. The first time they spied it; they stopped and stared as the orderly row of trainers and shoes in front of them.

"Are we supposed to leave our shoes too?" Rain asked.

The Doctor glanced at the crowd standing in line. He studied their feet and noticed some people still had their shoes on.

"I see some people are still wearing theirs," he said to them. "Maybe it's just a personal preference and not an actual rule. At any rate, I think they'll forgive the foreigners if they don't join in. I really don't wanna ride the rides with just my socks on."

They nodded and they joined the queue.

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"Ice World?" Awinita said reading the English sign above the entrance to a yellow building. On either side of the entrance, there were enormous fake icebergs and a polar bear stood in front of the one on the left, it's paws raised and its expression fierce. They glanced at each other and went inside.

The Doctor was completely flummoxed. Inside Ice World there were fake animals embedded in fake ice. The girls snickered as they walked up to a baby seal embedded halfway in the ice.

"Okay, why are the animals all frozen into the ice?" the Doctor finally said.

"Because this is Ice World?" Mingxia said.

"Apparently so," the Doctor replied. "And in Ice World all the arctic animals are trapped forever in the ice for your amusement."

He glanced at Rain who was taking photos.

"Rose and Alan gonna have one hell of a laugh tonight," he said to her.

"Exactly the reason why I'm doing this," she said to him. "I want them to see what they missed when they went to the love hotel."

They walked on, giggling uncontrollably as they passed by one frozen ice encased animal after another.

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The Doctor paused at a sign outside one of the coasters.

"Hmm, according to this. This is the longest steel roller coaster in the world," he said. "And there are two of them together like a racing roller coaster. Shall we go on it and get bragging rights that we've been on the longest coaster in the world?

They nodded and all of them joined the queue. The line was surprisingly short and they made it through in only fifteen minutes. They sat down in the pink colored car in the front, the Doctor and Rain in the front of it and Awinita and Mingxia in back. The restraints were lowered and checked by an attendant and after everyone had been restrained the cars lurched forwards, slowly started around a bend and went up the first hill. As they went up the hill they could see the statue in the distance glaring right at them.

"Um, angry man doesn't like us riding this, I guess," Mingxia said, pointing to it.

"Why did they make the statue that way?" Rain said to the Doctor. "It's creepy looking."

"Yes, it is. And it doesn't exactly scream out fun times, does it?"

They heard yelling and looked over to see several people on the other coaster laughing and pointing and waving at them. They waved back and the Doctor heard one of them scream out something in Japanese. He looked around at his friend and family.

"Guy over there says he's gonna win this race with our coaster," he said. "Shall we make him eat his words?"

They laughed and nodded.

They reached the top and all of them held up their arms while the coaster went downhill. As they went down the Doctor sensed a mixture of fear and pleasure in Rain's mind and he grinned at that while they gripped the bar tightly and yelled loudly while the cars speeded along the track. When they went up over a short hill they gasped when they were lifted out of their seats for a moment and their laps hit the bar before gravity took over and they slammed back down into the seats.

After about five minutes the coasters pulled back into the station. The Doctor grinned when theirs pulled in and stopped two seconds before the other one.

"Hey, we won! Guess he won't be so boastful next time, eh?" he said to them.

They got out and headed down the exit stairs.

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"This is odd," Awinita said.

They were on a log flume ride except the boat they were on was completely enclosed in a huge Plexiglas dome that prevented everyone inside from getting wet.

"I've never seen anything like this before," Awinita added, looking up at the dome. "What's the point of going on the log jam if you don't get wet at the end?"

"I guess Japanese people don't wanna get wet," Mingxia said shrugging.

The boat slowly went up a hill while they gripped the bars in front of them. Reaching the top they went down a little hill and coasted around while they looked out the Plexiglas windows. The Doctor looked at Rain when he heard her sigh softly.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Sis is right. Where's the fun if you sit in here and the water doesn't get you wet? I'm sorry but it's weird. If you're that scared of getting wet, don't ride it."

"I agree, Latara. The best part of the Jurassic Park ride was the big drop at the end and the water that came in the boat."

He put his arm around her while they looked out the window. They grunted when the boat hit the last hill and went up and all of them gripped the bar. The boat slowed when it hit the top and then sped down the drop but when the water came up and sloshed the sides of the dome, they all stayed nice and dry.

"Ugh, how lame can you get?" Awinita said as they nodded. "Let's not go on this one again."

They reached the station and everyone stood up while they opened up a door in the side of it. They waited till the crowd thinned out before they followed them.

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They walked away from the log flume towards the next ride. As they did, they stopped by a vending machine and read what was inside.

"Pocari Sweat?" Awinita said as they laughed. "Ewww, that sounds very gross."

"Yeah, not the most inviting of names, is it?" the Doctor replied.

Rain stared at the bottles filled with clear liquid. Grinning, she reached into her pocket, pulled out 10 Yen and put it in the machine. They watched while she made her selection and grabbed the bottle.

"You're gonna drink that?" Awinita teased. "What if it's made of real sweat?"

"Um…I ate a fried grasshopper, this is gonna be nothing after that," she said as they laughed.

She opened it up and everyone watched while she took a drink.

"Mmm, not bad, tastes like Gatorade," she said.

She passed it around and they all took a drink. They each took a few more gulps of it before it was finished. After they were done, they walked with Rain while she went over to a trash recepticle. She paused and all of them stared at it. Underneath the opening for the trash were two English words.

PLEASE  
WASTE

"Please waste what?" the Doctor said as they laughed. "Waste time, waste your money, waste away, what? Clarity can be your best friend, person who painted this confusing slogan."

He gave Rain a playful poke in the side when she rolled her eyes. She threw the bottle away and they walked on.

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They paused by a ride and read the English words over the entrance.

PANIC JUNGLE.

"Panic jungle? This sounds promising, shall we?" the Doctor said as they walked up to the queue.

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The three women bent over the boat rails laughing hysterically. They were all sitting in a little yellow boat as it drifted lazily along a water filled canal. On either side of them were painted stone statues of Jungle animals. Other than that nothing else was happening.

"Where the bloody hell is the panic part of this ride?" the Doctor said as they roared with laughter. "I don't see any kind of panic anywhere, do you? All I see are sodding animal statues that don't move at all. Is there some kind of sea beastie that'll pop up from under us after we're lulled into a false sense of security from being bored to tears?"

They rounded a bend and the boat slowly went by a large elephant statue. The Doctor stared at it waiting for something to happen. He sighed when nothing did and they just drifted on past.

"Some panic, eh mates?" he said as they sniggered. "About as unpanicky a ride as you can get."

They pulled into the station and the boat stopped. The women bent over laughing when the Doctor just sat there in shock.

"Where's the panic?" he said as Rain leaned on him holding her aching sides. "And for that matter, where was the jungle?"

Shaking his head, he got out of the boat with them. On the way out, the Doctor kept looking left and right waiting for something to jump out of them but they made it out of the exit and back into the crowd with no problems. The Doctor turned and stared up at the panic jungle sign in disbelief as the women roared with laughter.

"Methinks there is something strangely misleading about the sign above the entrance," he said, pointing to it "Am I reading it right? Does say Panic Jungle right? Because I didn't see the panic, where's the panic?"

"Come on, Doctor, don't think too hard about it or your brain will explode," Rain said, taking his hand.

"But…the panic, where is it?" he said as they kept on laughing while they walked.

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They kept on laughing while the Doctor continued to look for the elusive panic. Awinita grinned and stopped them for a moment while she told him about Alan being disappointed when no poachers showed up on the safari ride at Disneyworld.

"Well, I don't blame him," the Doctor said. "It's like Panic Jungle. If you keep telling people you're trackin' poachers, then you better show them at the end. And if the word panic is in the title, then show some bloody panic! I'm like my brother; I like action, thrills and danger. I don't wanna snooze while a teeny tiny boat whisks me around past animal statues. If I wanted that I would have gone to an animal statue museum or something. But it's nice to know I'm not the only one who's been disappointed on a ride before. Thanks for telling me, Te'lesu."

"You're welcome, bro."

They walked on.

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They paused outside a building. The sign said THE DARK in big bold yellow letters. Between The and Dark was a lit candle. The whole thing resembled a castle with the plaster removed in some places to show fake bricks. On either side of the arched entrance were two suits of armor holding battle axes. Several bats were placed around the entrance and on top of the building a statue of Dracula stood on the back of an enormous flying bat that spanned the entire roof. The bat's jaws hung open in a menacing snarl.

"Call me incredibly and irretrievably nutters but I have an odd feeling this is a haunted house ride," the Doctor said while they laughed.

"Wow, wherever did you get that idea from, bro?" Awinita said.

"Time Lord intuition and the fact that there's a great big bat up there with Dracula on top."

"Shall we go inside?" Mingxia asked.

"Can't be any worse than Panic Jungle. Hopefully it's better than the one at Rip-off Disney. Yeah, let's go see what's in…THE DARK!" the Doctor said dramatically.

They walked inside.

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Unlike the other haunted house rides, this one was a walk through. They strolled along looking at different scenes of horror. To their relief, it wasn't as tacky as the one at Rip-off Disney although it was still boring for them.

They passed by a scene of a man in a guillotine. He was turned onto his back and was staring up at the blade with terror filled eyes and his mouth hanging open in a silent scream while a hooded executioner prepared to let it drop.

"That would be horrible," Mingxia said. "I don't think I'd look."

"Me neither," Awinita said. "My eyes would be firmly shut."

Rain glanced at the Doctor.

"Have you ever been through something like this?"

"Um…not like this. Not a guillotine. I've been in danger of having my head chopped off but they used a chopping block and I wasn't turned upwards like that."

"Did you escape?"

"Oh yeah, Every time. I'm far too clever to get my head lobbed off like that."

"What about the whole buried alive thing we saw earlier?"

"No, never had that pleasure."

They walked on to the next scene. It was a woman being menaced by a Creature from the Black Lagoon type monster.

"Had a few beasties like this in my life and so has Rose actually, but she was never wearing a skimpy cozzy while she was in danger."

"How many times was Sis attacked like this?" Rain asked worriedly.

He smiled and put his arm around her.

"Not as often as you might think. It's not all terror and danger and beasties, guys. If it was I wouldn't keep doing it. There is danger but there are wondrous things too and I think you both will enjoy it. Rose became addicted to it and she actually did get in situations like this. Trust me, there's fun to be had when you travel through time and space."

They walked on to the next tableau. It was a man caught in a huge spider's web while a gargantuan spider closed in on him by above.

"Ah, now this didn't happen to me but it happened to my friend, Donna," he said to them. "Big ugly space spider called the Racnoss had her and her so-called fiancé Lance imprisoned in her web. But she escaped from it with my help."

"How big a space spider?" Rain asked.

"Oh…if you put her by the building, she'd probably would be about three quarters the size of it."

She gasped.

"Not to worry, as far as I know they're all extinct now."

She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank God, I hate little black spiders let along massive ones that can put you in a web," she said.

They stared at it for a moment and then moved on.

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"Well, that wasn't too bad," the Doctor said as they left the building. "Not as exciting as the roller coasters but at least it wasn't in the same league as Panic Jungle."

"I liked it because you started telling us about some of your adventures," Rain said.

"Yeah, I always like hearing about what you've done. It's so different from growing up in North Carolina."

"Well you will also get the chance to run for your lives in time," he said as they laughed, "so just be patient and we'll get my TARDIS and the Valeyard's TARDIS and away we all go. But for now…"

They frowned when he trailed off and stared past them with an odd look on his face. They turned and noticed several little character statues in front of a wrought iron fence. The characters were unrecognizable and completely weird looking. There was a little woman chef, a male chef with blue hair and most bizarre of all, a man with a huge bowl for a head and a superhero that had a large piece of toast in place of his head. They all walked over to them.

"Okay, where's Imiko when you need her?" the Doctor said. "I wanna know who white bread superhero man and bowl for a head is."

"Could you guys get in between them? I wanna take a picture for Sis and Bro," Rain said.

They walked around them and crouched in between them while Rain stepped back so she could get everything in the shot. She took a couple of pictures and walked back to them. They stared at the statues for a moment wondering who the hell they were before they decided to move on.

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After riding a couple more of the coasters including one that was called Space Salamander, the four of them decided to go back to the hotel so everyone could check out and go to the capsule one. They entered the monorail and sat down.

"Good bye, angry man! I hope you get over being cross one day!" the Doctor said as he stared at the statue.

"I'm so glad I brought Sis's camera. She's gonna get a kick out of these photos," Rain said as the monorail started up.

"I can't wait to see her reaction to them," the Doctor said. "We'll have to show her first thing so we can all enjoy it."

She nodded and cuddled against him while he put his arm around her shoulder and relaxed with her.

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"There ya are," Rose said as they came in the door.

They froze.

"I'm sorry, are we late?" Rain said worriedly.

"Nah, you're alright. We haven't been back that long," Rose said. "We talked to Imiko for a bit. She went to the park and hung out there and she just got back as well. Did you guys have fun?"

They nodded and told them everything they had done while Rain showed her the photos. Rose and Alan sat together on the bed laughing hysterically while they scrolled through them.

"Yeah, what is the deal with angry man there?" Alan said as they laughed. "Odd choice of expression for a statue."

They laughed when they paused at one. Rain had taken a photo of the Doctor while they were riding Panic Jungle. He had a bored look on his face and they could tell he had been twirling his finger in the air.

"That bad, eh?" Rose said.

They laughed when they described it.

"And I told him about you and the whole poacher battle afterwards," Awinita said.

"Oh God, yes," Alan said as they laughed. "The whole we must go after these poachers with the speeding tram and…oh, sorry, they ran away and got nabbed somewhere in the distance. Such a letdown so yes, I can understand your disappointment, Te'lesau."

They finished looking at the pictures and told them about the love hotel.

"We had fun but it was odd going into it. There were several entrances inside. I guess so no one can see you going inside if you don't want to be seen. The guy manning the front desk was behind a tinted piece of dark glass with a little tiny slot in it and we had to pay for our room that way. We never saw him except for a vague outline. And then, we got our choice of regular rooms or theme rooms and Alan got mad because they had a UFO room and I chose that for a laugh. It had a flying saucer bed and the whole thing was painted to look like Mars or something and there was this green alien statue in the corner. It was hilarious. We had a Jacuzzi that was shaped like a little Mars volcano and they had mirrors over the bed. We got in the Jacuzzi and had a snog before we made love in the bed but Alan kept complain' 'bout the alien because it was standing there just watching us and givin' him the creeps."

"Well, it was. It was one of those stereotypical Andromedan aliens painted this horrendous Day-Glo green and it was just creepy having it there in the corner. But they had the regular rooms plus you could choose a medieval castle room, a dungeon, a valentine's room where it was all hearts, some down on the farm thing and a Hello Kitty themed room that Rose was gonna pick until I told her I'd divorce her if she did. It was bad enough tryin' to perform in front of Martian boy without a zillion Hello Kitties staring at me from every angle," he said as they laughed. "But other than the odd choice of room, we had fun and a very relaxing time and probably have picked up a zillion venereal diseases from the bed which we'll pass back and forth for the rest of our lives. I'm glad you lot had fun even if the whole spa thing wasn't as relaxing as advertised and I'm glad Imiko had fun at the park while you guys did all this. But, now that everyone's back, do you lot wanna go check out and find this capsule hotel?"

They nodded and went to their rooms to gather their things up and get ready to leave.


	174. Chapter 174

Chapter One Hundred Seventy Four

"Okay everyone," Alan said as they came up the stairs leading down to the subway next to the capsule hotel. "It's time for Some Like It Hot, the Japanese edition."

They laughed and looked back at them. Alan was in disguise as Bridget and the Doctor was beside him. They both had their rucksacks on their back and they were both carrying one of the shoulder totes along with Rose. It was the first time they had carried the camping equipment and to their relief, they found it wasn't as heavy as they first feared. They walked over to some lockers located just outside the hotel and stored their gear in them, taking out what they needed for the night. Once that was done, they went inside.

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After paying for the tickets at a vending machine in the lobby, they were given dressing gowns and went into a locker room to change into the white cotton yukata and store their clothes for the night. Once they were finished they walked to the elevator and took it up to the women's floor at the very top of the building. They noticed on the list of rules when they first came in that no tattoos were allowed so Rose kept the box of plasters handy. All the way up, the two men were giggling and making jokes about how naughty they were for being on the women's floor.

When they reached the women's floor they got out and walked towards the "rooms." Each one was 150 by 200 centimeters and they were stacked side by side with two units top and bottom and a set of steps leading up to the top one and iron hand rails between them and a small metal shelf-like step outside each top unit. Each one had a blind they could pull down to provide privacy and a tiny TV in the corner next to the opening with a tiny metal box with a coin slot below it in case they wanted to watch pay per view movies. There was a little box that controlled everything and had a clock and a radio in it. Each bed had a pillow, blanket, toothbrush and toothpaste and a tiny white towel that was about the size of a tea towel. They looked around at the other units and noticed a couple of blinds were down and they heard one TV on in a room several feet down but other than that it was deserted.

Rain walked up to an empty one on the top level and stared at it.

"Jesus, this is dinky," she said. "I'm glad I'm not claustrophobic."

She studied the tiny steps beside the units. The Doctor watched while she grabbed the handrail, climbed up them and put her foot on the shelf step. Then she bent over and quickly got inside. Once she was in, the Doctor stepped forward along with everyone else and watched her while she slowly turned into a sitting position and looked around.

"Wow, there really isn't that much room in here," she said.

"Can you get back out?" Alan asked.

They backed up while she crawled on her hands and knees to the front of the unit and stared at the shelf and the steps trying to figure out the best way to get out. She finally decided to go back to the sitting position and sat there at the opening thinking.

"Here, let me help you," the Doctor said.

He grabbed Rain's middle and she leaned forward and gripped his neck while he slowly eased her out onto the metal shelf and then brought her down to ground level.

"Best let me stay on top, love," he said.

"Yeah, after that, I think I'll be more comfortable on the bottom."

They watched while the Doctor scrambled up and in as if he'd been staying in capsule hotels his whole life. He sat there for a moment looking around and then quickly came back out and down without any trouble.

"Yeah, you can have the top," Rain said as they laughed.

They decided to go explore and see what else there was on the floor. As they walked by the other units, they quickly glanced into them seeing how many others were occupied. There were the two with the blinds down and as they passed by one, they saw one young Japanese woman lying inside watching her TV.

"Konbanwa," she greeted them as she waved.

"Konbanwa," they said in unison as they waved back.

They walked to the end of the corridor and saw a small snack room to their right and a bathroom to their left. They walked into the snack room and glanced around. There was a row of vending machines, a newspaper rack with several newspapers, a coffee and tea maker and a computer on the counter beside the machines. There was also a round wooden table with four chairs in the middle of the room. They walked back out and went into the bathroom. There was a bath similar to the one at the spa and beside it was a low marble shelf with faucets and hoses and two tiny plastic stools. There was a tiny mirror beside the faucets and several bottles of shampoo and a bar of soap in a holder.

"That's where you get yourself clean," Rose told them as she pointed to the shelf and stools. "You don't use the bath to get clean, you use it to soak. It'll be the same for the communal baths too. Japanese people clean themselves off by the bathtub before they get in the bath so that's what all that's for."

They nodded. They left the room and headed further down the corridor. At the end there was a glass door and beyond it was a balcony. They went outside and shivered when the cold night air hit their bare legs. They looked around at the neon lit buildings before they went back inside and headed back to their rooms. On the way back the woman waved at them again and they waved back.

"I guess those three are the only ones up here besides us," Awinita said.

Rose nodded.

"It said on the website that these hotels are mostly for men, businessmen who work late or men who get drunk and can't or won't go home. That's why there's only one floor for women. And we have to check out by ten so just be aware of that."

They nodded. The Doctor and Alan scrambled up the steps to the top units while everyone else took the bottom ones. Rain put her little brown bag inside hers and handed the Doctor his brown bag that had his money and IPod in it. He thanked her and set it aside as he lay down on his stomach facing her and looked up at the TV above his head.

"At least they give you something to do in here," he said to her as she rested her arms on the shelf.

"You're the only one that'll understand it besides Imiko," Rain said. "I brought my DS so I'm gonna play that for awhile before going to bed."

She looked over when Rose and Alan did the same thing as them and talked softly to each other. She looked back at him.

"Too bad we can't both sleep in here but I think we'd both get stuck," he said.

"Yeah because you're just long enough to fit in here, I notice."

"Yeah, I'm glad. I don't fancy spending the night with my legs out of this hole."

"Why not? I could tickle them."

"No, I'm not ticklish there."

"That sucks. Are you ticklish anywhere?"

"Now why would I tell you?" he said as she laughed. "I'm not that big a glutton for punishment."

He looked up at the TV and looked over at the controls for it. Curious, he turned it on and turned up the volume enough that they could hear it without disturbing anyone else. Rain leaned her head in and tried to watch it while he went through the channels trying to see what was on. Rain sighed when she heard nothing but Japanese on every channel.

"Yup, I'll definitely be playing my DS tonight," she said.

The Doctor paused on one and listened a moment. Rain listened with him. There were two Japanese men in business suits talking to one another in a cluttered office.

"What are they saying?" she asked.

"I think they're policeman. They're talking about a murder right now. Must be a crime drama of some sort."

He flipped the channel and saw some Japanese woman singing into a microphone. He turned it again and found a game show.

"I may have to take a leaf from your book, love, and use my IPod tonight. Nothing looks good to me."

He glanced at the control panel, turned off the TV and turned on the radio. He listened a moment to a male pop singer before switching it off.

"I'm glad we're only staying here this one night. I think I'd go out of my mind if we spent several days," he said. "This is another one of those been there, done that experiences."

He blew a raspberry.

"I'm bored. You wanna get a snack or somethin', Latara? Just to have something to do?"

She nodded and stepped back when he turned himself around and came out. They grabbed their bags and walked past everyone back to the snack room. They entered and looked at the choices in the vending machines. They chose one that sold ice cream and got a couple of chocolate ice cream cones. They carried them to the table and sat down.

While they were eating and talking quietly, the woman that had greeted them earlier entered the room.

"Konbanwa," she said.

"Konbanwa," they answered.

She smiled.

"First time in Japan?"

They nodded.

"Welcome to Japan then," she said.

"Thanks," they said.

The woman was very short with a round face and shoulder length layered hair with brown highlights. She walked over to the vending machines and chose a bottle of green tea with honey. She paused by the table.

"May I sit with you?" she asked them.

They nodded and she smiled.

"Domo arigato gozaimasu," she said.

She pulled out a chair and sat down beside the Doctor.

"What are your names?" she asked as she opened her tea.

"I'm Rain."

"And I'm Morana."

"Pleased to meet you both. I am Aika."

They smiled and returned the sentiment.

"How long have you been in Osaka?"

"Only a few days," the Doctor said.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it here."

"So do I," Rain said. "It's a wonderful city."

"I am pleased to hear you like it," she said. "I do not live here but I love to visit. I live in Nagano and I am here visiting friends. Have you been to Nagano?"

They shook their heads.

"You should go. It was the place where they held the winter Olympic Games in 1998. It is a very beautiful city."

"Well, we'll have to ask our family but I'm sure they'll wanna go visit it."

"Is that the rest of your family out there?"

The Doctor nodded.

"Yes and we have two friends, Imiko and Mingxia who are traveling with us."

"Oh, that's wonderful. You know them long?"

"No, we've only just met them," Rain said.

She smiled.

"Where are you going to go in Japan?" she asked them.

"All over I think. We're heading up north now," the Doctor said.

"We're going around the world," Rain added.

Aika's eyes bulged.

"You are going around the world? Really?"

They nodded.

"That is so lovely, I wish I could do that but I have a job. I am down here on holiday and I am going back to Nagano tomorrow. Perhaps when you get there, you come visit me?"

The Doctor smiled.

"We'd like that," he said.

She beamed.

"Just a moment," she said. "I give you my address so you can come and see me."

She got up, walked over to the counter and grabbed a napkin and an ink pen. She took them back to the table and wrote down her address and phone number.

"Here you are," she said, handing it to the Doctor. "Please come. I have a small apartment but I will make room for all of you."

"Thank you," Rain said.

"Yes, we appreciate this and I'm sure our family will as well."

"It is no trouble. I just hope you will be safe on this trip."

"Yes, I hope so too," the Doctor said.

They sat together making small talk while the Doctor and Rain finished their ice cream and she drank her tea. Eventually, Aika finished her tea and yawned.

"Gomennasai, I am sleepy and I need to get up early. Please excuse me."

They nodded and she got up and threw her empty bottle away.

"It was nice to meet you," she said.

"You too," the Doctor said as Rain nodded. "If we don't see you before you leave, take care."

"You too and your family. Sayonara."

"Sayonara," they both said.

They smiled at each other when she left the room.

"Well, imagine that. We made a new friend and we found a possible place to stay in Nagano," the Doctor said.

"I hope Rose and Alan will let us go there. I would love to see her again."

"I think they will. But for now, let's go to bed too, my Latara. We have to get up early and get naked for the baths before you have to go get geishaed up for me."

She gigged and kissed him. They threw away their rubbish and headed back to their beds. On the way there, they noticed that Rose was still talking to Alan while the other three had their blinds down. They cut the chatter and tiptoed past them.

"There ya are," Rose whispered. "Where'd ya go?"

They told her about getting the snack and meeting Aika. Rose looked at her husband when they showed her the address.

"Yeah, we'll definitely have to go there," Rose said. "She sounds like a nice woman. I hope we get to talk to her in the morning. You shoulda said somethin' and we would have come and chatted. We're just talkin' since there's not much else to do. But I'm glad you guys met her. She's the one that kept greetin' us earlier?"

They nodded.

Alan chuckled.

"Hey lady," he said in a loud stage whisper. "Wanna come with us? We need another one so we can make it an even eight."

They laughed as Rose slapped his arm playfully.

She looked at them.

"You two goin' to bed?"

They nodded.

"I think we are as well. Goodnight, Sis."

"Goodnight, Rose."

They hugged each other and she walked to the Doctor and embraced him.

"Goodnight, Morana," she said with a wink.

"Goodnight, Rose, pleasant dreams."

"Yeah, you too."

She let go. He wished Alan goodnight and Rain hugged him and kissed his cheek before she finally got in her bed. The Doctor bent down, leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

"Goodnight, my love," he whispered.

"Goodnight, Sprinkles," she whispered back.

He grinned and wagged his eyebrows when she tousled his hair. He leaned out, and she heard him climbing up to his bed. She listened to him settling in before she pulled down the screen and took her DS out of her bag for a couple of games before retiring.

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"Rain?"

She gasped when she felt the Doctor's ice cold finger on the sole of her foot and she quickly jerked it up towards her body.

"Oho, so you are ticklish there," the Doctor said with an evil grin. "Well, that's good to know. Have to file that tidbit away for future use."

Rain smiled.

"Good morning," she said.

He smiled.

"Good morning, my love," he mouthed to her.

Aloud, he said.

"Everyone's up. We're not gonna use the bath here since we're going to the other one and Rose didn't pay for breakfast so we'll get something on the way to the bath. But everyone's waking up and I was asked by the wench to wake you up before you invite a beating on your person.

"I did not say that, ya git," they heard Rose say as they both laughed.

A moment later, Rose peeked in.

"He's about a big a pest as your brother is, so be warned if you're gonna be with him," she said.

"Oi!" the Doctor said softly. "D'ya mind, Timelord? I'm having a tete-a-tete with my girl and you're disrupting our chi."

Rose mimed playing a violin and winked at her sister when the Doctor eyed her.

"Okay, I'll let you have a little tete-a-tete but we gotta get up and movin' soon," she said.

The Doctor tousled her hair and turned his attention back to Rain when Rose leaned back up. They talked for another few minutes before he stepped back and let her come out with her bag. Everyone else was up and getting themselves ready to leave. Rose walked over to them.

"I'm gonna get one more night back at the hotel and that'll give us time to go to the baths, get the pictures and do a little bit more exploring and then tomorrow mornin' I wanna start out early so we'll be able to walk while it's still daylight, okay?"

"Yup," the Doctor said as Rain nodded.

"I wanted to download some songs anyway for my IPod," Rain said.

She nodded.

"I really would like to get another family photo as well. If we do the geisha photos we can come back, shower and go out and do that so we'll have that done and out of the way. Then we'll see what else there is to do for the rest of the night. Maybe see a show or somethin'. I'll see if maybe they do Broadway musicals here since you two weren't around when we saw Wicked. It might be in Japanese but it might be interesting hearing it that way, plus if we find something like Phantom of the Opera we'll still be able to suss out what's happenin' on the stage."

"I'll be able to suss out what's happening on the stage anyway because unlike you, I know Japanese," the Doctor said with feigned pomposity.

Rain laughed when Rose gave him a long, hard stare and he gave her an innocent look in return.

"But anyway," she said, turning his attention back to Rain while he sniggered, "that can wait for the moment. We'll get our stuff, go back to the hotel and book the rooms so we don't have to worry 'bout lugging the stuff all around Osaka this afternoon."

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"Good morning, nice to see you back again," the lady at the front desk said when they walked into the hotel.

"Thank you, we wanted to book one more night," Rose said to her.

"Certainly Ma'am, would you like the same single rooms you had before?"

Rose paused.

"Single rooms?" she said.

"Yes, ma'am, the single rooms you had. Would you like them again?"

"We didn't have single rooms, we had double rooms."

"No ma'am, you had single rooms."

"I thought that was awfully strange that the double room only had one big bed in it," Alan muttered to the Doctor.

"Ma'am, the last time I wanted double rooms," Rose said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Ma'am, there was a miscommunication. The man who checked you in was new. We are very sorry and would like to give you a large discount as a way of apologizing for our error."

Rose nodded.

"S'alright, I'm just glad it was a mistake and your double rooms really do have two beds in them. But, could you hold on for a moment?"

"Certainly, Ma'am."

Rose beckoned to everyone and they left the bags by the front desk while they walked several feet away.

"Now that we have this all sorted out, I wanted to know how many rooms we should book. We have two couples and three single people. We could book one room for me and Alan and the Doctor and Rain and let you guys have another room so we can save some money. Is that alright?"

They nodded and she walked with Mingxia up to the front desk. Rose paid for one room and Mingxia paid for the other. Afterwards, they headed upstairs to the fifth floor.

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"Much better," Rose said when the two couples entered and saw a room with two big beds.

Other than that, the rooms were the same as the single ones. Rose knocked on the connecting door and Awinita opened it while they dropped their bags down in the corner. They quickly used the bathroom before heading out to eat breakfast and go to the baths.


	175. Chapter 175

Chapter One Hundred Seventy Five

"Some Like It Hot, Japanese edition, the sequel," Alan said to the Doctor as they followed the women into the baths.

Imiko had left before them to go to the zoo. Before they left the hotel room, Alan had helped Rose put the plasters on her arm and she had put them on Awinita's back. As expected, there was a large sign listing the rules behind the front desk and near the bottom…

NO TATTOOS ARE ALLOWED.

Discretely, Rose pulled up Awinita's shirt in back and pulled down her jeans slightly. She saw that the tattoo was still covered and went up with Mingxia to pay the admission.

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After disrobing, they undressed and put their clothes in little wicker baskets resting in cubbyholes in the disrobing room. They made another check of the plasters before they walked into the bathroom. There were several little stalls that were similar to the area beside the bathtub in the capsule hotel. Each area had a mirror, a marble shelf with shampoos and soap and a tap. All of them carried stools and buckets that were provided by the staff for the patrons. The two couples went first. They sat their stools down in each of the four stalls and filled the buckets with water. Then they used ladles at each station to pour the water over them while they cleaned their bodies and used their flannel to soap themselves down. The others waited patiently watching while they poured more water over themselves cleaning off the soap and grime. Once they were done they took the stools away and Awinita and Mingxia came up, put their stools down and did the same thing.

Meanwhile, the other four had walked over to a heavy black curtain, parted it and stepped into the bath room. There were two enormous square baths side by side at the back with a smaller bath beside them. There were more stools and buckets beside the smaller bathtub. They stacked their stools and buckets by the door and stood there a moment and watched while women rested in the baths talking to each other or walked around naked as they got in and out, some with towels covering their private parts and some without. The Doctor glanced at Rain but he couldn't sense any anxiety or fear in her mind and he smiled at that. She glanced up at him and gave him a smile as she discretely squeezed his hand. They looked around and saw Awinita and Mingxia come in behind them and stacked their stools on top of theirs. They all walked to the bath and one by one they got into the hot water and laid their towels on the edge behind them. The Doctor noticed them wincing and figured the water must be hot.

_Better hot than ice cold,_ he thought.

He walked with Rain up to the edge and he waited while she climbed in.

"Wow, this is really hot," she said to him. "But it feels good."

"Better than the freezing cold water yesterday?"

"Oh God, yes," she said as he laughed.

Finally she was in and she walked over to the others while the Doctor climbed in. It was indeed hot but bearable for him and he let out a sigh at the soothing sensation the water brought. He walked over to his lover who was sitting beside Rose, laid his towel down with the rest of theirs and with a groan slid down into the water. They rested and talked to one another enjoying the soothing water.

While they talked, Rain heard someone sit down beside her and turned her head to see a middle aged woman with a thin face and short hair smiling at her.

"Ohio gozaimasu," she greeted her.

"Hello," Rain said as the Doctor turned his head to see who she was talking to.

The woman smiled at him and they exchanged greetings.

"What is your name?" the woman asked her as she lay back against the wall and relaxed.

"I'm Rain."

"Hello, Rain. I'm Moriko."

"Nice to meet you. This is Morana."

"Nice to meet you," she said.

"And you," the Doctor replied.

The two of them spoke to her while other women gravitated over and spoke to the others. Rain and the Doctor found out that Moriko was a housewife who was with her husband who was in the men's section with a family friend. She had lived in Osaka her entire life and had a set of twin daughters who were going to Tokyo University. As they talked, a younger woman drifted over and joined in. they found out her name was Shinju and she was 16 years old and still in school. The four of them talked to one another while the others had a conversation group of their own. The Doctor liked being here. He always liked conversation and the fact that all these women from all walks of life and age groups could talk so openly and freely thrilled him. An elderly woman named Yukiko joined them once she got into the baths and both the Doctor and Rain listened to their stories and laughed and joked with them. He glanced at Rain who wasn't self-conscious in any way and was thoroughly enjoying herself. It warmed his hearts that these people were so open and friendly especially to a group of foreigners. He took a quick glance around but as far as he could tell they were the only gaijin in the room. Smiling, he turned his attention back to the chat group and relaxed in the hot soothing water.

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They stayed in the bath for three hours talking and laughing with the three women and whoever else happened to join in. By the time they got out and were ready to leave, Rain had gotten Shinju and Moriko's addresses and phone numbers and they made her promise to write or call them before hugging her goodbye and walking back into the baths. Awinita had also gotten an address from a young woman named Miwa who also made her promise to write or call her. They got dressed and all of them left the building completely relaxed and in high spirits.

Once they were outside, Rose pulled out a piece of paper with directions to the photography studio and they walked to the nearest bus stop.

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The Doctor sat with his brother in a waiting room. Alan had turned off his disguise and they waited while the women were turned into Geishas. They had offered to do the same makeover to the Doctor but he declined politely, much to his brother's amusement. He picked up a sports magazine and thumbed through it reading an article in Japanese while Alan leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

After a half hour the curtain separating the waiting room from the back was drawn back and Rain stepped through. Both men's mouths dropped open. She was dressed in a blue and pink kimono that had flowers all over it. Her long hair was done up in the geisha style and there were tiny silk pink flowers across the top of her hair. Her face was snow white with pink blush on her cheeks and eyelids and fire engine red lipstick accenting her lips. She had a white paper parasol in one hand and a folding fan in the other. On her feet were white tabi socks and wooden sandals. The Doctor couldn't speak, so astounded was he by her loveliness. She slowly made her way over to him and her brother whose mouth had dropped open at the sight of her.

"Um, what do you think?" she asked.

"I think you're an absolute vision and if I could find a way to make you wear this day in and day out, I would," he breathed.

"You are beautiful, Te'lesu, just stunning," Alan said.

She smiled shyly.

"Thanks. I like it too except for this big sash around my middle. They tied it tight and I can't slouch with it on. It kinda hurts my back but I like the way it looks on me."

Both men nodded.

She stepped back, opened the parasol and looked at it. It was white with black cranes all over it. She hoisted it up over her shoulder and rested the shaft there for a moment while she smiled at the two men who were staring at her in silent appreciation.

"Look at this though," she said, lowering the umbrella and folding it up. "I didn't know this but when they did the makeup they left the nape of my neck bare. Supposedly that's what Japanese men like. The nape of the neck turns them on."

She turned around and pointed to the bit of bare skin left under her hairline. She turned back around.

"So I guess if a Japanese guy came in and saw that, I'd turn him on."

"He'd have to get past me first," the Doctor muttered to her.

The curtain was pulled back and Awinita came through. She looked the same except her kimono was white with flowers and birds; a gold obi sash and the flowers in her hair were purple. She also carried a fan and parasol.

"You look beautiful too, Te'lesu," Alan said as the Doctor nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, I like this look. It's cool."

She looked at her sister.

"I love that look on you, Rain. You look beautiful."

"So do you, Sis."

Mingxia came out next and her kimono was deep purple with little white birds and marsh reeds along the sides of it. She had a silver obi sash and tiny purple flowers in her hair. Both men expressed their appreciation and she blushed and thanked them.

Then the curtain was pulled back and Rose came through. Alan's breath caught in his throat when he saw his wife. She had on a white kimono with huge roses all over it, a black obi sash and little red and white flowers on top of a geisha wig. She slowly walked over to him and stopped as he stood and took her hand.

"Oh, Starlight, you are gorgeous," he breathed. "You are a vision."

She smiled.

"Thank you. Unfortunately I don't have long black hair like they do so they had to put his wig on me and it's hot and itchy. I'll be glad to get it off but I like the way it looks on me."

Alan nodded and started to give her a kiss when he caught himself.

"Blast, you have those red lips now," he said as she laughed.

One by one they were called into an adjoining room to have two pictures taken in different poses. Rose went first and Alan sat with the Doctor who was holding Rain's hand while she stood near him. The other two women talked to each other quietly and complimented each other on their looks. Once Rose was done, Awinita went next, then Mingxia and finally Rain. Once each woman was finished, they were sent back to have the makeup and regalia taken off, much to the brother's disappointment.

Rain finally came out and the Doctor quickly committed her look to memory before they escorted her to the back room. They were informed that it would take an hour to develop the photos so they decided to get something to eat while they waited. They headed to a nearby steakhouse and ate while the two men complimented the women on how gorgeous they all looked. They made small talk during and after they ate and when the hour was up, they hurried back eager to see the pictures. Each woman got two 8 x 10 pictures with two different poses. The first pose was in front of a backdrop of a painting of cherry blossom trees with their pink petals falling off the branches to the ground. The women had their parasols open and over their right shoulders while they smiled demurely for the camera. The other pose was done in front of a teahouse backdrop and they had their folding fan opened, holding it with one hand in front of their bodies while they smiled. Both men couldn't tear their eyes away from the pictures of their women although the Doctor had to be more discrete since everyone was still seeing him as female. Once they left the building however both men gushed over all the photos and even had a mock argument over whose girl made the more attractive geisha culminating with good hearted teasing about kicking the other's ass for daring to suggest that his woman was prettier than the other one.

The women walked behind them listening and giggling at their good natured brotherly teasing.

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Once they got back to their rooms, they rested a bit while Rose got online to look up a photography studio for their family pictures and to check if there were any shows they could see. Rain lay on the bed beside the Doctor while Alan rested across from them.

"You looked so beautiful, my love," he said, playing with her hair. "I love both photos of you."

She smiled and turned on her side towards him.

"I do too, that was fun even though the sash made my back uncomfortable."

"Yes, but it was worth it to get the photos. I don't think I'll ever get tired of looking at them, Latara."

"My wife was better looking," Alan said, glancing sideways at him.

"No, sorry, my girlfriend was better looking."

"Nope, wifey-poo wins hands down in the geisha department."

"Nope, sorry, Rain is the better geisha."

Alan feigned anger.

"You wanna fight about it?"

"Yeah, let's have a duel. You and me, twenty paces in front of the beds. We'll soon sort this out or die trying," the Doctor said.

"Will you guys shut up?" Rose said as they and Rain laughed. "Geez, I swear, you guys are a handful when you team up. Now, I found a photo studio in the Hankyu department store that's one hour so we'll go there for the picture and…hmm, Lion King is on at the Osaka Shiki Theater. You wanna go see that tonight?"

"Yes!" they all said in unison.

"Okay, let me talk to the others about it and get their input," she said, getting up and going in the other room.

They waited till she was gone before Alan looked at the Doctor.

"My wife makes the better geisha."

"No, she doesn't. Rain makes the better geisha," the Doctor said as Rain laughed.

"Lies, my wife makes a hotter looking geisha!"

"Nope sorry, there's someone else who surpasses her in geisha loveliness and that's this woman right here."

"Still wanna have the duel over it?"

"If you think you're man enough to duel me!" the Doctor said.

"P'eh, I'm more than man enough to take ya on, old man!"

Rain laughed when the Doctor feigned anger.

"Right! That's it; I'll show you how to respect your elders. I…"

"For heaven's sake, are you back to this rubbish again?" Rose said, walking through the door. "I can't leave you two alone for five minutes. Now behave or I'll rip up both sets of photos."

"Behaving now," Alan said.

"Good as gold, me," the Doctor added.

"Uh-huh, that's what I thought. Now you two be good while I get our tickets for the Lion King tonight," she said while Rain laughed and cuddled up against the Doctor.


	176. Chapter 176

Chapter One Hundred Seventy Six

The seven friends and family members walked into the department store and walked over to the map. The Doctor pointed out the location of the photography studio and they followed him to it. Before they left, Rose had run off a copy of the Doctor and Rain with Snoopy and Woodstock and to her relief, he showed up as himself. She hoped that he really was showing up in the picture and not because she could see his true self. She decided to trust that the benefactor was listening in and had fixed it so he could be seen on camera. She knew that it would be the moment of truth when the photographer got a look at the Doctor.

When they entered, there was one couple ahead of them so they waited until he was finished with them. They were a young couple who looked like they were very much in love and the Doctor learned from their conversation with the photographer that they had just gotten married two days ago and they were on their honeymoon. They had decided to take a picture of themselves to send to family members living abroad who hadn't been able to attend their wedding in addition to having a family photo for themselves since they were just starting out in their new apartment. He listened while the photographer described various photo packages and pulled down different backgrounds so they could choose one.

"Ooo," Rain whispered to him." They have one that looks like that tree I stood in front of."

"The cherry blossom tree? Yeah, I like that one," he whispered back.

She giggled when he pulled down the next one.

"Hey, Hello Kitty," she said to him.

He rolled his eyes.

"No thanks, I'm not getting my picture taken standing in front of that."

"You and me both, brother," Alan said. "I don't know what the fascination is with that thing. It's naff lookin'."

"It is not," Rose said. "It's cute."

"Like hell it is, Starlight," he said as the Doctor laughed. "It's bizarre looking with that big head and those weird beady black eyes. That's why I wasn't about to shag in a room with a million pairs of those eyes staring back at me. I don't know why people think it's cute; it looks like some weird genetic experiment gone wrong."

Rose rolled her eyes when both brothers laughed at that.

"Okay, we won't use that background then. I don't wanna stand in front of Hello Kitty either. I want something I can hang up and people won't stand around and wonder why there's a cartoon cat behind us."

The couple chose a roaring fireplace and the photographer had them sit on a carpeted box while he arranged them. Rose looked at the others.

"While they're developin' the pictures if you guys wanna go and get any last minute things you think you might need, you can since this will be our last chance for awhile."

"Do you need anything, love?" the Doctor asked Rain.

She thought.

"I think I might get another couple of crossword puzzle and Sudoku books just so I'll have enough. Who knows how long it's gonna take to get to the next town or whatever."

Rose looked at her.

"I looked up the miles from here to Kyoto and it's about 41 miles, so three, four days walk I would think. That would be the next city we'd aim for then we'd swing down to Iga-Ueno and that's about another 44 miles. But we're gonna try to go to the major cities and then we can stop at towns and villages along the way if we need to. Hopefully they'll be people there who will give us assistance if we explain what we're doin'. And naturally we'll try to follow the rivers as much as possible and suss out where the lakes and streams are so we can have water. We'll also try to use Hostels some nights so we can have a break and take a shower. They have them all over Japan and I'll run off a list of them to start us out especially the ones in Kyoto. But, you know, we'll be alright We'll just do what we've been doing and look out and help each other and we'll get through Japan and have more fun than we would if we just took a people carrier or rode the trains."

They nodded and looked over when the couple left and the photographer walked over to them.

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All of them decided on the same fireplace scene the couple had used so it wouldn't detract from the photo. The Doctor tried a little test and referred to Alan as his twin brother when he spoke to the photographer. Amazingly, he did see him as a man so the Doctor figured the benefactor had allowed his true form to be seen just this once for picture purposes.

While Mingxia and Imiko sat and watched, the photographer arranged them all. The two men stood beside each other with the three women sitting on the box. Rose was in front of Alan and Rain was in front of the Doctor with Awinita in the middle of them. Both men had their hands on their lover's shoulders while the women sat with their hands folded neatly in their laps. The photographer finished arranging them and they all smiled while he took a couple of pictures. He called them over and showed them a preview of each one. They picked the first one he took and Rose ordered three photo packages. Once that was done and they arranged to meet back at the studio, they headed out into the department store to look around and shop for an hour.

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Rain pushed the trolley while the Doctor strolled alongside her. She got a couple more puzzle books and they were currently looking at the games in the toy section seeing if there was anything they could play while they were camping.

"They have Yahtzee. You ever play that?" Rain asked him.

"Nope, can't say I have."

"Oh! I can teach you. It's fun."

"Okay," he said.

She pulled the little travel game off the hook and put it in the trolley. She looked at the others and noticed the Doctor pulling one off.

"Do you like chess?" he asked her.

"Um, never played it."

"Oh! Well, you teach me Yahtzee, I'll teach you chess," he said, putting it in the trolley.

Rain giggled when she noticed a card game and took it down.

"Hey? Wanna play Fact or Crap?" she said.

He chuckled and took it from her. He turned it around and read the blurb on the back to her.

"In this game, you read a statement and then must decide if it's true or not. It's that simple. Learn a lot of interesting things… and hear a lot of creative lies! Well, gee, I'll probably be able to tell you if everything is fact or crap then. Time Lord brain, ya know."

"Yeah but it might be interesting. I think I'll get it," she said.

He put it in the trolley. She looked at all the others and finding nothing else that interested her moved on with him. They were about to leave the toy section when she stopped him. He gave her a quizzical look and she grinned when she went over and grabbed a tiny lavender Frisbee.

"You know, while we're out in the countryside, we can stop every once in awhile and throw this for fun," she said, showing it to him. That way we can take a rest and have some laughs."

He grinned.

"I love the way your mind works. That's brilliant. Let's get it."

She put it in the trolley. She was about to walk off when she noticed something else. Giggling, she plucked a Hello Kitty Frisbee off a hook.

"How about we get this to irritate the hell outta little Bro?" she said.

The Doctor grinned from ear to ear. Rain bent over laughing when he put the purple Frisbee back and put the Hello Kitty Frisbee in the trolley. She kept on laughing while he whistled innocently and pushed the trolley out of the toy section.

"Ooops, sorry Alan," he said to her. "They only had Hello Kitty Frisbees so we were forced to get one."

She laughed and nodded.

"Exactly," she said.

"I'm glad you thought of the Frisbee though," the Doctor said while they walked. "We can throw it around the hostels too and disturb the other backpackers."

She put her hand on his arm and he stopped and looked at her.

"You know, I cannot hear that word without thinking of the movie," she said. "Have you ever seen the movie, Hostel?"

"No and I have no desire to. I don't like rubbish like that. It disgusts me. Why? Have you seen it?"

She sighed.

"My sister had some friends over to the house one night," she said as they walked along. "Dad was at a friend's house playing poker with him and some other friends of theirs so he let my sister invite several people. They rented Hostel and Saw…3, I think. But anyway, I was sitting there and I tried to watch it but ugh, it was disgusting. I agree with you. It's just mindless violence and gore."

"I don't know how Alan feels about it now since he's forged his own identity but I've had enough horror in my lives to last me until the end of time and a lot of that horror leaves movies like that in the dust. Trust me, Latara, I love telling you stories about my adventures but there are some things I will never tell you because I know it'll give you nightmares for the rest of your life."

She gave him a sad look and put her arm around him. He smiled, kissed the top of her head and returned the gesture as they walked to another section of the store.

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They found Alan and Rose in the sweets section and joined them.

"We were gonna get some sweets," Rose said.

"Good idea, I'll do the same," the Doctor replied.

He scratched his chin while he looked over the selections. Alan glanced over and walked over to their trolley.

"Oh, games?" he said, picking up the chess set.

"Yeah, just to pass the time."

"Good idea, I…"

He picked up the pink Frisbee with the Hello Kitty in the center of it.

"There ya go, Bro," Rain said as they Doctor laughed. "We can all play Frisbee together."

Alan raised his eyebrow at her.

"I'm sorry, Bro, all they had was Hello Kitty Frisbees, I swear!" she said. "You know the Japanese; they just can't get enough of Hello Kitty."

He looked at the Doctor and Rose who were laughing hysterically and bopped his sister on top of the head with the disc before he put it back in the trolley.

He stood for a moment in thought.

"How 'bout a ball of some kind then?" he said to her. "We could throw that as well."

"Oh! I didn't think of that. Um, can you watch the cart and I'll go find something?"

He nodded and she ran back towards the toy section. Alan picked up the disc.

"Hello Kitty?" he said to the Doctor.

He gave him an innocent look.

"That's all they had, I swear," he said shrugging.

Alan looked at Rose who was giggling hysterically.

"You and Rain are perfect for each other, that's for sure," he said, putting it back in the trolley.

They turned their attention to the candy. Alan got a bag of peanut M&Ms and put it in their trolley while the Doctor read the Japanese on the packaging. He frowned when he saw a bag of boiled sweets. There were several different flavors and they were listed on the front. He grabbed the bag and walked over to his brother.

"Okay, I think I'll have to try this one. These are boiled sweets and the flavors they come in are yuzu, green tea, sweet soy sauce, salt, and plum.

"Soy sauce?" Alan said.

"Salt?" Rose added. "And what the hell is yuzu?"

"It's a Japanese citrus fruit," the Doctor said. "It's a bit sour but it's good."

"Yeah, but…soy sauce and salt?" Rose said.

The Doctor grinned and put the bag in his trolley.

"See, you thought I was a nutter, I'm sane compared to him," Alan teased.

"Well, if you know what the packaging says, can you help us out then?" Rose said.

"Happy to."

He stood with them and read off what was on the bags and boxes. While they did, Rain came up with a ball encased in plastic. She handed it to the Doctor who read what it said.

"Hmmm, this lights up at night. We could play a round of night catch," he said to Alan.

"It's the smallest one I could find," she said, pointing to the pink ball.

"That's fine. I'll pay for this one then," Alan said, dropping it in the trolley.

They picked out a few more sweets. Some chocolates, a couple of bags of gummi candies and some goat milk boiled sweets. Once they were done, they noticed the time and went to join the others back at the studio.

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Rose smiled when she looked at the 8 x 10 photo of her family. The others were gathered around her admiring it. Her heart warmed looking at the Doctor and Alan side by side smiling happily. It was a dream come true for her that the two men in her life finally accepted each other and had grown close. She got out the little wallet sized photos and gave everyone in the group one.

"Brilliant!" the Doctor said. "Now I can walk up to total strangers and do the whole, "Say, have I shown you my family?" and whip this out and gush over you lot while they stand there annoyed, wishing I'd piss off. I can't wait to find my first victim."

Rose rolled her eyes and smiled at him.

"Just make sure I'm far away from you, yeah? I don't wanna get hit when the person punches you so hard you fly backwards."

She put the rest of the pictures back in the envelope and they headed out of the store back to their hotel room.

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They still had about four hours to go until it was time to leave for the show so everyone decided to rest. Rose got online and ran off the directions to some of the hostels in Kyoto. She looked through some of the listings silently reading through the amenities while she tried to decide the best one to go to. Alan was lying on his stomach in their bed studying a map of Japan they had brought. Rain was fast asleep while the Doctor sat up in bed beside her and listened to his IPod. In the other room, the three women were laughing and talking to each other. The Doctor glanced over when Alan got up with the map and went to confer with Rose on something. They talked quietly with each other while he scooted down in the bed and rested his head on the pillow. He winced when his movement woke up Rain and he took his ear bud out of his left ear.

"Sorry, Latara, I was trying not to wake you," he said.

"You're alright. I wasn't in a deep sleep. I was just mainly resting my eyes before tonight. I can't wait to see the show."

"Same here, I have a feeling it'll be brilliant."

"What are you listening to?"

"Um, Queen right now. Bohemian Rhapsody."

Rain picked up the ear pod and put it to her ear. He smiled when she began to hum along to the tune.

"I still have to download mine when Rose gets off the computer."

"I'm about done, Sis," Rose said looking at her. "I just need to check a few more things."

"That's fine, take your time," she said to her.

They looked over at the connecting door when they heard the three girls let out high-pitched laughs.

"Oh bugger, now what are they doin'?" Alan said to Rose. "Are we gonna have to pay for room damages before we leave?"

She laughed.

"I'm not. I vote if that happens, we just leg it out of town and let them deal with the angry staff."

"I second that," he said.

Awinita ran into the room, giggling.

"Sorry, Mingxia is trying to throw water on me and Imiko," she said to them.

"Are we gonna have to separate you lot and have the Doctor and Rain spend the night in there?" Alan said.

"No, we'll behave, Bro," Awinita said, walking over to their side.

She put her hand on Alan's back while she watched Rose.

"Planning our trip?"she asked her.

"Yeah, looking for Hostels in Kyoto. I found a really good one that has a lot of amenities and it's got a high rating. It's specifically for backpackers and its minutes from a lot of the tourist attractions. I think I might pick this one."

"Cool."

He patted Alan's back.

"So, now that we have the updated family photo, you just have to get your ring fixed, right?"she said, pointing to his hand.

"Yeah, but that can wait," he said, glancing at it.

"I actually like your ring. It's nice," the Doctor said, taking his ear buds out.

He walked over to him.

"It's a birthstone ring," he said, showing him. "Rose and Awinita got it for me at Christmas and it's got our birthstones, but not Rain's and not yours, so I have to get it fixed or get a new one because I want all my family represented."

"Can't you just get one birthstone to represent the both of us? I mean, I share Rain's birthday now so it wouldn't make any sense to get two of the same birthstone."

He nodded.

"That's a good idea. But I want to wait and get it fixed another time. It's the last thing on my mind at the moment."

"What is our birthstone, Latara?"

"Amethyst."

"Oh, I like amethyst, that's beautiful. I'm glad that's my birthstone then."

"But I think I'll get it changed out when we get to Tokyo since I'm sure they'll have a competent jeweler who can fix it or at least switch it out. But we all have jewelry now. I have this, Rose has a rose pendant, Awinita has a turquoise pendant and she has the butterfly. Now all we need to do is get you one and we'll be fully blinged out."

Mingxia came into the room.

"Rain, can we borrow your chess set? Imiko and I wanna play."

She nodded and reached down for her tote bag while Mingxia came around to her side. She rifled through it and handed her the box containing it.

"Thanks, Rain."

"You're welcome," she said.

She walked back around and went into her room while Alan walked over and lay down on his bed.

"Te'lesu," he said, turning on his side. "I hate to ask but can I borrow your game system so I can have something to do for the moment?"

"Sure, Bro," she said.

She reached down and unzipped her rucksack.

"What do you wanna play?" she said, bringing it out.

"The Pac-Man one, thanks."

She opened her brown bag, brought out the Namco Museum cartridge, put it in for him and gave him the DS.

"Thanks muchly, Te'lesu."

"Yup."

Alan fiddled with the controls for a moment getting the hang of the buttons. Once he figured everything out, he laid his head back on his pillow and played Pac-Man while Rain closed her eyes and snuggled up to the Doctor. He smiled, put a hand on her back and rubbed it while she drifted off to sleep.

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She slept for an hour and when she awoke, Rose was off the computer.

"I'm done, love, if you wanna go download some songs," she said as she lay beside her husband reading a book.

Rain nodded and sat up.

"Oh!" Rose said, getting up and grabbing a piece of paper from the bedside table. "I wanted to give you this as well. I uploaded your photos from Expoland into my online photo album and I printed one off for you that I thought you might like to have."

She walked around and handed it to her.

"Here ya go, Sis. It's your sweetheart on the Panic Jungle ride doing his whoop-di-do pose."

Rain laughed as the Doctor grinned.

"Thanks, Rose."

"You're welcome, hon. I thought you'd get a kick out of seeing that."

She walked back around to her side of the bed while Rain put the picture in her rucksack. She and the Doctor walked over to the computer. The Doctor pulled up a chair and watched while she went online, found ITunes and looked through the choices. He watched quietly, curious about her song choices. He smiled when he noticed he liked almost all the songs she did. As she was looking through the songs, she suddenly had a thought.

"Little Bro?" she said, turning around in the chair.

Alan paused his game and looked at her.

"Yes?"

"Um, I was thinking, how about if I get You'll Be in My Heart so you can have it when you guys get in a romantic mood."

Alan and Rose glanced at each other.

"If you want to, Te'lesu. I can always sing it to her though."

"Oh Lord, in that case, please get it, Sis!" she said as they laughed.

"I'll get it for you guys."

"Thanks, Rain," Alan said as Rose smiled.

"Um, is there any special significance to that song?" the Doctor asked.

"That's their song. They danced to it at their wedding."

"Oh!"

"Yeah, Sis had the Tarzan CD but she sent it back to London with a bunch of other things we didn't need."

"And I'm sure Jackie's letting Tony play with all my toys too even though we asked her not to touch them," Alan said resuming the game.

"You don't know that," Rose said to him.

"No, but I'm sure it's a fair bet that's happening this very instant," he said to her.

The Doctor looked at Rain and leaned in.

"So, does this mean we need to pick a song too?" he asked her.

"If you want to."

"Well, if that's the tradition, Latara," he said, "then I want to do it as well."

"What'd you have in mind?"

"Not sure, I'll have to get back to you on that one. But you think on it too in the meantime and we'll come up with a song of our own."

She smiled and kissed him on the lips.

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"Oh wow," Rain said softly as they entered the theater.

The interior was elegant with white walls, crystal chandeliers and a huge staircase with red carpeting that led up to a landing and then split in two up to the second level. On the wall above the landing was a large painting of Mount Fuji.

"This is beautiful," Awinita said.

"Yeah, this is lovely," Mingxia said. "I've been to a few theaters in Beijing and this is just as elegant as anything they have over there."

"I have never been to one," Imiko said.

"You've never been to a musical?" Mingxia said.

She shook her head.

"Have you?" Awinita asked.

"Went and saw Cats and Phantom when I first got to Beijing," she said.

"Me and Rose and Alan saw Wicked in Chicago."

"I want to see that one too," Mingxia said. "But I've wanted to see Lion King since it first came out."

"Me too, "Awinita said.

They looked over when Alan and Rose walked up.

"Got the seats, gang," she said, passing out their tickets. "Follow us."

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She led them upstairs to the first balcony on the right side. They all settled in and talked quietly while they waited for the show to start. The Doctor smiled at Rain when he noticed her looking around the interior of the theater in awe. It was also painted white with red velvet seats and a huge crystal chandelier hanging above them. The Doctor and Rain sat on the far right side with Alan and Rose beside them. The other three women were behind them.

"So, Imiko, you gotta translate for us," Awinita teased.

"Yeah and so does the Doctor, "Mingxia said.

"What? You mean I have to actually work instead of enjoy myself tonight?" he asked her.

"Yup, because you two are the only one who will know what they're saying," Awinita said. "So, you just gotta sit here and scream out everything they're saying as loud as you can."

They laughed.

"I can just see that, it's a really dramatic moment and the theater is hushed and quiet and all of a sudden, here's this voice screaming out, SIMBA JUST SAID TO SCAR…"Alan said.

"Well, I'll take the half up to intermission and Imiko, you take the second half," the Doctor said.

"Hai, Doctor-san," she said, laughing.

"And of course, little Bro will be hockin' loogies off the balcony onto the people below," Awinita said.

"He better not if he wants to live to see the campin' trip," Rose said.

"She's constantly threatening me, Te'lesau, it's so annoying," Alan said to the Doctor.

"Well, it is pretty effective considering you only have one life at the moment."

"Precisely, which is why I want to get a hold of that chameleon arch as soon as possible."

The Doctor felt Rain tap his shoulder.

"Hmm?" he said.

"I keep noticing this but I thought maybe it was just me but little Bro's voice is lower than yours or is that just me?"

"No, Te'lesu, I do have a lower voice courtesy of Donna. When she helped make me I picked up her mannerisms and a bit of her voice, that's why he's not gruff like I am. You're not imagining it."

"That's what I thought."

"So, really besides the tattoo, that's the only way we could tell you two apart," Awinita said.

"Not necessarily, I could talk like he does and vice versa," the Doctor said.

"So, the tattoo then."

"Yes and thank God you did get it so I won't have to go through the two of you pretendin' to be each other for shits and giggles," Rose said as the two men snickered.

Rain leaned her body over the edge of the balcony and stared at the people filing in below them. She noticed an elegantly dressed Japanese woman coming down the aisle wearing a white skirt, blouse and jacket. She stared at an enormous diamond ring on her hand that glittered in the light.

"Doctor," she said, glancing back.

The Doctor leaned forward and she pointed her out to him.

"Blimey, she's a bit overdressed for The Lion King, isn't she?" he said as everyone else stared at her.

Alan grinned and stuck his nose up in the air.

"Yes," he said in a posh tone of voice, "I just luuuuuuve coming to the theatah and mingling with the common masses while I watch the noble beast Simba battle Scar."

They giggled.

"Now," the Doctor said with the same posh voice, "where is my manservant to seat me for this theatrical show? I must have my valet to show me where to sit so I can be sure to flash my bling around for the poor souls who aren't lucky enough to be me."

They all bent over laughing.

"And tomorrow, I must go to the theater on the other side of Osaka so I can see Mamma Mia! There is nothing like sipping a glass of chardonnay and eating caviar while I listen to the little folk singing Dancing Queen for my amusement," Alan said.

"I hope she doesn't hear you two," Rose said.

"Oh, what's big, bad bling woman gonna do, Rose?" the Doctor said. "Have Jeeves beat us to death for insulting her royal poshness?"

They laughed. The house lights dimmed and they settled back in their seats as the show began.

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"Bro, look!" Awinita said when two men dressed as giraffes walked out on stage on arm and leg stilts. "Now's your chance. Get down there and kick their asses!"

Alan slammed his hand over his mouth while Rose rolled her eyes and sighed. Rain giggled for a moment and then sensed the Doctor's confusion in her mind. Smiling, she whispered in his ear what the joke was. The Doctor shook his head when she finished.

"Alan is a very unique man, my Latara, that's for sure," he whispered to her. "But I like my brother this way. I hope he never changes."

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Rain leaned against the Doctor while she watched the action. It was all in Japanese but she could follow what was going on since she had seen the movie before. She watched as Simba danced around with Timon and Pumbaa while they sang Hakuna Matata. She loved the life sized puppets and costumes and makeup of the performers. She glanced up at the Doctor who was watching everything intently. The light from the stage illuminated his face making it glow and she smiled thinking how handsome he looked and how lucky she was that he had chosen her to be his lover. She hesitated a moment and then sent a wave of love into his mind. She knew he felt it when she saw a smile slowly spreading across his face. There was a moment's pause and she felt the same burst of love being sent back to her. The Doctor turned his head and his eyes twinkled as he kissed her temple. He put his arm around her and rubbed her arm while she laid her head on his shoulder and watched it with him.

On the way home, they picked up a pizza and some sodas and brought them back to the rooms. As they ate, they went through everything in their rucksacks and tote bags making sure they had everything they needed when they headed out in the morning. Rain put her DS and IPod back in her brown bag along with her money and closed it up. The Doctor did the same with his money and IPod and both of them put the bags in the front of their rucksacks.

After they had checked everything and made sure they had all the supplies they needed, they put the rucksacks and totes away and just sat on the floor talking and finishing up the pizza. They chatted until it was nearly ten o' clock and then they decided to go to bed so they could get up bright and early and begin the next phase of their adventure.


	177. Chapter 177

Chapter One Hundred Seventy Seven

The next morning they woke early so everyone could take a shower. The Doctor and Rain sat on their bed waiting for Alan and Rose to get out of the shower.

"Big day's finally come," the Doctor said to her.

"I know. This is gonna be so fun."

"Are you scared?" he asked, curious.

She shook his head.

"No, you and Bro will protect us; I'm not scared at all."

He nodded and kissed her cheek.

"Yes, I will protect all of you, with this life and my lives after it," he whispered to her.

They looked over and watched while Awinita and Mingxia came in the room with their rucksacks and laid them next to everyone else's. They turned and saw them there and went up to their side.

"I love Osaka, I'll be sorry to leave but I hope Kyoto is just as nice," Awinita said.

"Well, Rose and I and our friend Jack were there but that was the 14th century so obviously it's grown and changed since then."

"Have you guys gotten a shower yet?"

"Not yet, Alan and Rose did last minute checks of the equipment and got online and they're showering together. We're waiting. How about you?"

"We're done, Imiko's in there now," Mingxia said.

"I checked online this morning too," Awinita said. "Because we had a lot of trouble walking across America with all the interstates. But according to the sites I found, lots of people hike across Japan or at least parts of it and they have hiking tours so maybe we'll run into other people out there."

"That would be nice," the Doctor said. "Always nice meeting new people."

"Yeah, I wish I could have met your friend the other night. I hope we do go up to Nagano to see her."

"Yep, me too. She was a nice lady," the Doctor replied. "And she offered to take us in as well."

"Be a bit crowded," Mingxia said. "Apartments in Japan are very tiny."

He shrugged.

"We're gonna be in pup tents for the majority of the time from here on out," he said. "Compared to that, it'll be roomy. Besides, I figure we'll sleep on her floor and visit with her and then be on our way."

Awinita leaned over and gave them a sinister look.

"And the rest of the time we'll be staying in…hostels," she said with wide eyes.

Rain laughed.

"Yeah, I told him I thought of that movie too when I heard Rose say we're gonna stay there."

"Well, hopefully they won't have maniacs who torture people when we get there."

"I wouldn't rule it out with my luck," the Doctor said dryly.

Awinita looked at them sitting side by side.

"So, when your turn comes, you guys gonna shower together?" she asked.

The Doctor looked at Rain.

"Do you want to?" she asked.

"It's up to you. I can but if you're not comfortable yet, then don't do it," he said.

Awinita shrugged.

"You didn't have any problem being naked in front of him in the spa and the bath, Sis."

"Um, well, as long as we just shower together?"

He nodded.

"Whatever you feel comfortable doing, Latara."

Awinita giggled.

"She says that now, but the minute she gets in the shower with him she'll just turn into a total sex freak and will climb all over his body, snarling and drooling," she said to Mingxia

The two women laughed while Rain swatted her sister's back.

They heard the shower cut off.

"Ought oh, better run for your life, Doctor, you're about to get pounced on," Awinita said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"I'll keep her at bay," he said winking while they laughed.

The door opened five minutes later and Alan and Rose emerged fully dressed.

"Your turn, whoever's next," she said.

"We're going together," Rain said.

They paused and smiled.

"Oh," Rose said, happily. "Well, have a good time then. Don't take forever in there."

"We won't," Rain said smiling.

"She just wants to shower with me, at the moment," the Doctor said.

Rose nodded.

"Just go at your own pace, dear. The Doctor isn't gonna rush ya."

She nodded. They grabbed their rucksacks and the Doctor put his hand on her back as they walked into the bathroom and closed the door. The Doctor turned on the water and tested it while Rain began to disrobe.

"Still plenty of hot water, good," he muttered.

He smiled and took off his clothes. Once they were naked, they got into their rucksacks and pulled out the toiletry items they would need and sat them on the rim of the bathtub. The Doctor took Rain's hand and pulled her close to him, smiling tenderly while she gazed up at him.

"I'm glad you're brave enough to do this. I look forward to many more showers together," he said.

He leaned his head down and gave her a soft kiss. Then, taking her hand, they got into the tub and pulled the plastic shower curtain back. The Doctor held her close letting her get comfortable, being careful not to touch her where she wasn't ready to be touched. She sighed and leaned her head into his chest and he put his hand on the back of her head and leaned his cheek down onto the top of it. She heard him mutter something in a foreign language and glanced up at him.

"What'd you say? That was beautiful."

He smiled.

"I just said, my beloved, my precious beloved in Gallifreyan."

"I love your language. It's beautiful."

"Thanks. I think so too."

He eased her back under the water and ran his hand down her hair smoothing it out.

"Let me know if I'm doing something you're not comfortable with, alright?"

She nodded. She grinned when once more she sent loving feelings through the link. He laughed.

"You love doing that, dontcha?"

"Since I found out I can do it, yes."

"Well, keep on doing that, my love, please."

He guided her away from the water and grabbed her strawberry scented shampoo. He lathered her hair smiling at the trusting and loving look on her face. He finished lathering it and took her back under the shower running his hand down her long hair getting all the shampoo out.

"You've camped before, right?" Rain said.

"Oh yeah."

"But never without your TARDIS nearby?"

"No, but I don't mind now. I love being with all of you on this journey and she's perfectly safe. No one can break into her, trust me. She'll be safe and sound until I get back to her."

"Still, it must be rough not being able to feel her," she said as he bent down to get the conditioner.

"It is, but I have you in my mind now so it's not as painful as it would be if I felt nothing at all."

Rain smiled and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. She heard him mutter the same loving endearment in Gallifreyan and she let out a contented sigh basking in his love and affection. She found it hard to believe since he was her first boyfriend that she was so comfortable with doing this but she was completely at ease with him and didn't feel self-conscious or scared even though they were naked in the shower. She realized that Alan had the same talent as him, the ability to make people feel at ease and unafraid. She had always felt a bit frightened when it came to men since most of the ones she knew teased her mercilessly and she had always gotten a sickly feeling in her stomach when she had been around any boy at school because she feared they would harass her, but she had never had that feeling with Alan or the Doctor. Then again they never treated her the way the other boys had. They never ridiculed her or made her feel like dirt. Alan had always let her know from the get-go that he cared for her and cherished her love and friendship and the Doctor was doing the same thing now. It was why she had been so willing to be open like this with him because she knew he accepted her just as she was, flaws and all, and she accepted him in return.

Her poor, sweet Doctor. Even though he was happy now being with her and her family and friends there was still a deep undercurrent of sadness beneath the smiles and loving looks he gave her. He had opened up to her and was honest about everything because she had been that way with him but she sensed there was still a lot he didn't tell her and probably never would. But she knew from her brother's stories and descriptions of him that this sadness and heartache was a part of his psyche. It defined him and had shaped and molded him into the man that was standing before her and she held no illusions that she'd be able to dispel all the darkness just like Rose hadn't been able to. She longed to truly heal him from the pain and torment of his past and know him completely, mind, body and soul but she sensed that probably would never be possible so she was content to let it be that way, let her beloved open up to her as much as he was able just as he was letting her open up to him at her own pace. Despite all this, she knew that he was the one she'd been dreaming about all her life and she hoped that they would have a long and happy life traveling together. In the meantime she was determined to give him all the happiness and love he truly deserved.

The Doctor hesitated when it came time for the body wash, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. His need to respect her and her body endeared him to her even more and she wished ever man in the universe was like him and her brother.

The Doctor watched quietly while she grabbed a washrag from the towel rack beside the tub and put a small amount of body wash on it. She lathered it up and handed it to him.

"Please?" she said softly.

"Are you sure?"

She smiled and nodded.

The Doctor led her away from the water and she shivered slightly at the sudden change in temperature. The Doctor started with her neck and slowly ran the washcloth over her, slowly going downwards, lathering her body with the body wash. As he went lower, his eyes met hers and he gazed into them searching for the slightest hint of fear or discomfort as he neared her genitals. When he almost got to her pubic hair he paused and stared at her with a questioning look.

"Please," she said again.

He smiled and nodded and continued. As he continued his ministrations he lowered his forehead to hers and she smiled when she felt him sending the loving feelings through their mind link, calming and soothing her in case she was afraid and didn't want to admit it. He finished with the front and held her to him while he lathered her buttocks and slowly worked his way up. She had her head against his chest and she could hear his steady double heartbeat, so foreign and yet so wonderful to her because it meant he was unique and special and not like any other man on Earth. She sighed when she felt his lips gently kiss her scalp and another whispered endearment in his beautiful language that she now loved just as much as him. That was another unique thing about him. As far as she knew only one other man knew this musical language that was coming from his lips…well…maybe the Valeyard as well but she didn't count the evil, twisted demon that had hurt the man she loved and made him into his slave. Thinking of the Valeyard doing that to him filled her with rage and it wasn't until the Doctor gasped and jerked his hand away from her body that she realized he had felt it in his mind and felt it strongly.

"No," she begged him, "that wasn't about you. I love what you're doing, please keep going."

"What was it about then?" he said concerned.

When she told him, he immediately drew her close and held her tightly.

"Shhhh, my hearts, don't think of that any longer," he whispered. "I'm free, I'm safe and I'm here now. You mustn't let that upset you anymore, my precious Latara."

He kissed her lips and sent a strong tidal wave of love into her mind at the same time. He held her against him and rubbed circles on her back with the washcloth as he murmured, "I'm here, my love, I'm safe," to her. Relieved that he hadn't been the source of the anger, he continued on and got the last of her skin covered. Then, he slowly walked her back into the hot shower and ran his hand up and down her back gazing at her with love while the lather ran down her body into the drain.

He finished up and he gently turned her around so he could shower. She did the same thing he did, lathering his hair and running her fingers through it getting all the shampoo out while he closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh. She touched his scalp loving the feel of his hair and his skin, loving him and everything about him. She put her hands on his chest and gave him a chaste kiss on his cheek while he murmured another Gallifreyan phrase under his breath. She wrung out the washcloth and put a dab of his body wash on her wash cloth loving the scent of it. She hesitated a moment and looked into his warm brown eyes that held only love for her.

"Yes, my hearts, go ahead," he said gently.

She smiled and they stepped back out of the shower. The Doctor watched her quietly while she gently ran the washcloth over her body. A couple of times she glanced up hesitantly at his face and he would smile warmly and nod, urging her to go on. She slowly worked her way down until she almost reached his genitals and then she did the same thing he had done, she stopped and looked at him.

"You don't have to if you're not comfortable with it," he said. "I can get that part."

She thought for a moment but she didn't think she was ready yet to touch his genitals and she told him that with sadness in her voice, embarrassed that she was still scared to be completely intimate with him. The Doctor kissed her forehead and whispered soothingly that he understood and repeated his desire for her to wait until she was ready and not rush things. He rubbed her back while he took the washcloth and finished up down below. Then he asked her if she wanted to finish his backside. She nodded and he turned and stood quietly while she lathered his back and buttocks. Once she was done she let him know and he turned and stepped back into the shower letting it rinse off his body. As it did, he lowered his lips to her face, kissing it and caressing her skin with his warm, wet lips. He nuzzled her cheek and whispered his devotion in her ear, telling her that she would be safe as long as he drew breath and he would protect and defend her even if it meant his death. He cupped her face with his hands and whispered a plea not to fear what might lie ahead for him and for her.

"I'll be alright, my Latara," he said as tears fell down her cheeks. "I have you in my life now and my family and friends that I have grown to love as deeply as I love you. I have something to live for and I will do everything in my power to protect you now until the day you close your eyes and rest in eternal sleep. I will never abandon you or degrade you or make you feel like you are less than the beautiful, wonderful woman that you are. Don't fear the Valeyard. When the time comes and I must face him I will fight with all my being to defeat him and protect you and everyone else from his evil cruelty. I will never let myself fall into his hands again. I will never let myself be enslaved by him and be his willing pawn, so don't fear that nightmare any longer."

She wept softly and once more the Doctor held her to him and whispered soothing words so she would be calmed and her anguished tears would cease. After a couple of minutes, the tears stopped and the Doctor's lips danced over her cheeks washing away the signs of her distress. He gave her one more protective hug before he reached behind him and turned the water off. He took her hand, helped her out and dried off her body, keeping his face close to hers, his eyes searching for the slightest hint of anguish left over from her weeping. He finished drying her off and dried his genitals before he let her dry the rest of him. He gave her one more soothing kiss on the lips before he turned with her and they began to get dressed again.


	178. Chapter 178

Chapter One Hundred Seventy Eight

Rose looked over when the Doctor and Rain emerged from the bathroom.

"Well, there you are, we wondered about ya," she teased.

"I hope we didn't stay in there too long," Rain said.

"Nah, Sis, you're okay. We kinda figured you'd be in there awhile."

She waited until the Doctor was occupied with his rucksack before she pulled Rain aside and took her out on the balcony.

"How was it?" she mouthed as she closed the door.

"It was heavenly," Rain said aloud.

Rose grinned and gave her a hug.

"I'm glad. I'm so glad you two found each other. You know, I've been giving it a lot of thought and now I think I wasn't meant to be with him. I was meant to be with Alan and that's why the Doctor and me had so much trouble making our relationship work and why so many things tore us apart. I mean, I fell so deeply in love with Alan it surprised even me because I thought the Doctor was the only one I would ever love but I don't have those kinds of feelings for him anymore, Alan is the one I love and I think the reason why the Doctor and you fell in love so quickly was because it was meant to be, just like it was meant to be for me and Alan. I was thrilled when you said you wanted to shower with him because I've never done that with the Doctor. He never let me get that close and I certainly never saw him naked before we went to the baths. But, hon, I just want you to know that I'm so very happy for you and I'm not jealous in the least because the Doctor's nothing more than a good friend now. I love that both of you found love and I think your love will deepen and grow and you'll become just as close as Alan and me. Just take your time and don't rush things and trust yourself. The Doctor will wait on you."

She gave her a tight hug.

"You know after all that's happened, being stuck over here is the best damn thing that's ever happened to me," she said. "I found love and found a family. This universe has been better to me than the other one ever was."

They pulled apart and she put her hand on her sister's shoulder.

"Now come on, let's go have fun camping with our sweethearts, eh?"

She nodded and they opened the door and went back inside.

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After eating breakfast all of them boarded the subway and took it to the outskirts of the city.

"Well, bye Osaka!" Awinita said as she stared out the window.

"Goodbye beautiful city," Mingxia added, "and goodbye Angry Man Creepy Statue."

They laughed.

"Yes, hope you cheer up someday and become Happy Man Non-creepy Statue," the Doctor said.

"It's too bad we missed that," Rose said to Alan.

"Yeah, well we were too busy shagging while Day-glo Green Alien Guy watched us. So they didn't get to see that statue either."

He jerked his head around and stared at Awinita, Mingxia and Imiko who were giggling hysterically.

"What is wrong with you lot? You've gone all girly giggly lately," he said.

"We are just having fun and talking, Alan-san," Imiko said.

"Apparently so. I still think we need to separate the three of you before you get us kicked off the train."

"We'll calm down, I promise," Mingxia said.

Alan snorted.

"I'll believe it when I see it," he said when they giggled.

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Two hours later, they had left the city behind and were making their way through the countryside. The two couples walked side by side, both men holding hands with their women while they, Rose, Awinita and Mingxia carried the large tote bags. Rose had her GPS in her jacket pocket and every once in awhile she would let go of Alan's hand, pull it out and check it to make sure they were going the right way. The Doctor and Alan talked quietly to each other while Rain glanced around at the scenery. Up ahead of them the other women had taken the ball out of the tote bag Alan was carrying and were throwing it to each other while they walked and talked. The Doctor was telling Alan about the Valeyard's plan to crack the skasis paradigm.

"Figures he'd want that solved," Alan said. "That sounds right up his twisted, crooked alley."

He frowned.

"But why does he need you? What's wrong? Tall, dark and gruesome havin' trouble crackin' it himself?"

The Doctor shrugged.

"Maybe making me do it is a way of corrupting me even further and turning me more towards the darkness. That's the only thing I can think of since I'm pretty sure I have as much chance of breaking the code as he does."

"And if he does, then he can rearrange everything to his likin'," Rose said, shaking her head.

"Yup, nothing in the universe would be safe from him and his evil whims," the Doctor said grimly.

Alan gasped when the ball bounced back toward him and he nearly stumbled over it.

"Oops! Sorry, Alan," Mingxia said when she quickly retrieved it.

"Isn't that difficult to do? Walk and play catch at the same time?" he asked them.

"Not really, we're walking next to each other and tossing it. Imiko just fumbled the ball."

"Sorry, Alan-san," Imiko called back.

"It's alright; I'm just glad I noticed it before I went arse over tit and broke my nose."

Mingxia threw it underhanded to Awinita and sped up so she was next to them. They watched while they gently tossed the ball to each other.

"Glad they have something to keep them occupied," Alan said.

They stopped short when the ball fell out of Awinita's hand and bounced back towards him again.

"You do remember I nearly broke my ankle falling in a rabbit hole, dontcha?" he said when she went to retrieve it. "I really don't want to break my leg because if I do, you three are carryin' me across the country."

"Sorry, Bro," she said.

They stopped when she put the ball back in his tote and pulled out the little portable radio.

"We'll listen to music instead."

"Good, less chance of me falling over and shatterin' my face on a rock," he said.

They stopped and rested a moment sitting down on the ground while the three women searched for the BBC World Service station. They finally found it and Awinita set it in the grass beside her while they talked to each other. Rain slipped her rucksack off her back; set it behind her and laid her head on the front while she stretched out.

"Tired?" the Doctor asked her.

"A little. I just wanna rest a moment. How far have we gone?"

Rose checked the GPS.

"About three and a half miles, Sis," she said.

"Wow, we're doing pretty good so far," she muttered as she closed her eyes.

The other three slipped their rucksacks off and stretched out beside her. The Doctor watched the clouds above him for a moment and looked off in the distance. It was a nice sunny day and he smiled to himself, breathing in the clear fresh air while he listened to the sounds of nature. He glanced at Rain and gazed at her lovingly while she kept her eyes closed and breathed in and out slowly, resting her body.

"Hey!"

The Doctor looked over at the three women. Mingxia was pointing at something in the grass near them. The other two women walked over and looked where she was pointing.

"What is that? Is that a mole?" Awinita said.

"Hai, Awinita-san," Imiko said.

"Hmm, I've never seen one up close before," Awinita said. "Can you catch it?"

"I can try," Mingxia said.

The Doctor, Alan and Rose watched while she slowly leaned over and tried to catch the mole.

"That's it, harass the Japanese wildlife and get rabies now," Alan said as they laughed.

"At least the mole isn't lorry sized like they are on Ypsilina," the Doctor said to him.

"Too bad, I think I'd like to see them running from a lorry sized mole, be an amusing diversion," Alan replied.

"Where's that at?" Rain murmured.

He glanced at her.

"In my universe, near the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Big forest planet but nothing lives there except oversized creatures like the huge mole. There are no civilizations or anything like that."

"Gotcha!"

Mingxia brought up the mole and held it gently while the other two petted its head. Alan glanced at Rose and the two of them got up and went to take a look at it.

"Cute little fella," Rose commented, stroking its head.

Mingxia grimaced when its sharp claws lightly scratched her hand and she put it back down in the grass.

Alan and Rose went and lay back down. The three women glanced at them, brought their rucksacks and radio over and lay down beside them. They talked quietly while Alan and Rose rested their eyes for a moment. The Doctor put his hands on his chest while he stared up at the clouds moving slowly in the sky above him. He glanced over when he saw Rain moving and watched while she turned over on her stomach, unzipped her rucksack and took out a bottled water. She opened it and took a sip.

"Can I have some?" the Doctor asked.

She handed it to him and he took a little swig before handing it back to her.

"Thanks," he said.

"Yup."

She glanced at his bare arms and shook her head.

"Must be nice not being able to feel the cold," she said.

"Oh, I can feel it; it just doesn't affect me like it does you. It's very pleasant actually. It's nice being out here without honking horns and noise and pollution."

"Amen," Alan said. "Peace and quiet and nature, lovely."

He glanced over when Mingxia got up and looked around.

"Okay, so where do I go?" she said to them.

"You could go in the woods," Awinita said.

"Um…the woods are about a mile away if you hadn't noticed," Mingxia said pointing to a forest in the distance.

"What's the problem?" Alan asked.

"Mingxia has to go pee," Awinita said.

She gestured to the flat field around them.

"Do you see anywhere I could go?" she asked Alan.

"Um, not offhand but I'm not gonna care if you urinate in front of me, better than wetting yourself," Alan replied.

"What about that rock, Mingxia-san?" Imiko said, pointing to a medium sized boulder about twenty five feet away.

She sighed.

"I guess it'll have to do."

She knelt down to her rucksack, got out her toilet paper and sanitizer and headed over there. She knelt down behind it and glared at them.

"Look the other way!" she commanded them.

They glanced at each other and looked off to the left and right while Mingxia peed.

"I can already tell this is gonna be a problem," Alan said to the Doctor. "Maybe we should head towards the woods so if anyone needs to go they can duck behind a tree."

She finished up, buried her toilet paper and sanitized her hands before she walked back to them.

"Yeah, I think it'll be a lot less embarrassing going behind a tree than a rock," Mingxia said, lying back down. "Besides, if you guys wanna start gathering stuff, we can do that too. UNIT taught me how to survive in the wild and I can show you some plants that are safe to eat plus we can collect insects to cook."

"Yum, yum," Rain muttered as they giggled. "Can't wait to eat that especially since I just loved eating the cricket."

"There are worse things to eat in this universe, love," the Doctor said.

"So you keep telling me. Doesn't make it any better for me knowing you've eaten worse when I'm putting a slug in my mouth," she said as he grinned.

"I can help you too, Mingxia-san. I also have helped gather food before," Imiko said to her.

"Great and you would know more about Japanese plants and animals than I would."

"Meanwhile, I'll go off in search of McDonalds and have a Big Mac while you guys eat slugs and bugs," Awinita said as they laughed.

"We also have some readymade food we brought at the department store," Rose said. "We can fix some of that tonight while someone sets the snare up and hopefully we'll catch something by morning."

"Do you guys know how to skin animals?" Awinita said.

"I do," Alan said raising his finger in the air.

"Funnily enough, I do too," the Doctor said as they giggled. "I can't think why we both know how to skin animals though."

"Don't know, Te'lesau, it's just one of those wild, freaky coincidences, I guess," he said, grinning at him.

"And we can teach all of you if you want so it's not just the two of us doing the work," the Doctor added.

"Yeah, we need to learn how to do a little bit of everythin' so we can switch jobs," Rose said. "We don't want the same person doin' the foraging, the same doin' the huntin', the same person gathering firewood and so on. We need to switch off daily so no one gets stuck with a job they don't like."

"I can teach you guys how to forage," Mingxia said. "I also know how to build fires and search for water and basic survival techniques like that."

"The Doctor and I can show you how to hunt and fish and trap animals and skin them," Alan added.

"And how to build fires," the Doctor said. "And Rose knows too because I've shown her before."

"Yup," she said.

"And I'll teach you how to follow your nose and find McDonalds," Awinita said as they laughed.

"And I'll teach you how to kick a giraffe's ass," Alan added with a grin.

"How can you teach us that when you haven't done it yet?" Rain said.

The Doctor laughed when he jerked his body up, leaned over him and tickled her armpits for a moment before he lay back down.

"And by the way," Alan said, "thanks to Donna, I can also teach all of you to chat on the mobile for hours and hours about which celebrity is dating who and which weight loss program works the best and I can teach you how to whine and moan about things you don't feel like doin'."

They laughed. He looked over at the woods.

"Well, you lot ready to get goin' again?" he said.

They nodded and all of them got up, put their rucksacks on, grabbed the totes and turned off to their left heading for the woods.

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After several hours of walking and taking long rests, the group decided to call it quits for the night and set up camp. They set up the pup tents in a wide circle in the clearing they found. The Doctor and Rain cleared out an area in the middle of the tents and dug a large hole in the dirt for the fire with a folding spade. They found a number of large stones and set them in a circle around the pit. Alan took the hand axe and went with Awinita to collect some wood and Mingxia and Imiko took a couple of tiny plastic containers and foraged for food. Rose went off with her tiny cooking pot in search of some water. The Doctor and Rain finished making the fire pit and cleared the ground around it for five feet in every direction. Then they stopped and rested for a moment while the Doctor cleaned the spade off and folded it back up.

"That should be sufficient," he said to her. The ground is clear in all directions so there's no danger of the fire spreading."

They cleaned their hands with the sanitizer and took the package containing the tarp and the tent pegs out of a tote bag. They laid it aside for the moment while they got into their rucksacks, pulled out what they needed for the night and put it up against the sides in their pup tent. While they were doing that, Alan and Awinita returned with two armloads of cut wood.

"Good! You got it finished," he said as they walked over to the pit.

They made a pyramid fire. They put down a row of logs and then added another that lay across the first and built it up into a pyramid. They topped it off with twigs and branches and set it alight at the top with waterproof matches. They gave each other a high five when it started to burn.

"Oh yes, we are good," Alan said.

"That we are."

Rose came back through the trees with the pot that was now filled with water.

"Yes! You got a fire started!" she said.

"You speak as though that surprises you, "Alan said with wide eyes while the Doctor sniggered.

"No, just glad you were able to get it goin'. I found a stream nearby so we'll have water tonight and we can follow it for awhile once we leave here."

She sat the pot of water down and dropped a water purifying table into it after reading the directions on the package while Alan and Awinita went to collect some extra wood. Once that was done, she went over to her rucksack and got out what she needed while the Doctor took the nylon rope out of the tote bag along with a small jar of peanut butter for bait and took Rain into the woods to set it up for the night. Rose reached into another tote and looked through a couple of the readymade foods they had brought in the camping section. She pulled out three heater meals, one lasagna and two beef with mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes and set them aside until everyone got back. Then she got into her rucksack, pulled out what she needed and put it in her and Alan's pup tent for the night. She looked over when Mingxia and Imiko returned with the containers filled with plants and insects.

"We found some food," Imiko told them.

"Good, we can set those aside for tonight. I'm gonna use the readymade meals so we can have a chance to catch some food. I've got a couple of these and they should last for a day or two, hopefully in that time we'll either catch some food or find a town where we can get something to eat."

The Doctor and Rain returned.

"Set up the snare and it's baited. Hopefully, we'll get something," he said, putting the peanut butter back in the bag.

"They found some plants and insects," Rose said to them, gesturing to Imiko and Mingxia, "and I'm fixing these meals for tonight."

"Do you want us to try to fish the stream for a couple of hours?" the Doctor said, nodding his head at Rain.

"You can if you want," Rose said, "or you can wait till tomorrow. We have food for tonight."

They nodded and sat down on the ground in front of their tent to rest.

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After they ate, they cleaned up the rubbish and put it in a small plastic bag to be discarded later when they could find a rubbish bin. They used the water to clean their dishes and utensils and Rose went to get some more. She put another tablet in it and covered it with her blanket for the night. Earlier in the day, Alan took the little electric lantern they had purchased and set it beside his tent in case anyone needed to get up to use the restroom. Then all of them crawled into their tents and left the flaps open so they could keep warm and talk to each other. The Doctor and Rain were lying on their stomachs in the tent on the right side of the fire, Alan and Rose were in the tent to their right, Awinita and Mingxia were in the tent on their right and Imiko was on their right in a tent of her own.

The Doctor laid his chin on his arms while he stared at the fire. Beside him, Rain was lying in her bedroll, her little travel blanket thrown over it while she played Roller Coaster Tycoon on her DS. Alan and Rose were reading, Awinita and Mingxia were talking and Imiko was resting her eyes.

The Doctor turned slightly, grabbed the bag of M&Ms from the corner and opened it.

"Want some, love?" he asked.

Rain smiled and took a couple out of the bag. Both of them snacked while the Doctor listened to the sounds of the woods and Rain played her game. The sun was now setting and the woods were growing dark. The Doctor stared at the fire, his mind a million miles away when he suddenly became aware of the sound of a toilet flushing. He rose up on his elbows and stared at Rain's game while she giggled.

"Is that making that flushing noise?" he asked.

"Yeah, you make your own amusement park for people to go to and if you set up restrooms the people come and use them and they flush the toilets afterwards."

The Doctor sniggered. He snuggled close to her and watched while she constructed her theme park. Once he got the gist of the game he began to make suggestions on where to place rides and booths and the two of them contented themselves with making their own theme park.

They were so engrossed in it that they didn't realize Awinita was outside their tent until she leaned down and looked in.

"Knock, knock!" she said. "You have that chess set, Sis?"

"It's in my backpack under the tarp."

"Okay, thanks," she said, walking away.

She walked past them a moment later with the chess set and she and Mingxia played it while Imiko used her torch to read a manga she had brought. Alan and Rose talked softly in their tent and eventually they zipped the flap closed so they could fondle each other in privacy.

The Doctor raised his eyebrow while Rain giggled.

"Um…do you think it's wise to keep building roller coasters that throw the cars off the track and kill your patrons?" he asked her. "This is the third time you've done that and slaughtered innocent people. I don't think I'll be goin' to your park on holiday any time soon. I'd rather not regenerate after dying on your shoddy death trap coasters."

"Give me a break, okay? I'm still learning."

"And while you're learning, we get to listen to the ka-boom of the coaster cars as they slam directly into the ground and imagine the terrified screams as people die and body parts fly hither and thither. Shouldn't you have learned how to build them before you decided to open an amusement park? Honestly, the people they give building permits to these days."

She giggled and he smiled.

"Well, I can choose from coasters that are already made."

"Well if I were you, I'd do that before everyone leaves your park screaming in terror," he said while she laughed. "I don't think people's idea of a fun day is leaving a ride and looking up to see a roller coaster car aimed directly at their skulls. Doesn't tend to get good reviews in the papers when that happens."

"I'm getting better at this," she insisted.

They heard a toilet flush.

"Well at least they like your loos," he said, winking.

"Argh, you always beat me!"

He looked across the way and saw Awinita's angry face reflected in the firelight.

"I can't help it," he heard Mingxia saying. "I love playing chess. I got to be as good at chess as I am at bowling."

"Well…you wanna play again?" Awinita asked her.

"Yes, so I can beat your ass again."

He grinned when his sister rolled her eyes at that. He looked over when Imiko crawled out of her tent with her toilet paper and sanitizer. She walked over to Alan and Rose's tent and knelt down while she turned on the lantern.

"Imiko!" the Doctor said.

She gave him a quizzical look. The Doctor grinned.

"Shake their tent," he said to her in Japanese while he pointed to Alan and Rose's tent.

Imiko giggled softly. She set down her stuff, hesitated a moment and then seized the top of the tent and shook it.

"BLOODY HELL!" Alan screamed.

Imiko snatched up her things and ran off into the woods while everyone else roared with laughter. Alan unzipped the flap and stuck his head out, glaring at everyone.

"Okay, which one of you wankers did that?" he said, looking around.

He peered in at the Doctor and Rain and then looked at Awinita and Mingxia. Then he looked across the way to Imiko's tent and his eyes narrowed when he didn't see her inside.

"I have a feeling I know who the culprit is, Starlight," he said to Rose. "And if it's who I think it is she better start running the moment she shows her face again."

"I heard the Doctor say somethin' in Japanese to her just before the tent shook," they heard Rose say.

He turned his face to him.

"Brother? What were you saying just then?" he said to him.

"I said, be careful," he said without missing a beat.

"Uh-huh, why don't I buy that?"

"I haven't the foggiest," the Doctor said, feigning innocence.

He looked over when Imiko came out of the woods.

"Evenin' Takahashi," he said. "Funny thing just happened, our tent just shook and when I stuck my head out to find the person responsible, you were strangely absent from your sleeping quarters. And you have the lantern in your hand which was sitting right next to our tent which means you were nearby. You wouldn't know anything about a tent shaking, would ya?"

"No, Alan-san, I did not shake the tent. It must have been earthquake."

Everyone roared with laughter.

"An earthquake that just happened to be centered on our tent and only our tent?" he asked her.

"Hai, Alan-san, some earthquakes very, very small. It is very strange when teeny earthquakes happen but that is Japan for you. Goodnight now and sleep well."

He eyed her and everyone laughed hysterically when she sat the lantern down, turned it off and sprinted back to her tent.

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Alan shook his head while Rose sniggered beside him. Awinita had turned on the radio and for some inexplicable reason, BBC World Service decided to play the Partridge Family's I Think I Love You. She turned up the radio and she and Mingxia and the Doctor and Rain were all singing it at the top of their lungs while Imiko laughed hysterically in her tent. Rain kept laughing when every time they sang I think I love you, the Doctor would echo it back in a high-pitched screechy voice, providing backup for all of them. When they got to the "HEEEEEEEEEEY!" All of them bellowed it as loud as they could.

"Starlight, could you go get the axe and chop my head off now…PLEASE?" Alan yelled while they laughed.

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Finally, everyone retired for the night. The Doctor and Rain zipped their tent flap and held each other close.

"Did you have a good day today?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah, I had a blast. I got a little tired walking but I didn't get as tired as I thought I would. This is so fun."

"Good, I'm glad. I'm having fun too and the longer we walk, the more our stamina will build up and everyone will get strong and fit."

She nodded. He sighed and stroked her hair. He rained kisses on her face for a moment before giving her one long kiss on the lips. Then Rain cuddled close to him and he put her blanket on the upper half of her body and watched silently while she drifted off to sleep in his arms.


	179. Chapter 179

Chapter One Hundred Seventy Nine

After awhile, the Doctor decided to take a short nap so he could get back some of his energy. Rain was fast asleep and he put his face down next to hers listening to her soft breathing. He put his hand on her cheek stroking it for a moment before he put his hand on top of hers and fell asleep next to his lover.

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It was the shock and surprise from Rain's mind that woke him up. His eyes flew open and he noticed her staring up at the domed roof of the tent.

"What is it, love?" he said, worried.

Then he heard it. The loud rumble of thunder.

"Oh," he said.

He heard Alan cursing while he scrambled outside his tent and the Doctor unzipped the flap . He watched while he and Rose quickly grabbed the pot of water and the lantern and gave them to Imiko to put inside her tent. Once that was done he put his hand on his wife's back and walked with her back to the tent while he glanced up at the sky.

"Thank God we have the tents," he muttered to her.

Rose got in the tent first and then he got in after her. The Doctor watched while they zipped their flap closed before he did the same with theirs. He turned on his side and laid his hand on Rain's cheek when they heard another thunderclap.

"Little winter thunderstorm, nothing to worry about," he said, cheerfully.

"Unless lighting strikes a tree and it falls on top of us."

The Doctor raised his eyebrow.

"That's it, Latara, keep on being the eternal optimist," he said while she chuckled.

There was another thunder boom and they glanced up when they heard a large raindrop hitting the canvas. Their eyes widened when a minute later, there was a deluge pouring down on their tent. Rain looked up and saw the occasional flash of bright light from the lightning and the loud booms.

"My brother's right, it's a good thing we did get these tents," he said. "I'd hate to think where we would have been if we hadn't bought them."

There was another loud crack and Rain winced. A moment later she felt the Doctor sending loving feelings into her mind, comforting her and she snuggled close to him.

"Were you actually asleep when this happened?" she asked him.

He smiled.

"Yes, I took one of my few and far between kips to replenish my energy. I didn't wake up until I felt your shock in my mind."

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you. It's just that I wasn't expecting something like this to happen."

"You're alright. And yes, it was a surprise for me as well."

He stroked her back.

"You wanna try to go back to sleep?" he asked. "I'll keep watch over us."

She nodded and he kissed her cheek as he brought her closer to his body. She closed her eyes but they flew open a moment later when another thunderclap cracked the sky.

"Forget it for the moment," she muttered. "There's no way I'll be able to sleep with that going on."

She rolled onto her stomach and checked her watch. It was 2:46 in the morning. By now the last of the fire had been extinguished by the deluge and they were in complete darkness. The Doctor felt around, found his torch and turned it on. He shined it around and found his bag of M&Ms. He took a few and gave her some and they sat and listened while the rain pounded the canvas roof. Rain reached over, got her DS and he switched off the light after she turned it on. They worked on their joint theme park trying to ignore the thunderstorm outside.

"Wonder how long this is gonna go on?" she asked him.

"Dunno, Awinita has the radio, otherwise I'd be trying to find the weather report," he said.

They ate a few more M&Ms while they played the game. After about a half hour, the thunderstorm began to die down and the thunder grew softer and softer. They played for a few more minutes before Rain decided to go back to sleep. The Doctor turned his torch back on so she could put her DS back and then he opened his arm and turned onto his side so she could snuggle up against him. He kissed her cheek and rubbed her back while he turned off the light and laid the torch behind him. He had a sudden though and he began to sing softly to her in Gallifreyan. As he sang he could feel Rain turning her face up to him while she listened quietly. She put her hand on his cheek and stroked it while he continued to sing. At the same time he sent the loving feelings through the link and sensed her mind becoming calm and content while she sighed softly.

"That's so beautiful," she said. "What is it?"

He smiled.

"It's an old Gallifreyan lullaby I heard when I was a boy," he said.

"It's beautiful. I love your language so much."

He smiled and lowered his face to hers. He whispered softly to her in Gallifreyan telling her that he loved her and he always would. Rain continued to stroke his cheek while she listened to him sing another song to her in Gallifreyan. As he sang, the storm continued to die down until it stopped completely. The Doctor continued to sing to her, rubbing her back and turning onto his back so she could lay with her head on his chest. He put his arm behind his head and continued to sing, one song after another until he sensed her drifting off to sleep. Once he was sure she was asleep, he stopped singing and stared at her in the darkness stroking her back and her hair as he silently thanked the universe for bringing them together.

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"Ugh!"

The Doctor heard his brother's voice early the next morning and unzipped the flap. He parted it and watched as he slowly got out onto the muddy ground.

"Careful, Starlight," he said to Rose. "This is a right mess!"

He tiptoed his way along the semi-dry ground cursing when clumps of mud stuck to the underside of his trainers. As Rose came out she caught the Doctor's eye and waved.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, we're fine," he said. "Be careful."

She nodded and gingerly got to her feet. She stood up and took a big step over a patch of mud while the other three women stirred in their tents and opened the flaps. They stared at the muddy ground with disgust.

"Doctor?"

He looked at Rain.

"It's morning already?"

"Yup, rise and shine, my Latara and then try to get out of here without slipping all over the place."

She rolled onto her stomach and saw the huge patch of mud right in front of the opening.

"Um, how are we gonna get out with that there?" she said, pointing to it.

"Never fear, Te'lesu," they heard Alan say. "Little Bro has it all under control. You two brace yourselves cause Rose and I are gonna move ya, tent and all!"

They gasped when both of them grabbed the tent and jerked it away from the mud towards dryer ground. They moved them a few feet and then Alan looked into the tent.

"Sorry for the rough ride but I think you'll find the ground is drier here," he said.

"Thank you, Alan," the Doctor said.

"No problem. And now if you excuse me, we have to go move the other tents."

He tousled Rain's hair affectionately and then walked over to Rose and they moved Imiko's tent to drier ground after she handed them the pot of water and the lantern. The Doctor slowly came out and when he was satisfied that it was dry enough for his lover, he reached in, took her hand and helped her out. By this time they had moved the other tent and everyone was out and stretching their backs.

"Some storm last night, eh?" Alan said. "Thank God the tents didn't blow away."

"Awinita, love, can you give the radio to the Doctor or Imiko so they can hear the forecast? I wanna be sure if we walk off we won't get caught in the middle of another storm," Rose said.

She nodded, reached into their tent and grabbed the radio. She started to take it to the Doctor when he shook his head.

"I'm gonna take Rain and check the trap, see if we got anything. Imiko can do it."

She nodded and gave the radio to Imiko while the Doctor took Rain's hand and went to check the snare.

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"Blast!" the Doctor said when they found the empty snare.

He sighed and shrugged.

"Ah well, try again tonight, I suppose. At least the rope didn't blow away in the storm."

He undid his handiwork, bundled the rope up neatly and wrapped the end around the middle.

"Come, love, let's get back to camp and help them pack up," he said, taking Rain's hand.

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"Anything?" Alan asked.

"Not a sausage."

"Damn. Good thing you have some more of those meals then, Hon," he said to Rose. "I guess we'll try again tonight."

He looked at the Doctor.

"I think it's safe to go. Only 20 percent chance of storms today."

He nodded. He and Rain helped everyone else get everything packed up and ready to go.

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At first the ground was damp but the sun came out and it and the cool winter air helped to dry everything out. They all walked together taking in the scenery around them. They were walking on the grass several feet from the forest and off to their right several enormous hills rose into the sky. Beyond them were a couple of mountains, their tops obscured by the clouds and up ahead about five miles away a few houses were clustered together. Rose took out her camera and paused a moment to take a picture of the hills and mountains before they walked on.

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An hour later they were nearing the house. They had white plastered houses with slanting pagoda-like roofs that hung down over the sides. There were several rice fields in the distance, currently barren. They could see little children playing outside one house, running around while they laughed and yelled in Japanese. They stopped and stared at them when they were about a quarter mile away.

"Yes, hi," Alan said as he smiled at his family. "Don't mind us; we're a bunch of tramps going through Japan. As you were, little kids."

The Doctor watched a young girl yell inside the open door of her house for her mother, telling her that they were there. A moment later, a young woman in her early thirties with long black hair walked out and stood on the porch staring at them with curiosity while the children yelled in Japanese and pointed to them.

"Yes, we're just going through the countryside, don't mind us," Alan said in a low voice.

The women yelled something to them.

"She wants us to come over there," the Doctor said. "She wants to fix us lunch."

They glanced at each other and headed towards the house.

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The woman, who was called Eiko, was a very gracious host. She allowed them to rest in her house and made them a meal of fried tofu, rice and soup. They sat on the floor in her sitting room around a low table with her two children, a six year old boy named Akira and an eight year old girl named Harumi. While they ate, several other people from the other houses came into their house to see the strange gaijin but everyone was polite and friendly and made them feel at ease. Eiko then allowed them to get cleaned up in the bathroom and freshen up. They took turns while the others sat around the table with her and chatted. She knew very little English so the Doctor and Imiko acted as translators. They told her what they were doing and she laughed, saying that they weren't the first hikers she had fed. While they were talking, Alan played footsie with Rose under the table, trying to tickle her heel with his sock covered foot. He grinned when he saw Rose was trying hard to keep a straight face while she talked to Eiko. They sat for about three hours, resting and chatting with her and each other while Eiko and a couple of other women made them some food they could take with them and gave them a couple of bottles of fresh water. One by one everybody finished cleaning themselves up on the little bath stool in the bathroom and all of them got changed except for the Doctor who only had his one outfit.

"We need to get you another outfit, Doctor," Rose said to him. "What are ya gonna do when you have to launder that?"

"Parade around naked in all my glory in front of you lot and let the benefactor handle the job of covering me up around other people?" he said, shrugging.

He winked when Rose gave him a playful punch on the shoulder and smiled at him.

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Once the food was finished and put in plastic containers, they put them in the tote bags and thanked everyone for their hospitality while they sat on the porch and put their shoes back on. Everyone from all the nearby houses came over to see them off and wish them luck on their journey. They waved goodbye to each other and Akira and Harumi walked with them for about a half mile before they said goodbye to them and ran back home.

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They walked another two miles and then all of them decided to take a rest. Awinita got out the Frisbee, laughing at the Hello Kitty on it and they spread out while they threw it to each other. While they did, Alan helped out Imiko and Rain who weren't very good at throwing it. He gave them some pointers and they were finally able to get the Frisbee to the next person. They played for about an hour and then sat and rested on the now dry grass for a half hour after that before heading on.

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By the time they set up camp, they had traveled nearly seventeen miles in total which made everyone feel proud of themselves. Once they got everything set up, they walked back out of the woods and did their aikido session while everyone else sat up against the trees and watched. Alan was extremely pleased. Everyone was progressing and even Rain was to the point where she could spar with her brother although she still wasn't to the point of engaging in an all out battle like Rose was. The Doctor smiled, feeling proud of all of them but especially his lover since he could tell she was gaining confidence now and it was increasing with each passing day. The first day she had been a bit winded when they had stopped for camp but today she was less tired and had even wanted to go on another couple of miles before everyone else declined.

After the session, they walked back to the camp. The Doctor had set up the snare for the night and all of them found some dead logs and carried them over near the fire and set them up so they didn't have to set on the ground. They ate some of the food Eiko had given them and after everything was cleaned up, they decided to take their bedrolls back out into the clearing and do a little stargazing.

They laid their bedrolls out side by side and lay on their backs, putting their hands behind their heads while they gazed up at the starry sky above.

"Quite a difference from early this mornin'," Alan said.

"The stars are so beautiful out here away from the city," Rose replied.

She put her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat while he rubbed her back. Imiko, Awinita and Mingxia talked quietly to each other as they lay next to them, pointing out different constellations to each other while the Doctor lay snuggled with Rain on the other side of them.

"So beautiful," she murmured to him.

"Yes, they are and someday you'll be up there among them where you belong," the Doctor whispered back.

She smiled.

"I can't wait."

He smiled softly and kissed her lips.

"You know what the day after tomorrow is? Valentine's Day. Our proper birthdays," he said to her. "If we reach Kyoto by then, I'll take you out to eat somewhere and we can celebrate by ourselves this time."

"I'd love that but even if we don't get there in time, let's do it whenever we do get there."

He smiled.

"It's a date, my Latara."

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After a couple of hours of relaxing and stargazing they headed back to the camp. Alan put another couple of logs on the fire trying to keep the chill away and all of them crawled into their tents. Once they were inside, they kept themselves occupied and talked to one another until they finally grew too tired and decided to retire for the night. The Doctor grabbed his IPod and laid it beside him while Rain snuggled against him. They wished each other goodnight and kissed. The Doctor waited until she was asleep before he put his ear buds in and lay on his stomach watching the fire while he listened to his music.


	180. Chapter 180

Chapter One Hundred Eighty

The next morning, everyone woke bright and early. The Doctor led Rain into the woods towards the snare. This time they had caught a rabbit. It was dead, hanging by its neck as its eyes stared sightlessly back at them. The Doctor stopped short, his mind suddenly filled with images of the slaughter of the rabbit-like Varvorians and he felt sick to his stomach.

"Doctor? What is it?"

The Doctor noticed Rain's confusion and he swallowed hard not wanting her to know what he had done. Sensing his anguish, Rain put her hand on his arm.

"Please, tell me what's wrong?" she said, softly.

The Doctor took her in his arms and sadly recounted what the Valeyard had made him do. Tears flowed down Rain's cheeks and she held him tightly while the Doctor lowered his face to hers.

"It wasn't your fault, Doctor. He made you do it, it's his fault!" she said.

"Oh Rain, I should have been stronger. I should have resisted…"

"But how? You were under his control. Doctor, please don't blame yourself. It was him; he's the evil demonic bastard, not you."

He smiled and held her tightly.

"Thank you for understanding," he said.

"Of course I understand. It wasn't you. It's not your fault just like it wasn't Awinita's fault when she tried to attack Bro. I hate what happened to those poor creatures but you weren't in your right mind when you did it."

He gave her a grateful smiled when she kissed his cheek.

"I love you, Doctor and I always will, no matter what."

He held her tightly as one single tear trickled down his cheek.

"Please don't tell the others, alright? This is just between us."

"I won't, I promise."

He rubbed her back and gave her a kiss on the head before he turned to look at the rabbit.

"I think I'll let Alan do the skinning," he said.

"I think that's a good idea," she said to him. "And I'll have him teach me so you won't have to do it if we get any more rabbits."

"Thank you, Latara."

She took the rabbit out of the snare and let the Doctor get the rope while she held it by its ears. He wound the rope up and held it while Rain held the rabbit in her left hand furthest from him. They took each other's hands and walked back to camp.

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Once they were back at the camp, Rain found Alan and asked her to teach her to skin the rabbit while the Doctor busied himself with packing up the camp. Alan called everyone else around him and used the hunting knife to slowly skin and prepare the rabbit while he instructed everyone on how to do it. He put the carved up meat in one of the plastic containers that Eiko had given them.

"If we get anymore, we'll take turns and I'll sit with whoever's doing it and help them until they're able to do it themselves," he said to them when they finished up. "As you can see, it's not too difficult to do and now we have some meat we can cook. This oughta last us for a couple of days as well since it was a fairly large rabbit. If we do a bit of fishing and catch anything, I can show you how to clean fish too. And we can hunt a bit too although I think we better stick to small game. I don't wanna carry around a ton of deer meat and I doubt you guys want to either."

He finished up and everyone went back to tearing down the camp while Alan went to wash his hands in the stream. Rain walked up to the Doctor who was folding the tarp up neatly. She laid her hand on his back.

"Are you alright now?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm okay now. It was just the shock of seeing the rabbit that brought back the images in my mind, I'll be fine the next time," he whispered to her.

She smiled and kissed his lips before helping him pack up the camp.

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"Oh!" Rose said as she walked with Rain." That's so nice that he wants to take you somewhere for your birthday. Yeah, we'll definitely try to get to Kyoto by then so he can do that."

She glanced over at Alan and the Doctor who were a few feet away talking to each other while they walked beside them.

"Maybe Alan and I can go somewhere as well while you do that."

"The love hotel?"

She laughed.

"Nah, I don't fancy goin' back to one of those and he doesn't either. That was just a onetime thing to see what it was like."

She glanced at the three women who were laughing and talking to each other.

"You know, the hostel I was plannin' on goin' to has a sort of nightclub thing up on the top floor. If we go out with our men, maybe they can go hang out there," she said.

"It has a nightclub?"

"Yeah, according to the site it's kinda a hostel for backpackers designed by backpackers and they have a ton of extras like they did in the hotels we've been staying at and they have a kind of lounge/nightclub thing on the top floor for everyone to go and get acquainted with each other."

"Wow! That sounds great. Yeah, I'm sure they'll love that," she said, gesturing to the three girls.

"So, if they do that we can go out and both go somewhere with our men and have some fun," Rose said to her. "I'm sure there's a lot we can find to do there."

"You know, Awinita's birthday's next month," Rain said.

"I know, we gotta try to time it so we can be in a city when that happens so we can give her a wonderful birthday like we gave you. I'm thinking maybe we'll reach Tokyo or somewhere near it when her birthday comes up."

"And then the month after is your birthday," Rain said.

"Yes and I'm thinking we might be in Nagano by then and if that happens we can go to the Cherry Blossom Festival they have in April. We can sit under the trees and watch the pink blossoms falling and have a picnic."

"Oh! That sounds wonderful. Yeah, I definitely wanna do that."

"And we'll find your friend and see if she still wants to have us over. If not, we'll find someplace to stay," she said to her. "And then Alan's birthday's in June and maybe we'll be back in China by then."

"Hard to believe he's almost a year old," Rain said.

"I know, I can't believe it either. It seems like ages since I met him on the Crucible and now it'll be nine months next month."

"When your wedding anniversary rolls around, are you gonna go back to Disneyworld?"

"Not sure. I'd like to but we might still be out here, but we'll definitely celebrate somehow and…"

She trailed off and all four of them looked at the women in front of them. Dancing Queen had come on the radio and they were all laughing and singing it at the top of their lungs.

"Come on, guys, join in!" Awinita said to them.

They glanced at each other and joined in the singing as they walked along. They noticed the three friends were conferring with each other and then looked back at them.

"Come on, guys, let's recreate the scene from the movie!" Mingxia said.

They quickly shrugged their packs off and dropped the totes. The other four laughed while they carried the radio and skipped over the countryside. Rose and Rain looked at each other, dropped their gear and did the same thing as the Doctor and Alan bent over laughing. They stood there by the dropped packs and totes howling with laughter while the women tried to recreate the dance moves from the movie and skipped along singing breathlessly while they did it.

They gasped when Rain, who was behind them, hit an uneven patch of ground while skipping and stumbled to the ground.

"WOMAN DOWN!" Alan screamed. "STOP YOUR DAFT SKIPPING AND HELP HER!"

Rose looked behind her and ran back to her as she slowly got to her feet.

"You alright?"

Rain giggled.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just hit a little hole when I was skipping."

The other women walked back to her.

"Are you alright, hon?" Mingxia said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded and all of them walked back to the men who were both grinning ear to ear and applauding them.

"That was well choreographed until Rain hit the ground," Alan said.

"Although…Rain was very graceful when she stumbled," the Doctor teased as he gave her a hug.

"Oh please, dear God, please say there were some Japanese people off hunting in the woods who just saw that," Alan said as the Doctor laughed. "That was brilliant. You lot will have to break into song and dance more often."

"Hey, I have Dancing Queen on my IPod," Rain said.

"You do? Yes! We can do that over and over now!" Awinita said.

"Well, if you do, make sure you have a clear path so Rain doesn't break her leg in the middle of your dance routine," Alan said.

"Can I see your IPod, Sis?" Awinita said. "I'm kinda curious to see what you downloaded."

She nodded and bent down by her rucksack. She opened the front, got it out of her brown bag and handed it to her.

"Thanks, can I borrow it for awhile?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, Sis."

She grabbed her rucksack and was about to put it on when she felt a hand on her back.

"Are you alright?" the Doctor said, grinning. "You went down kinda hard."

"Yeah, it was soft ground. I'm okay."

"Good."

He gave her a kiss and helped her get her pack back on. Everyone else got their rucksacks on and picked up the tote bags and walked away.

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After traveling almost ten miles, they decided to stop for the night and set up their camp. Before eating, they took their bedrolls and Rose's travel blanket out into the clearing. They spread out the blanket in the center and lay around it while Rain and Awinita taught them how to play Yahtzee. Using the blanket as their table, they played a couple of rounds and tried out Fact or Crap also, laughing and giggling when the Doctor and Alan kept raising their hands and saying, "Ooo, ooo, I know that one!" over and over. Then they played a couple of rounds of euchre until the sun started to set and they went back to their camp so Rose could fix the rabbit and some of Eiko's rice for supper. While she was doing that, the others managed to find some more fallen logs to use as seats and they set them up around the fire.

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"This is good," Rain said. "I've never had rabbit before."

"I have," Awinita said. "My cousins used to hunt it and gave us some of the meat, squirrel and venison too. I love venison the best though."

"Well, if I can find a tiny deer, we'll have some of that," Alan said. "But I'm not about to kill a bloody great stag and lug around fifty pounds of meat with us. We need to eat but it's not like we're out in the middle of Siberia with no other sources of food. We've been passing houses on occasion so we're still a part of civilization even though we're roughing it. And it's not that far to the major cities and towns."

"Well, that and how would we preserve it for a long time?" Rose said. "We could smoke the meal or salt it but I don't wanna do either because like you said, that would be too much to carry and we're carrying enough as it is. I…"

She trailed off when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and everyone stared in silent shock when a fox wandered into the campground and walked up to them.

"Well, hello there brave little fella," Alan said to him. "Wanna get warm? Is that why you're here?"

Their eyes widened when Imiko held out a bit of rabbit and the fox walked up and took it from her hand.

"Okay, that's gotta be someone's pet or it was at one point," Alan said.

They stared at Imiko while she fed the fox and petted its head.

"That's amazing," Awinita said. "I think you're right, Bro. It had to be a pet at some point."

"You are a good fox," Imiko said to the fox. "Not bad like some of your brothers and sisters."

"Bad?" the Doctor said.

"Hai, Doctor-san, some foxes are bad and some are good."

"How do you tell the difference?" the Doctor asked her.

"You cannot, but all foxes are servants of the Inari. Some are good to humans and some are bad and play tricks."

"You mean like the Kitsune you told us about?"

"Hai, Rain-san, Kitsune."

"What's that?" the Doctor asked.

"Kitsune are the servants of Inari. There is a famous shrine in Kyoto that has fox statues guarding it. They are powerful spirits. Some Kitsune are bad and play tricks on humans for fun or try to harm them. Some can make themselves look human and some people even married human Kitsune before they found out what they were and the Kitsune went back to their fox bodies. Good Kitsune protect humans and grant them wishes if they show them respect. The most powerful Kitsune are the Tenko who have lived at least a thousand years and have nine tails and golden body. They can see everything in time and space and have the power to make people see what is not there. All Kitsune can also possess people. Many legends of Kitsune doing that. It is because of this that foxes are respected in Japan."

She finished giving the fox the last of her rabbit and petted its coat before it ran off into the woods.

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The Doctor and Rain lay in their tent after everyone had gone to bed. They were working on Roller Coaster Tycoon again and were currently discussing where to put a roller coaster they had made. Rose passed by on her way back from using the bathroom and paused when she heard the little argument they were having. She knelt down and peered in.

"What are you two on about?" she asked.

"We're playing Roller Coaster Tycoon and we made our own theme park and the Doctor and I are trying to figure out where to put this roller coaster we just made."

"Can I see your theme park?" Rose said.

Rain handed her the DS and she looked down at it.

"Oh my God, this is wonderful," she said, scrolling around the park. "This is so brilliant. Hang on; let me show Alan, yeah?"

She hurried to their tent.

"Alan, love, look at this. Look at this theme park they're making," she said, handing him the DS.

She crawled in beside them and both of them giggled while they looked around the theme park.

"All those little people walking around, that is so cute," Rose said. "And they're on the rides too."

They laughed when they heard the toilet flush.

"Sounds like they're on more than just the rides," Alan said.

"And look, some of them got little balloons too," she said, pointing at the screen.

Their eyes widened when they heard thunder and they watched a thunderstorm in the park. They both laughed when they saw everyone raise umbrellas while they walked around.

"Wow, this park is pretty popular if people stay through the raging thunderstorms," Alan said to the Doctor and Rain.

By now the other three women had walked over and Alan showed them the game. They huddled together and laughed while they watched the action.

"This is cool, I want this game," Awinita said.

The thunderstorm stopped and they watched while the umbrellas disappeared and everyone got back on the rides. They laughed when they heard people letting out thrilled screams while they rode the coasters.

"This is so cool!" Awinita said.

After asking Alan if they were done looking, she walked back over to their tent with the DS and Rain's IPod.

"Thanks for letting me borrow this, Sis," she said.

"You're welcome."

"Seriously, this is too cool." Awinita said, handing her the DS. "No wonder you guys are addicted to it. Is that all you've played so far?"

"I have, the Doctor's played the Pac-Man game," she said.

"I just love the little people walking around and riding the rides," Mingxia said. "I will definitely have to get a DS and get this game too. It's just so cute."

"Do they do anything else besides ride the rides?" Imiko asked.

"Oh yeah," the Doctor said. "They go up to the food stalls and buy food and eat it and they buy balloons and stuffed toys and t-shirts and little cowboy hats."

"And some people have this lower tolerance for the rides and sometimes if they ride a ride that makes them really sick, you can see them vomit on the sidewalks and the janitor has to come and clean it up."

Everyone laughed.

"Oh my God, that's brilliant," Alan said. "Yeah, I agree with Awinita. I can see why you two like it so much."

"Well, if you guys hear us arguing about roller coasters, that's what we're doing," Rain said.

They laughed and the three women went back to the log and sat down while they talked. Alan and Rose smiled as the Doctor and Rain turned their attention back to the game.

"Yup, getting that game system was the best present we could have gotten her," Alan said to his wife.

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After awhile, everyone went to bed. They wished each other good night and closed their flaps. The Doctor and Rain played the DS a bit longer before they decided to call it quits for the night. They cuddled close to each other and the Doctor sang her the Gallifreyan lullaby again.

"Doctor," she said when he finished. "Can you teach me that? Can you teach me some of your language? I'd love to learn."

"Sure, Latara, I'd love to be able to speak to you in Gallifreyan and have you speak it back to me," he said, stroking her hair.

"And only Alan would know what we were talking about?"

"Yup."

"Cool. Maybe I could teach you some Navajo in return."

He smiled.

"You don't have to teach me, I know how to speak it."

Her eyes widened.

"You do?"

Her mouth dropped open when he spoke a few sentences in perfect Navajo.

"Oh my God, that is so cool. Do you know Cherokee too?"

"Yup, I know every Earth language."

"Cool! Say something to Awinita tomorrow in Cherokee. Just go over and say hello or something and see what she does."

"Okay."

"That is so neat. Because you know, I'm sure dad has been to Window Rock and adopted you into a clan now since he knows you're here."

The Doctor smiled.

"You think so?"

"Oh yeah, I mean dad adopted everyone else so why not you?"

"Then I'd have dual Gallifreyan/Navajo citizenship?"

"Yup," she said as he chuckled. "You'd be the only Gallifreyan Navajo in existence, Doctor."

"Brilliant. Let Jack try to top me on that!"

"Jack?"

"Friend of mine. I'll take you to meet him. But if I do, be careful because he has an eye for the ladies…and the men…and the whatevers, come to think of it. But he's a bit of a playboy or at least he is in his own mind."

"I'd love to meet him."

"I'll take you to see Sarah Jane too and Martha and Mickey."

"Well, I think Alan said he's gonna try to invite everyone they know from both universes to their wedding."

"Good, because I'm sure all of them will want to attend and Donna as well once we get her restored."

"I can't wait to meet her too. She sounds like a nice woman."

"Yeah, for the most part although she has her moments but she'll love you and she'll love having another female in the TARDIS."

"I can't wait to travel in the TARDIS, Doctor."

"I know, love, I can't wait to have you with me. I'm already compiling a list of places I want to show you, places I know you'll love."

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"I know you don't want me knowing your real name but is there something else I can call you besides Doctor? Just a little informal name like Sprinkles? I mean do you have any other names besides Doctor and Oncoming Storm."

"I have many names, problem is most of them were given to me by people who hated my guts. Um…I have an old academy nickname, Theta Sigma, but I'm not too keen on it."

"Theta Sigma? Like the fraternity letters? Were you in a fraternity there?"

"No, that was just a nickname my classmates gave me. It wasn't my idea. However, they used to shorten it and call me Thete. I don't mind that if you want to use that."

"Thete? That's kinda cute. I like it. Sounds a bit better than Doctor."

"What's wrong with Doctor?"

"Nothing, it's just that it's odd hearing it when your brother's name is Alan," she said. "I mean if Bro had kept Doctor, it wouldn't seem so strange to me. But I just want a personal name I can use when we're alone, I mean, I'll use Doctor around everyone else but I just want something special when I'm with you."

He smiled.

"Then you're more than welcome to call me Thete in private."

"Thanks, Thete," she said.

"Sounds a lot better than Sprinkles at any rate," he teased.

Rain giggled.

"What?" the Doctor said amused.

"Thete, Thete has stinky feet," she sang.

She laughed when the Doctor's mouth dropped open.

"Now see here, young lady! I didn't just give you that name so you could turn around and taunt me with it!" he said, poking her side. "I swear, you are just as cheeky as Donna sometimes. She will definitely love you."

She giggled and sang it again.

"Oh yeah, well…Rain, Rain has a smelly ape brain! There! You're not the only one that can come up with clever singsongy taunts."

"How 'bout Rain, Rain is a big ol pain?" she said.

"Blimey, now you're actually helping me to insult you?" he said as she laughed hysterically. "Well, okay if you insist on my taunting you…"

She laughed and kissed him as he pulled her closer.

"I love you, Thete."

"And I love you too, Latara, with all my hearts."

She snuggled into his chest and the Doctor kissed her head. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled to himself as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.


	181. Chapter 181

Chapter One Hundred Eighty One

The next morning while they were waking up and coming out of the tents, Rose called them over.

"Guys, let's go try to find the railway and take the train into Kyoto," she said. "Tomorrow is the Doctor and Rain's birthday and they wanna go out and celebrate it. I'd rather get into Kyoto tonight and give them a chance to rest so they aren't trying to celebrate while they're knackered."

"And we also want to go out at the same time," Alan said. "But Rose says that the hostel we're going to has a nightclub on the top floor so the rest of you can go there or you can go out as well."

"Cool!" Awinita said. "We'll definitely have to check that out."

"But we decided that last night after Rain told me the Doctor wants to do that. Doesn't mean we'll always do that but this is a special occasion and we've come so far, we deserve to take the train into Kyoto and rest. But anyway, that's what I wanted to tell you guys. I'm gonna go ahead and cook the rest of the rabbit for breakfast so it won't spoil while we're there and after that, we'll pack up and try to find a train station."

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After eating, they packed everything up and headed straight, away from the woods and back towards the Shinkansen rail line that would take them into Kyoto. After a couple of hours, they found it and walked along it searching for a station. They found one after another half hour and climbed the steps that led up to a tiny building. Inside, there were a couple of wooden benches, several vending machines, a pay phone and a huge timetable mounted on the wall by the door. Rose studied it while the rest of them shrugged off their packs and totes and went to get something to drink from the vending machines.

"Next train's coming in about a half hour," Rose said, walking up to them. "They had instructions in English and we don't pay for the tickets here because it's so small they don't have a ticket booth or a conductor. We pay the guy on the train.

She got a bottle of green tea and joined the others as they sat down on the benches and rested. She sipped it and talked to Alan while Rain rested against the Doctor and closed her eyes. The Doctor put his arm around her and talked to the other three women. A half hour later, the train pulled into the station and all of them gathered their things and went out to meet it.

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It only took ten minutes for the super fast train to reach Kyoto's station. They gathered their things and followed Rose while she read the directions she had printed off back in Osaka. It wasn't too far to the BakPak Hostel and they quickly checked in for a couple of days and took their gear to their rooms. Each room had two twin beds in them, a couch, coffee table, table and chairs, a satellite TV with DVD/VCR player and bathroom. It also had a little balcony and there was a fully stocked kitchen at the end of the hallway. The couples each had a room, Awinita and Mingxia shared a room and Imiko was by herself. Each door had a card key and they let themselves in and put their gear down beside their couches. After they had done that, they met up outside the rooms and decided to explore for awhile. They headed over to Gion and looked around. Gion was where the geisha lived and worked and they saw several of them walking around dressed in full outfits and makeup. The Doctor leaned into Rain's ear.

"They're lovely, but you beat them all, hands down," he said.

She giggled and gave him a kiss.

They asked around and learned there was a theater called Gion Corner that had performances that highlighted 7 different Japanese traditional arts and entertainment, Kyoto style Dance, Flower Arranging, Tea Ceremony, Japanese Harp, Comic Plays, Court Music and Puppet Plays. They got directions to it and headed there.

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The puppet plays or Bunraku were held on a large stage in a theater. The puppets were almost as big as the performers and each puppeteer dressed completely in black so they wouldn't detract from the performance while they stood on stage with them. It was a packed house and everyone listened quietly to the drama while it unfolded. After that, was kyomai or Kyoto style dance where geishas in colorful outfits and makeup danced and sang while another geisha sat nearby and strummed a shamisen. After that was kyogen or comic plays that was traditionally an interlude between Noh dramas and had been around since the 15th century. Then there was gagaku, traditional court music led by a man in a bright orange robe and animal mask. After that, everyone was divided up and taken into smaller, more intimate rooms where they kneeled on tatami mats and watched the tea ceremony being performed, heard a koto being played and finally saw a demonstration of ikebana, flower arranging. The whole thing took about two and a half hours and by the time they got back outside it was late afternoon. They went to a Japanese restaurant nearby and explored the rest of Gion along with a few of the nearby shrines and temples. There was a famous one called Kiyomizu Temple but they decided to hold off on seeing it until they rested and had time to appreciate it fully. For the moment, they decided to go back to the hostel and have a rest.

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Once they got back inside their rooms, Rain and the Doctor removed a bedside table in between the beds and shoved them together so they could have one big bed. They showed Alan and Rose what they had done and they quickly copied them. Then they went downstairs to see what else was in the hostel and see if they could meet anyone else.

They found only one other couple staying in the hostel. A British husband and wife named Sophia and John. Both of them were in their late thirties. Sophia had a plump face with sparkling green eyes and red hair. John was a bit thinned with a chiseled face and closely cropped brown hair that reminded Rose of her first Doctor's hair. They were both from London and lived in Harrow. They were experienced hikers and had come to hike through Japan during the winter when there wouldn't be as many backpackers crowding the hostels. They sat together on plush chairs and couches in a tiny common room by a roaring fire and sipped tea while they talked. They found out that they were heading in the opposite direction from them and were thrilled when they told them they had been to Osaka. They pressed them for information about it and some of the places they went while they were there. In turn they told them about some of the places they had been including Nagano which they said was a wonderful city and all the other places they had gone all the way up to the very tip of Hokkaido island where they had started their journey. Rose and Alan also told them about the US and they in turn shared their experiences with them traveling through it.

They talked for almost four hours and when it was dinner they decided to go together and get something to eat. They found a steakhouse nearby and pushed two tables together so all nine people could sit together. When they learned they were going to Kiyomizu Temple, John and Sophia asked to come with them and they quickly said yes. John told them what he knew about it. It was a temple to Kannon, the goddess of mercy and it was set on a hillside so the temples offered spectacular views of the city and the valley below it. The temple was named after the waterfall that ran through it, kiyoi mizu which meant pure water. They also had a place where you could drink the water from the waterfall which was thought to have therapeutic properties and confer health, longevity and success in studies upon the drinker. The streets leading up to the temples had many vendors and you could buy food and souvenirs from numerous shops along the way. Rose told them about her plans for her and Alan and the Doctor and Rose to go out the following evening and they agreed to take the other three women out and show them the Kyoto nightlife.

The thing the Doctor found curious was both Sophia and John referred to him as "he" when they spoke about him. He glanced at Rain and whispered in her ear about it and she nodded and whispered back that she had noticed it too.

"Did the benefactor turn off my disguise just for tonight of is that the end of Morana?" he whispered to her.

She shrugged.

Just then, the Doctor heard the voice in his head.

_There is no need for you to be Morana any longer, you are safe from detection,_ it said. _So now all can see your true appearance._

The Doctor whispered the message to Rain who was thrilled.

"Oh, I'm so glad. I'm glad you don't have to hide anymore, Thete," she whispered.

"Yeah, so am I. Makes things a lot easier now."

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After they got back to the hostel, the Doctor pulled his family and friends aside and told them what the benefactor had said.

"Yes! Finally, we don't have to keep referring to you as Morana," Awinita said.

"Good, I'm glad you don't have to hide from everyone, Doctor," Rose said. "That was irritating having to pretend you were a woman."

"Irritating for you? I was the one who had to go through the humiliation of being one," he teased her.

She gave him a hug and squeezed his hand before she and Alan and everyone else went into their rooms. The Doctor took Rain's hand.

"Shall we?" he said as he led her inside.

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"Aaah," Alan said as they lay down on the beds. "I'm so glad my brother thought of this. I didn't fancy sleeping in separate beds after all this time."

"Me neither."

She fell silent for a moment.

"What is it, Starlight?"

"I'm just dreading the moment when the Doctor has to go and face the Valeyard again," she said as they lay down. "He's so happy here with us and with Rain."

"I know, Amo'tiri, but he can't just let that nutter roam free above our heads," he said, rubbing her side.

"Yes, but why him? I know it's what he does but why can't this mystery voice do it? She seems to be all-powerful. The Doctor's been through enough, why can't someone take over and do somethin' for a change?"

Alan sighed.

"I don't know, Rose. I feel the same way but apparently this mystery person doesn't. Apparently this rest period is so he can recover and gain enough strength to face him."

"Yeah but what if somethin' happens to him? What if he regenerates? Rain'll be devastated."

"I'm not lettin' my brother go alone. If he faces him, I will be at his side. I apparently am supposed to be a part of it as well, else why would there be a protector in the first place? He's not goin' alone, Rose, as distressing as that might sound to you, I will be there for him just as he would be there for me. I vowed to be with him through thick and thin and that's what I'm gonna do."

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"This is nice," Rain said to the Doctor while they lay together on the bed.

"What? You mean you don't like lying on the lumpy, bumpy ground?" the Doctor replied.

"No, I don't really like rocks digging into my back and ribs, thanks. But it has been fun."

"That it has. And after today, I'm spent."

"You mean, you're gonna go to sleep?"

"Nah, not that spent."

"Thete? Will you take a shower with me?" Rain asked.

He smiled.

"I'd love to, Latara," he said, stroking her hair. "I'm kinda smelly so I can definitely use one tonight."

He kissed her cheek and they got up and walked to the bathroom.

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The Doctor was thrilled. Not only was Rain more comfortable with them being together in the shower but she also got up enough nerve to clean his genitals. The Doctor helped guide her hand while he snogged her passionately. He could feel himself getting hard at his lover's touch but he knew that she probably wouldn't go any further than touching him and that was alright with him. Little by little they were getting to know one another and progressing in their relationship. He wasn't about to rush anything.

After the shower, the two of them cuddled and the Doctor began his Gallifreyan lesson teaching her the little endearments and phrases that he had been using so she would know what they meant. He smiled when she tried to repeat what he had said and helped her with her accent so she would say it correctly. He was thrilled that she was a fast learner and after a couple of hours she knew some basic words and sentences and they even had a very, very simple conversation together. He also taught her the lullaby which thrilled her immensely. They continued the lesson until the Doctor was too tired to continue and with a kiss, Rain did her customary cuddle against his body and he whispered some of the Gallifreyan endearments and rubbed her back and sides as she slowly drifted off to sleep.


	182. Chapter 182

Chapter One Hundred Eighty Two

After a couple of hours when the Doctor was sure that Rain was fast asleep, he decided to get up and have a cup of tea in the kitchen. He gave her a feather light kiss on the forehead before he slowly got up and tiptoed out of the room.

He was surprised to find Alan sitting in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea.

"There you are, I figured you'd be down here sooner or later," Alan said.

The Doctor frowned.

"Can't sleep?" he asked him.

"Nah, the wife and I had a bit of fun and she's knackered, but I'm not. Actually we nearly ended up on the floor because we got a bit too overeager and the beds nearly parted below us. I could practically hear Rose's heartbeat thudding in the room. How 'bout you? Things alright with you and Rain?"

"Couldn't be better," he said, grabbing a mug and pouring some tea. "She's stellar."

"That she is. She's a wonderful woman and a great sister. I'm so glad she asked to come with us."

"So am I, she confided in me about her home life and what happened to her growing up. I won't go into all the details since she swore me to secrecy but up until you lot came along, she didn't have a very fun life."

Alan nodded.

"I figured that. Rose and I both figured she's had some abuse in her life from the way she carries herself but I've noticed she's grown more confident now that she's around us."

The Doctor nodded as he sat down across from his brother.

"Yes, I've noticed that as well just in the short time I've been with you. She's starting to come out of her shell and I have to say she's got a bit of a cheeky side. I think her and Donna will get along quite well."

Alan chuckled.

"I'm so glad you gave your hearts to her. I think you were just what she needed and vice versa. I think both of you are healing each other the way Rose and I healed one another and I'm so glad because you deserve happiness just as much as the rest of us."

The Doctor smiled softly and nodded. Alan took a sip of tea and cleared his throat.

"Just out of curiosity, brother, have you given any thought to marrying her?"

"Um…not yet."

"Well, if you want my two pence I think you should. I mean, you obviously are in love with her and she's in love with you and I know you have the whole curse of the Time Lords thing but you know what, sod that! I'm gonna make myself into a full Time Lord but I have no intention of divorcing Rose the moment I do. I love being with Rose and I wouldn't give her up for anything not even if she did start to age in front of me. So she ages, big deal, won't change who she is inside or the love she has for me. I would rather grow old with her and be with her at the moment of her death than be without her and have her grow up alone and heartbroken. She and I were meant to be together and I sincerely believe that Rain was meant to be with you. And if it is meant to be than why not bind yourselves together through marriage? I mean in all the centuries you've been alive you've only had one marriage and that didn't bring you any happiness except for Dex and if it wasn't for him you would have spent the entire time with Sharina being completely miserable every waking moment. Which is why you kept going off world all the time of course, but you know, Rain is different. She's not gonna be like Sharina. I know it's your decision but won't you please consider it, brother? I think you'll be happier if you can call her your wife."

The Doctor smiled.

"I would like that more than anything. I would love to have her as my wife. I just hope she would want to be married to me."

Alan's eyes nearly popped from his head.

"Are you daft? Of course she'll want it. I know I haven't been around the two of you constantly but even I can see that she'd be thrilled to be your wife."

He took his hand.

"Brother, please don't make the same mistake I did. I was scared that Rose wouldn't love me the same way she loved you and I put off asking her to be my wife for months until we got to Disneyworld and then I found out there was nothing to be afraid of because she wanted me all along. Those couple of months I waited was pure hell on me and I hated keeping my intentions from her because I was convinced that we needed a romantic setting for the proposal. We could have been waist high in a mud puddle and she still would have said yes. I know you want to take Rain to Tokyo Disney and that's fine if you want to propose there but why wait? Do it on your birthdays and Valentine's Day when it's just as romantic. And you know, if you wanna do what we did and get married here, we'll help pay for it. I think a traditional Japanese wedding would be just as wonderful as the southwestern wedding we had."

He grinned.

"And we'll also talk to Jackie and Pete and convince them to do a double wedding when we get back to London but in the meantime you could be married secretly like we are and even if they won't pay for it we'll find a way to raise the money. I'm sure not only would we find a way to pay for it but all our friends would help out as well. I think everybody would be thrilled to see you happily married…except maybe Jack since I'm sure that would crush a zillion smutty fantasies swirling through his noddle but who cares, he has Ianto. So, just consider it, Te'lesau, please."

The Doctor smiled.

"You know what, brother. I think you convinced me. You're right. I've been afraid for far too long. I made the mistake of pushing Rose away when she wanted to love me and I'm not gonna do that with Rain. I want her to be my wife, come what may."

Alan beamed.

"Brilliant. Um, we have to go find you an engagement ring of some kind though before tomorrow night. I s'pose there are all night department stores here like there were in Osaka and Tokyo. But just a little something to give her. I mean, I'm sure you noticed that Stitch ring on Rose's finger."

He nodded.

"Well, that's her engagement ring. Got it at Disney for twenty five dollars and she loves it because it was something unique instead of just a boring, run of the mill diamond and I'm sure Te'lesu will feel the same way. She wants you, not the bling. But if you wanna follow Earth customs then we need at least something to present her."

They grinned at each other.

"Oh my God, this is brilliant," Alan said. "I wish I could be there to see the look on her face when you do propose. But, it's an intimate moment and Awinita let us have our privacy when I proposed so I'm extending the same courtesy to you. Now, if you'll wait a moment, I'm gonna go rouse the wife and tell her so she can come along with us to get a ring."

The Doctor smiled and nodded. He chuckled when Alan jumped out and sprinted out of the room. He took a sip of tea anticipating the moment when he would ask Rain to be his wife.

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The Doctor heard Rose before she even came in the room because there was a thudding of feet on the floor and a high-pitched squeal. He turned to see her running into the room and the Doctor held open his arms and gasped when she slammed into him with such force that the chair almost toppled backwards.

"I am so happy for you!" she said, hugging him tightly.

"I gathered that, Rose, from the way I almost went arse over tit just then," he said as Alan leaned against the doorway and tried to stifle his laughter.

"Oh God, yes, we will help pay for the marriage here if you want it," she said, pulling away and putting her hands on his shoulders. "I love the idea of a traditional Japanese wedding for you. I've seen pictures when I've searched online and I think it would be perfect for you and Rain and yes, I'll help you find an engagement ring tonight so you'll have it ready."

She squealed and gave him one more tight hug.

"And I will talk to mum. I haven't told her you're back yet but don't worry, I will try to get her to make it a double wedding and if she won't, we'll have our wedding and a separate wedding for you somewhere else with just our friends. Mum accepted Alan though so maybe she'll accept you as well especially if you are going to be getting married. Besides, you're not staying in this universe which I'm sure will thrill her as well."

She gave him one more hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Oh my God, this whole trip is just getting better and better with each passing day," she said. "Maybe that's why the protector dropped the disguise because she knew this was comin'."

The Doctor shrugged and smiled.

"Okay, well, let's go and get the ring then before everyone else wakes up," she said, getting up.

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They found a department store about five blocks from the hostel. As they walked to it, the Doctor grinned at Rose's enthusiasm over the marriage. If he didn't know better, he could have sworn she was the one getting married. It boggled his mind that only a few short months ago she was standing on the beach crying her eyes out because he was leaving her behind and now she was overjoyed that he was marrying someone else. It made him happy knowing that she had accepted Alan and had moved on with him and could be happy for him and Rain in return.

They walked into the jewelry section of the store and looked through the display cases at the various rings. Nothing really caught the Doctor's eyes. He didn't like the selection of diamonds they had and some rings seemed too juvenile and not appropriate for the occasion.

Then he saw it near the back of one of the display cases. A sterling silver ring with a blue sapphire crystal cut into the shape of a heart. It matched her necklace perfectly and he called the others over. They ooed and awed over it for a moment before signaling the store clerk that they wanted to purchase it.

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On the way home, the three of them chatted excitedly about what would happen later on tonight. While they walked, the Doctor kept checking Rain through the link but as far as he could tell she was still asleep since her mind was calm and at peace. He was glad of that since he had a fear she would wake up, see him gone and wonder where he'd gotten to. She didn't want her to worry about him especially when there was nothing to worry about. He just couldn't wait to see her face and see how happy she was going to be when he asked her to be his wife. He wished the moment would hurry up and arrive.

"I'll go online here and see about a traditional Japanese wedding if you want that," Rose said to him. "If not, we can find something else later on."

"No, I think that sounds perfect. I think Rain would love a wedding here so please look up something for me."

They laughed when Rose let out another squeal.

"I think you've just made her whole entire week, mate," Alan said, gesturing to her. "She's gonna be walkin' on air today, tonight, tomorrow, five years from now…"

"Well, I'm just happy the Doctor is finally gettin' married like we are. I can't help but be happy for him since he's had so much sorrow, so leave me alone and let me be thrilled with all this."

She gave his hand a squeeze delighting in the happiness of her friend. She had been hoping for this moment since Rain first told her they were in love and she was so glad he was finally ignoring the whole curse of the Time Lords and taking a chance at wedded bliss. She hoped that they two of them would have a long and happy life together.

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Once they got back to the hostel, the three of them decided to go back to bed. Rose gave the Doctor one more tight hug and a kiss on the cheek, telling her how happy she was and wishing him all the best. The Doctor thanked her and watched while she took her husband's hand and headed with him back to their bedroom. Sighing contentedly, he put the ring in his trouser pocket and headed back to his room. Entering it, he noticed Rain was still fast asleep and his hearts swelled with love staring at her, knowing that in a few short hours he would offer her the chance to be his wife. He slowly walked over to the bed taking in her beauty as he did so and then he lay down beside her and spent the rest of the night staring at her and dreaming of their beautiful wedding.


	183. Chapter 183

Chapter One Hundred Eighty Three

The next morning the Doctor smiled when he heard a bunch of squeals coming from the next room and he knew that Rose had just told everyone else what had happened. He glanced at Rain and noticed the small smile on his face and he figured perhaps she was sensing his happiness at what was about to happen and reaping the benefits from that. If so, he was glad. He was glad that he had linked his mind to hers since he knew the next few days would be the most joyous of her life. He had no doubts in his mind that she wanted to be his wife since he could see she truly loved him. He just hoped she had enough self-confidence to accept a proposal from him, that would be the only problem he could see, thinking she wasn't worthy enough to be his wife. But if that happened, he would talk to her and make her see that she was worthy enough just like he did when she was hesitant about being his lover.

He heard more muffled shouting and decided to go over for a moment so his family could hug him since he figured they wanted to do that now. He pulled the covers up slightly to Rain's neck and laid his hand gently on the side of her head before he slowly got up and went outside.

"Oi, keep it down!" the Doctor said when he entered Alan and Rose's room and all of them yelled with happiness while they rushed to greet him. "Rain's asleep and I don't want her to cotton on before tonight!"

They instantly stifled their yells but they all embraced him tightly and kissed his cheeks.

"I'm so happy for you," Mingxia said. "This is great!"

"Yes, congratulations, Doctor-san," Imiko said.

"I love this too. My brother is marrying my sister! It's incestuous and wrong, but who the hell cares, bring on the wedding!"

Alan fell back on the bed roaring with laughter.

"Yes, I guess it is incest technically," he said when he calmed down. "But you're right. They're in love and they're perfect for each other so bring on the incest! Um…Imiko has a few ideas about where to hold the wedding. They have shrines in Kyoto where you can not only get married but get a blessing from a Shinto priest. I figure you two will need all the blessing you can get."

"Yes, we will," the Doctor said.

"But we're gonna wait until tonight to get online because it'll look odd if Rain comes in and sees us looking up places to have traditional weddings. Besides, we all figure she's gonna say yes but we wanna be sure. In the meantime we gotta keep mum about this which I'm sure will be hard but no one says a word, got it?" Rose said.

They nodded.

"What about John and Sophia? If they're still here, should we invite them too?" Awinita said.

Alan shrugged.

"If they wanna come with us, that's fine. The more the merrier."

The Doctor paused when he felt Rain stirring in his mind.

"Wait a tic, she's waking up now."

"That is so handy," Awinita said.

"Yes, which is why I'm doing it first thing after I get changed," Alan replied.

"I'll be back, just gotta go over there so she won't wonder where I am."

He quickly hurried out the door. He opened his door and saw Rain sitting up on the side of the bed. She smiled at him.

"Um…Tir'Maslu," she said, wishing him good morning in Gallifreyan.

"Tir'Maslu. Be'le'lok?" he said, asking her how she was.

"Ke'no."

"Good, I'm glad you're fine," he said, smiling. "Very good with the Gallifreyan. I'll have to teach you more so we can get past the hello and good morning stages of it."

He walked over and kissed her.

"Happy Valenbirthtine's Day," he said.

She giggled.

"Happy Valenbirthtine's Day to you too, Thete. Is everyone else up now?"

"Oh yeah, you're the last, little sleepyhead."

"I slept like a baby last night. It makes a difference sleeping in here and not in a tent."

"Yeah, these beds are very comfortable," he said. "I'm glad you slept well, Latara."

_Because you have a big evening ahead,_ he finished in his mind.

"Does Sis have anything planned for today?" Rain asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Um, I'm not sure about this morning. I didn't talk to her until about five minutes ago and the computer's in the common room this time so I don't know if she's had time to check or not."

Rain glanced at him.

"What about us? Do you know where you wanna go tonight?"

"Out to eat somewhere. After that, I guess we could go explore and see what there is. Unless we can find a movie or a show or something like that. Don't worry, we'll find something to do in this big ol' city."

Rain got up and went to use the bathroom. The Doctor watched her fighting the urge to just blurt out the proposal. He wanted to wait until she was awake, first off, and secondly he did want something a little more romantic than the bedroom of a hostel. But still, it took every ounce of strength not to say something.

She came out of the bathroom and the Doctor took her hand while they went out of the room and walked next door. Everyone smiled at her and wished her happy birthday and happy Valentine's Day but the Doctor could tell they were having just as much trouble keeping quiet as he was.

"Thanks, guys," she said after everyone got done hugging her. "What are we doin' today before me and the Doctor go out tonight?"

"Well, first off, let's go get breakfast somewhere and then we can decide," Rose said. "But it won't be anything that takes up too much time since you guys do need to rest before tonight."

"We could go to the zoo," Imiko said. "They have a big zoo in the park."

"How about that, guys?" Rose asked.

They all nodded. Turning, they walked towards the stairs so they could begin their day.

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After breakfast they headed out to the zoo. The Doctor wasn't entirely thrilled with seeing animals in enclosures but he could tell Rain liked it and that was good enough for him.

"Just don't be surprised if we find the giraffes and Alan makes his obligatory kickin' their asses comment," Rose said to the Doctor.

"Those stork-legged buggers got it comin', Rose," he said as they giggled. "I keep telling ya that!"

The Doctor felt Rain tap his arm and he looked at her. She pulled him down so she could whisper in his ear.

"My sister, you were gonna say something in Cherokee to her," she said.

His eyes widened.

"Thanks for reminding me, Latara," he whispered back.

He straightened up and smiled at Awinita who was standing beside him staring at the bears.

"Beautiful bears, aren't they?" he said in Cherokee.

He laughed when Awinita spun around and stared at him in shock.

"Holy shit, that was Cherokee!" she said.

"I know, I can speak it."

Her mouth dropped open. He grinned and gave them a snooty look.

"I can speak Cherokee, Navajo, Chinese, Japanese, Gallifreyan and English. So there, I know all your languages! None of you are safe from me!"

They bent over laughing while the Doctor embraced Awinita and kissed her cheek.

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Once they got back to the hostel, the Doctor and Rain took a shower along with Alan and Rose in preparation for their evening together. The Doctor was pleased when he noticed Rain was even bolder and kept her hands on his genitals stroking him while they snogged. The Doctor felt like he would lose his mind. She had such a gentle touch, almost as if she were afraid she would hurt him but the feather light touch drove him even crazier and he rubbed his hands all over her back and butt hoping that in a few short hours they would be back in their room as an engaged couple.

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Finally, the moment had come to leave. The two couples stood side by side with John and Sophia who were beside the other women.

"You guys have fun," Rose said.

"Yeah, you too, have a nice time," Awinita said.

She gave the Doctor a pointed look.

"Both of you," she added.

The Doctor grinned and waggled his eyebrows. He waited until everyone was down the stairs before he gave his lover a kiss.

"Shall we?" he said, taking her hand.

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They found a Japanese restaurant that had a beautiful lush garden beside it that was lit up so people could walk through it at night.

_Perfect,_ the Doctor thought to himself.

He made the suggestion that they eat there and was thrilled when she agreed. He put his hand on her back and they went inside.

The menu featured tempura so they ordered a couple of tempura dinners and headed to a small room overlooking the garden. They sat on pillows on the tatami mat floor and ate off a low wooden table. There were only a few other people dining in the room and the lighting was soft giving it an intimate feel. With the garden just outside the window, the Doctor couldn't ask for a better setting. They ate the tempura and made small talk, laughing and giggling and joking with one another. They held each other's hands across the table and kept giving each other loving feelings through their link. The Doctor smiled when he felt how happy she was and he knew he had chosen the right place to propose to her.

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After dinner had finished and the Doctor paid for the meal, he made a suggestion that they take a stroll in the garden before they left. As they walked out onto the little pavement that wound its way through the garden the Doctor fought to keep his heartbeats under control. They held hands and quietly walked through the lit garden admiring the plants and bushes around them.

Finally, the Doctor found the perfect place. There was a little stone bench in front of a tiny waterfall. He couldn't ask for a more romantic view. He subtly suggested sitting for a moment and both of them sat in silence listening to the waterfall while it roared over a tiny rock cliff into the stream below that then wound its way under a small wooden bridge beside them and on into the garden. The Doctor glanced up and smiled when he saw the full moon and stars high above and then he turned his attention back to Rain.

"Are you having fun?" he asked her.

"Yes, I am. It's been a wonderful evening. I love this garden. It's so peaceful here."

"Yes, it is. It's very romantic."

"Yes, it is."

He pulled her close and she snuggled against his shoulder. He looked down at her.

"Are you happy being with me?"

She glanced up at him.

"Yes," she said, "I love being with you."

"Do you love me?"

"I love you with all my heart, Thete."

He smiled and kissed her head while she let out a contented sigh.

"I love you with all my hearts as well, my precious Latara," he said.

She closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder while he rubbed his cheek against her head. Quickly, he reached into his pocket, pulled out the ring and held it in his closed fist.

"You know, funny thing happened earlier today. I was going into the kitchen for a cuppa and ran into your brother," he said to her.

She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Really? What time was that?" she said.

"Oh, about one in the morning, I think," he said. "But we had quite an interesting little chat."

"Really? What about?"

"You."

"Me? What about me?"

He smiled.

"We were talking about how much I loved you and how happy I was now that you were in my life and how you've healed me so much."

Rain hugged him.

"I'm so glad I did, Thete," she said.

He lowered his head to hers sending loving feelings through the link.

"There's more though, Latara," he said.

"Yes?"

"Well, see, I don't know what he told you about my past but I know you know that I've been very lonely for most of my life."

She nodded.

"In many ways, things have been just as rough for me as they have been for you. I was also ridiculed and laughed at and mocked and I grew up being somewhat isolated."

He smiled when Rain stroked his cheek.

"And like I told you I did have one marriage that didn't work out which made me even more wary of relationships and when I started to travel and take along companions, I kept everything strictly platonic even if the companions did have feelings for me and vice versa. This arrangement worked fine for several centuries and then the Time War came and I lost everything by my own hand."

"Oh, Doctor," Rain murmured, stroking his face.

"I think that's when I started to crave something more than a platonic relationship. You see, I lost everyone, all those voices in my head and there was only this deafening, maddening silence. In the space of a few minutes, I was suddenly the last of my kind and I had a sudden need to connect with someone, anyone. I didn't find anyone for the longest time and then I met Rose and she helped heal me and calm my anguish and I found myself falling in love with her because she was so wonderful to me and helped me and cared for me when no one else would. She became my entire universe and I found myself depending on her in a way I never had before and it was terrifying because I kept thinking what would happened when she grew old and sickened and died and I lost her for good."

He sighed while Rain stared at him sadly.

"I…didn't know how to deal with these new feelings, Rain, and they intensified when I regenerated into this body and I couldn't help but want her every second of every day because she helped ease the loneliness. But at the same time I had that fear of losing her so I had a constant battle going on inside me, part of me wanting to draw her near and the other part wanting to push her away. I didn't know what to do. I was so confused but I was hoping maybe I could sort it out eventually and work through my feelings so I could be with her without all these fears of loss. But then…it happened. We'd both been getting a bit reckless with our adventures and playing Russian Roulette with fate while we just flippantly laughed at danger but at Canary Wharf the bullet finally reached the muzzle and fate caught up to us and I lost her when she was trapped here. After that, I just fell apart and nearly went mad with grief, I tried everything I could to get her back to me but there was nothing I could do and I finally settled for contacting her through a tiny gap in the universe and wishing her goodbye and good luck. After that…I became a bit reckless with my life because I didn't feel like I had much to live for. I had a severe death wish for awhile and I just dared anyone and anything to end my life and put me out of my misery."

He paused a moment and kissed Rain's cheek when he noticed tears starting to fall.

"I know this is upsetting to hear, my love, but I do have a point. It's just that you have to listen to me ramble a bit before I get to it."

She nodded and rubbed his arm while he cleared his throat.

"Anyway, I had Martha with me at the time and she didn't help matters much by falling in love with me and being insanely jealous of Rose. Eventually though, she left and I found Donna again who actually did help me recover because she talked sense into me and became my best mate and I found myself actually beginning to enjoy life again."

He let out a ragged sigh.

"But then, Rose came back and Davros attacked and things were thrown into utter chaos when Donna touched the jar and Alan was born and she became the DoctorDonna and Alan destroyed the Daleks and I just couldn't take anymore especially when I had to take Donna's memories away from her. I put Rose here with Alan, partly because I wanted her to look after him but also because I was at the breaking point and my nerves were about shattered and I didn't want her around a Time Lord who was about to have a nervous breakdown. After all that happened, I thought it would calm down but it didn't, it just kept getting worse and worse and escalating more and more and I found River and I had to take her with me knowing I would one day have to send her to her death and I just couldn't take any more. I just wanted to end it all and get some peace at last. And then, to top it all off Dumbo in the sky came and got me and put the disc in my head and sent me after all of you."

He paused for breath and kissed away more tears from her cheeks.

"When I first saw you, I didn't give you or Awinita much thought because Alan and Rose were who I was after and the Valeyard was the same way. You were just a couple of spare people that were tagging along and I really didn't care about you. When the Valeyard ordered me to infiltrate your group, I didn't think about sitting by you specifically, it just happened. But perhaps it was fate that led us to sit together because you accepted me and made me feel welcome and you've done that from day one, my Latara. You kept my secret until the moment I told Rose, you laughed with me and wept with me and comforted me and you soothed me again like your sister did but even deeper than that because you understood me in a way she never had. And my darling, my sweetheart, I fell in love with you, deeply, madly, hopelessly in love and then I found out that in many ways you were like me. We've both been hurt in our lives and abandoned and neglected by people around us and I connected with you on a level I never had with Rose because Rose hasn't been abused like we have. I think that's why I fell in love so quickly because I sensed a kindred spirit within you and both of us needed each other so we bonded with one another and became lovers. But now, my love, I want to take our relationship to the next level which is the whole point of my big, long ramble. I wanted to explain what I've been through and everything that has led to this one decision and now, my beloved…

Rain's eyes widened when he slid off the bench onto one knee and showed her the ring.

"My Latara, my hope, my joy, my hearts' desire, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife now until the time that death must take you from my arms? Will you marry me, my precious darling?"

He paused and noticed Rain staring at the ring with shock. Then an amused grin spread over his face when she brought up her arm and pinched her flesh hard.

"No, my love, this isn't a dream," he said with a chuckle. "This is real life and I really am here asking you to be my wife."

Rain put her hand over her mouth and tears flowed from her eyes while she nodded her head rapidly. The Doctor's hearts nearly stopped from sheer joy and he felt like weeping himself while he took his beloved's hand and slipped the ring onto her finger before he gave the back of her hand a firm kiss. Rain wept openly and the Doctor sat back on the bench and embraced her, kissing her face and cheeks while he sent the loving feelings in abundance.

"This…this is more than I could ever hope for," she sobbed. "I can't believe you actually asked me. I've dreamed of this but I never imagined…"

He kissed her lips and laid his forehead against hers.

"You are more than worthy of this, my love. You are more than worthy of being the wife of a Time Lord, don't doubt that for a second. And now, my beloved fiancée, I want to ask you something else because Rose and everyone already knew this would happen and they want to help us get married. They suggested having a traditional Japanese wedding here before we leave. I know it's a rush especially since we just got engaged but I would like nothing more than to be married to you."

"I want the same thing."

"Then, would you like to get married now in a secret wedding like your brother and sister did and then get married in a double wedding in London later? Or do you want to wait?"

"No, my love, I don't want to wait. I want to get married here."

He grinned and embraced her.

"Then that's what we'll do, my Latara. By the time we leave Kyoto, we'll be husband and wife."

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The Doctor was walking on air the rest of the night and he knew Rain was too. They both held hands and walked around the city just marveling at the beauty of it. They walked to a couple of shrines and slowly strolled the grounds enjoying the simple beauty of them. At one of them they brought a fortune for a long and happy marriage and left it there hoping that their union would be blessed. As they walked, they talked about what they wanted to do. The Doctor mentioned Imiko telling them about getting married at a shrine and getting blessed by a priest which Rain loved and wanted to do.

"I'm not for sure how that goes since I've never been married in Japan but Rose will look it up and give us the details, I'm sure," he said.

He stopped her.

"I just want to tell you this though so you won't feel any pressure. If you still aren't comfortable with having sex, we don't have to do that on our wedding night. We can just cuddle and caress and shower together, alright? I know it's the cultural norm to consummate our union on the wedding night but I don't want to have you do something you're not prepared for. So just keep that in mind, no pressure."

She nodded and he gave her a kiss on the lips and whispered a Gallifreyan endearment in her ear before they walked on.

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They took one more stroll through Gion watching while a couple of geiko and maikos moved in and out of the teahouses, making their rounds. They could see them through the windows entertaining businessman, laughing and talking with them and playing games while they played and danced for them. They made inquiries and learned that there were a couple of ochayas accepting tourists without the need for a patron inviting them. They got the directions to one and walked over to it. Once they were inside, there were a couple of maikos or apprentice geisha sitting with them and several other people while two geiko or experienced geisha made small talk with them and poured them sake and tea. The Doctor grinned when one young maiko sat down next to him and giggled while she held her long pink sleeve up in front of her face. The Doctor spoke to her in Japanese and learned her name was Asami and she had been learning to be a geisha for the past year. He translated this to Rain and he served as translator while they three of them talked and drank tea. The two maikos were more heavily made up and more flamboyantly dressed than their seniors who had on less makeup and more simple kimonos. Asami talked with them for awhile and then all of them got up to dance and play for them while they sat at the low table and watched quietly. Once that was done, they came back to the table and the other maiko who was named Hoshi talked with them for awhile while the geiko made the rounds pouring tea and sake and flirting with the male patrons. One of them briefly flirted with the Doctor but he gave her a polite smile and played along until she left and then squeezed his fiancée's hand and winked at her.

After about three hours, the session ended and everyone thanked the geisha who bowed and thanked them in return. They headed outside with the other patrons, some of whom were now visibly tipsy. The Doctor checked the watch and noticed it was nearing one in the morning so he and Rain took each other's hands and headed back to the hostel.


	184. Chapter 184

Chapter One Hundred Eighty Four

One minute after the Doctor closed their bedroom door he heard a knock and opened it to find everyone standing there.

"Well?" Rose said.

"Have you lot been waiting this entire time?" the Doctor said as Rain laughed.

"Yes, we have, so…"

"I said yes!" Rain said.

They let out a cheer and ran into the room embracing the Doctor and Rain and congratulating them. Rain showed them the ring and they all held her hand while they admired its beauty.

"Where did you go?" Rose asked.

They walked out of the room to the kitchen; fixed some snacks and all of them went to the common room to talk. The Doctor and Rain filled them in on what they had done.

"Wow, no wonder you guys got back so late," Rose said when they finished. "We just had dinner at a steakhouse and went for a walk in the park. We didn't think 'bout goin' back to Gion."

"Well, we weren't planning on it. It just sort of happened that way when we were out walking and then we saw the teahouse and decided to go in one."

He looked at Awinita.

"What'd you guys do?"

"We went out to this really trendy nightclub in downtown Kyoto and had a blast," Awinita said. "John and Sophia are really nice and they are just thrilled for you guys and they want to come to the wedding too."

"So…do you two want to get married here then?" Rose asked.

She smiled when they nodded. She beckoned to them.

"We've been back for hours so we went online to try to find some places that you could go to," she said sitting down in front of the computer while they clustered around her. "Imiko suggested Kamigamo-Jinja Shrine which is a very famous shrine in Kyoto. Now look at these photos of it. Now see they have this white pagoda with the red trim and the little yellow bridge in front of it, isn't that gorgeous?"

"I love it," Rain said.

"And all the trees and bushes around it, I mean it's just a gorgeous place to have a weddin', just as gorgeous as Sedona was. Now in this picture, this is what you'd be wearing. You'd have on this blue hakama and she'd be wearing this beautiful white weddin' kimono, see?"

Rain gasped when she saw the white kimono the bride in the picture was wearing.

"You'll look beautiful in that, Latara," the Doctor said.

"Now the reason why the groom is holding the umbrella over her is because that's what you do in the ceremony. You hold it over Rain's head to protect her from the sun. So you have a job, wedding boy."

"Rose, I would hold a two ton weight over her head if that's what's required for me to marry her," he said as they laughed.

"And you see here the groom is pouring blessed water over his bride's hands."

"Can I pour it over her head too and keep on pouring until she's soaked from head to toe?"

"Not if you wanna live," Rain said as everyone bent over laughing.

"And there's another site about traditional weddings in general and you both will have several outfit changes," Rose said.

"Including, dear brother, a tuxedo."

"Oh no, no, no I'm not putting a tux on. I'm not jinxing my marriage."

"See, love, told ya he'd have the same reaction as me," Alan said to her.

"I'll do anything else they require except the tux. I draw the line at that!"

She laughed and read from the site she was on.

"In a Shito-style wedding ceremony, the bride wears a traditional wedding kimono called shiromuku (white kimono), and the groom wears montsuki haori hakama. Usually, only family members and close relatives of the couple attend the Shinto-style wedding ceremony. The ceremony includes sake drinking rituals, exchanging wedding rings, and more. There are neither bridesmaids nor a best man, and an older married couple called nakoudo (matchmaker) attends the ceremony."

"And I suppose since it was my idea in the first place that Rose and I will be the matchmaker older couple," he said.

Rose read another section.

"If you are attending a Japanese wedding reception, you are expected to bring cash for a gift. The amount depends on your relationship with the couple and the region, unless fixed amount is indicated in the invitation card. It's polite to use new bills with no creasing. When you go to the party, give the envelope to the person at the reception desk and sign your name in the guestbook. People usually dress formally to attend a Japanese wedding reception. Female guests wear dresses, suits, or kimono. Male guests wear black formal suits."

"First off, "Alan said as they giggled. "Don't expect crisp new bills. We aren't that posh. Secondly, don't expect a heaping amount of money from us. Thirdly, we're gonna wear what we have on. Just letting you know all this in advance so you aren't running up to us demanding crisp new bills and lots of them and then whining that we didn't get dressed up in black formal suits and kimonos for you."

"And now here comes the distressing part," Rose said, rolling her eyes.

She read on…

"The bride and broom change costumes a couple of times during the wedding reception. The bride wears a wedding kimono and colorful dresses. The groom wears a men's montsuki hakama and a tuxedo. During the reception, the married couple sits on a stage enjoying the guests' speeches and performances. Some guests are asked to do something at the reception. Many people sing their favorite songs. The couple cut a large wedding cake and walks around the room, lighting the candles and greeting guests. A full course meal is often served at the table.  
At the wedding reception, souvenirs called hikidemono are prepared in a bag for guests to take home. It is often tableware, sweets and so on. In recent years, gift catalogs from which guests can choose gifts are popular as hikidemono."

"Now you listen here, Time Lord," she said, pointing her finger at the Doctor while they giggled. "I will give a speech but I'm not gonna stand up and sing a song for you so you can get that out of your mind this instant. I'm not gonna do karaoke for your amusement. And I don't know where the hell you're gonna get these party favors from but don't throw cutlery in our faces, okay? Sweets will be just fine."

"Well, I have a question. Where are we gonna get the hakama and the wedding gowns and the dresses. I don't have them on me, do you?"

"We're gonna call around and ask. We're gonna call the shrine and ask but if they don't provide any of that we may have to go to a hotel and use their simulated shrines there so we don't have to buy any of this stuff. I would rather have it at a real shrine but we're not millionaires so we have to take what we can get. But this is what a traditional wedding is like, so you'll know."

"I love it, I wanna do it," Rain said while the Doctor nodded.

"Okay, so I'll get on the mobile later in the day and call around and see what we can do for ya. In the meantime, it's late but I just wanted to tell you this so you'll know. And I'm so glad you two are gettin' married. I hope you guys have a long and happy life."

Everyone echoed the sentiment and gave them hugs and kisses before they left to go back to their bedrooms. Rose squeezed her sister's hand on the way back.

"I'm so happy for ya, Sis," she said.

"Me too, this is a dream come true."

"Now we gotta get the other three women married off," Alan said.

Awinita looked around at him.

"Find us men and we will."

"Find you men? Weren't the three of you at a nightclub earlier? What happened? Was John the only man there or something? I'm not your man hunter; you'll have to do that yourself, Te'lesu."

"Well, I figured since you were my brother, you'd wanna screen my prospects in case I pick up someone sleazy."

"Well, if you can't choose between a nice man and a sleazy one then there's no point in my interfering because there's no hope for ya," he said as they laughed. "If he's smartly dressed, clean-shaven with tons of cash, then have at em."

"Smartly dressed, clean-shaven and tons of cash, got it," she said.

"Here we go, she'll be roaming all over Kyoto now for this perfect male," Alan said to his wife. "And then we'll have to pay for her wedding. I'm glad Pete Tyler is rich since I'm sure he's getting tired of paying for random people to get married now."

"Rain and the Doctor aren't random people; they're my family and his by association so he can pay for them to have a romantic wedding in Kyoto."

"And I notice that he's paying for these weddings without you telling him. Gee, what an open and truthful daughter you are, Rose. What's this huge twenty page credit card bill, Rose? That's just my shopping spree, dad. Ten zillion dollars for shopping sprees, Rose, and why does it say wedding on every other line? Oh I just love to shop at bridal boutiques, dad, it's an obsession of mine!" he said as they roared with laughter.

They reached their rooms and Rose gave the Doctor and Rain one more hug and kiss.

"Enjoy your night now that you're engaged," she said. "Especially since it won't last very long until you become husband and wife."

"When are we having the wedding, Rose?" Rain asked.

"Let me call around, sweetie, and I'll make the arrangements. Trust me; we'll stay in Kyoto for as long as it takes. Just enjoy being with your fiancé and let us sort everything out, yeah?"

They embraced one more time before the Doctor put his hand on Rain's back and ushered her into their bedroom.

Once the door was closed, the two of them embraced each other.

"I'm so glad you want to marry me, Thete," she said.

"Well, I'm glad you agreed," he said.

He smiled.

"Bless Rose. She's just has been the leader of this little group and making sure we have places to go and making all the arrangements for us. She's become the den mother for everyone. She and Alan both make sure we're well taken care of and we get to where we're goin'. It's wonderful watching them both taking charge so they can keep our rowdy little group in line. See, my love, she was like you when I first met her and now look at her. You'll grow and gain strength and confidence and become like her in time, I promise that."

He kissed her head and led her to the bed. They lay down and he snuggled close to her while he did his usual caressing and singing, watching with love while his fiancée drifted off to sleep.

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After a couple of hours, he rose from the bed and walked to the balcony door while Rain slumbered peacefully. He opened it and stepped onto the balcony. He closed the door behind him and stood there listening to the traffic and city noises before he turned his face skyward and glared at his nemesis.

"I swear, Valeyard, if you come down here, if you try to harm my family, friends and my beloved, I will unleash the Oncoming Storm upon you and I will not stop until you are a pile of pulverized dust at my feet. I will protect my precious Rain from your twisted schemes and I will make you pay dearly if she is threatened in any way. I finally have some joy in my life and I will fight tooth and nail to keep it. So hear me, dark Time Lord because I will not suffer your demented evil any longer. The next time we meet, I vow it will be our last!"

With one last look at the sky, he turned around and went back in the room to lay with his fiancée.


	185. Chapter 185

Chapter One Hundred Eighty Five

The Doctor lay with Rain watching as she slept peacefully. He noticed the happy smile on her face while her eyes went back and forth under her lids and he wondered if she was dreaming of their marriage. He was tempted to take a peek into her mind to see but then decided it might wake her up and he didn't want to risk that.

When it was nearly nine o' clock in the morning, the Doctor noticed his door slowly opening. He stared at it in confusion and then saw Rose slowly peek her head around the door.

"Bollocks," she said, silently.

He watched while she slowly eased her way in and tiptoed over to his side while Alan took her place at the door.

"Rose, it can wait!" he said in a loud stage whisper.

Rose paused by the Doctor's side and gazed at Rain who was snuggled up against him.

"Awww," she whispered.

She bent down into the Doctor's ear.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Just gotta know before I start ringing people and places. Do you guys wanna spend your wedding night in a proper hotel?"

The Doctor looked up at her and nodded. She made the OK sign with her fingers and smiled at Rain making another silent, "Awwww!" before she quickly tiptoed out of the room.

Alan let her pass and gave his brother a sheepish look.

"Sorry," he mouthed to him.

He grinned.

"It's alright, I understand," he mouthed back.

He smiled at Rain before he stuck his head back out and closed the door back. The Doctor chuckled softly and rubbed his fiancée's arm while she slept.

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About an hour later, Rain finally stirred and opened her eyes.

"Tir'Maslu," he said to her.

"Tir'Maslu," she replied, "what time is it, Thete?"

"Just after ten."

She paused a moment.

"Love, can we go to the department store this morning?"

"I guess so, why?"

"Because your clothes are beginning to reek and you really do need to get them washed."

He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Oh alright," he said, letting out a huge sigh and rolling his eyes around, "I really don't sweat like you lot do but if I have to get another outfit so people don't complain about dying from my slight body odor then I will."

They got up and the Doctor sat on the edge of the bed while Rain went to use the bathroom. He put his trainers on and picked up his comb from the bedside table, running it through his hair. A moment later, Rain emerged and the Doctor went to the bathroom while she used her hairbrush to straighten her long, black hair. Once the Doctor came out, he took the brush from her hand and sat with her while he finished the job. Once he was done, he kissed the back of her head and they went out to see if they could find the others.

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While the Doctor and Rain went to the department store, Rose and Alan sat in the common room with the others. John and Sophia chatted with the three women while Rose looked up phone numbers on the websites and made calls. She tried the shrine first and Alan sat near her listening while she spoke with the person in charge of arranging weddings.

"Well, the thing is they are westerners and we don't have the hakama and the wedding kimonos and dresses. Is there a way we can rent those? We can? Good! And everything else as well? Yes! Okay, how much is it for the ceremony and the reception? Uh-huh, okay, do you take credit cards? Good….well, there will be…seven other people besides the bride and groom…mm-hmm…yeah…yes, we'd like the food at the reception and the cake, everything…mm-hmm…okay, now when's the earliest we can do this?"

Her eyes widened.

"Today?"

Alan grinned.

"Um…yeah…can it be this afternoon though? The bride and groom are out shopping and we have to tell them but I'm sure they'll agree to havin' it today."

By now everyone had fallen silent and was listening in.

"Yes, four o' clock is fine. I think we can make it and if not, we'll call back and reschedule it. Yeah…okay…my credit card number is…"

Alan grinned when his sisters and friend squealed with delight.

"Guess we got a wedding to go to this afternoon, guys!"

He smiled at John and Sophia.

"Is that alright with you?" he asked.

"It's fine, we don't have anything else to do today," John said as his wife nodded.

"Yes, thank you, we'll be there…thanks!"

Rose hung up and squealed.

"Yes! They're gonna be so thrilled!" he said to Alan. "Okay, now I gotta ring the Hyatt and book them their room and we're all set!"

"They'll take care of everything though?"

"Everything. I rented the outfits for them and they're gonna do Rain's hair and makeup so she'll look gorgeous and they're gonna have a meal for us in the reception hall and everything."

Rose got back on the phone and booked them their hotel room while everyone else yelled with delight.

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It was an hour later when the Doctor and Rain came back. They walked through the common room and he stopped and showed them what he was wearing. He now had on tan trousers and a black t-shirt and a fresh pair of socks and underwear.

"I got him another outfit so we can finally wash his other stuff," Rain said.

"Rain, we got the shrine reserved. You guys are getting married at four o'clock," Awinita said.

They stared at her.

"Today?" Rain said.

They nodded. The Doctor and Rain glanced at each other, sharing overjoyed looks.

"And everything will be taken care of?"

"Yup and I booked ya a posh little room at the Hyatt so you can enjoy your first night as husband and wife."

"Oh, thank you, Rose," Rain said, running to her and throwing her arms around her.

"You're welcome, hon. I'm so glad you're getting married. You two deserve each other. Now if the Doctor has his dirty clothes with him we'll get them laundered with ours while you guys take a rest or go out to eat or whatever. But if you go out, be back by two at least."

"We will."

Rain gave her one more hug and she ran back to the Doctor. They laughed when he picked her up and spun her around and around.

"Go, you crazy kids, have fun. We'll handle everything here!" Alan yelled at them.

The Doctor handed Rose the shopping bag containing his dirty clothes and accepted another hug and kiss from her before he took Rain's hand and they went to get some lunch and find some wedding rings for the ceremony.

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The Doctor and Rain both stood and stared at the Kamigamo-Jinja Shrine in awe. It was even more beautiful than the photos. They looked around at the wooden buildings and the torii gate that marked the entrance. They went inside and found the person Rose had talked to, a Shinto priest named Isao. He bowed and they followed suit. He spoke to some male and female attendants and they led the Doctor and Rain away so they could get dressed and get ready.

The Doctor came back first. His wedding outfit consisted of a white inner kimono and a dark blue outer one with a dark blue jacket that had a little flower mon crest on both sides. He was wearing blue and white striped hakama with an obi and white tabi boots. In his right hand was a folded fan. They stared at him in awe.

"Bro, you look handsome that way," Awinita said.

"Hai, Doctor-san, you look very elegant," Imiko said.

"Rain is one lucky lady," Mingxia said.

"This is comfortable. I'll have to start wearing this all the time," the Doctor said. "Can't wait to see what my bride looks like."

She came out twenty minutes later and everyone's jaw hit the floor. She was dressed in a long flowing white kimono that had several layers to it. Her hair had been done up and pulled back and was under a large hat. She was carrying a folded up red paper parasol.

"I think this is for you," she said handing it to the Doctor.

The Doctor sat it against his leg and embraced her.

"You are absolutely gorgeous, my love," he said. "I'm so glad everyone thought of this."

"Me too."

"Are we ready?" Isao said.

They nodded and they followed him into the main shrine. Isao led them to a large wooden vat of spring water. He instructed the Doctor to use a bamboo ladle to dip out some of the water and pour it on his bride's hands, purifying them. Then Rain did the same to his hands and both of them took a drink of it while Isao blessed them. He then waved a haraigushi, a sacred tree with streamers attached, to symbolize purification. Then an attendant handed the Doctor a piece of paper which had words of commitment on them.

"I hereby promise to be a faithful and loving husband," he read. "I will honor and cherish you until the day I die, this I swear in the sight of my friends and family and the sacred kami spirits who watch over all of us and bless us."

The priest then handed them wooden sake cups and instructed them to exchange them. They did and drank from them. Then he gave them another set of cups and they exchanged it and drank. He gave them one more set and they did the same thing. Once that was finished, he asked them to exchange wedding rings and they gave one another the sterling silver plain wedding rings they had purchased at the department store. The Doctor put Rain's ring on her finger and she did the same for him. Then the priest gave them twigs which were an offering to the kami so that they would bless their marriage. They walked over to a stone altar and laid them there, smiling at each other as they did. The ceremony finished up with women clad in red and white kimonos handing Alan, Rose and Awinita cups of sake to drink to symbolize the coming together of their families. They drank them and once that was over, the Shinto priest announced that they were now husband and wife. Everyone cheered when the Doctor cupped his wife's face and gave her a long, passionate kiss. They then turned and embraced everyone and accepted their hugs and kisses and congratulations.

Afterwards, the priest had them step out into the sun and the Doctor opened the parasol and held it over Rain's head while the photographer snapped photos of them in various locations. He then snapped a few of them with their family and finally ended up with everyone together with them standing in the middle. Once that was done, the bride and groom were escorted into the reception hall while everyone else filled out the guest book and left them gifts of money. One of the women helped Rain into a rich and colorfully patterned red silk brocade kimono that fit over her wedding gown and she removed her hat allowing her ornate hairdo to be seen. The kimono was red with multicolored flowers all over it. The Doctor smiled thinking how lovely she looked in it. The others came in and their jaws dropped when they saw it.

"And just when I thought Te'lesu couldn't get any more beautiful," Alan said.

The Doctor and Rain were first introduced to everyone and then they formally welcomed the guests.

"Uh, yeah, like to welcome the seven people to our huge shindig here," the Doctor said as they laughed.

"Well, at least we have five more people than we did the last time," Alan said. "The reception hall won't seem quite so barren now."

The Doctor and Rain were given candles and lit the other candles on the tables before they were escorted to a stage at the front of the hall with a low wooden table and pillows. The others sat at regular sized tables while the attendants served all of them their food.

"Right!" the Doctor said, pointing his fan at them. "According to the website, you lot are supposed to be our trained monkeys and sing and dance for our amusement and fawn over us so start the singing, dancing and blind fawning! Now, slaves!"

"I vote we ignore the two gits in front and just eat," Alan said.

"Here, here!" the rest of them yelled.

Rain giggled while the Doctor feigned shock.

"See here, my wife and I need to be paid tribute! It said so on that website so do it, peasants! Worship our majesty."

"I will after I get done eating the delicious Kobe beef," Alan called out.

He gave Rain an exasperated look while the attendants served them their food.

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"Well, it's about bloody time," the Doctor said waving his fan around when they all got done eating. "Now worship us! We are your gods! Show obeisance to us!"

"Anyone else feel like punching him now? Cause I sure do," Alan said.

He sighed.

"I suppose I have to worship the gods first, eh?" he said as they chortled.

He stood up and cleared his throat.

"My brother and sister in law…I am very happy for you, bye now."

"Oi!" the Doctor said as he sat back down and the others roared with laughter.

He stood back up.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I guess I didn't worship you enough. Okay, what can I say that hasn't been said a million times by all of us over the past day. I love you both with all my heart and I'm so happy you've decided to become husband and wife. You have both found a place in my heart and you will stay there forever more. I am proud to call you my brother and sister in law and I hope that you'll be able to weather any storm that comes your way with the help of Donna who sadly could not be with us today because she's busy running her gob while she talks to her friends on the mobile and being harangued by her harpy of a mother. But she is here in spirit as our all of our friends near and far. I wish you a long and happy and prosperous life and I am just so thrilled that you have done this. It makes me proud to have you as a part of my family and I'm so glad you are both here."

"Here, here!" everyone said as they took a sip of sake.

"And?"

"And what?" Alan said.

"Where's the song?"

"I don't sing."

He jerked his head around when Rose let out an enormous, "HA!"

"You don't sing? You don't do anything _except_ sing!" she said as they laughed.

Alan rolled his eyes and got to his feet. He cleared his throat and began to bob up and down while he sang loudly…

"Doctor and Rain, Doctor and Rain.  
God, these two are such a pain!  
I hope they will take a train.  
All the way to sunny Spain,  
before all of us go insane!"

The Doctor raised his eyebrow and everyone laughed as Alan sat back down and took another bite of his beef. Rose cleared her throat and stood up.

"I also want to give you my congratulations. I'm so glad you did this because it was a long time coming for both of you. You mean more to me than life itself and I just couldn't imagine my life now without you in it. I'm so glad you found each other because you both needed each other so very badly. It's hard to believe it's only been a little over a month since I met you, Rain and you've just become such a huge part of my life. You've become a sister and a friend to me and I just thank God that we decided to go to your dad's house to spend the night. And Doctor, you know what you mean to me and after everything we've done and all the heartache we've been through, both together and apart, I'm glad that we've finally become best mates and you're officially a part of my family and I'm so glad you have a family of your own again that you can love and cherish. I wish you both all the love and happiness in the universe."

"Hear, hear!" everyone said.

Rose stood there while the Doctor snickered at her.

"Well, go on, dear. I had to sing to them, now it's your turn," Alan said.

She paused a moment and then sang…

"The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.  
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.  
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain.  
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again."

Everyone bent over the tables laughing as the Doctor gave her an odd look and she quickly sat back down.

"Sorry, that's all I could think of," she said to them.

"Are we gonna hear I'm a Little Teapot next, Rose?" the Doctor asked as they laughed.

Awinita got to her feet.

"Okay, I guess I'm next. I just want to repeat what everyone else has said and tell you how thrilled I am that you are both a part of my life. Rain, you are the perfect sister and a wonderful friend and I'm also thankful we decided to stop that night at your dad's place and I'm glad that you decided to tag along with us. Doctor, it's nice to finally meet the man behind the stories and know that he's a thousand times more wonderful than I imagined. If anyone was a perfect match for my sister, it's you and I know that you will watch over her and protect her no matter what happens. Congratulations to both of you and have a happy and long life."

"Hear, hear."

"And now for the talent portion of my speech," she said as they laughed.

She began to dance around while she sang…

"My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard,  
And their like  
It's better than yours,  
Damn right it's better than yours,  
I can teach you,  
But I have to charge"

She sat back down while everyone laughed hysterically.

"Wow!" the Doctor said. "This is one interesting reception, that's for sure."

Mingxia stood up.

"Um, I haven't been with you guys for very long, but I'm so glad I was asked to accompany you because I wouldn't have missed this for the world. Rain, you are a sweetheart and one of the nicest women I've ever met and Doctor, you're one interesting character, that's for sure. I'm so glad I'm traveling with you and I look forward to showing you around China if we ever get back there. But for the moment, I'm enjoying Japan and this is definitely one of the highlights of my trip. Congratulations and have a very long and prosperous life."

"Hear, hear."

She paused and looked around.

"Do I have to sing?"

"Yes!" they all said.

She looked at the Doctor and Rain who were snickering.

"Um…you are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen," she said in a soft voice.

They laughed when she quickly slammed her butt back down into the seat and turned as red as Rain's kimono. Imiko stood up.

"I am also glad I met you and I am so happy you are married because you belong together. You have both been kind to me and have made me a part of your family and I am grateful for that. I love that you have chosen to get married in my country and had a Shinto ceremony. It was beautiful. I hope you have many blessings and long life and lots of happiness."

She tried to sit back down.

"Nope! You stand up and sing!" Alan said as they laughed.

Imiko looked around her and muttered Dancing Queen before she quickly sat down and got just as red as Mingxia. The Doctor looked at his wife.

"Is it me or is the talent portion of the reception lacking?" he said as she laughed.

John and Sophia stood up.

"We haven't know you for very long, but we also would like to offer our congratulations to you and a safe journey as well as a long and happy marriage," John said as his wife nodded her head in agreement.

The Doctor grinned when they glanced at each other and sang London Bridge to them before sitting down.

Once they were done with the speeches and songs, the wedding cake was carried in and the attendants led the Doctor and Rain down to the table so they could cut it. The cake was just a plain white frosted cake without any writing or decoration. Rain whispered to the Doctor and he nodded. They grabbed the knife handle together and cut into the cake while everyone clapped and cheered. They put two pieces of cake onto the plates and after more whispering from Rain, fed it to each other. They then took the pieces and sat back down while everyone else got a piece.

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They sat there for a couple of hours eating and talking with one another before the photographer led them outside to get one last picture of them with Rain wearing the red kimono. The others wandered outside and watched while they were positioned on the little foot bridge by the shrine and he took a couple of photos. Then the attendants came out with the envelopes of money and bowed while they presented the gifts to them. They bowed in return and accepted the money. Finally, everyone bowed one last time and all of them went back inside to wait while the Doctor and Rain changed back into their regular clothes.

Once they were dressed in their normal clothes, they stood outside and thanked the priest and his attendants who wished them a long and prosperous life and handed them a packet containing the wedding photos. They then bowed to one another and the nine people left the shrine. The Doctor took the instructions to the hotel from Rose and after receiving a last round of hugs and kisses, he took his wife's hand and they separated from them so they could go to their hotel.


	186. Chapter 186

Chapter One Hundred Eighty Six

The Doctor and Rain rode to the hotel on the bus. Rain still had her hair up and her makeup on and the Doctor noticed that quite a few people were giving her appreciative looks while she sat beside him. He glanced over and noticed she was staring out the window and he put his arm around her. She smiled at him and cuddled close to him while the Doctor kept an eye out for their stop.

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"Blimey, this is very posh," the Doctor said as they stepped inside the Hyatt hotel.

They walked up to the front desk and a woman in a dark blue blazer and white blouse bowed her head.

"Welcome to the Hyatt, may I help you?" she said in English.

"Yes. We have reservations. The Doctor or Rain?" he said.

She looked on her computer.

"Yes, sir, we have you booked for two days."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"Two days?"

She looked at him.

"Is that wrong, sir?"

"No, no, it's just that we just got married and a family member booked this as a gift. She didn't tell us it was for two days."

"Congratulations," she said.

"Thanks," they said in unison.

"Yes, sir," she said looking at her computer. "You have the Regency Executive King suite and your friend has also gotten you the Amour Package."

"What is that?" the Doctor asked.

"You will get a full breakfast, a welcome flower on your bed, a complimentary glass of champagne and fruit basket and you don't have to check out until 2 p.m. on the day you leave."

"Ah, good old Rose," the Doctor said to Rain as she nodded.

"Everything has been prepared for you, sir. Here are your card keys," she said, handing them to the Doctor, "have an enjoyable stay and congratulations to you both."

"Thank you," they both said.

They headed towards the elevator.

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The Doctor let out a low whistle when they stepped inside the room.

"Oh my God, this is ours?" Rain said as she stepped in behind him.

"Apparently so, like I said, bless Rose," he said.

They closed the door and walked around their huge room with plush burgundy carpeting and wood paneling. There were two double beds on the right side of the room with a large bedside table in between them, in front of them was a wooden coffee table with two plush chairs positioned around it. In front of the coffee table against the enormous floor to ceiling plate glass window was a big screen plasma TV with DVD player sitting on a wooden entertainment center. They stepped in front of it and turned to their left and saw a separate room. Beside the entrance to the other room was a wooden dresser with a large mirror, a wooden desk with a chair and a computer on top of it, a refrigerator, minibar and a hotplate counter with a tea and coffee maker and espresso machine on it. Inside the tatami mat room was a low wooden table with four floor seats with high backs on them. On the table was the wrapped fruit basket. Several floor lamps were scattered around the room and a sliding door with paper windows led to a large balcony overlooking a lush garden with a waterfall. On the balcony there was a glass table and two seats. They walked past the table into the bathroom and looked around. The floor was made of black marble and there was an enormous wooden rectangular bathtub in the center of the room. Next to it was a wooden table with hand towels and toiletries and hair brushes. Next to that on the wall was a towel rack with two large white towels and next to that on iron pegs were his and her bathrobes. Behind the tub was another floor to ceiling plate glass window that offered a view of downtown Kyoto in all its nighttime glory.

"This is wonderful," Rain said.

"Nah, are ya kidding? The hostel is a thousand times better than this flea trap."

He giggled when she gave him a playful slap on the chest. His eyes sparkled and he leaned in to kiss his wife. He lingered at her lips for a moment just enjoying the sound of her breathing and the scent of her strawberry shampoo before they headed back out into the bedroom part of the suite. They walked over to the beds that had a red rose lying on each of the pillows. Rain picked up one and smelled it and offered it to the Doctor who also smelled it.

"Lovely, " he said. "Yup, I think we'll have quite a nice honeymoon here, my love."

Rain glanced at the bedside table; it had a small lamp, phone, alarm clock and several brochures and menus on it. She suddenly had a thought when she looked at the phone.

'I oughta call my dad just to tell him. I know we're supposed to keep this a secret from Rose's mom but I don't think it's gonna matter if dad knows especially since his daughter's the one that got married."

He nodded.

"You go ahead and call him. I'll peruse these little brochures and find out what else is here," he said.

She nodded and took off her shoes while the Doctor did the same. She moved the roses to the other bed. Then she lay down on her stomach on the side nearest the phone while the Doctor took the brochures, walked around the bed and lay down on his stomach beside her. He rubbed her back and read through the brochures while she dialed her dad's number.

"We have satellite TV again," the Doctor murmured while Rain waited for her dad to pick up.

"Hello?" she said when someone answered. "Hi Amber."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed.

"Is dad there?" she said. "Could you put him on?"

There was a short pause.

"Well, I'm in Kyoto right now with the Doctor."

"Hi, dad!" he called out.

He glanced over when Rain shook her head and sighed.

"Get off the bloody phone, Amber," he said under his breath.

"Well, it's a long story but I'm in a hotel and I really need to talk to dad so we don't run up a huge bill."

"Good thinking," the Doctor said.

There was another pause.

"Did she get off the phone?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Good."

Rain stroked the back of his head while the Doctor read the brochures.

"Hey, dad," Rain said.

The Doctor smiled.

"Thank you…it's been a wonderful birthday, both for me and the Doctor," she said. "I have great news though. You know how you wanted us to get married?"

The Doctor giggled.

"Well, we are now. We just got married today in a Shinto shrine here in Kyoto and we had this beautiful Shinto ceremony and we're in this really lavish hotel room having our honeymoon…um, well, he actually proposed on our birthdays at this restaurant. There was this beautiful garden beside it and we took a walk and sat by a waterfall and that's where he proposed and we just couldn't wait…we wanted so much to marry so Rose and everyone arranged the wedding and the hotel room for us. But we're gonna get married again in London with Alan and Rose and actually they got married in Sedona secretly because they couldn't wait either. So we're not telling any of Rose's family so they'll pay for a big wedding and have all their family and friends so now hopefully we'll have one too so you can come to that one. We'll figure out a way to get you to London but I just wanted to phone you and tell you that I did marry the Doctor. Huh? Um…gee, I don't know, hang on."

She lowered the phone.

"Love, what's my last name now?"

She laughed when the Doctor gave her a blank look.

"Um…I don't think I have one, dad. I mean, they didn't ask for one at the ceremony. The Doctor just had to read from this piece of paper pledging himself to me and we exchanged rings and drank sake, we never had to use our last names for anything. We didn't even sign a marriage license. Um…So I really don't know what we're gonna use. I mean Alan picked out his own name so Rose's last name is Timelord but apparently I'm just Mrs. Doctor right now."

The Doctor snickered at that.

"Well, he does have a real name but he wants it kept hidden for personal reasons and I respect that. I do call him Thete since it was kinda odd calling him Doctor. But…"

She looked at him.

"Love, did you have a last name with your real name?"

"Nope."

"No, he doesn't have a last name with his real name. Um, I guess I can still use Niyol."

"I use John Smith for an alias."

"Oh yeah, he uses John Smith as an alias sometimes. I guess I could use Smith then when I need to. I guess if we do sign the marriage license in London, he'll have to use that or put Doctor Smith or something, although that sounds really odd too."

He laughed and nudged her side.

There was a long pause.

"Um…I'm not sure, really. We haven't discussed that and I'm not really sure if we can."

The Doctor gave her an inquisitive look. Rain glanced down at his crotch.

"Well…he has the parts but I don't know if he could get me pregnant since he's an alien so I don't know if you'll be able to have grandchildren."

She laughed when he blushed at that.

"Now you've embarrassed him, dad. But if we can't, we could always adopt a baby. For now, I think we're just content being by ourselves though."

She giggled when the Doctor nodded his head rapidly.

"He agrees with that, dad. But it doesn't matter if he can or not because he's everything I've ever wanted and he and I are just perfect together."

"Yes we are," the Doctor said, rubbing her back.

There was another long pause.

"Yeah, I kinda figured you did that," she said, laughing.

The Doctor looked at her and she grinned and put the receiver against her chest.

"Congratulations, love, you're officially a Navajo."

He laughed and she put the phone back to her ear.

"He's tickled at that. I told him you were thinking about doing that since you did it for Alan and Rose and Awinita. Oh and he also knows Navajo dad, he knows every Earth language fluently which has been a big help to us. Okay, I'll tell him…"

The Doctor looked at her.

"Your clan is Ma'iitó. Do you know what that means?"

"Um…Coyote Spring People?"

"Ah! He got it. Yup, he knew what it meant. See, he's just so wonderful. He's smart and funny and sweet and just as cute as a button."

She giggled when the Doctor eyed her before he grinned and kissed the top of her head. There was another long pause and then Rain frowned.

"Well, I'm not sure when we can see you but I will bring him to visit you sometime. But if we don't make it back before then we'll see you at the other wedding."

She glanced at him.

"Well, he looks like Alan obviously but his voice isn't quite as deep and he's not quite as wacky and hyper."

The Doctor laughed.

"So, he's almost the same as Bro but I can tell which is which, there are these little differences between them like the voice and the way they act and…the Doctor's eyes too."

The Doctor raised his eyebrow and gave her an intrigued look while she stared into them.

"Well…he's gonna be embarrassed again hearing this."

"No, go on, I wanna hear," he whispered.

Rain rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, it's hard to describe but his eyes are…ancient and filled with wisdom and there's this sadness in them."

The Doctor raised his eyebrow.

"Hmmm, I guess there probably is," he mused.

"But Alan's eyes aren't like this. They're younger looking. I know it's hard to explain but that's another way I can tell them apart. That and Alan does have a tattoo but he keeps that hidden."

She laughed and continued to stroke the Doctor's hair while he gazed at her lovingly.

"Aw, dad, you don't have to do that for us."

The Doctor frowned.

"Well, when are we gonna do it? I mean, we're traveling with everyone else."

"What, love?"

"Hang on, dad."

She lowered the receiver to her chest.

"Dad wants to pay for us to go somewhere and have another little honeymoon. He'll pay for the plane tickets and wherever we want to go, he'll make the arrangements. But when are we gonna do it?"

The Doctor shrugged.

"It depends on where you wanna go and how long we stay," he said. "If it's only for a few nights, we could go and come back while the others were staying in the city and they could come and pick us up and we'd just carry on like before."

"Yeah, but where? We're traveling the world now."

She raised the phone back up.

"Dad, I think we'll have to get back to you on this, alright? I mean, we'd have to decide where to go and tell the others but we really do appreciate this…"

She trailed off when she saw the Doctor's eyes widening.

"Hang on, dad, the Doctor's just thought of something."

She lowered the receiver.

"What?"

He leaned into her ear.

"You've been to Tokyo Disney already so what about Disneyworld?" he whispered. "You said you wanted to see it and they have that Expedition Everest that Alan wanted me to ride."

Rain looked at him with wide eyes and raised the phone.

"Dad, he suggested Disneyworld. I didn't get to go with Alan and Rose and Awinita and the Doctor was gonna take me to Tokyo Disney but I've already been to it…yeah…well, I'll still have to get back to you, dad, because we have to talk to everyone else but I would love to do it and I know he would too. But I will let you know as soon as possible and I appreciate you doing this for us."

The Doctor smiled.

"Can I speak to him, Rain?" he asked.

"Dad, the Doctor wants to talk to you."

She handed him the phone.

"Hello, John."

"Hello, Doctor, congratulations."

"Thank you. I'm so glad I married your daughter. She's one of a kind."

"And so are you, Star Child."

He grinned.

"Listen, I have Rose's mobile number. Is it late there?"

"Not very late."

"Would you let me call Rose and then we'll call you back so you'll know when to make these arrangements?"

"Of course, Doctor."

"Thank you and thank you for adopting me into the Navajo nation, I'm very honored."

"Well, I did it for your brother and sisters; I needed to do it for you too."

"Again, thank you. Now let us hang up and I'll call you in a few minutes."

"Okay, Doctor, I'll be waiting."

"Thank you, goodbye."

Rain hung up the phone for him.

"Here's my thought, love. You've seen Tokyo already so why can't we do this when we reach Tokyo? Just go away for a few days and come back and they can pick us up at the airport or we can take a taxi to their hotel. That way we can do this and you can see Disneyworld without having to miss something new."

Rain nodded.

"Hand me the phone and I'll talk to Rose, okay?" he said.

She nodded, grabbed the phone and put it on the bed in front of him. The Doctor dialed Rose's mobile number and grinned when he put his finger against Rain's lips. Rose picked up on the third ring.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hello, my love," the Doctor said, imitating Alan's gruff voice. "I was lonely and I thought I'd ring you up for a bit of phone sex."

"Doctor, grow up!"

"I'm not the Doctor, I'm Alan."

"Oh really? Then who's this lying beside me in the bed?"

"The Doctor?"

"Piss off, Doctor," she said as he laughed.

He took his finger away from Rain's lips.

"Well, it was worth a try," he said to Rose.

"How are ya doin'?"

"We're doing fine. Thanks so much for doing this for us."

"You're welcome. Is the room alright?"

"Oh, it's better than alright. Listen, Rain just talked to her father to tell her the news and he gave us a wedding present."

"Really? What?"

"Well, he wants to pay for a plane ticket to anywhere we want to go and pay for wherever we want to stay."

"Wow! That's fantastic."

"The problem is how will we do this? I told John I'd call him back because I hit upon the idea of taking Rain to Disneyworld since she missed it the first time around and Alan wanted me to go on that Expedition Everest ride."

"Wait a tic, Doctor."

"Okay."

He heard her and Alan discussing it for a moment.

"Doctor, could you let us call you back?" Rose asked. "We're gonna go talk to everyone else. We have a solution but we just need to run it by them. I have the number now and I'll ring you in about five minutes or so, alright?"

"Okay."

"Okay, be right back."

The Doctor heard her hang up the phone before he hung up his.

"She's gonna talk it over with everyone," the Doctor said, "and then she'll get back to us in a few minutes. While we wait, I wanted to ask your opinion, love. Now when we eat, we have some options here."

He opened a brochure.

"Now, they have a steakhouse, Italian restaurant and sushi bar downstairs but…we have that dining room over there and they have room service here."

"I would rather have the room service and just eat up here where we could be alone."

"My thoughts exactly. We have this nice table over here it would be a shame not to use it and I'm sure they'll send up everything that's on the menus downstairs. Now they also have a spa but I don't know about that one since they have the treading on ya treatment again. But they do have an in-room massage and I think that's just a regular muscle massage."

"That might be nice. But yeah, no more people walking on me either."

He laughed.

"They also have acupuncture too," she said, pointing at the entry in the brochure. "Have you ever done that before?"

"Um…yeah, long time ago. I wasn't impressed with it. And actually, I've had a form of acupuncture torture where they used the pressure points to cut off my breathing and heartbeat and other bodily functions for short periods of time. But I'm sure that's not what these people have in mind when they do it. But if you wanna do the in-room massage thing, I wouldn't mind that and…"

The phone rang and he answered it.

"Heya, get something worked out?" the Doctor said.

"Yeah, this is what we came up with. If you guys leave the day we leave Kyoto, we can go on to Tokyo and that'll give you some time to go see Disneyworld and then we'll meet up again when we get there. I'm not sure what John has in mind but I'm assuming he wants to give you more than one day."

"What'd she say?"

The Doctor was about to tell her when she suddenly noticed something.

"Wait, this has speakerphone. We could put her on the speaker."

Rose, we're gonna put you on the speaker, alright because Rain wants to hear this too."

"Alright."

They put Rose on speaker and asked her to repeat what she said. She did and then continued on with her thought.

"So, anyway, we were thinkin' that if you did this you could go and have fun and if you made it to Tokyo before us then you could get a hotel room and sightsee on your own and just give me a ring and let me know where you're stayin' and we'll meet you there. I just want you guys to have enough time to see it since it's a lot bigger than Tokyo Disney."

"And everyone's okay with this?" the Doctor said.

"Oh yeah, I mean, it's her dad and she's giving you this as a weddin' present. Why would we be upset about that? We'll be alright on our own. Me and Alan and Awinita were by ourselves before we met the two of ya and we have Imiko and Mingxia, so that's still five people that will be traveling together. We can all carry the tote bags and we have Alan to set up the snares and do the huntin' and Imiko can translate for us. We'll be fine, guys. I know Rain wanted to see Disneyworld so go ahead and go and have a nice extended honeymoon and we'll see you when ya get back."

There was a pause and Rose laughed.

"Wait a tic, the infant wants to speak to Sis."

"Sissy-poo?" Alan said in a kid's voice. "Can you take me with you? Wanna go ride Expedition Everest again!"

They both laughed.

"You wanna come in my backpack, Bro?"

"Hey, if you can fit me in there, I'll do it. But you just go and have fun and let the Doctor ride it in my stead. Just don't run into any hurricanes like we did."

"We won't. I think hurricane season is over with anyway."

"Good because we spent the last couple of days worrying about it and you shouldn't have to do that. But yeah, you guys go and have fun and we'll keep on travelin' and meet up with you when you get back."

"Okay, we will," Rain said.

"Brilliant and bless John for doing this for ya so you can have more of a honeymoon than we were able to give ya. You need to really relax and just have fun and celebrate your marriage. Just keep in touch with us."

"We will and we'll see you before we leave because we have to go get our backpacks," Rain said.

"Yes and they're being watched over, although I doubt John and Sophia are gonna nick them. They're leaving in the morning so we'll tell them you said hello."

"Okay," Rain said.

"So go ahead and ring John and let him know what we said and then quit bugging us and have your intimate honeymoon, alright? We're fine here and we'll try not to rip the hostel to pieces in your absence."

"Okay Bro, I love you."

"I love you too, Te'lesu, with all my heart and I love you, brother."

"I love you too, my brother."

They let Rose get back on and she talked to them for a moment more and then let everyone else say their goodbyes before they finally hung up. The Doctor called John back and told them what they'd said.

"Great, it will take time to get there, won't it?"

"Probably several days," the Doctor said.

"Then I'll try to get you set up in one of the hotels they have and you can stay there while you see the park."

"Thanks John, we appreciate this."

"Not a problem, Doctor, I'm glad I can do this for you and I'm so happy you are a part of my family now. If you are anything like Alan, my daughter is in good hands."

"I am and she will be."

"Good, now let me go ahead and make the arrangements and I'll call you back. Will you be at this number tomorrow?"

"Yes, we're here tonight and tomorrow and we'll check out the day after that."

"Okay, then I'll call you in the morning and let you know when you can leave. Have fun, my Rainshower."

"I will, dad. I love you."

"I love you too. I am proud of you and happy you found the perfect man to marry. Now go and enjoy your honeymoon and quit wasting it talking to your old dad."

They laughed and said goodbye to him. When he hung up, Rain put the phone back and looked at her husband.

"Well, we have the whole night ahead of us now. How 'bout we start it off with a nice relaxing bath?"


	187. Chapter 187

Chapter One Hundred Eighty Seven

Rain followed her husband into the bathroom. The tub was deep with plastic benches inside it. The Doctor turned on the tap and held his hand under the water testing it. While she watched him, she mulled over what her dad had said. She wanted so much to try to have sex with him but she didn't want to get pregnant now, not while they were on a trip around the world. She touched his back and he turned and smiled at her.

"Thete?"

"Yes, love?"

"Um…I would like to try to have sex with you if that's okay."

"If it's alright with you, it's alright with me, Latara, I told you, no pressure."

She nodded.

"The thing is…is there really a danger I might become pregnant? It's not that I don't want your children but I don't want them now while we're out roaming the world."

"Has Alan explained looms?"

"A little bit. That's how you were made, in these loom machines?"

He nodded.

"The legend goes that when Rassilon, the founder of modern Gallifreyan society, defeated the last of the Pythia, the oracles who used to rule before he came along, she cursed my people with sterility before she committed suicide hence the need for the looms. Now, I don't know for sure if that's true or just something they came up with to explain the looms. So I can't tell you with any certainty that you could or couldn't get pregnant by me. When I had my son, my wife and I loomed him, there was no sex involved."

"So you've never had sex before?"

"I have a couple of times, a long, long time ago, but both times those were with non-human species and they did use protection. Now these species did have almost the same set-up as you do so I will know how to do this if you wanna do it. But if you do, perhaps we should get some protection for you just to be on safe side. I do have sperm because I have male genitals but I'm not sure if they're fertile."

"There's a little shop downstairs, I think. I saw it in the brochure."

He grinned.

"Brilliant, I like a little shop," he said. "But yes, my love, if you're serious about wanting to have sex, we better go and get some protection for you."

He turned the water off and felt in his trouser pocket for his bag that held his money. Then with a smile, he took his wife's hand and they left the room.

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The Doctor and Rain stood in front of a little shelf and looked through all the condom choices. He had never picked out an Earth condom before and he was floored by all the choices. He picked up the boxes and studied them. He knew he wanted something simple, nothing flashy or exotic since this was her first time. He found one that was a basic condom with extra strength protection. He looked at Rain and they went to the front to purchase it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once they got back to their room, both of them sat on the beds and read through the directions making sure the Doctor would use it properly.

"Bit primitive," he said to Rain. "The other condoms I used were more like mini force fields that surrounded the penis and kept in everything but I think this will work well enough."

He finished reading the directions, opened the box, took one out and laid it on the bed for later. They both disrobed and he smiled and took his wife's hand.

"Let's just fondle in the bathtub and then see how you feel afterward," he said to her. "And remember, the slightest moment of discomfort at any stage, please tell me. I want this to be a memorable night for you, not a scary one."

Rain's heart warmed at that and she gave him a quick kiss on the lips before he led her back to the bathroom.

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Once the bath was filled, the Doctor helped Rain into it and then climbed in himself. There were little hard plastic benches around the inside and they sat down and began to snog while the hot water soothed and relaxed them. The Doctor reveled in the fact that they were all alone and he didn't have to worry about anybody seeing them. He broke off the kiss and both explored the other's bodies, touching and caressing them. The Doctor let Rain go at her own pace and he asked her to let her know when she wanted to go to the next stage. Rain nodded and leaned in to kiss his neck while he ran his hands up and down her back and body. While she did that, she ran her hands down his sides and slowly worked down to his genitals. Once she was there, she caressed them with the same feather soft touch that drove the Doctor crazy before except this time he was even more aroused knowing she might do more than just touch.

She continued her ministrations feeling him getting hard. She was slightly unsure about what to do, fearful she'd do something wrong but her husband sensed this and began to give her tips on what to do and gave her encouragement which she was grateful for. She felt herself becoming aroused which filled her with joy since she really did want to make love to her husband this time. The Doctor showed her how to stroke and fondle his genitals and his eyes rolled back in his head and his breath quickened at the pleasant sensation. While she did, she leaned forward and kissed and sucked his neck and earlobes sending him even further into ecstasy. He did the same for her and delighted in the pleasure it gave her. Slowly she was learning how to make love to him and his hearts soared knowing that at last she would get the chance to truly love someone intimately.

Then came his trump card, the one advantage he had over other men, the mind link. As he continued to caress her, he began to make love to her mind sending wave after wave of loving feelings into her brain until he sensed she was almost ready to orgasm just from that. He kept up his caresses, running his hands all over her breasts, her buttocks and even daring to touch her inner thighs as a test. He smiled when he noticed she didn't object and he dared to go even further in and began to fondle her gently. He smiled and kissed her forehead when she leaned her head back on the rim of the tub, closed her eyes and let her husband work his magic. He loved it, knowing that he was her very first, knowing that no other man had ever touched her this way before him. It made this moment even more special knowing that he would be the one to deflower her. He leaned in and licked and sucked at her neck and earlobes keeping his mind alert for any hints of fear or discomfort even as he continued to send loving feelings into her mind. He began to rub her clitoris smiling when she became even more aroused and he kept that up along with the sucking and kissing and the mind love. He smiled when she finally came for him and he brushed her wet hair away from her face and gave her several tender kisses on her cheeks and lips.

He held her for a moment; kissing and caressing her while he slowed the pace of the loving feelings so she was still feeling them but not enough to drive her over the brink.

"Do you want to go further?" he whispered in her ear.

"Yes, my love," she whispered back.

He smiled and helped her get out of the tub. They dried each other off while they continued to kiss and lick the water off their bodies. When they were dry the Doctor led her back to the bed and she lay down while he tore open the condom package and put the condom on. Once he was satisfied it was on correctly he moved to his wife's side and slowly got in bed with her. He helped her get in the correct position and he gently entered her checking her mind to make sure she was comfortable. His eyes studied her while he made love but he couldn't detect any signs of pain or discomfort which thrilled him immensely. The last thing he wanted was for her to have too much pain during the loss of her virginity. For about ten minutes or so he concentrated on making sure she was comfortable and unafraid but once he saw she was at ease and enjoying it, he relaxed and just began to kiss and caress her with his tongue while he intensified the mind love. He hadn't done this in centuries but he felt himself quickly remembering what to do. He stared down at her naked body and her ecstatic expression and couldn't remember when he'd seen a more beautiful sight. The thought that he was responsible for that expression on her face filled him with ecstasy and he began to go faster while he felt himself about to climax. He finally did but Rain didn't come at all, which worried her a bit until the Doctor assured her it was normal.

"How was it?" he asked her as they lay together afterwards.

She smiled.

"I loved it."

"Did I hurt you?"

"It hurt a little but not that much. I'm glad I did it."

He smiled and held her close.

"I'm glad, Latara," he said. "And don't worry about not having an orgasm. It'll happen with practice. You did have an orgasm in the tub so don't worry about it."

"That was heavenly."

He kissed her forehead.

"I'm glad, my love. I'm glad I was able to live up to your expectations."

"Oh, you did and then some," she said as he chuckled.

He held her close and rubbed her back and sides gazing on her tenderly while she snuggled up to him. He continued to caress her until she fell asleep in his arms. Then very slowly, he got up, took the roses off the other bed, pulled down the covers and carried her to it. He laid her down gently taking care not to wake her before he crawled in with her and snuggled back up to her while he pulled the covers up to her neck.

"I love you, my beloved kindred soul," he said in Gallifreyan. "I will never love another, I swear that to you."

He laid his head on the pillow beside her and spent the rest of the night gazing upon his wife with silent adoration.

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She didn't wake up until almost ten o'clock the next morning. The Doctor gave her a kiss.

"How do you feel?" he asked, stroking her hair.

"A little sore but other than that, I feel great," she said. "What time is it?"

"Almost ten. Do you feel like eating?"

She nodded and he rolled over onto his back and grabbed the menu from the bedside table. Rain laid her head on his chest while he studied it.

"What do you feel like eating this morning, Latara?"

"Do they have breakfast?"

"Yes, the steakhouse does. Do you want some breakfast?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, just a couple of eggs, over easy, some sausage and hash browns and orange juice if they have all that."

The Doctor studied the menu looking for everything.

"Yup, they do. They have it all."

"That's what I want then."

"That sounds good except I think I'll get bacon instead of sausage and some tea."

He reached over and grabbed the phone receiver.

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After getting dressed and having breakfast, Rain decided to go online to see if there was anything to do while the Doctor checked the weather report. He listened to a Japanese man give the forecast in Japanese.

"Love, don't plan on us doing anything outdoors. There's more rain coming, 'bout an 80 percent chance."

"Well, there is the Kyoto history museum about a block away but shouldn't we wait for dad to call? Or maybe I should call him?"

"It wouldn't hurt for you to call him. I really don't wanna spend half the day in here waiting for his call."

"Thete, I think we need to call Rose too."

"Why?"

"I just checked the distance between here and Tokyo and it's 311 miles. So should we arrange to meet them in a closer city or just go to Tokyo and wait for them? I mean, I don't know how long dad is gonna book this trip for us but surely we'll be back in Tokyo long before they are. Unless they go so far and take the train like they did coming here. I mean, I checked and there's Nagoya which is only 84 miles or even Maibara which is 51 miles which seems a bit more reasonable to me than Tokyo. But I guess the first step is calling dad and seeing what he wants to do and how long we'll be away. I don't wanna wait a week for them to catch up to us."

"No, I don't either. You're right. Just go ahead and call your dad and find out what he wants to do and then we'll run it by Rose and see what she thinks."

She nodded and got up from the computer. She went to the bed and sat down beside it while the Doctor lay down beside her. She spoke to him on the phone while he listened.

"Five nights at the Disney resort? Wow, how did you manage that? Oh…heh, well thank them all for us, please," she said.

She lowered the phone.

"My dad had some money saved up, plus he made some late night calls and he got about ten of his friends who have their own businesses and several others who don't to pool their money together so they could get us airplane tickets, five nights at the hotel in the park, admission to all the parks plus some spending money. The hotel is going to be paid for in advance and then he'll wire us the rest of it this afternoon."

"Brilliant, yes tell them I said thanks as well."

She raised the phone up and repeated the Doctor's message. She spoke with him for a few more minutes and then lowered the phone.

"Three days from now?" she said. "He was wondering if he should do that so we can finish up here and have time to go back to the hostel."

"I think that'll be alright. We'll talk to Rose after we get done talking to him and if it's not doable we'll let him know."

She repeated what the Doctor had said.

"He says that's fine," she said to him.

Rain finished up her phone conversation and after telling him she loved him and how grateful she was that they were doing this, she hung up the phone.

"That is so nice of your dad and his friends to do this for us especially since his friends don't even know me."

"Well, they all watched me grow up and they knew I had a bit of a hard life so they're thrilled that I got married and they figure this is one way to celebrate that, both for us and for them."

"Bet Amber isn't too happy though."

She shrugged.

"I can't worry about her any more. If she's not happy for me, there's nothing I can do about it. I have you and my family and friends who love me and make me feel needed and wanted and loved in place of her."

He smiled and kissed her lips.

"So, I guess we call Rose next," he said, taking the phone from her.

He spoke briefly with Rose, explained what was going on and the dilemma they would have trying to go all the way to Tokyo in one go. While he was doing that, Rain went to use the bathroom and brush her teeth. By the time she came out, he was off the phone.

"Leaving in three days is alright with her and she figured out the problem concerning Tokyo and was gonna talk to us about it. She suggested they go on to Maibara and we land back here and take the train up since she's not sure if Maibara has an airport of their own. But the city is on the rail line so we can definitely take the train to it. They were also debating whether to go to Imiko's hometown or just give it a miss. She was thinking they could go there and just take the train up to Maibara and meet us. But no matter what they do, they'll meet us in Maibara. But we'll have to call John back and tell him this and then get the confirmation code so we can get the money and we also need to find a bank online where we can pick it up. So I guess we already have errands to run and we're not even out of the room yet."

Rain picked up the phone and called her dad back. She told them everything Rose had said and jotted down the information for Western Union on a little pad of paper she found in the nightstand drawer. Once she was finished, she hung up.

"They're booking us at Disney's All-Star Movies Resort which is the cheapest hotel they have there without resorting to the campgrounds."

"That's fine. I'd rather they get us what they can afford. I'm very grateful they're doing this for us."

"Yeah, me too. It's gonna be so fun."

"And…perhaps we can add to the fun back in the Disney bedroom too?" he said, winking.

She giggled.

"Most definitely."

He beamed.

"I'm so proud of you. I'm so glad you took a chance and tried having intercourse."

"Me too. I love it and I loved it when you sent all those love vibes into my mind at the same time."

"Well, thought I'd give you a little something extra, my Latara, since we do have that mind link."

She smiled and kissed his lips.

"You know, I had another thought," she said.

"And that is?"

She grinned.

"We're gonna be back in the US which means…Chuck-E-Cheese."

He chuckled.

"You mean give me a fake birthday so I can get tons of toys I will have to lug around when we get back to Japan?" he said.

"Well, maybe not that but just go and have pizza and watch the robots sing and play a few games and get a couple of little prizes, not a huge amount like Bro got."

"Hmm, sounds delightful. I'm always up for pizza, anytime, anywhere."

"Well, we'll have to find one nearby and go to it before we head back so both you and Bro and Sis can tell everyone in London that you've been to Chuck-E-Cheese's."

"And I'm sure they'll just be tickled pink that we went," he said as she laughed.

He gave her another kiss.

"Ahhh, well as much as I'd like to lay here with the love of my lives, I guess we better get up and get moving so we can get the errands out of the way and find something to do today."


	188. Chapter 188

Chapter One Hundred Eighty Eight

"Blast!" Alan said when he stared out the window of his room and noticed it was beginning to rain. "Bang goes the sunny day then. I guess going to the shrines is right out."

Rose, who was lying on the bed beside him, shrugged.

"We'll just find somethin' else to do," she said.

He gave her a mischievous grin.

"Could go bother brother and sister a bit," he said.

"No, leave em alone, they're havin' fun on their honeymoon," she said, grinning and wagging his finger at him.

He sat down beside her.

"It's been awfully quiet without them around."

"I know. We haven't been travelin' with either one of them very long and already I miss them both," Rose said wistfully.

"I s'pose this is what it's gonna be like when he goes back to the other universe with Rain," Alan said sadly.

"He can't stay here, Alan. He's needed over there. Besides, they're gonna have a void crosser, same as us, and the Doctor promises that he'll bring Rain back whenever she wants to see us or whenever we wanna see her."

"Unless there's a crisis of some kind and they get in trouble. Oh, Starlight, I hope he can keep her safe."

She shrugged.

"I wasn't that much different when I started travelin' with em and now look at me," she said. "The Doctor will teach her and train her to cope with whatever the universe throws at them just like we're gonna teach Awinita. I know you love her, hon, but she is capable of handlin' her own even if she doesn't believe that at the moment. You and the Doctor are the same. You change everyone you touch for the better, Rain'll be no different."

"I know and I'll be so proud of her just like I am now but I'll still miss her terribly when she goes."

"I will too, love," she said, patting his leg. "But the Doctor will look after her and love her and that'll ease the pain until we can see her again. Besides, they'll have Donna with em and I'm sure the two of them will get along great. I…"

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Rose called out.

The door opened and Imiko peeked in.

"Am I disturbing you?" she asked.

"No, come in," Alan said, smiling.

She came in and shut the door.

"Alan-san, I regret that I must leave you now," she said.

The smile fell off his face.

"What? Leave? We haven't even gotten to Leshan yet," he said.

"Hai, but I called my family in Iga-Ueno to let them know where I am and I am needed at home. My mother is very sick and she is near death."

"Oh God, Imiko, I'm so sorry," Rose said, sitting up. "I hope she gets better."

"Hai, Rose-san, so do I. But they wish me to come home today, so I regret I must leave all of you."

"Oh, Imiko," Alan said, walking over and embracing her. "I hate to see you leave, you've been a great friend and I know Awinita and Mingxia will be heartbroken."

"Hai, I've already told them, Alan-san. I wanted to tell you last before I went."

"Well, do you need us to accompany you to the bus station or train station or wherever you need to go?"

"That is not necessary. My family wired me money and I need to go pick it up and take a bus back. You do not need to accompany me."

"Imiko, we're gonna miss ya," Rose said, walking to her. "I hope you can come back eventually and travel with us again."

"Hai, Rose-san, I hope so too but I will always love the time I spent with all of you. You have been great friends to me."

She gave Imiko a tight hug.

"Please keep in touch," she said to her.

She held up her finger and ran to her rucksack. She pulled out her pad and pen, quickly jotted down her mobile number and gave it to her.

"And if there is a chance you can come back, please call and I'll wire you the money so you can come and be with us," she said.

Imiko smiled.

"I will try, Rose-san. Please tell Doctor-san and Rain-san goodbye and that I am happy to have known them."

"We will," Alan said.

She bowed and they bowed with her.

"Goodbye, my friends," she said.

Alan put his arm around Rose while Imiko opened the door. They walked behind her and stood with Awinita and Mingxia who had tears in their eyes. All of them watched while Imiko grabbed her things and waved goodbye to them. They followed her to the front door and stood there waving while she waved back and walked away.

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The Doctor and Rain ran into the front lobby. They had just gotten the money which turned out to be two hundred and fifty dollars. With the money they had gotten as wedding gifts they had a little over three hundred dollars now in addition to the money both of them still had left.

"I don't think we'll have to worry about money, Latara," he said as he brushed the water off his bare arms. "I think we're all set for Disney."

They walked over to the elevator.

"I'm just glad we made it back before the rain got really bad," Rain said.

"Yeah, me too. I'm glad I checked the weather forecast so we didn't just walk out this morning and end up getting caught in that."

The elevator doors opened and they went inside.

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"So," he said when he noticed the rain intensifying, "what shall we do now?"

"Do you wanna watch a little TV?"

"We can," he said.

He turned it on and flipped through the channels until he found the ones in English. He found HBO which was showing the end of Titanic. He grimaced when several memories of his being on the ship and clinging to the iceberg after it sank came flooding back and he quickly turned to Cinemax which was showing Batman. It was about twenty minutes in so he relaxed while Rain came over with the fruit basket and sat down in the chair on his left side. He watched while she took the clear wrapping off the basket and examined the fruit. There were apples, oranges, grapes, a pineapple and kiwi fruit. She plucked a grape off the stem and fed it to her husband.

"Mmm, molto bene," he said, smacking his lips.

She fed him another and this time he grabbed her hand when she was pulling it back and kissed and sucked her fingers for a few minutes before giving the back of her hand one last kiss and letting go. She set the fruit basket on the coffee table and transferred from the chair to his lap. The Doctor smiled and put his arms around her waist while she leaned her head over and snogged him. When they finished, the Doctor suddenly got an idea.

"Come with me, my love, I want to show you something," he said.

She nodded and got up. The Doctor stood up, took her hand and led her to the bed. He pulled back the covers.

"Are we having sex?"

"No, not right now. I want to do something else. But please lie down and turn so you're facing me."

She nodded and got into bed. She turned towards the window while the Doctor got in beside her.

"You said that Alan would project images into your mind?"

"Yes."

He smiled.

"I want to do that for you, my love. I want to show you the wonders you'll see when I get my TARDIS back. I figure that'll be more interesting for you than Batman. Would you like me to do it?"

"Please."

"Just relax and close your eyes and I'll show you some of the wonders of the universe."

She sighed and closed her eyes while her husband put his hands on the side of her face. He shut his eyes and began to show her some of the fabulous things he had seen in his travels. He showed her alien worlds and strange beings, supernovas and black holes, crystal lakes and emerald mountains, a small sampling of some of the places he would take her. He also showed her the interior of his TARDIS and he even projected an image of himself in his usual suit and coat working the controls and grinning and waving at her. She giggled at that which made him smile. He then projected an image of Donna into her mind and put her in the TARDIS with him and last but not least, he put her there with them, happy and content while she stood at her husband's side. He felt a tear go down her cheek and he let go so he could kiss it away.

"Thank you for that," she whispered to him. "I can't wait to see all those places in person and stand inside the TARDIS with you."

He smiled and nodded and kissed her nose while he sent another dose of loving feelings into her mind. She giggled.

"I started a trend when I first did that to you, didn't I?" she asked him.

"Um…maybe," he replied with a gleam in his eyes. "I'm just glad I can do that. Like I said, your mind is very primitive and it was hard to link it to mine. If you were a Time Lady, the feelings would be even more intense because your mind would be stronger."

"Could I become one?"

He frowned.

"How?"

"The chameleon arch. Can't I change myself into a Time Lady with it?"

"No, that's not possible. The chameleon arch only works on Time Lords or anyone that has a hint of Time Lord in them like our brother or Donna. It will severely harm your body and mind if it doesn't kill you outright. I'm sorry, my Latara. If there was a way I could do it, I would because I would love for you to be a Time Lady but there is no way for you to become one."

She swallowed hard.

"Then…I have to remain mortal and you'll have to watch me grow old and die?"

He fought to contain his tears.

"Yes, but I won't abandon you in your old age. I will be with you until your very last breath and I will take care of you even though it will be painful to see you grow weak and infirm. There is a machine on my TARDIS that can help slow the aging process somewhat by rejuvenating your body but even it can't stave off death forever. Eventually your body will wear out past the point of help and there will be nothing I can do to save you but when that moment comes you will be made comfortable in my TARDIS and you will know love and security until the moment the light leaves your eyes, I promise you that."

He wrapped his arm around her when she snuggled close to him and he whispered Gallifreyan endearments in her ear.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Come on, guys, cheer up," Alan implored his sister and friend.

All of them were sitting at a table in the common room while they all played poker. They hadn't spoken a word since Imiko left and it was breaking Alan's heart to see them so sad. He finally laid his cards face down and took their hands.

"Rose gave Imiko her mobile number so she can call us," he said gently. "She'll keep in contact with us, I'm sure of it and hopefully sometime she'll come back and travel with us."

"I know, Bro, but she was a good friend," Awinita said.

"Yes, I know, the three of you were inseparable," he replied. "But we'll invite her to the wedding and she'll come even if we have to send a limo-boat to Japan to bring her back to London. In the meantime, we still have each other and we have the Doctor and Rain."

"Yeah but we won't see them for awhile either. They'll be off at Disneyworld."

"Yes, but that's only gonna be for a week or so and they'll be back with us," Rose replied. "They're not leaving yet."

"Yeah, but I'll hate it when they do. I'll hate it when they go back to his TARDIS," Awinita said. "He's wonderful. I wish there was some way he could stay with us and make a home here."

"Yeah, why can't he stay here?" Mingxia said. "I mean, you would both have the void crosser things and you could come and go as you please but why can't he stay here and use this universe as his base of operations."

"I would love it if he did stay here but he's needed over there in the other universe," Alan said.

"Yeah, but if he had void crosser he could still go over there," Awinita pointed out.

She sighed.

"I guess what I'm getting at is wouldn't it be cool if we all lived in his TARDIS. All of us helping him out. He needs all the help he can get, Bro. Not just Sis and Donna, but all of us. If this TARDIS is as big as you say it is, there would be room enough for all of us and then some. And we could have a blast just traveling the universe together being a family. I mean, don't you guys want that too?"

Alan smiled.

"I would love to travel with him but I'm not so sure he'd want us in there. He does like to keep the companions to a minimum so he's not tripping over them every second."

"Yeah but we're not his companions, we're his family," Awinita said. "There's a difference. And even Mingxia is like family now."

Alan glanced at Rose.

"I suppose we could ask him but I'm not sure if he'd say yes. What d'ya think, Starlight?"

"I think after spending all this time with us that he would miss us terribly and maybe he would agree to it if we asked. I'm sure he'll be wantin' to see us every chance he gets anyway so yeah, why not go with him and be a team like we are now? With the void crosser we could go to any universe we wanted and all of us workin' together, we could fight any threat that comes along. And Awinita's right, we're all family and we're used to one another now which is why we're all upset about Imiko leavin' us. We could store the Valeyard's TARDIS on board his TARDIS and maybe it could be used in emergencies then."

"Is it me or are we all talking each other into this?" Alan said.

"I think we are," Awinita said. "I think we're all talking one another into convincing the Doctor to keep us all together as a family when he leaves. And…bringing up another point, there's more than six of us which means we could help pilot his TARDIS and give him a break from running himself ragged. We'd just go through time and space having fun like we are now. I mean, obviously the Doctor loves traveling with all of us on Earth, think how much fun he'd have if we were with him through all of time and space."

Alan smiled.

"You know, I think you've sold me on the whole idea of traveling together. I think when he gets back tomorrow afternoon we should ask him. We'd be respectful of his privacy with Rain and I know he'd be respectful of me and Rose. But I really do think that's a good idea. All of us together, one big family in the TARDIS. The worst thing that could happen is he'd say no and then we just carry on with our original plan of hijacking the Valeyard's TARDIS and using it."

"What about you, Mingxia?" Awinita said. "I know you're not family but in a way, you are now. Wouldn't you rather go see time and space than work at UNIT?"

Mingxia looked at all of them and saw the expectant looks on their faces.

"I'd love it but how would I live? I wouldn't have a job since I don't think UNIT would let me go off with you guys for months and years on end."

"You would have a job defending the universe and doesn't UNIT do that already to an extent? As for the question of how would you live, the TARDIS provides everything you could need from food to shelter. Mind you, it's dangerous, Rose and I can attest to that. But the beauty of the universe and the adventures you'd have far outweigh that. And I'm sure the Doctor would take you on as his companion. He likes you, same as the rest of us. I'm sure he'd be sad to see you go just like he'll be sad when he hears Imiko left. And with that UNIT training, you'd be an asset to him. So how 'bout it? If he doesn't say yes, then come with me and Rose and Awinita on our TARDIS. We'd love to have ya."

She glanced around at her friends and smiled.

"You know, you talked me into it. I think I will come with you guys. It sounds like fun."

They let out a cheer and hugged her.

"Yes! We can keep our little family together," Alan said happily. "Sod UNIT, traveling with the Doctor or traveling with us is a million times better. But if my brother doesn't call back tonight, we'll definitely ask him tomorrow. But now…I believe we were in the middle of a hand, weren't we?"

They picked up their cards and went back to their poker game.


	189. Chapter 189

Chapter One Hundred Eighty Nine

When the rain settled down a bit, the Doctor and Rain walked over to the Kyoto history museum and toured it for the afternoon. The Doctor wasn't too impressed with it but he curbed his boredom by telling Rain a few insider facts about some of the objects they saw.

Then they happened upon a large painting showing a group of stylized samurai warriors battling tengu. The Doctor pointed to them over Rain's shoulder.

"This is what happened to me in my previous life," he said to her. "We went to the year 1336, Rose, Jack and me and we battled shape shifting aliens posing as these tengu demons in order to terrorize the people of Kyoto for sport, some kind of bizarre hunting holiday I guess."

Rain stared at them. They were feathered bird-like creatures with sharp beaks and cruel beady eyes. Their hands were tipped with sharp claws and they were descending on the samurai from above while they fought them valiantly. Rain shuddered imagining her husband in an all-out battle with these horrifying things and she felt him wrap his arms around her and kiss the back of her head. He pointed at a mask under it in the display case. It was a red faced man with a two foot long nose that reminded her of Pinocchio's nose after he started telling lies.

"This is the other way tengu are depicted," he told her, "human-like with large, elongated noses, but we only fought the buzzard variety."

"Oh God, Thete, I'm glad you guys got out of there in one piece."

"Yes, me too. They nearly overpowered us and finished us off. But we finally kicked their buzzard butts and sent them packing because we were made of awesome."

She giggled at that and he tightened his hold on her.

"But don't you worry. If we get in another tight spot like this, we'll be able to fight our way out of it because you will be learning how to fight monsters and aliens from the very best instructor the universe has to offer."

She smiled and kissed his lips before the two of them headed to the next exhibit.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After spending most of the day exploring the museum, they hurried home through the pouring rain back to their room. They used their towels to dry themselves before they sat down on their beds.

"Do you want room service for dinner, Latara?" he asked.

She nodded.

"What d'ya feel like? They have the steakhouse, the Italian or the sushi bar."

"I feel like Italian."

"Okey-dokey. I'll just give them a ring and see what they'll bring," he said winking while she laughed. "What do you want?"

She looked at the menu.

"I want the fettuccini and the breadsticks," she said.

"I want some spaghetti and some breadsticks and perhaps a steak and some chicken and some lobster and some barbecued ribs and some sushi and…"

"Jesus, Thete, you're gonna explode right in front of me even with the big stomach."

He grinned.

"Nah, I think I will have a steak and baked potato, that sounds good to me."

He picked up the phone and dialed the two digit number for room service. He gave the man on the other end their orders.

"Very good, sir," he said to the Doctor. "I notice that you have the Amour Package and you haven't had your complimentary glasses of champagne yet. Would you like those with your meal?"

"Yes, that would be great."

"Very good, sir. It'll be about twenty minutes."

"Thank you."

He hung up the phone.

"They're bringing up our champagne with our meals."

"Great. What do we do in the meantime?"

She laughed when the Doctor suddenly fell back on the bed, closed his eyes and made loud snoring sounds. Grinning, she crawled on the bed beside him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. The Doctor stopped snoring but kept his eyes closed.

"Well?" he said after a moment.

"Well, what?"

"Keep going."

She giggled and began to kiss his face while the Doctor lay there with his eyes closed enjoying the feel of his wife's lips on his skin. When she reached his lips he eagerly kissed back and they snogged briefly while Rain stroked his cheek. They finished up by putting their foreheads against each other.

"Mmm, that was a nice little starter before the meal. I always love a little nibble before the main course," he said, wagging his eyebrows.

She laughed and kissed his forehead while he sent the loving feelings into her mind.

"I wonder how Alan and Rose and everyone else are doing?" she murmured while he stroked his cheek.

"Dunno, wanna call them and leave the phone off the hook while we have sex?"

"And you call me cheeky!" she said while he sniggered.

"I'm sure they're fine. I'm sure they enjoy having the run of the whole hostel now," he replied, snuggling with her.

"It's gonna be strange being by ourselves at Disney without them around," she said.

He nodded.

"Yeah, I haven't been with them as long as you have but I do miss the camaraderie and the fun and the all-around general zaniness."

"Will you miss it when you go back to the other universe?"

"Oh, I think so. Why, will you?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, I mean I love it here and I love being with you but I miss having them nearby. I loved being out in the woods in the tents where we could just see and talk to each other."

"Yeah, me too."

She fell silent while the Doctor watched her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he said after a few moments of silence.

"Thete, how would you feel if Alan and everyone else came with us in your TARDIS?"

"Be a bit crowded, wouldn't it?" he teased.

"I'm serious though. I mean, everyone could come with us and that's more people to help fight evil and all the monsters out there. And we could have so much fun exploring together."

The Doctor rubbed her back while he considered that. He had secretly entertained the notion ever since he started traveling with Alan and his family. He had bonded with all of them and he also hated the thought of leaving them behind when he went back with his wife.

"Because you know…you would have the void crosser and we could go anywhere we wanted," Rain added when he didn't say anything. "And we could see and do everything together instead of doing something fun and then having to tell them about it when we saw them."

He smiled while he ran one finger lazily up and down her arm.

"I wouldn't object to them coming along but the question is would they want to?" he said. "I mean, Alan and Rose are married like we are and they would want their space and privacy."

"Yeah, but the TARDIS is huge. Couldn't they have their privacy and still travel with us?"

He nodded. He fell silent for a moment while he thought.

"I could always use the extra help," he said, "and both Alan and I could teach all of you, train you to become skilled fighters like Rose and Donna. As for the other TARDIS, perhaps we can store it onboard mine so no one can get their hands on it and use it improperly. I think this is a great idea, my Latara, but I guess we'll have to wait till we get back tomorrow afternoon to ask them."

There was a knock on their door.

"I believe that's our food," he said, getting up to answer the door.

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They made a good choice when they picked room service. Sitting at the low table in the dining room with the lights dimmed was far more romantic than sitting in the restaurant. They sipped their glasses of champagne and fed each other food from their plates while they listened to the sound of the rain hitting the plate glass window. The Doctor murmured words of love in both English and Gallifreyan and he smiled when she echoed the Gallifreyan endearments back to him. The way she spoke his language was like heaven to his ears and he knew he had to teach her more so they could speak privately with each other when they wanted to.

After they were done eating, the Doctor led her to the bathtub where they fondled and caressed one another. The Doctor smiled when he made her come again knowing that now she was comfortable having sex with him. They spent a couple of hours afterwards just holding one another and talking, making plans for their special Disney honeymoon and their life together once they got the TARDIS back. As soon as they got out of the tub, they quickly dried off and moved to the bed where once again he was able to make her come along with him, much to her delight. By the time they were finished it was nearly ten but Rain wasn't tired so they decided to watch a little TV before she went to bed. She snuggled up against his naked body under the covers while he used the remote and turned the TV to Cinemax. The watched the ending of RV and then an old movie called The Pirate Movie came on that starred Kristy McNichol and Christopher Atkins. The two of them relaxed and watched it after they realized it was an updated version of The Pirates of Penzance. They both giggled at the corniness of it while they held their naked bodies close to each other. The Doctor stroked Rain's hair lazily while he watched it and every once in awhile, he kissed the top of his wife's head.

Rain watched while Kristy McNichol and Christopher Atkins stood on a beach and sang about finding first love.

When will I find love?  
Where will she be?  
And if she's out there will she wait for me?

How will he know me?  
Will I know him?  
Is there no end to all my questioning?

"Ah yes, the standard lovers meeting each other for the first time song," the Doctor teased as they watched them turn and walk towards each other.

Can I believe what I am seeing, what I am feeling?  
Something so rare, watching her there.  
She makes my heart stop.

Can I believe what I am feeling?  
My head is reeling.  
He just looked my way; from the start I can say  
I will give him everything.

They watched while they rode horses through the surf.

"Okay, where'd they get the horses from?" the Doctor said while she giggled. "Weren't they just standing on the beach a moment ago? Did they have some kind of romantic interlude horse rental just off camera?"

Strange emotions wash over me,  
like the motion of the deepest sea.

The two lovers went back to holding hands and running through the surf.

"Oops, guess their rental time was up," the Doctor said as she snickered.

And I feel first love.  
There'll be nobody but you.  
You're all I dreamed of.  
I will be constant and true.  
Love moves me inside.  
Like the moon moves the tide.  
My first love.

Rain suddenly began to pay closer attention to the song.

Can it be true?  
Can this be real love?  
Am I worthy of a vision so pure?  
Oh, lovely one, she's what I've waited for.

Can it be true or am I dreaming?  
He makes my heart sing  
Watching his eyes  
Oh, looks that's warm me like the sunrise.

"This is it," she murmured.

"This is what, love?"

"Our song. This fits us perfectly. Listen!"

Some kind of miracle brought you here.  
Just when I've given up hoping.  
From the moment when you first appeared.  
I could feel my whole life opening in…  
First love.

The Doctor smiled and looked at her.

"You want this to be our song?"

She nodded.

"I think it fits."

He nodded and kissed her cheek.

"I think it does too. I did love Rose but you're the first one I've ever felt this deep a bond with so I guess it would qualify as first love for me as well."

They shared a kiss while the song finished with, "And I promise to be true to you,  
my first love."

They snuggled close and turned their attention back to the movie.

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After the movie, they got dressed and Rain got online. She still had a little money left on her ITunes gift card and she wanted to see if they had the First Love song. The Doctor grinned when she let out an excited squeal.

"I take it from the high-pitched squeal that they do have it," he said while he walked over to her.

"Yes. I'm so glad. If we get married with Alan and Rose, they can dance to their song and we can dance to ours."

"Sounds good to me."

"Yes and now we'll have to play this for our family when we get back."

He chuckled.

"You have to admit it's an odd movie to pick a love song from. We chose ours from a cheesy '80's movie while they chose theirs from a Disney cartoon. Still, it does have a certain charm and if you're happy with it, then so am I. I'm just glad we watched that movie now. I s'pose we'll have to buy the DVD when we get the TARDIS back so you can play it over and over on my DVD player?"

"No, I didn't like the movie enough to buy it. It was cute but it's something I probably wouldn't watch again but it gave us our song so I'm glad I sat through it for that."

He smiled and gave her a kiss.

"I think I'm ready to go to sleep now, Thete."

He nodded, took her hand and led her back to the bed.


	190. Chapter 190

Chapter One Hundred Ninety

The next morning they were awakened by the sound of someone knocking on the door.

"Good thing we decided to put our kit back on," the Doctor muttered while Rain yawned

He got up and went to the door. Opening it, he saw two staff members standing there with huge wooden trays in their hands.

"Good morning, sir, here is your complimentary breakfast for two."

"Oh! Thanks. Um…" he trailed off, trying to decide which tray to take first.

"I got one," Rain said, coming up behind him.

They took the trays, thanked them and the Doctor shut the door with his foot.

"Forgot about this as well," he said to her while they carried them into the dining room.

They set them down on the table and examined them. They had given them two eggs, over easy, two sausage patties, two slices of buttered toast, a bowl of oatmeal, orange juice and milk. Rain made a face at the oatmeal.

"I'm not too crazy about oatmeal, do you want it?"

"Sure."

She put her bowl by his tray and opened a salt packet while he poured sugar into the oatmeal on his tray.

"Other than the oatmeal this is a pretty decent breakfast," she said.

"Well, I'm glad you said something about the oatmeal so I'll know not to fix it in future."

"Just not a fan of the taste of it, too lumpy and gross."

"Nah, that's the best part."

She turned her head and glanced back at the alarm clock.

"9: 35," she said to him. "Do you wanna go out before we leave or just hang out here?"

He chewed a piece of sausage while he considered that.

"I would rather hang around here unless there's something you need to do."

"Well, I was thinking about trying to find some shorts because I think Florida is still in the 70's now and I really don't wanna walk around the park in my jeans."

He raised his eyebrows.

"I'll get to see your legs?"

"Um…you've already seen my legs," she said while he laughed.

"I know but I haven't seen your legs in shorts," he replied, winking. "But if you want to go to the department store before we leave, that's fine with me."

"What about you?"

"Shorts? Nah, I'll be alright wearing my trousers. I don't get overheated in them like some humans would."

"But you will remember to bring your swim trunks because they have two water parks."

"They do?"

"She nodded.

"Yeah, Bro wanted to go to them but hurricane Charlene came along and they had to leave. He was upset about it but they got to see the four theme parks so at least they did that. But yes, I mean, unless you don't wanna go swimming."

"I'll swim. If we're gonna be there for five days we better make the most of it and do everything we can."

She nodded. Then she had a sudden thought. She took her husband's hand and led him over to the computer.

"I was thinking," she said to him as she sat down, "I wanted to see what our hotel has, like extra stuff because the one they stayed at had this dawn safari out back where they showed you different animals."

"Hm," the Doctor said. "Yeah, check and see if they have that for our hotel."

"I don't know if they do though since I think theirs was more expensive with more extras but I do wanna see what our room looks like."

"I'm sure it's nothing like this one," the Doctor said.

"Yeah, I think dad would have to pay out the nose to get something like this at Disney."

She found the official website and found their hotel. They stared at the exterior that had an enormous statue of Pongo from 101 Dalmatians in front of it with little dalmatian puppies all over the building in one side of the hotel, Herbie the Love Bug was on the other side and the Mighty Ducks duck-shaped hockey mask in front of the entrance with giant hockey sticks on either side of it.

"It's flashy, that's for sure," the Doctor said.

"They took the virtual tour and looked at the wide and cheerful lobby, the food court, the enormous pool and finally they saw the bedroom. The bedroom had two queen sized beds that had colorful patchwork bedspreads on them. On the wall above each headboard were two star shaped lights and on the wall by the bathroom was a framed Fantasia poster.

"The rooms don't look that bad," Rain said.

"No, they look pretty cozy."

She clicked the recreation link.

"Ugh, all they have is a pool, an arcade and a playground for kids."

"S'alright, we're gonna be exploring the theme parks anyway," he said.

She clicked on the amenities.

"Not much in the way of amenities either. Apparently the only thing we'll get on the TV is The Disney Channel and ESPN and they're both Disney owned naturally….hold on, they have in-room pizza delivery, Thete."

She giggled when a wide toothy grin spread across his face and she patted his cheek.

"Other than that, there's nothing really special about the room but like you said we're not gonna be in there that much anyway. And the safari thing, we can take the one they took where they made you think they were gonna catch the poachers."

"Oh, so I can gripe about it too?"

She laughed.

"If you want to. I'm gonna ask Sis though since they got engaged there. She'll know some good places we could go to eat or see shows."

He nodded and she turned off the computer.

"So, do you wanna go to the department store then?"

"Yup, let's go there and see about your shorts," he said.

She walked with him back to the bed. They put their shoes on, Rain put on her coat and they headed out the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan sat in the common room sipping some tea while Rose surfed the internet looking for things to do. He checked his watch.

"Half past two, Doctor and Rain should be getting back soon," he said. "Are we doing anything once they get back?"

"Lookin'," Rose said.

Awinita and Mingxia wandered in the room.

"Any sign of the married couple yet?" Awinita asked.

"Nope, not yet."

"Are you still gonna ask about us traveling with them?"

"Yup. As soon as they get settled in," Alan said.

"Do you know what time they're leaving tomorrow?" Awinita asked.

"Not a clue. They'll tell us though, I expect."

Their eyes widened when they heard the front door open.

"Anyone home?" the Doctor called out, "or has everybody killed each other in our absence?"

The four of them ran from the room towards the front door. The Doctor's eyes widened when he saw four grown people barreling towards him.

"Gently!" he said, holding up his hands.

To his relief, they all slowed before they rammed into him and instead embraced him and Rain.

"We're so glad to see you guys," Awinita said.

"Yeah, it's been pretty weird not having you both around," Mingxia said.

"Well, we missed you lot as well," the Doctor said.

He pulled away from them and frowned when he looked at them.

"Where's Imiko?" he said.

Alan sighed.

"She's gone."

The Doctor and Rain stared at him in disbelief.

"What? Gone? Where'd she go?" the Doctor said.

Rose took his arm.

"Imiko had to go back to her hometown. Her mother was ill and dying and her family wanted her to come home."

"Oh no," the Doctor said.

"That's terrible," Rain said. "She's gonna come back though, right?"

"I don't know, Sis. I gave her my mobile number but I don't know if she'll come back or not."

"Aw, man," Rain said, sighing. "I liked her. I hope she does come back eventually."

"Me too," Alan said. "We just got used to her and then she had to leave. Still, we just have to hope we'll see her again sometime."

He noticed the large white bag in Rain's hand.

"What's this?" he asked, pointing to it.

"Well…we went to the department store and I got a pair of shorts since it's probably gonna be 70 degrees during the day."

"That's right, Sis, rub it in," Awinita said while they laughed.

"I'm sorry, this wasn't our idea, it was my dad's."

"Well, actually it was my idea to go to Disney but you know what she means," the Doctor said.

"Other than that, we got a fruit basket so we have some fruit if you guys want some and we took some of the soaps and shampoos like good little tourists."

"And the little sewing kit. I actually put forth the suggestion that we sew the towels together and sew the sheets together and make a little tent over the chairs just to let them know we've been there but she voted that down, the killjoy," he said.

They laughed at that. Rose took Rain's hand.

"Well, come into the common room," she said as the Doctor shut the door. "We're the only ones left so we've tried to keep ourselves amused and I've been looking for things for us to do. What time does your flight leave tomorrow?"

"10 a.m."

"Okay, we'll figure out something to do today then unless you wanna rest."

"No, we can do something," she said while the Doctor nodded in agreement. "I wanna ask you though if you could write down some good places to go in Disney. Like places to eat, shows to see, that kind of thing."

"Oh! Sure, I can do that. We went to quite a few good places when we were there."

Alan bent down into her ear.

"Including the Expedition Everest roller coaster," he said in a stage whisper.

"Yes, Bro," she said as the Doctor giggled, "I know about the roller coaster you want to ride again and love more than life itself."

"You're darn tootin' I do. I tried to squeeze in your rucksack so you could take me along but I could only get in up to my shins. I did crush your DS in the process. Sorry, I guess you can't work on the theme park anymore."

He chuckled when Rain shook her head and he gave her cheek a kiss. He put his arm around her and they walked to the common room and sat back down while Rose went to get her pad and pen so she could write down things for the Doctor and Rain to do.

"So," Alan said to them, "how was it?"

"It was wonderful," Rain said. "Thanks so much for doing that for us."

"You're very welcome. I'm glad it was just as wonderful as it looked on the website. Did you do anything besides stay in the room and go shopping?"

"We went to the history museum right beside it," the Doctor said.

"Cool, how was it?" Awinita said.

"It was alright. She enjoyed it more than me but I was able to fill her in on a few extra tidbits about Japanese history."

"Heh, I did that too whenever we went to a museum. You and I are the same, brother, we just can't resist showing off our knowledge," he said as the Doctor chuckled.

Rose came back in the room and sat down near Rain.

"I'll give you a list of what we liked which was quite a few things actually. If you want a nice restaurant though, go to Pleasure Island, the adult section. They have all these restaurants and shops and shows and they have Cirque Du Soleil which was fantastic."

"Before you begin, Rose, I wanted you to listen to something," she said, reaching into her jean pocket. "I found our song last night."

"Really? You guys have a song now?"

"Yes, thanks to this late night cheesy '80's movie that we watched for a laugh," the Doctor said. "It was called The Pirate Movie and they had this obligatory first meeting between the lovers on the beach and they played this song and she loved it so much she wants it to be our song."

Rose took her IPod and put the ear buds in while she found the song and played it for her. Rose held the IPod in her hand while she listened to it. A smile spread over her face when she heard the lyrics.

"This is cute," she said. "It's sweet."

She listened to the whole song and then gave the ear buds to Alan so he could hear it.

"I love it. We'll have to make sure they play it at the reception if you get married with us so you can dance to it. But, let me jot down the things you can do when you get there."

"Actually, we're gonna do something else too while we're down there," Rain said.

Rose glanced up.

"What?"

Rain grinned.

"I'm taking my husband to Chuck-E-Cheese."

They laughed.

"Oh! So he can get all the birthday presents?" Awinita said.

"No, that's too much for him to carry. We're just gonna go eat pizza and listen to the robot animals and maybe play a few games so he can get a couple of little prizes."

"Have fun, Doctor," Rose said. "The pizza is very good. The animals were odd, but the pizza was good."

Mingxia frowned.

"What the hell is Chuck-E-Cheese?" she asked.

They laughed and Rose filled her in while Alan passed the IPod to Awinita. He bent over and kissed Rain's cheek.

"Love the song," he said. "It does fit you both and we will have to ask the DJ to play it at the reception."

Mingxia raised her eyebrow when Rose got done explaining Chuck-E-Cheese.

"Okay, the pizza sounds good but I don't think I'd like the robotic animals that sing to you," she said. "But if you guys wanna go there, go for it!"

Awinita handed her the IPod.

"Song's kinda cheesy but I agree, it does fit you guys," she said.

"Are you saying we're cheesy?" the Doctor said.

"Yes, Bro, you are, I'm sorry," she said while they laughed. "But don't worry about it, I like ya cheesy."

"Thanks…I think."

He noticed Awinita shifting uneasily in her chair.

"What's wrong, Te'lesu?" the Doctor asked.

"Um, we wanted to ask you something," she said, glancing around at the others.

"Yes?"

She held up her finger and waited until Mingxia finished the song and handed the IPod back to Rain.

"I like the song, it's pretty," she said to her.

"Thanks," Rain replied.

"Okay, so what I was going to say was…well, we've been thinking and…we were wondering if we could all come with you in your TARDIS when you get it back and travel with you so we won't be separated."

The Doctor was taken aback. He looked at Rain.

"Love? Did you talk to them about this before last night?"

"No, I didn't think of it until yesterday."

He looked at Awinita.

"We…uh, discussed this very thing last night," he said to her.

Awinita stared at him in shock.

"Seriously?"

He nodded.

"Rain wants the same thing as you. She doesn't want to be separated either."

"And what about you, Bro?" Awinita said while everyone quietly listened.

He smiled.

"I would love for all of you to come with me in my TARDIS."

He grunted when Awinita let out a yell, got up and hugged him forcefully.

"Seriously, Bro, you'd really let us come with you?"

He hugged her.

"I would love it. I would love for my family to travel with me."

"What about Mingxia though? She wants to come too," she said.

The Doctor looked at her.

"Do you?"

She nodded.

"If you'll let me. At least let me see what it's like. I mean, if you have a time machine you could bring me back around this same time so I don't get fired from UNIT in case I don't like it."

"I can do that for you. Just let you come along on a trial basis until you decide?"

She nodded.

"And we also mentioned that once we get the Valeyard's TARDIS away from him, we could store it on board yours so no one would steal it and use it for evil and it could be used in an emergency," Awinita said.

The Doctor's eyes widened.

"Blimey, love, did they put hidden microphones on us somehow?" he said as she laughed. "We said that as well. You guys must have been listening in or read our minds or something. But yes, we also discussed that and came to the same conclusion. And if you ever do get tired of being with us and want to go off on your own, it would be there for your use. Or even if you two wanted to go away for some private time somewhere in time and space, you could do that too. But yes, if you guys want to come with us, the TARDIS is yours to live in."

He grinned when everyone hugged him. He glanced at Rain.

"Guess we're stuck with this family forever more, eh?"

She laughed and nodded.

"Yup," Awinita said, "no getting away from us, Bro. We're gonna make sure we tag along and make sure that you spend the rest of this life and your other lives happy."

He grinned and hugged her tightly and gave her a kiss on the cheek before he let go. He smiled at his brother.

"And I'll be glad to have you back in the TARDIS as well, "he said, "and the old girl will be happy too."

He smiled and hugged his brother which made Rose's heart leap in her chest. They broke off the embrace and everyone sat around chatting with each other while Rose finished making the list for them.


	191. Chapter 191

Chapter One Hundred Ninety One

They decided to go to Nijo Castle which had the nightingale floors that sang when you walked on them. The castle was built by the shogun,Tokugawa Ieyasu and the floors had been installed in the corridors so that any intruder would be given away by the boards that chirped like the birds. They paid the entrance fee, took off their shoes and explored around inside. The interior of the castle was dark and gloomy with ancient artwork on the walls. They laughed while they walked along the squeaking floor.

"Oi! You lot quit squeaking!" Alan said. "Bunch of elephants, you are! How're you supposed to sneak up on the shogun and slit his throat?"

Everyone stopped and listened while he took a couple of steps and made the floor squeak.

"You were saying, Jumbo?" Rose said while they laughed.

"That wasn't me, that was you lot. You were stomping around so much, there were aftershocks."

Rose took his hand and they walked on. They stopped by a room, looked into it and saw several mannequins that represented daimyo kneeling in front of Ieyasu. They studied them and their regalia before moving on. In a nearby anteroom they saw more mannequins depicting court ladies in formal court regalia, make-up and wigs. Awinita made a face when she noticed all of them were wearing several layers of heavy cloth.

"How these people didn't drop dead from wearing all this stuff in the summer heat, I'll never know," she said. "God, the stuff they made people wear back then."

"I wore something like that for my wedding kimono," Rain said.

"And was it hotter than hell when you wore it?"

"A little but it was a cool day. I'm sure if we got married in the summer it would have been uncomfortable but I was pretty warm in there. Besides, my husband liked me in it."

"Yes, I did. You looked beautiful. That and the geisha outfit. You wear Japanese attire very well," the Doctor said.

He put his hand on her back while they moved on. They walked along on the squeaky nightingale floor. Alan giggled and stopped all of them.

"Come on, brother, we can do better than this. We're both experts at being stealthy. We can move over these singing floors without making a sound. Let's show these lead foots how it's done."

He chuckled and stepped in front of Rain. The others giggled while they glanced at each other with wide eyes and gingerly put their foot on the floorboards in front of them. Everyone laughed harder when they heard the squeak. Alan turned around and glared at them.

"Rose, I told you not to move; honestly you can't follow directions to save your life."

She flipped him off but he already turned back around. The two brothers looked at each other and took another soft step. Everyone laughed when the floors made another squeak. Alan scratched his head.

"That shouldn't be, why do we keep making sounds when we're experts at sneaking up on people?" he mused.

"Hmm, maybe there are people in the next corridor who are walking around?" the Doctor offered.

"Good thinking, it's other people cause it just couldn't be us. We're masters of stealth and no creaky, squeaky floor is gonna get the best of us! Now...let's try it again."

They took one more light step and again the floor squeaked.

"Are we gonna stand here all day and watch your pathetic attempts to outwit the floor?" Rose asked.

"I suppose you can do better?" Alan said, turning to her.

"No, I can't and I admit that. I'm not a bleedin' ninja and neither are you so can we just move on with the tour so the Doctor and Rain can get back to the hostel in time to get some sleep? I think they would like some rest before their flight leaves tomorrow."

"Oh, if we must," Alan said letting out a dramatic sigh. "I guess we'll demonstrate our stealthiness another way another day, brother. For now, let's just enjoy the tour."

"Don't worry, when we get back to the hostel I'll wait till you lot are asleep, sneak in your room and tickle Rose to death."

"You do, Doctor, and I'll personally drag your ass out to the runway tomorrow and throw you under the aeroplane wheels," she said.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, mate, death by plane wheel sounds pretty messy and embarrassing. Best to let the wife be so you can make it to Disneyworld in one piece."

He nodded and grinned when Rose rolled her eyes.

"Worse than kids, you are," she muttered.

Alan walked back to her and kissed her on her cheek while the Doctor took hold of Rain's hand and they walked off down the corridor.

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After getting some pizza and sodas to go, the six of them headed back to the hostel where they ate their meal in the common room. Both couples sat on the couch while Awinita and Mingxia sat in chairs across from them. A fire roared in the fireplace and they had turned off the lights letting the light from the fire bathe the room in a soft glow.

"You know you guys are gonna have to get a disposable camera and take lots of pictures so we can see what you did," Awinita said.

"Yes, especially since I've never been to Disneyworld before," Mingxia said.

"You ever been to America?" Alan asked.

She shook her head.

"It's nice, a bit crowded but it was interesting," Alan said.

"Well, I live in Beijing so I'm used to crowded," she replied, picking up another slice from the pizza box.

Rain grinned.

"We checked out our room online and they don't have any safari tours or anything but we get in-room pizza delivery."

Alan's mouth dropped open.

"We didn't! Bugger, we should have stayed over there."

"I thought you liked being in the Animal Kingdom Lodge," Rose said.

"I did but why didn't we get free pizza? We paid more for the sodding room, we should have gotten that. Stupid gits."

"Well, that's about the only extra we get," Rain said.

"Yeah, but it's a good extra. What'd we get? Stupid safari where they didn't let you get out and kick the giraffe's asses and no sloths to abuse. Stupid Disney and their overpriced pizzaless hotels."

They laughed when Rose rolled her eyes. She pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket and gave it to her sister.

"This is all the things we enjoyed and we did enjoy Disney despite my husband's grumble about not getting pizza delivered to our room. We weren't in our room all that much anyway and we usually went right to sleep so I don't see what he's whinin' about. But then again, he's only eight months old so I guess I can excuse his babyish behaviour. Now there are a lot of things there that were in Tokyo Disney but they weren't the same, like the Tower of Terror."

"And the pirates in the Pirates of the Caribbean won't be speaking Japanese and punctuate it with ME HEARTIES," Alan said.

The Doctor gave him an amused grin when they laughed.

"They did that?" he said.

"Oh yeah," Rain said. "It was hilarious. We heard all these Japanese sentences and then suddenly they'd yell out, me hearties in English. It was odd."

"Damn, the boob should have sent me down sooner so I could have seen that. Aw well, at least nutsy did send me down here so I can go see the other one."

Alan glanced up.

"Wonder what he's doin' right now?" he said.

"Oh, probably standing there in front of the monitor laughing evilly and swearing how I'm gonna kill all of you so very, very soon and what gits you are to let me tag along with you, something like that."

"Yup, you're probably right. I'm sure the Courtyard is feeling pretty smug right now thinking he has us cornered," Alan said.

"Yup, your deaths are imminent and there's no escape from me, ha, ha, ha," the Doctor said waving his hand dismissively. "You know, we should have gotten breadsticks with this. I bet they would have been just as delicious as the pizza."

He grabbed another slice, plucked off a bit of sausage and fed it to Rain.

"Where was I though? Oh yes, your doom. It's coming, you know, at any moment so enjoy your pizza while you can," he said while they laughed.

He plucked off a mushroom and fed it to Rain.

"And this is your last meal too, so make it count, Latara."

"Okay, I will," she said.

"How does it feel, sleeping with the enemy?" Awinita said.

Rain glanced at the Doctor who was gazing at her lovingly.

"Oh, it's horrifying," she said while they giggled hysterically. "He's a complete monster. I fear for my safety every second of my life."

"Yeah, I can see the evil and menace in his eyes from over here," Mingxia said.

"Yeah me too," Awinita said. "I don't know how you manage to sit next to him without dropping dead from the terror. I mean, he is the Oncoming Storm after all."

Rain glanced at him and saw the twinkle in his eyes while he took a sip of his Coke.

"Oh yes, he's the big, bad Oncoming Storm and I crap my pants at the very sight of him. Help me, please help me."

They laughed when the Doctor choked on his Coke.

"Sorry, love, I didn't mean to do that to you," she said, rubbing his cheek while he coughed.

"Ah, don't worry 'bout him. He's got a respiratory bypass system. A little Coke in the lungs won't kill em," Alan said, waving his hand dismissively.

"Gee thanks, brother, I appreciate your concern for my wellbeing," the Doctor said.

The Doctor tore off a bit of cheese from his slice and put it in his wife's mouth.

"But if tall, dark and megalomaniacal does show up at Disney to terrorize you, please give him to the yeti. I'm sure big boy gets tired of just hanging off that mountain grabbing at the tourists and could use a snack."

"Will do," the Doctor said to Alan.

"Actually, you could tie him up and stick him in the middle of the Tiki Room," Awinita said.

"Yes! That's it! That's a fitting punishment for the stupid sod! Tie him up and let him slowly go insane from the idiotic song the birds sing," Alan said.

"What song is that then?" the Doctor asked.

Rose giggled and she and Awinita began to sing the Tiki Room song loudly while Alan covered his ears. They laughed when they finished.

"Yup, I could picture the Valeyard going insane after listening to that rubbish," the Doctor said.

"Hon, you gotta take him in there when you get to Disney," Rose said.

"No! For the love of all that's sacred, brother, don't let Rain take you in there!" Alan said while they roared with laughter. "I just bonded with you; I don't want to see you committed to the Darshon Asylum for the Irretrievably Looney on Darshon Fifteen. Please whatever you do, Te'lesau, do not go in!"

The Doctor glanced at his wife who was giving him an innocent look while she munched on her pizza.

"Love, you wouldn't take me into a place that might render me irretrievably insane, would you?" he said.

Rain munched on the bit of pizza in her mouth while she stared into his eyes and then without comment she turned her head around and took another bite while the others laughed.

"Is that a no?" the Doctor said while she snickered. "I wasn't able to decipher that look just then. I mean surely you don't mean to take me somewhere where I'll be driven insane, right?"

She shrugged and took a sip of her Mountain Dew while the Doctor stared at her.

"Okay, now I'm suddenly very scared," he said while everyone laughed. "I have no idea what the silence and the shrugging mean but I have a feeling it doesn't bode well for me."

"Do you want me to come with you to keep her from getting you in that horrible place?" Alan asked.

The Doctor rubbed his ear while he stared at his wife who was trying to not to laugh while she ate.

"Not sure, maybe we should find a way to sneak you on the plane. My Doctor sense is suddenly tingling."

"I could roll into a ball and you could tie me to her waist and we'd just pretend she was really, really pregnant," Alan offered.

Rain choked on her Mountain Dew and the Doctor slapped her back while she coughed.

"I'd watch that if I were you, Bro," Awinita said. "She doesn't have a respiratory bypass system."

He got up and embraced her.

"Sorry, Te'lesu, shoulda waited till you were done eatin'" he said.

She hugged him back.

"It's alright, Bro," she said.

"Seriously though, don't take my brother into the Tiki Room lest you arouse my righteous anger."

"I'll think about it," she said, shrugging while they laughed.

She kissed his cheek and leaned back against her husband while Alan sat back down.

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After eating they cleaned up and headed to their rooms to rest. The Doctor and Rain lay on their beds discussing Sim City while they played it on her DS.

While they were talking, Awinita knocked on the door and came in the room with Mingxia.

"Hello there," the Doctor said happily.

"Hey, Bro, we're gonna go out for a walk but I wanted to ask a favor of you," she said.

"Sure."

She reached into her pocket and pulled out several banknotes. She counted them and handed it to them.

"What's this for?" the Doctor said.

"When you get to EPCOT, they have the Japanese portion of the World Showcase. Can you go into the souvenir store and get me this Minnie Mouse they had that's wearing his pink satin kimono? I saw it last time but stupid me, I decided not to get it and I really do want it. So could you be a wonderful big brother and get it for me?"

"I will and you don't have to pay for it," he said, handing her the banknotes back.

"Bro, I..."

He held up his hand.

"When's your birthday?"

"March 26th."

"Then this will be an early birthday present for you," he said. "We have more than enough money to get it so you don't have to worry about paying for it."

She hugged him tightly.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Te'lesu."

She pulled away and stood up. She and Mingxia looked down at the DS.

"That's not the theme park is it?" Awinita asked.

"No, this is Sim City. We decided to try something new."

"Is it fun?" Mingxia asked.

They nodded.

"Yeah, we were trying to model it after the capital of Gallifrey until I realized that the houses didn't look right so now we're building a replica of the slave city on Zazon."

"Okay, if you say so, Bro," she said, shaking her head while Mingxia giggled. "Well, you go ahead and build the slave city. We're going for a walk."

"Be careful out there, both of you," the Doctor said.

Awinita grinned at her friend.

"See, he's a sweetie. I don't know where these Oncoming Storm stories are coming from," she said to her.

"I know, he's just one big cuddly panda bear," Mingxia said, ruffling his hair.

Rain giggled when he turned bright red.

"Well, we better go so he doesn't get embarrassed anymore," Awinita said.

She gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Enjoy the game," she said.

"Thanks. Enjoy the walk."

"We will."

They watched while the two of them walked out of the room and then turned their attention back to the game.

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They continued to play the game discussing where to put the housing, commercial and industrial sections. Suddenly, Alan came in the room. Rain watched while he walked over to her rucksack and stood there staring at it.

"Now, let's see, how best to fit in here," he said to himself.

He unzipped it and looked inside while Rain laughed.

"Maybe my full Time Lord brother can insert an extra dimension in here and make it bigger on the inside then I'll be able to fit comfortably."

"You're just bound and determined to go with us, aren't you?" Rain said.

"I will just miss ya tons and tons when you're gone," he said, walking over to her. "Both of ya. After all, you're my family now and I care for you. But I want you both to have as much fun as we had and make lots of fun memories that you can look back on in your old age. You deserve all the happiness the universe can muster up."

He gave her a kiss on the top of the head.

"I just wanted to tell you goodnight though. The wife and I are goin' to retire to our room in a few minutes so the two of you have a pleasant night and have fun workin' on the theme park."

"Actually, we're playing Sim City now."

He leaned over and stared at it for a moment.

"Wow, this one has little cities. I have to get one of these game systems for myself. This is extremely fascinating, these little simulated environments."

He squeezed her shoulder.

"Goodnight, Te'lesu and Te'lesau," he said.

"Goodnight," they said in unison.

Smiling, he rose up and strolled back out the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After awhile, Rain decided to go to bed. The Doctor got up and let her get under the covers before he snuggled against her. He caressed her and sang until she was asleep. Once he was sure she was asleep he slowly got up and went down to the kitchen for a cup of tea.

He found Alan sitting at the table.

"Hello again," he said to the Doctor.

"Can't sleep again or did you and the wife have some more fun?"

He smiled.

"A little of both. We're leaving tomorrow as well and it's not very romantic crammed together in that tiny tent so we're making sure we get as much private time in as we can."

"I can understand that," the Doctor said.

Alan watched while he made a cup of tea. The Doctor sat down across from him.

"I'm so glad you are going to Disneyworld," he said. "I know I keep joking about it but you do need more time to spend on your honeymoon and rest and relax. Especially since eventually you will have to face him again."

The Doctor nodded.

"I only hope that day doesn't come when I'm on my honeymoon," he said. "I don't want anything to disturb us, certainly not him."

"Nor do I. Especially since I want to be at your side when he comes after you."

He shook his head.

"I can't allow that, brother. You're not strong enough to fight him. What happens if he kills you? I can regenerate at least but you can't and Rose would be devastated."

"I can't let you go alone, Te'lesau, this is as much my fight as it is yours. He wants us both, remember?"

"I'll make a deal with him and..."

"You'll do no such thing. I'm not gonna see you fall back into his clutches. Rain will be heartbroken and never recover. You can't give yourself up to that monster, not now."

The Doctor sighed.

"Perhaps I should have waited to wed until after he was defeated. I'm afraid I complicated things."

"It wouldn't have mattered. Rain would still love you whether you married her or not and she still would have been heartbroken. My brother, there are three people here who are the most at risk. Rose and us. The others he might leave alone but there's no safety for the three of us. If you give yourself to him and he enslaves you he'll just turn around and send you after us. He's evil. There's not an honourable bone in his body. He won't care that you surrendered. He wants me so he can turn me and he wants my wife dead. All your sacrifice would do is ensure that you are out of the way when he comes after us. You can't do that, Doctor. You're needed. I know you love all of us dearly and fear for our lives and that's fantastic that you care for us that deeply. Trust me, I'm just as scared for them as you are. But as long as he remains free we are all in danger and we need to stick together now more than ever. We might have a chance to defeat him but you and I need to be the leaders since we have fought him before. Don't worry about me. I have so much to live for now and I'll be damned if I die by that maniac's hand. I know I'm not a full Time Lord but I survived a battle with a skinwalker so I must have some fighting ability in me. Please, my precious brother, don't revert back to the lone wolf mentality, not now after you've come so far in the past few weeks. Lean on us and accept our support and help. He's counting on you going in alone, I'm sure of it. Don't do it and get yourself caught."

The Doctor smiled and nodded.

"I will, my brother. You're right, I can't defeat him on my own and I do need help..."

He sighed.

"It's just that I feel the moment growing closer with each passing day and I shudder to think what will happen when he does come because Latara and Awinita and Mingxia are vulnerable at the moment and if he cottons on that I've married Rain...Heaven help my wife if we can't protect her from him."

"That's why we have to keep on doing what we're doing and look out for one another. This protector has been doing a good job of keeping the wolf from our door and perhaps she will delay until you return from Florida. But you know what, I'm tired of this. I'm tired of living in fear of an attack that could come at any moment. I want that bastard gone from our lives and perhaps it's time to plan for a surprise attack. Get him before he gets us and put him out of commission for good. If he still thinks you are in his power and shadowing us then we have the element of surprise. If we time it right we can catch him unawares and perhaps knock him out and imprison him before he can fight back. After that, we'll figure out what to do with him. But at least he would be out of the way and we could go on with our lives without the fear of him striking any moment."

"If we do that then I want it to be the two of us and Rose. The others aren't ready yet and sad to say they'd only be in the way at this point. Even Mingxia wouldn't be able to stand up to him with her UNIT training. I know they might object but it's for the best."

Alan nodded.

"And I agree with that. That is why you have no choice but to let Rose and me fight with you. We'll have to tell them this and you'll have to tell Rain that if he attacks they are to run as fast as they can as far away as they can and not worry about us. When they travel in the TARDIS with us then we can train them properly against lesser foes but not him, he's too powerful."

The Doctor nodded.

"I'll tell Rain this and soothe her because I know it'll upset her. After all this, the last thing I want is to go back into the fray, not after all the fun and relaxation I've had but it must be done and there's no one else but us that can do it. I hate that Rose has been pulled into it but I trust her and I know she can handle herself now and watch our backs up there."

Alan nodded and smiled.

"Yes, you've done a wonderful job with her. I'm proud of what she's become."

He saw the guilt that flashed in his eyes for a moment and he took his hand.

"Brother, she told me what Davros said when you were imprisoned on the Crucible. She's not some weapon you made, none of them are. All of them, Rose, Martha and Donna, realized their true potential because of you. Because of you and your training, they are now strong, confident, self-assured women. They are not your weapons, Te'lesau, so put that out of your mind for good."

The Doctor nodded and smiled while he squeezed his hand. Alan let go and the two of them sipped their tea in silence for awhile before Alan finally bid him goodnight and went back to bed. The Doctor poured himself another cup of tea and spent the rest of the night sitting there staring off into space while he thought about the Valeyard and how best to defeat him without his loved ones getting hurt or killed.


	192. Chapter 192

Chapter One Hundred Ninety Two

The Doctor went back to his room around five in the morning. He stood by his bed and sighed while he stared down at his sleeping wife. His hearts ached fearing that one day the Valeyard might find out about their union and target her. He had faith that she could take care of herself and was fit to travel with him in the TARDIS but at the moment she was untrained and untested and that put her in severe danger. He laid his head next to hers while he said a silent prayer to the protector to shield her and his family and friend from the Valeyard's evil no matter what happened to him. He lay there for a few minutes listening to her soft breathing and feeling her peace in his mind before he gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Love?" he said in her ear.

"Hmm?"

"It's five in the morning. You better get up so we can get ready to go."

"Alright, love," she murmured.

He leaned back while she slowly opened her eyes and got up. He gave her a good morning kiss on the forehead while she yawned and stretched her back. He walked with her to the bathroom where they disrobed, set their things out on the rim of the tub and took a shower together. As they stood there caressing and fondling each other, the Doctor watched her knowing that he would have to tell her what he and his brother had said. He dreaded telling her, knowing it would upset her and make her worry and the last thing he wanted was to spoil their honeymoon with talk of fighting the Valeyard. But he knew he had no choice. He knew it was only a matter of time before he would have to deal with the threat up above and he wanted her to know what they were planning so there would be no surprises. He would have to be delicate about it though so the honeymoon wouldn't be ruined, so for the moment he held his tongue until a more suitable time.

After they got out they dried each other off.

"Love, I think we should go and get some breakfast somewhere before we go to the airport," he said.

She nodded.

"I don't know how long a wait we'll have. It shouldn't be too bad since all we have to do is pick up our tickets but still, I wanna get there in plenty of time which is why I woke you up so early. We'll have plenty of time to sleep on the plane since I'm sure we'll be on there for quite a while this time. It's gonna be a long day, Latara, especially since we have layovers in Tokyo and Chicago before we get there."

"I hope they don't take too long with the layovers."

"Me too, I don't fancy waiting in airports for hours to get to where we're going. But we'll amuse ourselves while we wait, just as long as we get there so we can ride Expedition Everest."

He winked when she laughed and gave her a kiss. They finished dressing, put their toiletries back in their rucksacks and went back into their bedroom. While they were pulling out the things they wanted to take on the plane there was a knock at the door.

"Guys, are you awake?" Alan said through the door.

The Doctor opened it.

"I guess you are. Listen, we're all awake too and we're gonna go to the airport with ya to see you off before we come back here and leave. Is that okay?"

"Sure, that's fine," the Doctor said.

"Well, we're up. We figured you'd be up early as well and we really do want to go with you and watch the plane take off."

"Well we want to get some breakfast before we go to the airport."

"Good, we were thinking the same thing. Well, just finish what you're doing and let us know when you want to go."

Alan patted his brother's shoulder before he went next door. The Doctor smiled at his wife while he walked back to the bed. They finished getting out what they wanted; putting it in the brown bags and shouldering their rucksacks they went to tell Alan and Rose they were ready.

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The Doctor, his wife, family and Mingxia sat together in the waiting area by the boarding gate. They had gotten breakfast earlier and had gotten something to drink from a Subway in the terminal. Rain sipped her Mountain Dew while she played Crosswords DS. Every once in awhile the Doctor would lean over and tease her, telling her he knew the answers and threatening to blurt them out.

"What? I'm only trying to be helpful," he said after the fifth attempt to tell her the answers.

Alan sat across from them and smiled at him.

"So, are you gonna have a long flight?" he asked him.

The Doctor nodded.

"Checked the ticket and with the layover, it's gonna be almost 19 hours. We'll have an hour's wait in Tokyo and two hours in Chicago."

Their eyes bulged.

"Blimey, you're gonna be knackered by the time you get there. You're gonna miss a whole day too," Rose said.

He shook his head.

"Nah, John called Rain back when we were in the hotel and talked to her once he got the ticket and saw what the travel time would be. He arranged it so our five days doesn't start until the day after we arrive. We'll get a hotel just outside the park and perhaps go to the Chuck-E-Cheese place before we go on to Disney."

"Still, that's gonna be hell on ya being in that cramped space for that long," Alan said, making a face.

"Tell me about it. You humans need to learn how to build TARDISes and save us aliens the trouble of working out cramps and relaxing sore muscles after…"

He trailed off and suddenly glared at someone over his brother's shoulder.

"What is it?" he said.

Alan's eyebrow rose when he suddenly barked out something in Japanese. They looked around and noticed two young Japanese men apologizing profusely while they got up and moved to seats far away from them. They looked back at the Doctor.

"What's wrong?" Alan said.

"Those two gits were sitting there saying vulgar things about Rain's body and talking about how they'd like to shag her. I finally got fed up with it and informed them that they were talking about my wife, which is why they apologized and moved."

Alan glanced at Rose.

"See, this is why I need my language abilities back. It's a good thing I didn't understand em or they would have been sportin' two big black eyes."

"Well, I think I shocked them since I not only knew what they were talking about but I could speak Japanese back to them. I just hope they're nowhere near us on the flight."

"I think they've learned their lesson now about saying things in other languages when they think foreigners can't understand it," he said. "Yup, I don't think they'll be talking about shagging other people's wives in public anymore."

They heard the call to board for their flight and all of them stood up and embraced them.

"Call us, yeah?" Rose said. "But remember we're gonna be 14 hours behind ya."

"Oh, so I can time it so It'll be four in the mornin' while we're riding the rides in the late afternoon," the Doctor said.

"Don't. Not if you wanna keep this regeneration," Rose said, wagging her finger in his face. "But please call us the moment you get to the hotel no matter what time it is so we know you made it there safely."

"We will," the Doctor said.

She hugged him tightly.

"Have fun," she said.

"Thanks, you lot have fun on the camping trip and keep yourselves safe."

He and Rain hugged each of them in turn before they took each other's hands and walked through the gate. Their rucksacks were being put in the cargo hold with the rest of the luggage so all they had with them were the two brown sacks containing their personal items. They stopped at the gate and waved to their family and friend before they headed down the corridor to the plane.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Doctor was relieved when he noticed that the two men were nowhere around them and he settled back in his seat and took a sip of his Coke while Rain drank her Mountain Dew and stared out the window at the terminal as the flight attendant went through the emergency procedures and the rules.

"The windows are tinted so I can't tell if they're there watching," she said to the Doctor.

"They probably are. They're probably gonna stand there until the plane's up in the sky."

He grinned.

"Latara, hand me your mobile please."

She handed it to him and he giggled while he opened it up and dialed Rose's number. It rang two times before she answered.

"Hello?" he heard her say in confusion.

"Rose, are you watching the plane now?"

"Um, yeah, we're at the window."

"Okay, Rain just wanted to know, bye now."

"Grow up, Doctor!" she said as Rain bent over in silent laughter.

"I just wanted to know since Rain is staring out the window at ya."

"Where are you?"

"Um, up near the front…bout…five rows from the front.

He heard Rose relaying this to the others.

"We're waving, can Sis see us?"

"They're waving, love."

Rain pressed her face against the window and sighed.

"I can't see them, Thete."

"Blast, she can't see ya, Rose. The Windows are tinted."

"Damn. Let me talk to her then."

"They wanna talk to ya, hon."

She took the phone from her.

"Rose?"

"Hon, I'm sorry you can't see us but we are here watching and we love ya lots."

"I love you too, Sis. Can you see me?"

"No, the window's too small but we know you're there."

They heard the engine rev up.

"I gotta go, Rose, they're leaving now."

"Alright, please be careful and have fun. Call us when you get there."

"We will. Bye, Sis."

"Bye, Sis. I love you," Rose said.

Rain hung up the phone and put it back in her pocket. The Doctor put his arm around her while the plane slowly turned and began to head towards the runway.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After an hour the plane landed at the airport in Tokyo and the Doctor and Rain walked around while they waited for the hour to end.

"Love, let me have the mobile again," the Doctor said.

"Why? Gonna bother Sis?"

"Well, there's nothing else to do right now," he said.

She handed him the mobile and he dialed her number.

"Hello?" Rose said.

"We're in Tokyo now so get your butts over here so we can get back to campin'!" he said.

She laughed.

"How long have you been there?"

"Oh, 'bout ten minutes or so. There's really nothing to do here except walk around. But an hour isn't that bad, it'll be worse when we get to Chicago."

"There are a couple of little restaurants in the airport where you can get something to drink or vending machines," Rose said. "And they have currency exchange so if I were you I'd go get most of your money changed back into dollars before you land in Chicago."

"Good idea, we'll do both things," he said, walking with Rain. "How 'bout you guys?"

We're riding on the underground out of Kyoto. We're about to the outskirts and then we'll be on our way. We decided to go to Iga-Ueno since they have the ninja stuff and we thought we could try to find Imiko's house and see how her and her mum are doin'. But we will meet you in Maibara still. We'll just take the train up to it."

"Here's the currency place, Thete," Rain said, pointing to a bank beside them.

"We found the currency exchange," the Doctor said.

"Love, while you're doing this, let me go get us something to drink, alright?"

He nodded at Rain and took her bag after she pulled out a few Yen. She hurried off while the Doctor waited behind a couple of people.

"If you do find Imiko, tell her we said hello," he said.

"I will. I hope she's alright. Maybe she can come with us for the time we're there and show us around her city. So, I assume you'll get in early in the morning in Orlando, yeah?"

"Yes."

"Are you takin' a bus to a hotel room?"

"Gonna try to."

"Why don't you do what we did and go to one of the car rental places and get a car for six days? That way you can drive around and go to Chuck-E-Cheese or wherever and you won't have to rely on buses."

"That's a brilliant idea. We'll do that. That'll save a lot of hassle."

One of the people left and he moved up in the queue.

"Is Sis there?"

"No, she went off in search of liquid refreshment. Why? Am I suddenly not worth talking to?"

She laughed.

"No, I just want to say hello but I guess I can wait."

"Yes, you'll just have to suffer through the agony of talking to me before you talk to her."

"Wait a tic, Doctor, the train stopped and we're getting off here."

"Okay."

The guy in front of him left and the Doctor opened up his and Rain's bags and got out the money while he explained what he wanted him to do. The man nodded, took the money and began to fill out some paperwork.

"Doctor? You there?"

"Yeah, I'm still here."

"Okay, we're walkin' now."

"Well, I finally made it up to the teller so he's exchanging our money right now."

"Well, I do hope you have fun. It's a shame you won't have time to see Chicago because it's a wonderful city. We were there on Halloween and went to a party and saw a couple of fake haunted houses. We took a tour of this guy's murder house. It was creepy. The man had the house built so he could capture and murder people and cut up and dumped the bodies in the basement. He was a sick, sick man. Huh? Alan wants to talk with you for a moment."

There was a pause.

"Brother?" Alan said. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, we're fine, we're in Tokyo right now and we have about thirty five minutes left here."

"Where's Rain?"

"In the cargo hold, she was being a nuisance so I checked her in with the other bags."

He laughed.

"Yeah, she is quite a pest sometimes, so I don't blame ya for doin' that," Alan said.

"She went to get something for us to drink and I'm getting our money exchanged before we get to Chicago."

"Good idea. And I heard about Rose telling you to get the motor for six days. I'd do that if I were you. That way you could come and go as you please even if you are in the park. One day you could see one of the parks, take a break in the middle of the afternoon and go see something in Orlando and come back to finish off the day. We didn't see anything there except Disney so it might be interesting to find out what else is in the city."

The man handed him back his currency in dollar bills. The Doctor thanked him, took it and put it in his bag before leaving. He found a nearby couch and sat down while he pulled out the money and gave Rain back her share.

"So are you about out of the city?" he asked his brother while he counted the money and glanced around for Rain.

"Almost, we're at the very outermost area and heading back into the countryside."

"Brother, can I ask your opinion about something?" the Doctor said.

"Of course, Te'lesau."

"I've been thinking lately and I told Rain that I wanted my real name kept secret but more and more I'm wondering if I should tell her. I told River but it was because I was forced to in order to preserve the time line but Rain is my wife and I know she would never tell another soul if I told her. I guess it's more a symbolic gesture showing her that I love and trust her completely, what do you think?"

"Well, I think it would not be a wasted gesture. I know that Rain would never tell anyone and perhaps it would bring you even closer. It's up to you, my brother, but if you want my two pence I would do it just as a gesture of love."

"Well, that's all it would be since I still wouldn't want her using it openly. She does call me Thete though in private so she can use that."

Alan chuckled.

"Thete, eh?"

"Yeah, she wanted a more informal name that she could use privately with me so I told her Thete was alright for her to use. I still haven't told her about our plans to attack the Valeyard either. I don't know when I should do that. I don't want her to worry about it, not on our honeymoon."

"Brother, don't tell her yet. Wait till you get back here with us when we can all comfort her, okay? I seriously doubt if the Boneyard will strike, not with the protector looking after you. Just let her enjoy her time at Disney without any fear or stress."

"Okay, I will."

He smiled when he noticed Rain walking towards the currency exchange. He whistled and she looked his way and walked over.

"Is that Sis?"

"Yup."

"Let me speak to her."

"Okay, hang on."

He lowered the mobile and accepted the cup of Coke from her.

"Your brother wants to talk to you and I got the money exchanged, I just need to sort it out into the bags."

She nodded and took the mobile from him. She spoke to Alan while the Doctor finished sorting out the money and gave her back her bag. He glanced at his watch and saw they had twenty minutes left. He told Rain and she walked beside him while he led her back to their gate.

"Oh, so it's almost time for you to leave the island?" Alan said to Rain.

"Yeah, we're going back to our gate now."

"Good, hopefully the two hour layover won't be that bad. At least it's only two hours and not four or five."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

They reached the gate and both of them sat back down.

"Where are you guys now?" Rain asked.

"We're almost to the countryside. We're passing by a few houses and we can see the field up ahead."

"Be careful, please."

"We will, Te'lesu, you be careful too. Can you do me a huge favor?"

"Sure."

"Keep your pepper spray and your screwdriver on you at all times, alright? Just in case."

"I will."

"Not trying to scare ya but I just want you to be able to defend yourself and have the screwdriver on you in case you need it. I know the Doctor is there but I'd feel better if you had that stuff on ya."

"I will, Bro."

"Good."

She glanced up when she heard the announcement for their gate.

"We're gonna board now," she said as she and her husband stood up and walked over to the queue that was forming.

"I'm so glad you're doing this with your husband. Have the best time you possibly can and don't worry about anything, alright? Have a fantastic time in Orlando."

"We will, Bro."

"Here, Sis wants to say goodbye."

There was a pause.

"Sweetie, I know you're boarding now so I'll keep this short. Just be careful and take care and have fun and we'll see you back in Maibara, yeah?"

"Yes, Sis. I love you."

"I love you too. Let us know what's goin' on and call us if you want, just make sure it's late night if we're fourteen hours behind ya."

"We will. I'll talk to you later, Rose," she said as they walked down the corridor to the doorway.

"Bye, Sis."

She hung up and Rain closed the mobile, put it back in her pocket and took the Doctor's hand as they entered into the plane.


	193. Chapter 193

Chapter One Hundred Ninety Three

After several hours of walking, Alan and Rose directed the other two to head into the woods for the night. They had gone nearly ten miles towards Iga-Ueno and it was nearly dark. They went into the woods until they found a clearing and quickly set up camp. After nearly an hour they were almost finished and Rose started the fire while Alan went to set up the snare and Awinita took the pot and went to find some water. Mingxia took one of the empty containers and foraged for food.

"All done," Alan said several minutes later. "The snare is set up and ready to go. Hopefully we'll catch something."

"I still have some of the meals so we can have those tonight," Rose said.

He sighed.

"You know, I did miss this. The city is nice but it's better to be closer to nature," he said. "Nice cool clean air, the sounds of the forest and the stars above, lovely."

"So…you aren't disappointed that you couldn't get in Sis's rucksack and go ride Expedition Everest then?"

She laughed when his face fell and he feigned crying into his hands.

"Nah, when we get the TARDIS we can go back there or take the spare TARDIS and go. This is their time and Rain is finally gonna get to see it with her husband. I can be happy for them and just relax here with the love of my life."

He leaned over to give her a kiss. He leaned back up and looked over when Awinita came back through the trees.

"There's a little pond nearby," she said, setting the pot down by the fire.

She got into one of the totes, grabbed one of the packets of water purifying pills and dropped a pill in the water. She looked around.

"Where's Mingxia?" she asked.

"Went to see if she could find some food," Rose said.

"Oh, more leaves, twigs, spiders and worms, huh?"

She rested for a moment in front of her tent and looked at the other two that were set up beside her. She had decided to take Imiko's tent so both she and Mingxia could have space. She glanced across at the one empty spot.

"Strange not seeing Bro and Sis over there," she said, pointing. "I wonder where they are now."

"Probably still up in the air somewhere," Alan said, squatting down. "Knowing my brother, the pilot was some kind of weird alien bent on kidnapping them for scientific experiments and they are fighting for their lives somewhere above the US."

"You have quite an imagination, you know that?" Awinita said.

"Indeed I do and if I could stay awake all night like Te'lesau it would keep me entertained from sundown to sunup."

"I found a couple of things," Mingxia said walking into the camp. "A few plants, a couple of grubs, nothing much."

"Well we got the meals too so we can use them both," Rose said.

She giggled when Awinita made a face.

"Um…you want grubs with your lasagna, do ya?" she said.

"Sure, Sis, extra protein."

Alan laughed when she mimed barfing.

"Now, now, you're supposed to be communing with nature here!" Alan said.

"Communing with it, not eating it!" she replied. "You guys can eat the grubs; I'll stick with the lasagna or the Swiss steak dinner, much more yummy sounding."

Mingxia walked to her tent and bent down.

"Thank God I finally get a tent to myself," she said.

She laughed when Awinita shot her a look.

"Well, I'm so sorry you were stuck with me. I'm sure all those nights we talked and played chess were just hell on ya."

"They were, yeah," she said as they laughed.

"Well, I s'pose we should try to find more logs to sit on while Rose fixes the grub and the grubs. Come with me, girls," Alan said, beckoning to them.

All of them walked off into the woods while Rose rummaged around in the tote bag for the meals.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rain played her DS while the Doctor sat beside her. It had been almost eight hours since they departed Tokyo and the Doctor's long legs were stiff as a board. They had tried to eat the food but it hadn't been all that appetizing and the Doctor's stomach was rumbling. He glanced over and noticed Rain was trying out Monopoly. He looked at it and looked at her and then put his head on her shoulder. Rain glanced at him and saw his intense stare.

"How much longer, Latara? How much longer must I sit here with my knees up to my nose while I grow hungrier and hungrier because I couldn't eat the cardboard that passes for airplane food. How much longer, my love?"

She started giggling when he continued to stare at her intensely.

"Um, I don't know, love. Hours?"

She snickered when his eyes grew wider.

"Hours? Hours more of this heinous torture? Why?"

She patted his cheek.

"I'm sorry, Thete, but you don't have your TARDIS, you know."

"Yes, I know. Because if I did, we would have been to bloody Disneyworld in five seconds or less," he said as she giggled. "Instead I must put up with human conveniences or inconveniences as I like to think of them."

"Well, you know, sweetheart," Rain said softly. "It might help if you weren't so long and lanky."

"And so…your solution to this problem is for me to saw my legs off, is that what you're implying?"

She gazed into his eyes and kissed his nose.

"I feel for you, I really do," she said, patting his leg.

He continued to stare at her.

"How is patting my leg going to bring me respite from this hell?"

He grinned when Rain laughed harder.

"Well, answer me, love. How is patting my leg going to help?"

"You could play Monopoly," Rain said, setting the DS in his lap.

She giggled when the Doctor continued to stare at her.

"How will playing Monopoly bring back the feeling in my cramped and dying legs?"

"It'll take your mind off the fact they're cramped and dying?"

He stared at her.

"You really have no idea how to save me from this torment, do you?"

"Um, no…you could run up and down the aisle here, I guess," she said.

"What if they object to me doing that?"

He tried to keep a straight face when Rain began to snicker.

"Um…Bro said you didn't give a crap what people thought so if they object…you ignore them?"

"Will you run with me?"

"Um, the aisle's kinda narrow don't you think?"

"Run behind me…starkers…let's wake these people up."

"You wanna get arrested and go to jail in Chicago?"

"Jail cell would be roomier than this," he said, keeping his eyes on her while he pointed to the seat in front of him.

"I don't know, Thete, I don't know what to tell ya. I can't make the plane go any faster and I don't think they'll let us rip out the seats in front of us. I'm afraid you're stuck."

She laughed when he let out a melodramatic sigh.

"I see I shall have to teach you better. You are not only my wife, you will be my travelin' companion in the TARDIS and you need to assist me which means you need to think on your feet, not give me platitudes and pat my leg in a pseudo-sympathetic way. Do not tell me everything will be alright when my legs are turning purple and forming several blood clots which will then travel up to my brain, give me several strokes and cause me to regenerate in front of a planeload of people which is highly embarrassing and inconvenient for little ol' me. Not to mention I'd have to explain to the FAA why I suddenly burst into a bright fiery light and changed my appearance in front of a bunch of scared tourists. No, I'd rather go to Disney than do that, wouldn't you?"

"Is there a point to this?"

"Not really, I just like to run my gob. It helps me not to think about my purple and black legs that are probably at this moment generating tons of massive stroke-inducing blood clots."

He smiled and nuzzled her nose.

"Well, I'm sure it'll only be a few hours until we reach Chicago."

She giggled when the Doctor eyed her.

"Says the short woman who doesn't have her legs pressed up against the back of the next seat."

He grinned and laid his head up against hers while he closed his eyes.

"But I will endure the crampness to be with you," he said to her, "because you are a very special lady and the love of my lives."

"I'll take you to Chuck-E-Cheese and you'll feel all better."

She laughed when he opened one eye and stared at her.

"Pizza, you know, and a big singing robot mouse that will serenade you while you eat," she said when he said nothing.

The Doctor continued to stare at her with his one eye.

"You know you look like Popeye when you do that?"

She bit her lip when she saw her husband trying to keep a straight face.

"A very skinny Popeye…with hair…and a thinner nose…and no bulging arms."

Against his will, a grin spread over his face and he opened both eyes while he gazed at her lovingly.

"Am I…uh…making you forget your poor cramped legs?"

He nodded.

"Are you excited about Disney?"

He nodded.

"Are you excited about Chuck-E-Cheese?"

He shook his head.

"Why?"

He shrugged.

"Are you gonna say anything?"

He pursed his lips while he thought and then gave her an impish grin as he shook his head and laid his chin on her shoulder. Rain stared at him for a moment and then took her DS off his lap and started to play it. The Doctor put his hand over the screen and tilted her head back up and over so she was looking at him again. He put his hands back in his lap and stared at her.

"Am I supposed to stare at you the entire time now?"

He nodded.

"And you're not gonna say anything?"

He nodded.

She folded her hands in her lap and stared at him. They continued to stare at one another for a couple of minutes before Rain began to shake with silent laughter at the stern expression on his face. She gave him a kiss on the nose.

"You're a cutie, you know that?"

He smiled and nodded.

Rain leaned her head against his.

"You're sexy, do you know that too?"

The Doctor pretended to think that over and then gave her a big toothy grin as he nodded his head rapidly. Rain put her hand over her mouth trying not to laugh too loudly. She stared at him for a moment and then leaned in.

"You ever see that old Twilight Zone episode where the guy saw a monster on the wing of the airplane he was on?"

He nodded.

Rain got wide eyes.

"You think that's happening outside now?"

She laughed when he gave her a wide-eyed fearful look.

"Isn't that the kind of thing you're used to fixing? Monsters on plane wings?"

He nodded.

She leaned in closer.

"Why don't you go outside and fix it? You can stretch your legs that way."

She giggled when the Doctor's eyes widened and he made a little O with his mouth.

"Think of it, Thete, a monster outside right now ripping the wing to shreds and you're the only one who can save us all."

He gave her a smug grin.

Rain turned her head to look out the window and the Doctor leaned up slightly to look with her. When she turned her head around, he sat back in his seat and continued to stare at her.

"I don't see anything, do you?"

He shook his head.

Rain let out a soft gasp.

"Maybe it's inside now."

The Doctor's mouth formed the O.

"Maybe it's coming down the aisle right now," she whispered.

The Doctor feigned anger.

"What if it starts killing us all?"

The Doctor held up his hand and pounded it with his fist. He lowered it and went back to staring at his wife.

"I see, because you're the Oncoming Storm?"

He nodded.

"And every monster in the universe must fear you?"

He nodded his head emphatically.

"But not me because you're a big, cuddly teddy bear."

He shook his head.

"You're not a big, cuddly teddy bear?"

He shook his head.

"Not even for me?"

He thought that over and then smiled and nodded.

"Are you ever gonna talk?"

He shook his head.

"Not even to tell me a story about one of your adventures?"

He shook his head.

"Can I go to the bathroom?"

He gave her a stern look and shook his head.

"What happens if I need to go?"

He shrugged.

"So you're saying I should just pee my pants?"

He gave her an impish grin and nodded.

Rain stared at him for a moment and then started to get up. The Doctor grabbed her shoulders and gently lowered her back into the seat. Then he turned her head so she would stare at him again.

"So no toilet for me?"

He shook his head.

"I just have to sit here until Chicago and watch you be a mime."

He grinned and nodded.

"Will you tell me a story about one of your adventures instead?"

He considered that for a moment and then nodded.

"Good! Please tell me."

The Doctor leaned up and let his tray table down. He balled up his hand and walked it across the table on his fingers. He stopped at the edge and made a rabbit with his other hand. Then he mimed a battle between the two for a minute. Then he settled back in his seat with a smug grin on his face.

"That was it?"

He nodded.

"When did that happen?"

He shrugged and grinned when she laughed.

"You're being a little pest, you know that?"

He waggled his eyebrows and nodded emphatically.

She laid her head against his arm while he gazed at her tenderly. She sighed softly.

"I'm so lucky to be your wife," she murmured. "I couldn't ask for a better husband."

"And I couldn't ask for a better wife," he said.

She looked up at him and laughed when she saw the shocked look on his face.

"You spoke just then."

He nodded and mimed zipping his lip and buttoning it. She laid her hand against his cheek and gave him a gentle kiss. She sighed and leaned her head against his arm while he nuzzled her head and gave her butterfly kisses. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against hers for a moment before he leaned back up.

"I want to tell you something when we get to the hotel, my love," he whispered. "Something special."

"Okay."

He put his face against her hair and breathed in her scent for a moment.

"You are my heaven," he said in her ear. "My lives and my soul. You are all I've ever wanted in a wife and more and I hope the honeymoon never ends."

"Me too, Thete," she whispered back.

He gave her a kiss on her temple before he wrapped his arm around her. He reclined his seat slightly and she did the same.

"Rest with me," he said. "Maybe if we both take a short kip, the hours will fly by and we'll be in Chicago before we know it."

She nodded and he took his arm out from under her and smoothed her hair away from her face before he took her hand. He watched while she closed her eyes and sent loving feelings into her mind before he closed his eyes and let himself take a short nap.


	194. Chapter 194

Chapter One Hundred Ninety Four

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are currently over northern Illinois and we'll land at O'Hare International Airport in approximately ten minutes. Please fasten your seatbelts, put your tray tables and seats into an upright position, extinguish all cigarettes and turn off all electronic devices. I hope you enjoyed your flight, Thank you for flying American Airlines."

"'Bout time," the Doctor muttered as he and Rain woke up.

They raised their seats up and the Doctor raised his tray table and locked it. Rain stroked his cheek.

"We've gotten past the rough part. It won't take that long to get to Orlando," she said.

"I know, thank God," he said.

He glanced over when the plane began to descend and both of them fastened their seatbelts and waited for it to land.

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"Oh God," the Doctor said as he and Rain walked out of the gate and into the waiting area, "my legs. Blessed space to move around in."

Rain checked her watch.

"Do you wanna go eat, love?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Yes. I want something in my stomach besides that bland tasting food they served us."

They found a McDonalds and went inside. The Doctor bent over and rubbed the muscles of his aching legs while they waited in line.

"Are you alright, Thete?"

"Yeah, I'm finally getting the feeling back in my legs. I'll be alright," he said.

They got up to the counter. Rain ordered a cheeseburger meal and the Doctor ordered a quarter pounder with cheese meal. The Doctor paid for both meals and a few minutes later they took them to a booth near the entrance and sat down side by side.

"Ooooh, blimey, I'll be so glad when we get to the hotel and stretch out," he said. "My legs can't take much more of the cramped spaces. I'm sorry but I'm used to the console room of my TARDIS where I could walk around and not be stuck in one place for 13 hours."

He picked up his cheeseburger and bit into it, savoring the juicy flavor in his mouth. They ate for a moment in silence before Rain spoke up.

"Thete, you said you had something to tell me."

"Indeed I do. Something special."

"Can you tell me here?"

"Um, well, I'd rather tell you in private."

"Yeah, but there's no one around us," Rain said, gesturing to the empty tables, "and the workers are too far away to hear it if you whisper it to me. Why can't you just go ahead and tell me now?"

The Doctor munched on a French fry.

"Has my brother ever told you about when I took Donna to The Library?"

"Um…no, he hasn't."

"Well, you wanted to hear one of my adventures so I'll tell you this one," he said.

They both ate while the Doctor told her about going to The Library and meeting River Song. Rain sat spellbound, eating her meal while she hung on her husband's every word. She smiled when she listened to the Doctor talking about the Vashta Nerada. She had heard Rose call her brother that before and she had explained to her what they were but she didn't know they lived in The Library and had menaced the Doctor and Donna and several other people. She was intrigued by this River who seemed to know her husband even though he had no idea who she was at the time. Her heart ached for her and for Donna and all the people who had been trapped by CAL so they could be safe. By the time he finished it was almost an hour and their meals had been eaten but he continued on with his story talking about how he finally met her and been forced to take her with him because he had to preserve past events, even though it meant he would be sending her to his death. Rain took his hand and squeezed it, anguished for her husband and what he had to do to prevent the universe from being destroyed. She thought about how selfless he had been, enduring grief and pain because he had a duty to preserve the course of history. Her heart swelled with love for him and she wished fervently that she had been there to comfort him. When he finished another half hour had gone by and he rose with her and they threw away their rubbish before walking back to their gate.

"The reason I was telling you all this," he said while they walked, "is because even though I told you I didn't want my true name known, I still had to tell her because I was forced into it since apparently that's what my future self had done. I cared for River, she was a great friend but I never loved her the way I love you. But I had to keep up this charade because that was also a part of the timeline. I hated every moment of it. I hated lying to her and making her think I was in love with her when I wasn't. I regretted sending her to her death, my love, but I had to do it."

He led her over to a couch and they sat down. The Doctor glanced around and made sure they were alone before he laid his hand against her cheek.

"I know what I said about never telling you my true name but I've been giving it a lot of thought lately and I hate that I told River my name and yet you, my beloved wife and the love of my lives, can never know it."

"Thete…you…want to tell me?"

He nodded.

"I trust you, my Latara. I know you would keep it to yourself and never tell a soul."

"No, I wouldn't. But…are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. Because I want the woman I love to share in my most intimate secret. A secret that is known by one other person in the whole of creation and if I had my choice, she would never have known it. This is the ultimate expression of my love because not even Rose knows this and you must never; never tell her or anyone else, do you understand?"

"I understand, my love, I won't ever tell anyone, I swear that to you," she said, stroking his cheek.

He pulled her close and put her hair behind her ear. He kissed her ear lobe before he put his lips against her ear. A tear streaked down Rain's cheek while she listened to her husband whisper his real name to her. When he was finished he took her face in his hands and turned it towards him.

"Now you know, my love," he said. "You know my true identity and I trust you with this secret just as I trusted you when I was Morana."

"And I'll never betray that trust, Thete, I swear that to you."

He put his forehead against hers for a moment and then kissed it.

"Come my Latara, we need to go catch our flight now," he said.

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On the way to Orlando, the flight attendant passed out blankets and pillows. Rain requested one and to her surprise her husband did too.

"Sleeping made the hours go by," he said. "So I'm gonna do it for this leg of the trip as well."

They reclined their seats, put the pillows behind their heads and spread the blanket over their bodies. The Doctor stared at her while she got herself adjusted.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

"I still can't believe you did that. Your deepest secret and you entrusted me with it."

"Why wouldn't I entrust you with it? You hid me when I was Morana so you've proven yourself more than trustworthy. You are my wife. If anyone deserves to know my name, it's you."

"Your name is so beautiful, my love," she said. "I love the way it sounds."

He smiled and leaned over to give her a kiss. He clasped her hand in his and both of them closed their eyes. Rain smiled while she thought of his name over and over, loving the sound of it and the fact that he loved her enough to reveal it. That thought and his name followed her into her dreams while she drifted off to sleep beside her beloved husband.

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She stirred when she heard the captain announcing they were about to land. She opened her eyes and saw the Doctor staring at her with a smile on his face.

"We finally made it," he said to her.

"Yes, I can't wait to start our second honeymoon."

"Me too. This is gonna be fun."

"Have you ever been to Disneyworld?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"I went to the opening day of Disneyland in 1955 just to say I went. It wasn't that fun. Most of the rides broke down that day. I hope history doesn't repeat itself over the next five days because I really do want to enjoy what Disneyworld has to offer."

"Me too. I hope it's as good as Tokyo Disney but I have a feeling it'll be better because there's so much more to it."

They felt the plane begin to descend.

"When we get to the airport we'll find a car rental place and I'll rent a car and drive us to a hotel. You go ahead and relax and get some more sleep so you'll be awake and alert when we go to Chuck-E-Cheese," he said, winking.

They grunted when the plane landed on the runway and both of them uncovered themselves and prepared to get off the plane.

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After getting their rucksacks from the baggage carousel, they found an Avis booth and the Doctor rented them a car for six days. Rain filled out the forms using her dad's address and phone number while the Doctor picked out a car for them. He decided on a Honda Civic and Rain gave the man the clipboard with the information while the Doctor paid for the rental. By the time they were done Rain was exhausted and yawning. The Doctor got the keys, took her hand and they walked out to the car park where they found the Civic near the back. It was a silver 2008 model. The Doctor opened the doors and both of them took off their rucksacks and stowed them in the back before Rain walked around and got in the passenger side. They shut the doors and she closed her eyes and relaxed while the Doctor started the car and backed out of the parking space. He glanced at his wife and gave her a loving smile before he turned the car and headed out of the lot.

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He found a Holiday Inn near the airport and stopped at it. He gently nudged his wife awake and both of them grabbed the rucksacks and headed in to check into a room. The night air was warm compared to Japan and Rain smiled loving the feel of it on her skin. Her heart ached briefly knowing that her family and friend were still having to endure the cold air and she hoped they'd be alright.

They checked in for two nights and got a single room on the second floor. The Doctor led his wife, who was by now half awake, to the elevator and they went up. He found their room and they went inside. He pulled back the covers for her while she took her shoes and socks off. He sat on the edge of the bed and did the same thing and once both of them were ready, they crawled in together. The Doctor turned off the light and snuggled close to her while he pulled the covers up around them. He rubbed her back and kissed her head while she drifted off to sleep.

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The Doctor let her sleep in for awhile, letting her exhausted body rest while he went to see what the hotel had to offer. He found a little restaurant and ordered a couple of dinners to go so they could eat up in the room after they spent the day exploring. Then he found a little shop and went inside. He looked around and found a silk rose. Smiling, he bought it and a little blank card for his wife. He then walked around and saw what else they had before heading upstairs with the food and the gifts. When he entered Rain was still asleep so he quietly put the food in the mini fridge. He grabbed a pen from the dresser and sat at the table writing her a little note inside the card. Once he was finished, he laid it and the rose on his side of the bed so she would see it when she woke and went to get some ice for their room.

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The Doctor sat at the table and watched TV while he waited for his wife to awaken. Around noon she finally stirred and the Doctor watched her intently. He smiled when she opened her eyes and noticed the rose lying there. She grabbed it and stared at it with a smile on her face that made the Doctor's hearts melt. Then she took the card and stared at the front. It was pink with a big red sparkly heart on it. The caption above it read…

FOR MY LOVE.

Rain smiled and opened it up.

My Latara,

I was bored and kept on waiting for your snoozy little butt to wake but it never did so I went off on a fabulous exploration of our Orlando Holiday Inn and guess what, I found one of my favorite things in the whole entire universe…a little shop. So I moseyed inside (love the word mosey, it's a fun word to say along with sashayed.) and I found a little gift for you so you'd have something special when you woke up. Not that I'm not a special thing to wake up to, in and of myself, but I just wanted a little something extra to kick off this fun little holiday in Orlando. So I brought you a little rose and a card to let you know how much you mean to me and to demonstrate my husbandly skills i.e. the fact that I can pick out romantic, sentimental things for my significant other and make your heart melt on a warm Florida day.

I want to tell you how much you mean to me and how chuffed I am that you are in my life and have decided to give your heart to this old, worn out geriatric fart who felt as if he has been through the very depths of Hell and lived to tell the tale and has been all around Time and Space and back again. Just the fact that you would shag a 1200 year old man astounds me. I still have it in my advanced, advanced, advanced, advanced old age, huzzah for me. (Hee hee.) I bet when you look at me you aren't even thinking I'm 1200 years plus, are you? It's the face and the millions of pounds I spend on Botox injections, they really, really work, honestly! Costs a lot to look this good, let me tell you!

But all kidding aside, you are a remarkable woman, my Latara, and I can't wait to spend however many years we have together in wedded bliss. I am just aching to take you on board my TARDIS and show you all the universe has to offer but for now I'm content to explore Disney with you at my side (except for the Tiki Room apparently, I have been warned away from that place by my brother and if experience has taught me anything, it's stay away from strange rooms where birds sing corny songs that make you want to rip your eyes out of your sockets.) In the short time we've known each other you have become my whole universe and I can't imagine not having you in my life now. You have been my lover, friend and confidant and I am so blessed to know you. Just remember that I am near you always, my love, and every time you turn you'll see me right behind you. (as a loving husband, mind, not as a demented Fatal Attraction stalker type who builds elaborate photo shrines and rolls around naked in pig's blood while they fantasize about your beautiful body…can you tell I was really, really bored while I was writing this, hee hee!) I am so glad we got married. You are the perfect wife and I hope I will make the perfect husband or, if not, a fairly close facsimile. I love you, my darling, with all my hearts and every molecule within my body.

Yours for the rest of your life and beyond,

Thete.

Rain looked around and let out a joyful yell as she got out of bed and embraced him.

"Thank you so much!" she said.

"You're welcome," the Doctor said, holding her tightly. "I just thought I'd get you a little something. I'm glad you liked it."

"I do. I love everything. The card, the rose and especially the note. Thank you so much, Thete."

He smiled and gave her one more hug.

"So…shall we go to this Chuck-E-Cheese I've been hearing so much about?"

She nodded and kissed him on the lips. She put her card and rose in her rucksack and they quickly got their shoes and socks on. Then holding each other's hands, they walked out the door and headed downstairs to ask for directions to Chuck-E-Cheese.


	195. Chapter 195

Chapter One Hundred Ninety Five

(14 hours earlier…)

Awinita yawned as she settled into her bedroll and pulled her travel blanket up to her neck. All of them had gone to bed about an hour earlier except for her. She had done a few crossword puzzles by the light of her torch before she also decided to call it a night. She put her book by the side of her tent and turned out the light. Closing her eyes she drifted off to sleep.

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Awinita jerked her eyes open when she felt her tent vibrating. Her sleep addled mind tried to work out what was going on. Was someone shaking the tent?

"DAMN IT, QUIT SHAKING OUR TENT!" she heard Alan screaming, "IT WASN'T FUNNY THE FIRST TIME!"

"No one's shaking your tent!" Mingxia yelled. "Mine's shaking too."

There was a pause.

"OH HELL! EVERYONE OUT! EARTHQUAKE!" Alan screamed.

Awinita's eyes flew open and she quickly pushed her bedroll down away from her body and unzipped her flap. She pushed it aside and was about to get out when the shaking stopped and everything became still. She noticed everyone else was out or almost out and they were all looking around in confusion.

"Everyone alright?" Rose asked.

They nodded.

"I'm sorry I yelled, I thought someone was shaking our tent again," Alan said.

"Me too," Awinita said.

"Yeah, same here, it took me a moment to realize it was an earthquake," Mingxia said.

"I'm just glad none of these trees toppled over on us," Alan said.

Suddenly, there was an aftershock.

"Right! Everyone out of the woods until this calms down," Alan said, taking Rose's hand.

They reached into their tents, grabbed their torches, turned them on and ran through the darkness to safety.

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After getting a couple of disposable cameras from the gift shop, the Doctor and Rain headed for the front desk. The Doctor inquired about Chuck-E-Cheese and thanked the man behind it when he finished giving him directions. On the way out the door, he picked up a few travel brochures from a rack and they headed out to the car.

"Maybe we can find something else to do after we eat," the Doctor said, handing them to her.

He unlocked the car and they climbed inside. The Doctor started it up while they shut their doors and he backed out of the parking space and drove off.

While they drove, Rain pulled her mobile out of her pocket.

"I better call Rose since I was too tired to do it last night," she said to him.

He nodded and she opened it up and dialed the number. Rose picked it up on the second ring.

"Sis, is that you?" she said between gasps.

Rain frowned.

"Rose, what's wrong?"

"We just had an earthquake here."

The Doctor glanced at her when she gasped.

"What is it?"

"They just had an earthquake there."

The Doctor's eyebrows rose. He turned on the radio and tried to find the news.

"Oh my God, are you guys alright?" Rain said.

"Yeah, hon, we're fine. All it did was shake the tents. There wasn't any damage," Rose said soothingly. "Alan and I thought for a moment that someone else was shaking our tent as a prank like Imiko did but then everyone else said their tent was shaking and that's when Alan realized what it was. But we made it out of the woods and we're just standing here in the clearing until the aftershocks quit. Did you make it to your hotel?"

"Yeah, we checked in this morning about four a.m. I'm sorry we didn't call last night but I was exhausted and all I did was go to sleep."

"S'alright, Rain, I figured that's what you did. I'm just glad you're both safe."

"You too. The Doctor is trying to find something on the radio about it."

"Found it. Can you put her on speaker, love?"

"Doctor wants me to put you on speaker, Rose."

"Okay."

She hit the speaker button.

"Rose, I'm glad you guys are safe," the Doctor said.

"Yeah, so am I."

"According to the news broadcast, the epicenter was about twenty miles north of Hiroshima and it registered a 4.3 on the Richter scale."

They heard Rose relaying the information to the others.

"There are no reports of casualties yet but there is some damage near the epicenter. But Hiroshima is far south of you which is why you only got a little shake," the Doctor said.

He heard her relaying the information to the others.

"Thanks, Doctor, we wondered what was going on. It's nearly midnight here and we were all jolted out of our sleep by it."

"I'm just thankful no trees fell on you," the Doctor said.

"Yes, so are we….damn, there's another little aftershock. It's gone now though, the first one lasted for maybe 45 seconds, the second one was about 15 and this was only a few seconds so I think it's dying down now."

The Doctor found the Chuck-E-Cheese and pulled into the parking lot.

"We're at Chuck-E-Cheese, Rose," Rain said. "We just pulled into the parking lot."

Rose relayed this to the others and they could hear the laughing in the background.

"Brother?" Alan said.

"Yes, Alan?"

"Listen, there's this game in there called Skee ball. You roll this ball into a series of holes. Play that. It's incredibly simple and you can get an armload of prize tickets from it."

Rain giggled when the Doctor chuckled at that.

"I will," he said. "Do they have good prizes?"

"Oh yes, lots of nice little trinkets you can annoy Rain with."

His eyes twinkled while he gazed at Rain.

"Well then, I'll definitely have to win some then," he said, turning off the car.

Rain took the mobile and they got out of the car, locked it and walked into the restaurant.

"We're goin' in, Bro," she said to him.

"Still got it on speaker?" he said.

"Yup."

"Hold it out; I wanna hear my brother's reaction."

She held the phone out and looked at her husband. He was staring at the arcade, noises, giggling children and yelling teenagers that were all around him.

"Wow, sensory overload!" he said while Rain laughed.

She took his hand and they got in the queue. Rain could hear them giggling while they heard the beeps and boops of the arcade games.

"Oh yeah, the familiar sounds of the arcade games," Alan said. "What kind of pizza are ya getting?"

"Everything on the pizza, love?" she asked.

"Yup."

"We're getting everything."

"Nice choice! Get some mozzarella sticks as well," Alan said.

"Gotcha."

They moved up in the line.

"Listen, we better let you go and let you enjoy Chuck-E-Cheese. Call back soon and don't worry about us, we're all okay," Alan said.

"Okay, Bro, take care. I miss you."

"I miss you too, tons and tons. Isn't the same in the camp without your faces peeking out of your pup tent," he said. "Here I'll let you say goodbye to everyone else."

He handed it off and both Rain and the Doctor said their goodbyes and told them how much they missed them.

"Let us know what happens," Rose said, "and take plenty of photos. We want this documented, alright?"

"Alright, Sis! We gotta go; we're the next ones to order."

"Alright, have fun! Bye!"

"Bye!" they said in unison.

Rain put her phone back in her pocket while they placed their order.

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They got a super combo pizza, mozzarella sticks, a large order of fries, a Coke and a Mountain dew. They took their cokes and the little piece of plastic with their number on it and moved into the main dining room. Rain led the Doctor to the front and they sat down in front of the stage which was currently obscured by the heavy curtain. The Doctor looked around him with curiosity at the different people in the dimly lit room.

"When our food is ready they'll call the number on a loudspeaker," Rain said to him.

"You mean we have to do all the work? For the amount of money we just paid?" the Doctor said. "How lazy can you get?"

"Number 12 your pizza is ready, number 12," a man said over the loudspeaker.

"We're number 15 so listen for that," Rain said.

"What? You mean we can't go and take 14's food before they get up there?"

He winked when she giggled.

He looked up when the lights dimmed and shut off while the curtain opened.

"I suppose this is the show I've heard so much about."

"Yup," Rain said, getting her camera ready.

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Rain was giggling at the bewildered look on her husband's face while he watched the show going on in front of him. Chuck-E-Cheese was currently doing his rendition of the Jackson Five's ABC and the look on the Doctor's face was priceless. She snapped a few photos although she wasn't sure if they would come out since the room was so dark. The Doctor's eyes scanned across the stage while he took in the jerky movements of the band.

"You know, this is disturbing on so many levels," he finally said to Rain.

Just then their number was called.

"Come on, Thete, we gotta get our food," she said.

Both of them stood up. Rain took his hand. He cast one more look back at the robots and shook his head before walking off with her.

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By the time they got back the show had ended and both of them munched their pizza and sipped their soft drinks. Rain had gotten the mozzarella sticks and the Doctor had gotten the French fries and they were sharing them with each other.

"These cheese sticks aren't too bad," the Doctor said.

"Alan loves em. He said you never tried them before."

"I hadn't but I do like them. Probably not as much as my brother does but I do like them."

"What'd you think of the show?"

She laughed when the odd look returned.

"I have never seen anything like it and I have traveled time and space for almost a thousand years now. Whoever came up with this concept was heavily into drugs or barmy or both. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be eating pizza and listening to some purple lump at a piano sing Bob Segar's Old Time Rock and Roll. I gather this is the type of place you take people to gauge their reactions to this robot band? Because I suddenly have the urge to bring Jack here and watch his face. And I'm sure Jack would wanna bring Ianto and Gwen and so on and so on. That's it, isn't it? You wanted to bring me here to see my face."

He grinned when she giggled.

"Aaaah, thought so, my love. See, I cotton on pretty quickly. Although…the pizza is delicious and the chips and cheese sticks as well, they more than make up for the disturbing robotic freak show over there."

He fed her a bit of pepperoni.

"Still, I wouldn't miss this for the world. I enjoy being here with you eating pizza and looking at your beautiful face."

He paused when the house lights dimmed again and the curtain started to open.

"Oh boy," he said while she laughed, "here we go again."

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"Okay, so this is the Skee ball thing Alan was talking about?" he said pointing to the game in front of him.

"Yup, this is it. Here let me show you how to do it."

She inserted a token and the wooden balls rolled down the chute. She picked one up and rolled it down the lane while the Doctor watched it intently. She scored ten points and looked at him.

"See, simple," she said.

She frowned when she heard him muttering a bunch of mathematical equations under his breath while his eyes scrutinized every inch of the game. After a minute of this, he gently made his wife step aside and took one of the balls. He bowled it and smiled when he got fifty points.

"Yup, just like Bro," she said. "Now you're gonna get an armload of tickets."

He grinned at her.

"It's all science and mathematics, love," he said to her.

He bowled another 50 pointer. Rain stood by and watched while he bowled 50 points again and again and collected his tickets. He stared at the red tickets in confusion.

"When you get done you take them up to this counter up front and you can use them to trade for prizes," she said.

"Well, what about you? Don't you wanna play something? Surely, you don't wanna stand here and watch me use up all the tokens."

"No, I'll play it with you. I won't be bowling perfect games but I'll play it."

She moved to the one directly beside him and took a token from the pouch. The Doctor did the same and both of them played Skee ball together.

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As expected, the Doctor had more tickets than she did. She laughed at the proud smile on his face while he brought them up to the prize counter. Once they got there, he paused and let her go first so he could see what she got. She had won fifteen tickets and she chose a little yellow ball with Chuck-E-Cheese's face on it and a purple plastic ring with the remainder of the tickets. Then she stepped back and let the Doctor have his turn. He laid the tickets on the counter and scratched his chin while he looked at all the prizes. He grinned when he got a tiny ukulele with the Chuck-E-Cheese logo on it, a yo-yo, a whistle and a kazoo. She laughed when he took his prizes and walked out the front door with her. Halfway to the car, he stopped her and when she turned around he held the ukulele in front of him and began to strum it rapidly while he sang out, "LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Rain bent over laughing as he kept on doing that while he walked to the car.

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After sitting in the car and perusing the brochures, they finally decided to go to a nearby Hollywood wax museum. They drove about ten miles north and found it just off the interstate. It was a tiny white stucco building with HOLLYWOOD WAX MUSEUM in big red letters above the front door.

"Hmm, you know I've been to Madame Tussauds before but somehow I have a feeling this is not gonna be quite as good," he said to her.

They got out, paid the admission fee and held hands while they explored the exhibits. The wax figures were extremely realistic although not as realistic as Madam Tussauds. Still, they had fun identifying all the famous stars. There were, however, a few movie stars the Doctor had never heard of before. One of them was a big muscular ginger haired man who was dressed only in tight leather pants and was pointing an Uzi while he screamed.

"Who is this?" the Doctor asked her.

Rain blinked in surprise.

"You don't know Frank Terello?"

The Doctor stared at him.

"Uh…no, can't say I've ever heard the name."

"He was in The Cobra Strikes. That's what they're showing here. His character, The Cobra. You really haven't heard of him? He's world famous."

"No, Latara, because he's not world famous in my universe. In fact, I don't believe there is a major movie star called Frank Terello. This is one of those little differences between your universe and mine."

"Oh, well he's an action movie hero. He's made a lot of blockbuster action movies and this is his most famous."

The Doctor nodded. They moved on to the next exhibit, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Rain looked at him.

"You know him?"

"Yes, him I know."

"He was the president."

"Not in my universe. He's only gotten to be governor of California so far."

"He was that too. But now he's out of office. Barack Obama is the president now."

The Doctor nodded.

"In my reality as well."

Rain smiled.

"This is interesting. I mean, I know you come from an alternate reality but I didn't realize there were all these little differences."

"Well, it's only a parallel universe so that's why. Most of the things I've seen exist in my reality except for the zeppelins in the sky, those aren't in use anymore. But so far I've recognized everyone in this museum except for Franky boy and a few others so it's not that different."

They moved on and came to a doorway leading to a dimly lit room at the end of the room they were in. They entered it and immediately saw a family of four hanging by their necks behind a Perspex case. A sign at the back of the case said…

THE FAMILY THAT SWAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER.

"N'yuk, n'yuk," the Doctor muttered as they moved on.

He quickly realized with disgust that this room was dedicated to horror movies. He stared at the exhibits with revulsion while they passed by Jason Voorhees who had a scantily clad woman pressed up against a tree while he prepared to slit her throat. They passed by Freddy Krueger who was smiling evilly at them while he held his finger knives up in front of his face and Leatherface who was preparing to dismember a terrified man hanging on a meat hook with his chainsaw. He shook his head wondering why humans were so fascinated with gruesome scenes of death and carnage when there were plenty of real horrors in the universe.

Rain was casually glancing at the exhibits not really caring that much about them, but slowly she became aware of her husband's anger in her mind. She turned to look at him and saw him glaring at a torture scene from Hostel. She suddenly understood why he was so angry and took his hand.

"Come on, Thete, we've seen enough of this," she said.

He gave her a grateful smile and they quickly hurried to the other end of the exhibit.

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"Well that was a fascinating little diversion," he said when they got back in the car.

"Yeah, except for the horror movie section."

He shook his head.

"Why you lot like that stuff, I'll never know," he said. "I've seen horrors that make those films look like children's movies."

She laid a hand on his arm and he smiled at her while he picked the brochures up. They read through them and he began to giggle.

"This sounds interesting, Latara, they have a mystery dinner party where you go and eat and watch a mystery being acted out and then you interrogate the actors and try to solve it. How 'bout that?"

"Yeah, that sounds cool."

"Well, it starts tonight at 8 so we can back to the hotel and rest awhile, eh?"

He grinned at her.

"I love a good mystery," he said, nuzzling her cheek.

Rain was overjoyed that he was happy again after walking through the horror movie section of the museum and she wanted nothing more than to keep him happy since she got to reap the benefits from it in her mind.

The Doctor started up the car and headed back to their hotel.

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The theater where the dinner was being held was in downtown Orlando. They got there about an hour before the start of the show and were shown into an auditorium that had fifteen round tables in front of a stage that was closed off by a red velvet curtain. They were seated at a table with a blood red table cloth and given a choice of drinks. They chose Pepsi and Mountain Dew and sat and talked with each other. Eventually they were joined by a couple from Michigan, Ross and Susanne Love. Both were in their late twenties, Ross was a dentist and Susanne was an optometrist. Ross had short black hair, a thin face and pale blue eyes. Susanne was plumper with long flowing red hair, round face and green eyes. The four of them chatted while they were served their drinks, salad, crackers with cheese spread, dinner rolls and assorted hot and cold hors d'oeuvres that were placed on a lazy susan in the middle of the table. The Doctor grinned at Rain.

"Oooo, nibbles, I love nibbles," he said as she giggled.

They were given menus with a choice of Cornish game hen, prime rib or lasagna. The Doctor chose the prime rib with baked potato and vegetables and Rain chose the lasagna with vegetables and garlic bread. After everyone had ordered the waiter took the menus and went to serve the other participants. The Doctor looked around at the tables surrounding the stage and counted twenty other people of various ages and races. The Doctor ladled some of the Swedish meatballs onto his plate, skewered one and fed it to Rain. Ross and Susanne smiled.

"Are you two dating?" Susanne asked.

"Married," the Doctor said proudly.

"Oh, how long?" Ross asked.

"About four days," Rain said.

"Oh really? Congratulations," Susanne said. "We've been married for five years now."

"So where are you from?"

The Doctor bit his lip when he sensed his wife fighting the urge to blurt out where he truly came from.

"Um, I'm from London," he said.

"And I'm from Monument Valley in Arizona," Rain added.

"We're both from Michigan. I'm originally from Detroit and she's from Lansing. We met at college and became sweethearts and after we graduated we decided to get married. What about you? Where did you meet?"

"I met her in Arizona," the Doctor said without missing a beat. "I write a column for a travel magazine in London and I was sent on assignment to Monument Valley. I stayed the night at her father's hotel and met her there. I decided to interview her and we hit it off and after a whirlwind courtship of one week we were married in Kyoto where I had my next assignment."

Rain was stunned that the Doctor was able to come up with all that off the top of his head. She wondered how many times he had to make up bullshit stories like that to get himself out of trouble.

"Kyoto sounds lovely," Susanne said.

The Doctor nodded while he munched on a meatball.

"Working for a travel magazine sounds interesting," Ross said.

"Oh it is. It's such a fascinating job. I mean one day you might be in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. and the next day you could be watching Tahitian dancing on Bora Bora. I never know where I'm gonna end up."

Rain quickly took a drink of her Mountain Dew trying not to let them see the smile that was spreading over her face. It took all she had not to laugh hysterically at the crazy lie that he was just calmly spinning for his enraptured audience.

The Doctor, loving the fact that he had them hooked on his tall tale, leaned in and stared at them with wide eyes.

"Course there was the time that I was captured by the Magumba tribe in the heart of the Amazon rainforest and was nearly sacrificed to their tribal god, Malshanda. I managed to get out of it by wedding the chieftain's daughter, Yapyap and becoming kin to the living god of the Magumba tribe. Course I managed to sneak out of the village after the drunken celebration of our nuptials and made it to safety. Then I had the marriage annulled back in London."

"Wow," Susanna said with wide eyes. "It's a good thing you escaped."

"I know. I was extremely lucky since I wasn't the first unfortunate soul to be sacrificed to their god. The ground around the altar was littered with the bleached bones of the dead that went before me. On the other hand, the whole harrowing experience made quite an intriguing article and I got quite a substantial raise that…"

Rain couldn't hold it in any longer.

"I'm sorry," she said, trying not to laugh, "I need to go to the restroom. If you'll excuse me."

She quickly got up and hurried out of the auditorium. Once she was outside, she leaned up against the wall while she laughed hysterically. A moment later the door opened and the Doctor strolled out, giggling. He walked over to her and stood in front of her.

"Something the matter, Latara?" he said amused. "I thought you needed to use the loo and instead I find you out here against the wall wetting yourself with laughter."

"You are good!" she said, pointing at him. "Oh God, that was so great. I can't believe how easily you did that and you had them hook, line and sinker. You're very talented at making up stories."

"Thank you; I pride myself on my homespun stories and fibs."

"I'm sorry, I had to leave because I couldn't hold the laughter in any more. The look on their faces…God, they didn't doubt you for a second. They even believed the whole sacrifice/marriage thing. Oh God, Thete, there's never a dull moment with you. You and your brother both entertain the hell outta me."

He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Ready to go back in and watch a mystery?"

She nodded and the Doctor took her hand and led her back inside.

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The Doctor and Rain giggled at the mystery enfolding in front of them. The premise was there was a manor in the English countryside called Celestial Manor that had numerous crop circles in their wheat fields over the years. The wheat grown in the field had been used to make Celestial Cookies that had such an other-worldly taste that they drew devotees from all over the world to stay at the manor. The proprietors Marion and Oliver were extremely protective of the manor's secret recipe and when one of the guests found out the truth and was murdered they were suspected along with another couple named Reginald and Katarina who were trying to disgrace Marion and Oliver and ruin them so they could take control of the manor. A constable, Beryl had been called to the manor to investigate. The whole thing was played for laughs and both the Doctor and Rain were having a great time along with everyone else. The Doctor grinned while he dined on his prime rib. He had the solution already figured out so he was just enjoying the antics of the actors and the audience questions while they tried to solve the mystery. He was also laughing at the exaggerated English accents they all had and he wished that Alan and Rose and the rest of his loved ones could be here to see this.

After the main portion of the play was done, the actors sat on plush red velvet chairs and settees while they fielded questions from the audience and gave them answers to their questions, sometimes containing clues, sometimes just pure comedic improvisation. The Doctor didn't bother with asking any questions wanting everyone else to have a shot at solving it. But then his wife's hand went up and "Beryl" pointed to her.

"Yes, young lady," she said in a nasally voice.

"Yes, you said that originally there were crop circles in the wheat field which would suggest aliens have visited the manor. I just wanted to know if you believe in the existence of aliens?"

The Doctor grinned at that.

Beryl gave her a haughty look.

"I most certainly do not, young lady. There is absolutely no proof that aliens exist. Believing in such rubbish is childish in my opinion. Aliens are the stuff of fairy tales and science fiction movies, not real life."

The Doctor just couldn't resist. He raised his hand and Beryl pointed to him.

"But what if aliens walked among humans, looking like them but not them?" he said innocently.

He grinned when Rain had to slam her hand over her mouth to keep her laughter in.

Beryl's mouth dropped open.

"Sir, that is complete poppycock. An alien in human form walking among us is complete and utter nonsense. Surely you cannot believe something so ridiculous."

Rain bit her lip and glanced at him. He gave her a wink.

"I do actually. I believe wholeheartedly in the existence of aliens and I believe that some might walk among humans and…"

He paused dramatically.

"Marry them," he finished up.

"Oh God, Thete, I can't believe you said that," Rain muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me, young man," Reginald said, "but have you recently been committed to an insane asylum and escaped from it? What balderdash! I agree with PC Longstreet. There are no such things as aliens and even if there were, they wouldn't be marrying humans. The very idea."

"Yeah, you're right, it is farfetched," the Doctor said, "I'm a loony for even thinking of it."

Everyone in the auditorium laughed while the Doctor poked his human wife in the ribs.

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Rain laughed hysterically as they left the building.

"Oh God, Thete, I can't believe you had the gall to ask the whole aliens walk among us question. That took guts."

"Well, I was just following up to your do aliens exist question. That took guts as well"

"So, did you think it was Marion all along?"

"Oh yeah," he said. "I had that figured out almost from the start. I figured she murdered the guest to frame her husband so he'd be sent to prison and she could declare him insane and gain control of the biscuit business. Had that figured out ages ago."

They got in their car and shut the doors.

"So…ready to go back to our hotel and rest so we can see Disney tomorrow?"

She nodded. They fastened their seatbelts, he started the car and they left for the hotel.


	196. Chapter 196

Chapter One Hundred Ninety Six

After an uneasy sleep, the four of them woke bright and early and tended to their usual camp chores, Alan found a small rabbit in the snare and brought it back to the campsite. He sat with Awinita and watched while she skinned it, giving her pointers and correcting her when she made a mistake. After it had been carved up and put in the container they went and had their customary meeting with the others. Rose suggested resting for awhile since the Doctor and Rain were going to be at Disney for five days and they didn't have much further to go.

"If we can do ten miles a day, it'll only take us three more days to reach Iga-Ueno," Rose said to them. "So let's just rest here awhile."

"Well since we found a stream again, I'm gonna do some fishing," Alan said. "Maybe we can have some of the rabbit this afternoon and some fish tonight."

She nodded and Alan grabbed one of the collapsible fishing rods and the bait and headed towards the stream.

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He had been there a couple of hours just resting up against a tree while he fished. So far, he had caught one fish but it had been too small and he had to throw it back. He stared at the tiny red bobber floating in the gently flowing stream while his mind was a million miles away. He was so preoccupied that he didn't realize his wife was there until she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Wotcha," she said.

He smiled at her.

"Hullo there, my sweet little wife."

"You catch anything?"

"One but I had to chuck it back in the stream. It was just a baby fishy."

He noticed the other fishing pole in her hand.

"Mind if I give it a go?" she said.

"Not at all, sit down. Maybe between the two of us we'll catch something. I wanna talk to you anyway."

Rose settled down against another tree a few feet away.

"Yeah? What about?" she said, reaching into the container for some bee larva to put on her hook.

"Brother and I were talking just before he left and both of us are tired of having the constant threat of the Valeyard hangin' over our heads. We need to mount an attack while he's unaware of what's been happening down here. We have to stop him now before Rain or Awinita or Mingxia get hurt."

Rose sighed when she cast her line out into the stream.

"I've been dreadin' this ever since we found the Doctor," she said.

"I don't like it either, Rose. But he's not gonna give up and go away and leave us in peace. Sooner or later he's gonna come down here and attack. If he does that then the people we love will be in danger. It's us he wants. You, me and the Doctor. That's who he came after in the first place. If we can take the battle to him then we can keep them out of danger."

"You seriously think the three of them will just let us go up there without an argument?"

"They're gonna have to because they aren't ready yet. You and me and the Doctor are the only one with any real fighting skills. If they go up against the Valeyard, even Mingxia, they'll be annihilated. If the Valeyard finds out that the Doctor married Rain then she'll become a target as well. We can't let that happen to her. We can't let her or Awinita or Mingxia suffer. I hate that you are a part of this. I want nothing more than to put you with the rest but we just can't spare you. You know how to handle yourself and you can help us up there."

"And what if we get captured? All of us? What if the Valeyard is too strong?"

Alan sighed.

"Then perhaps he will leave Earth's orbit and leave them alone while we make our escape. We have the protector, Rose. The TARDIS promised I'd have help. Surely this voice, whoever it is, isn't any lightweight especially since she seems to have the ability to manipulate reality. So we'll have her as well but I just don't want to wait any more. I don't want this impending doom hanging over our heads any longer. It's time to make a stand."

"And when are we supposed to do this, Alan? The Doctor is on his honeymoon now."

"We'll do it when he gets back. I asked him not to tell Rain any of this so it won't spoil their holiday."

"What does it matter? She's gonna be worried to distraction if the Doctor tells her he's goin' up there. It won't be any easier for her to bear if he tells her after they get back from Disney!"

"But we would be here to comfort her."

"Oh, come off it, Alonzo. She could have the whole of England tryin' to comfort her and it still wouldn't make a difference. She's gonna be worried sick about em no matter what we say to her. I know that we're her family and we love her but this is her husband we're talkin''bout. Her husband that has already been captured and enslaved once by that monster. You don't think that's gonna go through her mind the whole time he's up there? It'll be the same thing with Awinita. She loves you to bits and the thought of her half human brother up there fighting the Valeyard isn't gonna sit well with her either. I know it needs to be done, I get that and I'm willing to fight by your sides. But please don't hold any illusions that the three of them are gonna be alright down here simply because we promise them we won't get hurt or captured. And don't think they aren't gonna protest and beg us to come along, especially Rain. I don't know if you've noticed but Rain is extremely protective of the Doctor and if he tells her he's going up into space to go fight the man that tried to destroy him she's gonna do everything within her power to go with him. I don't know if the Doctor will be able to calm her down and make her see reason but it's not gonna be pretty, I know that much."

Alan fell silent while he watched the bobber.

"Love, this is gonna be hell on all of us," she said, gently. "I know you're trying to spare your sister's feelings during her honeymoon but she's gonna cry eventually because the man she loves is marching himself back into the lion's den. But…as callous as this sounds, she's also gonna have to get used to it if she wants to travel with him because they're gonna be in danger constantly. I worried about the Doctor too but I eventually learned to tune that out in the thick of things so I could deal with the problem at hand. She'll have to learn that as well as Awinita otherwise they'll be too distracted and worried to be of any use. The Doctor will help his wife with that and we have to help Awinita and to an extent Mingxia because they need to learn to deal with this if they're gonna be his and your companions."

He nodded.

"You're right, Rose. The Doctor's life is the life that Rain chose to accept when she married him and she'll have to learn to accept the danger that comes with time travel. You know that better than anyone since you fell in love with him too. It's no different from being the wife of a soldier or a fireman or a policeman. He has a high risk job and she married into that when she married him. But, I still would like her to have a pleasant honeymoon without any worries so she'll have those memories to cherish forever. I don't think the Valeyard will attack in the next six days and if he does, we can handle him. As far as I know, he still thinks we're in China anyway so that's why I want to wait until they get back to break the news to Te'lesu. I want to be there to soothe her along with her husband and let her know we'll be alright."

"That's all well and good, Alan but exactly how are you gonna get up there? Last time I looked you didn't have a transmat beam or a TARDIS. All this talk of fighting him isn't worth a fig if you can't get up there."

"We'll figure out something. Perhaps the Doctor still has the ability to mind link with him and then he can tell the Valeyard he's captured us so he'll teleport all of us up. Then once we get up there the three of us can overpower him with the help of the TARDIS. That's just one idea but as I said let's wait till my brother gets back before we sort out what to do."

She sighed.

"I just hope you two know what you're doin'," she said. "Because I hate to think how brokenhearted Rain and Awinita and Mingxia will be if we fail and end up dead or enslaved forever."

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"Love?"

Rain opened her eyes and saw the Doctor gazing down at her lovingly.

"Time to wake and get ready for the first day of our Disney adventure," he said rubbing her back.

"What time is it?"

"Seven in the morning. I figure we could get a quick shower and sort ourselves out before we head over there. I checked the weather forecast earlier and it's gonna be 75 degrees, which means shorts for you which means lots of leering at your lovely leggys."

She giggled and sat up on the other side of the bed while the Doctor lay there and admired her.

"Yup, nothin' like walkin' through a Disney park loving the look of my lovely lady's luscious long and lanky leggys."

She laughed.

"Got enough L's in that sentence?"

He winked at her.

"I already cleansed my body earlier so you can have at it while I dream about your long and lanky, lovely, lean, lascivious, luscious, look at that I'm the luckiest man in the world leggys."

She leaned back over and kissed her lips.

"You do that and I'll be in the shower."

She grabbed her rucksack and walked into the bathroom while the Doctor gazed at her lovingly.

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Rain sighed while the hot water cascaded down her naked body. She was looking forward to today and the next five days. She couldn't wait to ride the rides with the man she loved. She only hoped he would truly enjoy himself and not just ride them for her benefit. She reached down to get her shampoo.

_Rain._

She paused when she heard a voice in her head.

_Rain. It is I, the protector._

"Yes?"

_Don't speak aloud. Think to me._

Rain concentrated.

_Like this? _She thought.

_Yes. I wish to speak to you because I want to prepare you for what lies ahead._

_What do you mean? _

_It is nearly time for your husband, Alan and Rose to face the Valeyard._

Rain gasped_._

_No, _she thought in her mind.

_They must, Rain. He must be defeated. _

_But can't it wait? They're safe now. The Doctor is happy. _

_No, Rain, the Doctor has rested but he must go back and defeat the Valeyard. It is his duty._

_Then I want to go with him. I want to be at his side. _

_No._

_Yes, I won't let him go alone._

_There is a special purpose for you and your sister and friend. The Doctor and Rose and Alan must go alone at first but you have a special part to play._

_I do?_

_Yes. _

_What part do I play?_

_I cannot reveal it yet but know this, you have more courage and strength than you realize, Rain. You are still weak but I can make you strong. This surprise attack is not my idea but I will allow it to happen because I want you to play a very big role in the defeat of the Valeyard. _

_Will they be alright?_

_They will in the end, trust in that. _

_What do you mean? There's gonna be a time when they're not gonna be alright? _

_Rain, I know you love the Doctor but you must accept that this is his life and there will be times when he will be in danger and will get hurt but that doesn't mean you just sit there and do nothing. Your husband doesn't want you to go up there because he believes you aren't strong enough but when the time comes you will bond with me and together we will help to defeat the evil dark lord forever. For now, do not worry, he is still safe and so is your family. I know I have said some distressing things but you mustn't let it ruin your happiness. You must learn to be happy even in the midst of chaos and danger and torment and pain. This is the price of loving the Doctor and agreeing to be by his side. When the time comes you must let them go up to the TARDIS by themselves. Then I will come and reveal myself to you and your sister and friend and together we will conquer his evil and rid the universe of the abomination. Do you understand, Rain?_

_Yes, I understand._

_Then go and have fun. Do not think on my words and do not tell your husband what I have said. You are here to relax and I wish you to do that. Do not fear for your husband and brother and sister. They will survive this as will you and your sister and friend. All of you are being protected even if sometimes I must allow bad things to happen. I have given this message to you so there'll be no surprises when the Doctor finally does tell you but you must be brave and not try to talk him out of it. It is his destiny to fight evil, dear one, and sooner or later he must go back to doing what he was born to do. It is the same with Alan and Rose and you and your sister and friend. All of you have been chosen by the universe to fight against the darkness and there is no use denying what was meant to be. Do you love the Doctor, Rain?"_

_With all my heart._

_Then you must accept everything about him and his life. You are his resting place, someone he can lean on but it is only for short periods because he is needed as the protector of creation and it is the same for you. He is your shelter but only for awhile. You have been given a great gift, Rain. You have been deemed worthy enough to become the equal of a Time Lord and fight the darkness at his side but in order to do that you must learn that you have deep wells of courage and strength within you. The Doctor will help you discover that just as he's helped everyone else he has cared about. You will go through pain and torment and despair but in the end all will be well. Think on that and know that I speak the truth. And now I must leave you because your husband is waiting. Spend these next five days in perfect happiness without a care in the world because soon it shall be time to not only fight the Valeyard but others who threaten the innocent and helpless in the universes. Just do nothing at present, enjoy life and when the time comes I will appear to you and you will know me. And now I must bid you farewell, Rain. I am watching over you and the ones you love, always. Goodbye._

Rain stood there with the warm water cascading down her back while she waited for the voice to speak again. But when she realized she had truly gone, she turned and quickly finished her shower, mulling over the protector's words while she did so.

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Rain walked with the Doctor to their car. She was laughing and joking with him but she still kept the protector's words in the back of her mind. She obeyed her command not to tell him what she said, instead letting their time at Disney be happy and carefree. Despite the fact that the voice had told her that he might get hurt, she took comfort in her words that all would be well in the end for all of them. She knew that the protector was right. He had been hurt before and even killed and regenerated and she couldn't let excessive worry about what might happen to him cripple her and cause her to be a liability in the midst of battle. She longed to be with him and share his life, all of it, good and bad. And she knew if she was gonna help him fight evil then she had to let go of a lot of her worries and fears and insecurities and fully embrace this gift that had been given her. Her heart swelled knowing that she had been chosen to be with him and help him fight the darkness in the universe and now she knew her decision to come with Alan had been the right one. Because it led her to him and her true calling.

As they neared their car, Rain suddenly stopped the Doctor and kissed him deeply on the lips.

"I'll never leave you, my love, come what may," she said to him.

Her heart soared when he saw the joy on his face.

"And I will never leave you either, my Latara," he said.

They shared one more passionate kiss before the Doctor ruffled her hair and opened the doors. Rain climbed in and smiled while she closed her doors. She was at peace now, happy and content and she knew that the next five days would be a relaxing holiday before all of them finally faced down the storm and conquered it forever.


	197. Chapter 197

Chapter One Hundred Ninety Seven

"Urrrrgh!"

Rain was giggling while the Doctor slowly drove towards Disneyworld. They had seen the signs for the exit to it but the closer they got the more crowded the road became and now they were going along at a snail's pace.

"Too many cars!" the Doctor said. "Arrrgh, where's my TARDIS when I need her?"

"Calm down, love, we'll make it there."

"Yes and hopefully it'll be soon before I tear every single hair follicle out of my head."

His mouth dropped open when someone honked behind him.

"What?" he said, glancing in the rearview mirror at the angry man in back of him. "Mate, I can't go any faster unless you want me to tear through the car in front of me so it's no use beeping the bloody horn at me!"

"Enjoying human life, dear?" Rain teased.

"I don't know if your brother told you, but I was exiled to Earth in my third life and before they lifted my banishment I had to live like a human. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now. All I can say is I feel sorry for my brother and I'm so glad he's coming along with me because he's not cut out for a life on Earth. What was I thinking giving them a ten year wait on the coral? I'm an idiot sometimes."

He rolled his eyes when the man honked his horn again. Rain laughed when he briefly looked behind him, gave the man a dirty look and jabbed his finger at the car in front of him before he turned back around.

After another half hour, they finally reached the Disney parking lot. The Doctor's eyes boggled when he saw all the cars already parked in it and he slowly drove around looking for a parking spot.

"I'm so glad we have a hotel room inside the park, Latara," he said as they looked all around them for a space. "I wouldn't fancy doing this for five days straight.

"There's one!" Rain said, pointing to a space several feet in front of them.

The Doctor quickly sped up and pulled in before anyone could take it from him.

"Finally, we got this part of it out of the way and we can go enjoy Disney."

He gave her a kiss.

"Excited?" he asked.

"Very."

"Good, so am I."

She smiled and stroked his cheek.

"I'm glad, Thete."

His eyes twinkled and Rain felt her heart stop at the sight of it. They grabbed their rucksacks and got out of the car. The Doctor let out a low whistle when he noticed how far they were from the entrance and how many cars were there.

"Blimey, this place is gonna be packed to the gills," he said.

Rain glanced up and noticed there was a sign a few feet away. It had a picture of Dumbo holding his magic feather and underneath it said Dumbo lot."

"We're parked in the Dumbo section," she said pointing it out to him.

She heard him chuckle.

"What, love?" she said.

"Very fitting our car is in the Dumbo section since that was one of Donna's pet names for me."

Rain stared at him.

"She called you Dumbo?"

"Yup. Dumbo, Idiot boy, Outer space git, things like that…"

He felt his wife's anger in his mind and looked at her.

"She better not call you that while I'm around," she said.

The Doctor stared at her with wide eyes. He noticed how livid she was.

"I swear, Donna better not call you that again," she said. "You are not a "Dumbo." She just better watch her mouth around you."

"Um…suddenly I'm scared about having the two of you travel together," the Doctor said. "Am I gonna be walking through a corridor in the TARDIS and turn the corner and see you two in a catfight?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't like people calling you names. I know what it's like to have someone say something hateful and demeaning and I don't wanna hear her refer to you as stupid because you're anything but."

The Doctor's hearts swelled with love and he gave his wife a kiss on the cheek and nuzzled it for a moment.

"I shall inform Donna that calling me Dumbo is right out from now on," he said.

He took her hand and gave it a squeeze while they ran to catch a tram that was heading for the entrance.

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They picked up their tickets at the front gate and the Doctor made inquiries on how to get to their hotel. The woman gave him the information, they thanked her and went on through.

"I think we better go to our room first thing, love, then head back here," he said. "I know I should have gone to the Animal Kingdom park since our hotel's there but I didn't think of that. I just followed everyone else but no worries, we'll get it sorted out. Follow me."

They found the bus that would take them from their hotel to the different parks and boarded it. Twenty minutes later they were outside their hotel. The Doctor looked at the huge statue of Pongo and the smaller statue of Herbie.

"Yup, like I said, flashy," he said.

He took her hand and they walked inside.

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They took just enough time to put their rucksacks down, get out the bags with their money and what they wanted to take for the day. Rain reached into her rucksack, got out her pepper spray and screwdriver along with the list Rose had written and put them in the pocket of her blue jean shorts. The Doctor noticed her doing that.

"Expecting trouble, love?"

"My brother asked me to do it just in case."

He nodded and smiled.

"I'm so glad he looks out for you."

"Yeah, me too."

He took her hand and they walked out the door and closed it behind them.

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"Right, where were we?" the Doctor said when the bus let them off near the front entrance.

The Doctor studied the map they had given him at the entrance.

"Any particular thing you wanna do first, love?" he asked her.

"The Tiki Room."

She giggled when the Doctor eyed her and ruffled his hair. While she stood there she suddenly had an idea. She took the Doctor's hand and led him over to a statue of Walt Disney and Mickey. She positioned him in front of it, got out her camera and backed up. The Doctor quickly folded the map, stuck it in his pocket and put his hands in his pockets while he gave her a lazy smile. Rain quickly snapped a picture of him.

"Now you," he said to her.

They switched places and the Doctor pulled out his camera and took a picture of her.

"Too bad we can't have someone take a photo of us together but with my luck someone would nick the camera," he said walking back to her. "Ah well…like I said, anything you wanna do first?"

"You wanna go on the Haunted Mansion ride?"

"We can."

He checked the map, found it and took her hand.

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Rain was laughing at the Doctor. He was standing in the queue giggling at the fake tombstones with the funny inscriptions. He pulled out his camera and took pictures of some he particularly liked.

"I hope this one is just as good as Tokyo Disney," Rain said.

"I'm sure it will be," The Doctor said as they walked forward a couple of feet.

"Have you ever seen any ghosts?" Rain asked.

"Um…not ghosts as you know them. I have seen ghost-like beings before. What about you?"

"No, but Sis and Bro and Awinita have."

"Really? When?"

"Um, before I met them. Alan was bugged by this one named Mary in a hotel in Tennessee but he didn't see anything of her except this mist. Um, they went to this science museum in Chicago as a part of this supernatural tour and Rose saw this woman sitting on a train and she was so real she thought she was alive until she disappeared. Then they went to these train tracks where supposedly this railroad worker got beheaded and they saw this weird light floating back and forth over the tracks and that was supposed to be the guy's lantern while he searched for his head."

"Hmm, fascinating. Like I said, I haven't seen ghosts as you lot define them. I've seen creatures like the Gelth or Hervoken that are along the same lines, but they weren't dead so I wouldn't consider them ghosts."

They finally made it up to the entrance and went inside. Inside, there was a picture of a man hanging on a wall. As they watched, it slowly got older and older until it became a skeleton.

"Hmm, I wonder if that's what gonna happen to Jack eventually," he said with a grin.

"Must be weird being immortal and not being able to die."

"Yes, I hate that happened to him since he's such a good friend but on the other hand it did come in handy for us a couple of times and I do think he's learned to live with it now."

They moved into another room. The Doctor spun around staring at all the portraits in the circular room. He pulled Rain close to him when he noticed how crowded it was. When the doors were closed a voice began to speak to them while the portrait room stretched. The Doctor, fascinated, looked around him watching with glee while the portraits revealed chilling scenes.

"Ingenious," he muttered to himself.

"Is this haunted room actually stretching?" the voiceover said, "or is it just your imagination, hmm? And consider this dismaying observation…this chamber has no windows and no doors. Which offers you this chilling challenge, to find a way out ha, ha, ha!"

"Oho, you shouldn't taunt me like that, mister disembodied voice. I love a good challenge!" he said as Rain laughed.

They heard him let out a boisterous laugh.

"Mister disembodied voice is certainly enjoying himself, eh?" he said as Rain giggled.

"Of course, there's always my way…"

The room suddenly darkened and simulated lightning flashed while a man swung from a noose above them.

"Nah, been hung before, don't fancy doin' it again. I'll find another way out, thanks," the Doctor said.

They heard a woman's terrified scream and a thud.

"Ooooh, I did not mean to frighten you prematurely," the voice said.

"Hmm, he's a polite evil disembodied voice, isn't he?" he said to Rain.

"Yup, he is."

"The real chills come later. Now, as they say, look alive and we'll continue this haunted tour."

"Ooo, you hear that, Latara? Can we survive this haunted house of terror?"

"I don't know, Thete. We'll have to see," Rain said.

He grinned and kissed her nose as everyone headed out the door.

"Hey, there's an entrance and I didn't have to do anything, that's a switch," he said as she laughed.

Rain checked her watch and giggled while she pulled her mobile out of her pocket. She dialed Rose's number while the Doctor snickered.

They headed towards the moving cars while it rang.

"Hello?" Rose said.

"Sis! Thank God we found you! We're trapped in the Haunted Mansion. We just got through the terror of the portrait room and now we're heading towards the moving cars! Help!"

Rose laughed hysterically. While they got into a car she relayed what was happening to the others and she could hear them laughing too.

"Oh no, we can't save you!" Rose said to her. "You have to try to manage without us, love!"

There was more laughter.

"So, you're there then," Rose said when they calmed down.

"Yeah, we got here after the Doctor griped about the heavy traffic and found us a parking space and then we went to our hotel and came back here and this is our first ride."

"You went to the Haunted Mansion straight away? Is the Doctor with you?"

"Oh yeah. He's looking around now. We're going up a hill at the moment."

"Oh! That's the attic part of it. Be careful, there are some nasty things up there!" Rose said.

"What are you guys doing?"

"We're all in our tents just hanging out. It's been a long day. We caught a rabbit and a couple of fish so we're all set with the food and…"

Rain let out a scream when a monster popped up and the Doctor bent over laughing.

"I'm sorry, Sis, I didn't mean to scream in your ear," she said as the Doctor held his sides and howled with laughter. "This thing popped up and scared me."

Rose told the others what happened and they all laughed.

"Rain," Alan said when he took the mobile from Rose, "you silly goose, you aren't supposed to get scared on that ride! What's wrong with you? And I can hear my brother laughing at you so I know he agrees. Let me talk to him for a minute, will ya?"

Rain handed the mobile to the Doctor as their chair spun around and backwards down to the ground level.

"So, Te'lesu talked you into the Haunted Mansion ride?" Alan said to him.

"Yes and judging from the reaction she just had, I'm glad she did," he said as Rain swatted his arm. "Ooooh, that was great! I'm sure your wife's eardrum has burst now too. So, now we're passing by this graveyard scene."

"The caretaker and the dog?"

"Yup, that's the one. It's interesting, to say the least. I loved the stretching portraits, very inventive."

"I know, I told Rose I wish they would have given behind the scenes tours of it. Wait till you see the hitchhiking ghosts, that's really something."

"Well, right now, we're watching a lady inside a crystal ball. So…are you guys alright? No more earthquakes?"

"Nope, not a sausage. And that little two second tremor was the last aftershock too. It calmed down and we went right back to bed. We caught a rabbit and a couple of fish this morning. That's what my wife was trying to tell my sister before she made her go deaf. We walked about twelve miles today and set up camp, had the fish which was yummy and we're just lying here. We were talking until Te'lesu called. God, I wish we could be with you especially after Rain screamed. Bless her, the poor child."

"Oh wow, the ballroom scene is really interesting."

"Yeah, I liked that one too with the dueling ghosts in the portraits. Those people who build these attractions are very inventive. So…Rain scream anymore?"

"No, she's been quiet so far."

"Well, the whole attic thing wasn't in Tokyo which is why it startled her. The one in Tokyo was the parallel universe version of this one. Basically the same but with subtle differences."

"Okay, I see the hitchhiking ghosts."

"Are you to the mirrors yet?"

"No."

"The mirrors are what I was on about. Just watch your reflections when you get to the mirrors, It's brilliant."

"So are you guys about halfway to Iga-Ueno then?"

"Yeah, I think so. We rested this morning because we're gonna get there in plenty of time to see everything before we meet you in Maibara so we took our time today."

"OH!"

What is it?"

"The mirrors…"

"Brilliant, aren't they?"

"I'll say. That is amazing. It looked like the ghosts were right here with us. Yeah, that's definitely my favorite part of this ride."

"Yeah, I wasn't too impressed with the ride but I did like that part of it."

"Wait a tic, we're at the end and we have to get out."

"Okay."

The Doctor took Rain's hand and they got out.

"Okay, "he said as they walked. "So, this ride is officially under my belt."

"Just don't let her talk you into the Tiki Room. I mean it, stay away from the Tiki Room whatever you do."

"Well gee, brother, now I'm curious about it since you told me not to go in it."

"Blast," he said while the Doctor laughed, "I shoulda known that would make you more curious. Just…I'm warning you, don't!"

"Thete," Rain said, tugging on his sleeve.

"Hmmm?"

"Let's go in here a moment," she said, leading him to a gift shop.

"Where you goin' now?"

"Um…apparently to buy souvenirs. My wife just pulled me into the gift shop."

"Already? Blimey, she's in a hurry for trinkets, isn't she? The good thing is if you tell them where you're staying, they'll deliver the stuff to your room so you don't have to lug it around all day."

"They do? Good. I'm glad of that and…oh; I see why she wanted to come in here. They have stuff based on the Haunted Mansion. Heh, Rain's showing me this beach towel. It's the portrait of the lady walking the tightrope over the crocodile."

"Really? We didn't go in that one; we went in a different gift shop."

"Yeah, they have beach towels for all the portraits. What a clever idea. They also have little figurines of them and little snow globe music boxes of them and the hitchhiking ghosts. You what, love? Oh…they have little post cards of the portraits and Rain's getting one of the lady and the croc. That's your favorite one…yup, that's her favorite out of all the portraits. I'm getting the one of the guy in his boxers on the powder keg. That's the one I like. We're not bothering you, are we?"

"No, we're just lying here. We weren't going to bed or anything, you're fine."

"Well, we're gonna get these post cards. Rain just wanted something that had the portraits on it."

"Well, be sure to show us when you get back."

"Yup, will do. So, are you guys heading out early tomorrow?" he said as he paid for the postcards.

"I think so. I think we're gonna start out early after breakfast. We're taking out time but even so we're going more and more miles each day so I think all of us are gaining strength and stamina from this."

"That's good. Could you talk to Rain for a moment though? We're outside and I wanna check the park map again."

"Sure, put my sister on."

"Hi, Bro."

"Heya, Rain, goin' shoppin' already?"

She laughed.

"Yeah, I just wanted to get a postcard of the tightrope lady. I love that picture, it's great. Are you guys alright?"

"Yup, we're fine and dandy, just lying here enjoying the fire."

"Is Sis alright? I didn't mean to scream right in her ear."

He giggled.

"She's alright, Te'lesu," he said fondly.

"What, love?" Rain said to the Doctor. "Um…let's go to the Fantasyland portion first since they have more."

"You're not taking him to the Tiki Room, are ya?"

"Why no, whatever gave you that idea?" Rain said. "Huh? Okay…I'm gonna put you on speaker so we can both talk, okay?"

"Okey-dokey."

"Brother?" the Doctor said when she switched to speaker.

"Yes?"

"Is there anything worth going on in the Fantasyland portion? We're walking there but all I see are rides that sound like they're for kids. We're on our way but if there's only gonna be kid's rides then I wanna go somewhere else."

"We could go to the It's a Small World Ride, dear," Rain said, innocently.

"No!" he said as Alan laughed. "I've seen photos of that thing before. That's about as bad as the Tiki Room, I expect."

"That's right, brother, stay away from rides like that. As for anything that would be worth riding…not in that section, we weren't too impressed. I'd suggest going the other way. The Thunder Mountain Railroad is back the other way and Splash Mountain and the Pirates of the Caribbean. Go that way."

"Okay, come on, Rain. This stuff is too childish for my tastes."

"Hey, brother, Awinita wants to talk to you guys for a minute."

"Okay, put her on."

"Bro?"

"Hey, Te'lesu, how are ya?"

"I'm fine, are you enjoying yourselves?"

"So far. We're just trying to decide what to ride next."

"Well, I agree with Bro, we went on the Peter Pan and Snow White rides and they're not that interesting. You wouldn't like them because Bro absolutely hated them and was bored to tears. Just skip that section and go to Space Mountain or Pirates of the Caribbean or something like that.

"Well, we're going to the Thunder Mountain Railroad ride. So we might have to cut this conversation short since I don't want to try to talk to you on a roller coaster. But we're not quite there yet we're passing by this shooting gallery."

"Mingxia wants to talk to you guys."

"Okay, put her on."

"Doctor?"

"Hey, Mingxia, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm by Alan's tent listening to you guys and I just wanted to say hello."

"Hi!" they both said in unison.

"I wish I could be there. All of you are lucky; I haven't been to any official Disney park."

"It's been nice here so far. A bit crowded but not as bad as I thought it'd be. We're up to the queue though for the roller coaster and it's not that long, thankfully."

"Alan's asking if Rain told you about the fastpass thing?"

"Yeah and we're gonna do that if the lines look like they're gonna be too long. So far though they haven't been that bad."

"How's the weather there?"

"Gorgeous. Nice and sunny and warm. My wife is in shorts and I just love it. She looks good in shorts."

Mingxia laughed.

"Well, take lots of pictures for us so we can see all the fun."

"We will, don't worry. But we're nearly there so we better cut this talk short."

"Okay, I'll let you say goodbye to Rose then and I'll talk to you guys later."

"See ya, Mingxia, take care."

"You too."

She handed the phone back to Rose.

"Doctor? Where are you now?"

"Thunder Mountain Railroad. I told her we better hang up because it's almost our turn."

"Okay. Well call us again and let us know what's goin' on. And have fun there."

"We will, take care of yourselves and be careful."

"We will."

"Bye Rose, I love you."

"I love you too, Sis, have fun there."

"We will."

Rose held the phone out and everyone yelled goodbye into it. They laughed when Rain and the Doctor screamed goodbye back to them. Then they hung up the phone. They laughed while Rose put her mobile back in her pocket. After that was done, everyone told each other what they said to them.

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After going on Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain they headed for the Pirates of the Caribbean.

"I've met real pirates of the Caribbean before," the Doctor said to her while they waited in the queue.

"Really? What were they like?"

"Um…probably nothing like Disney depicts them. Bloodthirsty. Had a couple of companions named Jamie and Zoe in my second life and we ran afoul of this bloke named Bart the Blackhearted. Mad as a hatter he was. Kidnapped a bunch of people including us because he'd lost some of his crew in a battle with the British navy and he threatened to slit us open if we didn't work for him. Not a nice fella. Certainly wasn't anything like Johnny Depp where he swaggered about drunk and was really a nice guy at heart. Nope, he was sober and very cruel. He nearly raped Zoe before I put a stop to it."

"God." Rain said.

"Yeah, he had quite a reputation for doing that sort of thing. He definitely was into the looting, raping and pillaging aspect of it."

"They entered the building."

"How did you escape?"

"We managed to stage a mutiny with some of the other people he had taken captive. We waited until they were asleep and staged a surprise attack, knocking out most of the pirates while they were still asleep in their hammocks. We then took their swords and fought off the rest. Naturally I went after Bart and fought with him, cutlass versus cutlass. I knocked his weapon away and Jamie knocked him out with the butt of it. After we had him in the brig, the others surrendered and we sailed back to port."

He leaned in to her face.

"Even more impressed with me now?"

"You better believe it."

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her.

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"Yup, this is definitely not what pirates are like," he said as they looked around. "At least Bart and his crew weren't this way. Still, it's pretty interesting. Interesting to see what Disney did with people who were less than honorable and not worth idolizing. It's interesting your lot's fascination with pirates and the need to turn them into heroes like this."

He noticed Captain Jack Sparrow.

"And I see they managed to promote their film as well," he said, pointing to him. "Clever, very clever."

Rain smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze. She was looking at a ghost ship off to their right when she suddenly felt someone in her ear whispering Spanish to her. She and the Doctor jerked their head around and saw a young Mexican man sitting behind them. The Doctor narrowed his eyes.

"That's my wife you were just trying to proposition, mate," he said angrily.

"I'm sorry, man," he said, holding up his hands. "I didn't know this beautiful Mexican chica was with you."

"I'm not Mexican. I'm Navajo, for your information. And yes, I am with him, here's my wedding ring to prove it," Rain said angrily, as she held up her hand.

"And the next time you try to chat up someone, make damn sure she's single!" the Doctor growled at him.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," he said, intimidated by the Doctor's dark, angry eyes.

They turned back around and the Doctor put his arm around her while she snuggled close to him.

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"Well, for the most part that was enjoyable. I'm sorry Romeo bothered you," he said as they walked outside.

"It's alright. The guy was a jerk. I'm just glad I have someone like you," she said.

He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"All these people fancy you, you notice? The Japanese people in the airport and now him. You get a lot of that before I met you?"

"Um…kinda, but most of it was cruel teasing and stupid comments like calling me easy and a slut. I've had quite a few people mistake me for Mexican and my dad, which used to piss him off since the Mexicans are traditional enemies. Long ago, the Mexicans used to do slave raids on the Navajo and that's why we didn't get along with them. Dad's not prejudiced though. That was in the past and he has a couple of Mexican friends that he cares for dearly but he is proud of who he is and his ancestry and it just peeves him that some people assume if you have brown skin and black hair then you must be Hispanic."

"I can understand that."

"Does it peeve you when people mistake you for human?" she teased.

She giggled when he feigned anger.

"Yes! I hate when you lot don't recognize me as Gallifreyan! What's wrong with all of you? Isn't it obvious that I'm not human? I mean, I know I look human but that doesn't mean I am. I am Gallifreyan! Get it right!"

She laughed when he winked.

"Nah, I don't mind. I'm actually glad I resemble you lot, means I can walk among you and observe your behavior without someone coming along and spiriting me away to some lab somewhere. Besides, I don't think people would be so accepting of our union if I had blue skin and antenna and crab claws for hands."

They paused when they saw the Tiki Room. Rain giggled when the Doctor eyed her.

"Please, for me?" she cooed.

"I don't know, I was warned not to enter."

"Eh, don't listen to Bro. I didn't go in the one in Tokyo Disney because of him."

"And…you wanna go in this one and watch singing birds?"

"You sat with me at Chuck-E-Cheese."

"I know and that was completely bizarre. I can't imagine what this is gonna be like."

He sighed.

"But…there is a bit of curiosity since everyone keeps telling me not to go in it. And if there's one thing I'm good at it's sticking my nose in where I shouldn't. So I will go in with you even though it might drive me insane."

He put his arm around her and they walked towards the queue.

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"Mmmm," the Doctor said as Rain giggled beside him, "yes, this is even more disturbing than Chuck-E-Cheese."

The Doctor was sitting on the end with Rain beside him. He looked to his right at the singing Tiki idol. Rain laughed when he stuck his hand in the mouth.

"Aaaah, Tiki man is eating me," he said as she laughed harder.

He took his hand away and patted one of the singing flowers on the head before he turned his attention back to the birds overhead. Suddenly the room got very dark and they turned to see a fake thunderstorm brewing in the fake window. The Doctor and Rain looked at each other and laughed while the birds went crazy overhead.

"The birds are being traumatized, should we inform the authorities that Disney is torturing innocent animatronic birds?" he said.

"Um, I don't think they'd care since it's their theme park."

"Yeah, good point."

The thunderstorm stopped and the singing began again. The Doctor put his hand back in the Idol's mouth.

"Aaah!" he said as Rain split her sides laughing.

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"Okay, that wasn't quite as bad as I thought it'd be but it was definitely strange," the Doctor said.

"We'll have to tell Bro you went in it."

"Yeah and he'll kill ya for taking me in there. Now where do we go?"

"You wanna go on the Jungle Cruise?" she said pointing ahead of them.

"Okay."

He took her hand and they walked to the queue.

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"Well, this is a zillion times better than Panic Jungle, that's for sure. At least the animals move," he said while Rain laughed.

They were sitting at the back of the boat half listening to the tour guide's spiel. The Doctor had his arm around her and was making up his own tour for her amusement.

"Now over here we have the dreaded hippopotamus, George," he said pointing to an animatronic hippo. "George likes to eat tour guides who ramble on with silly dialogue that they had to learn when they joined this outfit. Guides who probably only make 2.50 an hour at the very least. That's American dollars, mind."

She sniggered when he gave her an intense stare.

"Because," he said, continuing to stare at her, "Disney employees are probably paid slave wages for the privilege of babbling to hot sweaty Mickey Mouse ear wearing tourists about elephants who sit on their butts and bathe themselves with their trunks. Happy elephants who like to smile for the camera wielding tourists while they bathe but who are in reality very, very sad inside because they've been taken from their natural animatronic habitat and made to perform for the aforementioned Mickey Mouse ear wearing tourists."

He grinned when she put her face on his shirt sleeve to muffle her laughter.

"Then there are crocs who don't eat anything. Instead they dance and twirl around on their tails while they sing Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah for those selfsame Mickey Mouse ear wearing tourists. Oh, the inhumanity of Disney."

He giggled when Rain smacked his arm.

"You're gonna make me pee my pants, Thete."

"Well, there's water all around us so just drop your trousers and have at it!"

She put her face back in his sleeve while he rubbed her back and gave her a loving look.

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They stopped to eat in the Crystal Palace where to their surprise they had people dressed up as Winnie the Pooh and his friends moving among the tables greeting the guests. Rain waited until Tigger came over before standing up and having the Doctor get a photo of her with him. They ate cheeseburgers, French fries and sodas while they watched the characters moving around the room. The Doctor fed her a French fry.

"I can now say I've eaten chips at Disney. Something else I can add to my places I've eaten chips at list."

"You like French fries?"

"Love em! Do you?"

"Yes."

"Well, we'll have to continue what Rose and I started and eat chips all over the universe."

Rain raised her eyebrow.

"French fries are that popular?"

"Indeed they are. You'd be surprised how many species like a good chippie now and then. But hold that though and ready your camera, here comes Eeyore."

Rain laughed when he got up and shook Eeyore's paw. They put their arms around each other and Rain got a picture of them. Eeyore waved at him and walked away while he sat back down.

"Anyway as I was saying, chips are good…and so are bananas. Bananas and chips make the universe go 'round."

"They have that sundae bar over there, dear, and you can make a banana split I think."

"I know and I fully intend to once I finish this."

"So I guess after we get done here, we go on to Tomorrowland?"

He nodded.

"Yes, since that's the only section left besides the Fantasyland and Toontown ones. I figure if we have time we might go to those and look around since I'm sure you wanna watch the parade and the fireworks or…we can go to another park since we're allowed to go anywhere."

"We could go to EPCOT and look at the countries since you have to get the kimono Minnie for Sis."

He nodded.

"Alright, we'll go over there, look around and either come back for the parade or just stay there, watch the fireworks and see the parade another night."

"I would rather just go on to EPCOT and see the parade another night. It's not that important to me," she said. "If you want though we could go to that adult section and see Cirque Du Soleil and eat supper there at the restaurant Rose wrote down."

"That's doable too. We have four more days after tonight so we can do whatever you want, I'm flexible."

She smiled and squeezed his hand.

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After riding most of the rides in Tomorrowland they went over to the Carousel of Progress. They watched while an animatronic family experienced changes during the entire twentieth century. The Doctor leaned over to Rain when they were near the end of the show and almost up to the twenty-first century.

"You notice how these people never age? Even the dog's still around. Either they're Time Lords or immortal like Jack is."

She giggled.

"I'm guessing Time Lords," she whispered back.

"Good. There's more of my kind then. Now if I can only convince them to quit living in a house and get their butts back in the TARDIS."

She laughed and leaned against him.

"You're so fun to have around," she said to him. "I mean, I love your little comments and jokes. You're just like Bro; you know how to make everything more fun."

He smiled and kissed her temple.

"I'm glad I'm making you so happy, my Latara. That's the number one thing on my mind, making you happy and giving you lots of good memories to take with you when we leave here."

She snuggled closer to her and he gave her a kiss on her head while they finished watching the show.


	198. Chapter 198

Chapter One Hundred Ninety Eight

Once they left the Carousel of Progress, both the Doctor and Rain decided to go back through Fantasyland to see if there was anything worth riding. They didn't find anything so they decided to go on to Pleasure Island. As they were passing by The Pinocchio Village Haus restaurant the Doctor suddenly stopped his wife.

"Thete?" she said.

He put his fingers to his lips and pointed ahead of him. They watched while someone dressed as Pluto opened an unmarked door, entered it and closed it behind him.

"Where is Pluto going, I wonder?" the Doctor mused.

He led his wife over and tried the door. It was locked.

"Love, let me borrow your screwdriver," he said.

"Why? What are you gonna do?"

"If I'm correct, this is one of the entrances to the underground tunnels the workers use so they don't have to walk through the park. I'm curious to see what's under the park, aren't you?"

"Are you sure we should do this? We might get in trouble."

He grinned at her.

"Trust me, I've done this plenty of times," he said with wink. "Just trust your husband, eh?"

Rain nodded. She reached into her pocket and handed him the screwdriver.

"Now, let's see how good my brother's handiwork is," he said.

He looked around, pointed the screwdriver at the door and grinned when he heard it unlock.

"Ah, he's very good," he said.

He opened the door and saw a flight of stairs leading down.

"Don't be afraid, just walk with me and act like you belong here. There are thousands of workers here; they can't know everyone's face. Just be calm, alright?"

She nodded and they went in, closed the door and walked down the stairs. They stepped out into a wide tunnel that had pipes and wiring along the sides. The Doctor squeezed Rain's hand and they walked down it. Rain quickly lost her fear as she walked beside the Doctor. They passed by a room filled with costumes. There was no one inside so the Doctor led Rain inside. He grinned as he pointed to some Disney character costumes.

"Let's put these on while we're down here. They can't stop us if they can't see our faces," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Rain giggled. She looked through the rack with him. The Doctor chose Winnie the Pooh and she chose Thumper. They laughed while they climbed into the costumes.

"Now see, we're getting a very special behind the scenes look at Disney," he said, winking at her.

They put the heads on and laughed at each other.

"Oh my God, I can't believe we're doing this," Rain said.

"Hey, this is something I do all the time, going into places I'm not supposed to be. Besides, this is another view of Disney that most people don't get to see. We might as well put your sonic screwdriver to good use. Now just keep calm and walk with me and let's see what else is down here."

She nodded and they casually walked out of the costume room. They walked around, taking in everything. There were other costume rooms, some locker rooms, even a beauty salon for cast members. They rounded a bend and saw two men wearing black pants, white shirts and red vests with name tags. Rain stiffened but the two of them waved at them and they waved back. The Doctor snickered when they passed by without saying a word.

"See, my Latara, there's nothing to fear," he said to her.

They passed by a break room and walked into it. There was a man and a woman sitting in it. The woman was dressed as Snow White and the man was dressed as Brer Fox. He had his head off and had it sitting at the end of the table while they ate their lunch. They waved to them and they waved back.

"Hot day today," the man said to them.

"Yes it is," the Doctor replied. "We're new here. This is our first day."

"Oh really? Well, welcome to Disney. I'm Jake and this is Brittney,"

The Doctor and Rain sat down and took off their heads.

"I'm John and this is Melody," he said to them.

They nodded hello.

"How do you like your first day so far?" Brittney asked.

"It's interesting to say the least," the Doctor said casually.

"The costumes are really hot," Rain said.

"Yeah, well you'll get used to it, trust me," Jake said. "You'll get used to kids tugging and hitting you too. But it's pretty neat, especially seeing the kid's faces. The smiles on their faces make it all worth it."

The Doctor smiled and nodded. They sat for several moments chatting with them.

"Well, we better go. We just came in here to take a quick rest," the Doctor finally said.

Jake nodded.

"Have a good day then," he said.

"Yeah, you too," the Doctor said.

They got up, put their heads back on and with a wave walked out of the break room. Once they were out of earshot they burst into laughter.

"See, Latara, not everyone knows everyone here. We can go anywhere down here and no one will stop us. This is your first lesson on moving about in places you're not supposed to be in. If you're gonna travel with me you're gonna have to get used to going into places you're really not supposed to be in and acting like it's perfectly normal."

"This is so cool though, getting to see this."

"Yeah, it is, isn't it? I'm glad we just happened to catch Pluto coming in here…Hello, a lift, wonder where it goes?"

He pushed the button and the doors opened. He ushered his wife inside and looked at the buttons. He noticed one that required a key. He waited till the doors closed, shimmied out of the bottom half of the costume and took the screwdriver out of his pocket. He aimed it at the key lock and let out a triumphant laugh when the elevator started up. Putting it back in his pocket, he quickly put the costume back on leaving it unzipped. The doors opened and Rain gasped when they stepped out into a lavishly furnished sitting room. They took off their heads and sat them on a round wooden table.

"Oh Thete, what is this place?" she said.

"It looks like a posh little apartment," he said looking around at the pristine surroundings. "Judging from how clean everything is, no one's occupying it at the moment."

They took off the costumes and laid them on a chair near the table. Taking each other's hands, they walked through the apartment. They wandered into the bathroom and Rain gasped. There was a white marble tub with gold taps. Above it was a large stained glass window that showed Cinderella standing in front of Cinderella's Castle.

"It's so beautiful," she said, breathlessly.

"Now aren't you glad your brother made that screwdriver for you?"

She nodded.

They moved into the bedroom. There was a large bed with an oak headboard that had roses carved into the center of it. Above them a tiny toy train moved along a track on a shelf that also had books and toys on it.

"This is so cool. I wish we could stay up here."

"Me too, but I don't think that's advisable. I'm sure they come up here to check every once in awhile. I do know when not to press my luck…well…most of the time, but…perhaps we better get going and head on to Pleasure Island, eh?"

He raised her hand and kissed the back of it before they walked back out. They noticed another elevator near the kitchen and headed to it, leaving the costumes there for others to find. They opened the elevator and the Doctor pushed the 1st floor button. They went down, the doors opened and they stepped out into a large stone structure. They looked around for a moment while the doors closed back and then went down a small corridor until they saw other tourists. There was a large arched doorway at either end of them and they walked out one and turned around to see…

"Oh my God, we were in Cinderella's Castle," Rain said.

"A little apartment inside Cinderella's Castle, isn't that brilliant?"

He leaned in.

"And we saw it and saw underneath Disney. I bet your brother didn't do that when they were here."

She giggled and gave him a kiss.

"Well come along, Thumper, on to Pleasure Island."

"Lead the way, Pooh Bear," she said, taking his hand.

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The two of them strolled the boardwalk along Pleasure Island taking in the sights. The sun was beginning to go down and the lights on the various stores and restaurants were coming on.

"Sis said to go to the Cirque Du Soleil show," Rain said. "Feel like doing that?"

"Sure."

He suddenly stopped her.

"What? Did you find another entrance to the hidden tunnels?" she said.

He grinned.

"No, found something amusing though. Look."

She looked where he was pointing.

"Cap'n Jack's Restaurant?" she said.

"Yeah, didn't realize my friend had a restaurant at Disney. Let's come back and eat at it after the show, okay?"

"Okay," she said.

He took her hand and they went off to find the Cirque Du Soleil show.

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After watching the show and having some seafood at the restaurant the two of them strolled along the boardwalk, hand in hand. The Doctor checked his watch.

"Nearly time for the fireworks, love. You wanna head back to the Magic Kingdom part for the parade or watch them here?"

She shook her head.

"Let's stay here. I don't feel like going back."

He nodded and they walked over to the wooden railing of the boardwalk and looked down at the lake. The lights reflected in it and they could see their faces. As they watched, the Doctor rubbed her back and glanced at her face.

"Are you alright, Rain?" he said, "you look troubled."

"I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

Rain debated whether or not to tell him. She had been thinking about the protector's words and how the Doctor would have to go fight the Valeyard again after their honeymoon was over. She had such a wonderful time today and she dreaded when the final day came and they would have to go back.

"Rain, love, what's wrong?" the Doctor said, concerned.

"She told me not to tell you."

"Who did?"

"The protector. When I was in the shower before we left for Disney, she asked me not to say anything when she spoke to me."

"Tell me anyway. I want to know what's troubling you and I'm just going to have to ask you to disobey this mysterious voice. Please tell me, Rain."

"I don't want our time here to be ruined."

"It won't be because we won't let it. I'm guessing it's not pleasant but I'd rather you share it with me than have you walk around for four days being upset. Tell me, my love."

Rain looked around and noticed that no one was around them. She sighed.

"I know now, Thete, that you and Bro want to go with Rose and fight the Valeyard after this honeymoon is over. She told me."

The Doctor sighed.

"Rain, it has to be done."

"I know it does," she said, stroking his face. "I'm not afraid anymore because the protector told me that everything will be alright in the end."

The Doctor nodded.

"It will be, love, the three of us have experience which is why we want to go. I know you want to help but you're not ready. You and Awinita and Mingxia won't be able to handle him. We'll barely be able to handle him. He's me, Rain. He's a dark version of me which means he has all my intelligence and cunning and fighting skills. I've fought him before but he's always been hard to beat because he knows me and knows what I'm capable of. I will train you to fight but not against him. I can't risk your safety this time."

"But…the voice told me that I have a part to play too."

The Doctor frowned.

"You do?"

"Yes, she told me when the time comes not to prevent your going because after you leave she'll appear to me and we'll bond and I'll help stop him along with Awinita and Mingxia."

"Bond? What does she mean bond?"

"I don't know. That's what she said."

He sighed angrily and looked out at the lake.

"So it's Bad Wolf all over again, is it?" he muttered.

"Doctor…"

"I'm sorry, Rain, but I get so tired of weird cosmic forces possessing the people I love and forcing them into battles I don't want them to be in. This is just one more example of the universe not giving a damn about my feelings because I have to be its protector and everything and everybody around me is just a pawn, a means to an end and I have no say in it."

Rain ached for him and she embraced him.

"It doesn't matter, Rain, nothing I do matters because the universe will always get the final say," he said to her. "I don't want you and your sister and friend going up against the Valeyard but the powers that be don't care because it's their plan and I'm a slave to it just as much as you are. Just like it was with River. I sent River to her death because I had to because the universe must be preserved at any cost. I sent Rose away when we were on the Gamestation to protect her and the Bad Wolf just brought her right back and nearly fried her mind so she could destroy all the Daleks. Is that what'll happen to you? Is this voice the Bad Wolf and is it gonna harm you and force me to draw it out of you so I'll have to regenerate again? I do want you to help me, Rain. I wouldn't have offered you a spot in the TARDIS if I didn't but the last thing I want is for the Bad Wolf or whatever this thing is to possess you and send you to fight one of my deadliest enemies. I love you more than life itself and I don't want this for you."

He wrapped her in his embrace and buried his head in her hair while tears flowed down her cheeks. He kissed her head repeatedly and looked up at the sky.

"Whoever you are, whatever you are, if this is what must be then please protect my precious wife and my family because I don't want to lose them, any of them, not after I've found them and found happiness at last. Rain means the universe to me, please remember that and keep her safe, please!"

He lowered his face back to her head and soothed her when he heard her weeping.

"Shhh, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please don't cry, my hearts. It'll be alright. If this voice says it'll turn our all right then it will. Just don't worry about this until we get back to the others. Don't let this ruin our honeymoon, alright?"

She nodded and he continued to hold her close, kissing and soothing her both physically and mentally while he silently repeated his plea to the protector to keep her safe while she did what she had to do. As he held her, he heard a boom and looked up to see the fireworks were beginning. He gently turned his wife around and wrapped his arms around her while they watched them in silence.


	199. Chapter 199

Chapter One Hundred Ninety Nine

After they got back to the hotel, the Doctor lay down with Rain. He rubbed her back and sides and sang to her while she drifted off to sleep. When he was sure she was asleep, he slowly got up, got into her rucksack and got her mobile. Taking one last look at her, he went out the door and quietly shut it behind him.

He walked down to the pool area which was deserted. He walked over to a metal table that had a colorful umbrella over it. He sat down in a metal chair and dialed Rose's mobile number.

"Hello?" Rose said.

"Hey, Rose."

"Doctor, hey, how's it goin'? How're you enjoying Disney?"

"We're havin' a blast," he said, trying to sound cheerful. "We got through the Magic Kingdom today and went to see Cirque Du Soleil and ate at Cap'n Jack's Restaurant."

She laughed.

"Yeah, we saw that too and laughed about it. But we went somewhere else because we didn't feel like seafood that night. Did you see the fireworks?"

"Yup, we saw them on the boardwalk by the lake."

"Ooo, how romantic," she said.

"Yes it was. Rose, I need to ask you a favor. Can I talk to my brother for a moment? I need to tell him something."

"Sure, wait a tic," she said.

There was a pause.

"Hey, brother!" Alan said. "How're you doing?"

"We're fine, both of us. How are you doing?"

"We're doing fine. We just woke up about an hour ago and we're gettin' ready to move out. Is Rain there?"

"No, she's up in the room sleeping. I'm out by the pool. Brother, I have to tell you something. Something unpleasant."

"What?" Alan said concerned.

The Doctor took a deep breath and related to him what Rain had said. There was silence on the other end and the silence continued for a few minutes after he finished speaking.

"So, once again someone we love is being used against her will," Alan said angrily.

The Doctor heard Rose asking what was wrong and he heard her telling her that he'd explain later followed by him telling her that he would be right back.

"Wait a tic, brother, I'm going somewhere where Awinita and Mingxia can't hear this," he said.

"Okay."

There were a few moments of silence where the Doctor could hear his brother's angry breathing. Finally, he spoke again.

"So, this protector must be the Bad Wolf then," he said.

"I don't know but this sounds like something it would do," he replied.

"And what exactly is this thing going to do to bond with Rain?"

"I don't know. Rain doesn't know, it just said it would bond with her."

"Damn it," Alan muttered. "Damn, damn, damn, now we have to worry about them getting hurt or killed up there and not only that, is it gonna harm her mind or burn her up while it's in there?"

"I don't know, brother," the Doctor said, sighing. "I hope not."

"Yeah, me too. So I guess this is inevitable now. As soon as you get back, the attack is on then."

"I guess so. But it needs to be done."

"I know but I was hoping it would be done without Rain and Awinita and Mingxia being put in harm's way. I can tell ya right now Rose is not gonna like this any more than I do."

"I know. But all we can do is go through with it and hope that this protector has good intentions. She's protected all of us so far maybe she'll continue to do it without threatening the lives of our loved ones."

"I sincerely hope so. Have you given any thought to what we might do?"

"I have a thought."

"Let's hear it."

"Let me contact him through the mind link and tell them that you discovered my identity and that I've captured you and Rose. But you will switch places with me and pretend to be me because I'm sure the Valeyard will want to torture you and you're not strong enough to withstand it. I can't help Rose but if you aren't being watched then you can move about the TARDIS and try to thwart him that way. If Rain and the others have to be a part of this then you can keep an eye on them as well and make sure they are safe while I keep him occupied. I'll try my best to keep him from harming Rose and let him work me over but I can't guarantee he won't do something to her. But Rose is strong and I have faith that she can withstand whatever he does. That's my plan so far."

"Sounds like a good plan. But are you sure you wanna take my place?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, brother but you only have one life and if he tortures me to the point of death I have a chance of survival. I have been tortured before so it's not that big a deal. You just try to work against him while he's occupied with me. Try to figure out what he did to the TARDIS and free her so she can help."

"I will. I…blast, here comes Rose."

"Let me talk to her, she deserves to know."

He heard her asking Alan what was wrong and Alan telling her he wanted to talk to her. There was a pause and then he heard Rose asking him what was wrong. With heavy hearts the Doctor told her everything Rain had told him.

"God," Rose said when he finished. "The protector is gonna force her into battle?"

"Seems so."

He then told Rose the plan he had come up with, finishing with an apology that he might not be able to protect her.

"S'alright, Doctor, I'd rather he deal with us and leave Alan free to roam around. But what will Rain do and Awinita and Mingxia?"

"I don't know but they better be safe during and after all this is over or I swear I'll find this "protector" and chuck her into a black hole."

"Awinita and Mingxia aren't gonna like this."

"I know but at least Rain seems to have accepted it and she knows we're going and that it has to be done so there'll be no need to argue with her and convince her. I have a feeling she's accepted this whole bonding thing as well. The voice did say that all of us would be safe in the end and she hasn't lied so far so I'm inclined at the moment to believe her. I'll just be glad when it's all over and we're rid of him at last."

"So will I."

"But I leave it up to you to decide if you should tell Awinita and Mingxia this. They'll have to be told eventually so you might as well prepare them for it before it happens when you have enough time to calm them down. Don't know how they'll feel about playing a part in it though."

"I think Awinita will want to. I know she probably was going to ask Alan to come with us because I'm sure she wouldn't want to be left here on Earth while we went up there. Mingxia I'm not sure about but Alan will tell her more about him, yeah…he says he will. But I'm so sorry your evenin' got ruined by this."

"It wasn't ruined. We had a wonderful time. I'm just glad she finally confided in me about this so she wasn't worrying about it for the next four days. Whatever happens I'm sure it'll work out for the best. I did upset her because I was angry about the possibility of her being possessed but I've accepted it now for the most part because it seems to be inevitable. But I just wanted to tell you while she was asleep because I want you to know so you can prepare as well."

"We appreciate it, Doctor. Just don't worry about it. Have fun with Rain."

"Oh, I will, believe me. I'm not about to let this ruin our honeymoon. We came here to have fun and I have every intention of doing that. Especially since this battle is coming. But you have a good day and please take care."

"We will, Doctor, and you do the same. What are you doing tomorrow?"

"EPCOT, I think."

"Oh. Well, have fun exploring all the different countries. You might not like the science stuff since it's not advanced enough for ya but it's an interesting place."

"By the way, I did go in the Tiki Room today."

Rose laughed.

"You were warned not to."

"I know but Rain has the same power of persuasion and she talked me into it."

"Did you enjoy…the Tiki Room?"

He laughed when Alan yelled out, "He went into the bloody Tiki Room after I said not to?"

"It was boring but I didn't go insane. Actually, I also used Rain's screwdriver and we went down into the secret underground tunnels that the staff uses and looked around."

Rose relayed that to Alan and he could hear him laughing.

"Yup, sounds like something you'd do, brother," he yelled out.

"We also found a secret apartment inside Cinderella's Castle. Very posh place. But I gave Rain her first lesson on how to get into places you're not supposed to."

Rose laughed.

"You're just a sneaky little git, ya know that?"

"Yup, I am," he said. "But I'd better go. Rain doesn't know I did this since I waited until she was asleep. But I just had to tell you what happened."

"I'm glad you did, Doctor. And don't worry; we'll get through this, all of us. Just have a fantastic time and we'll see you when you get back."

"Will do. Bye Rose, bye Alan."

They both said their goodbyes and hung up. The Doctor folded up the phone and sat there for a few minutes staring out at the pool water before he finally went back inside.

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Alan and Rose held hands while they walked back to the camp.

"We have to tell them, Rose. They have to know," Alan said. "It's not fair for them to remain in the dark about this especially if this protector has plans for them."

"I know," Rose said sighing. "But I hate this. I just hope that this thing will keep them safe."

They stepped into the camp and Awinita and Mingxia looked at them.

"Is everything alright?" Awinita said as they walked over to them.

Alan sighed and held her hands. They both explained to them everything that had happened. Both Awinita and Mingxia looked at each other in shock.

"Rain's gonna get possessed?" Mingxia said when they finished.

"That's what it sounds like."

"And…we're supposed to help? What're we supposed to do?" Awinita said.

"I don't know. All I know is what the Doctor told us and what Rain told him."

"You're really gonna do this?" Awinita said.

"Yes, Te'lesu, we have to do it. He needs to be finished once and for all so we can live our lives in safety. We just don't want you to worry about it, everything is gonna be alright. This protector is watching over us and I'm willing to trust in her and her ability to see us through, come what may."

"But Bro is gonna take your place during all this?"

Alan nodded.

"But what if the Valeyard finds out about the switch?" Mingxia asked.

"Then I'll fight him. I know the Doctor's concerned about me but I know I'm capable of fighting just as much as he is. I'm more concerned about Rose."

"Don't worry about me, love, I'll be alright," she said. "Won't be the first time I've been in trouble and in pain."

Alan opened his arms and the four of them embraced each other in a tight group hug.

"We'll get through this, guys, I promise," Alan said to them.

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The Doctor walked back through the lobby on the way to the elevator. While he was walking past the food court he heard someone call his name and turned to see Rain sitting by herself in the deli in one of the little booths.

"Rain?" he said, walking inside. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I just couldn't sleep so I decided to get a glass of milk down here."

The Doctor sat down across from her and took her hand.

"Rain, please don't worry," he said.

"I'm trying not to, honestly. But I just can't help but think what might happen to you. I love you, you know."

He smiled and squeezed her hand.

"Let me get something so I can sit here with you, alright?"

She nodded and he got up. He returned a moment later with a Coke and a small turkey sandwich. He cut off a tiny portion and gave it to Rain.

"I know you're worried about me but this isn't the first time I've been faced with torture and it won't be the last. I will be alright, love, so it's no use sitting up and fearing for my life and depriving yourself of sleep. It's been a long day and you need your rest."

"I know and I've tried not to worry about it but telling you all this kinda finalizes it in my mind because before you knew there was still a chance you might not have gone through with it."

The Doctor continued to hold her hand while he rubbed his finger up and down the back of it.

"I've had a wonderful time here on Earth and this rest and relaxation was just what I needed but this isn't something I wanna do long term. I want my TARDIS back. I want to explore time and space, that's the life I love. My girl is probably missing me terribly now and she's probably just as eager to get back into the vortex as I am. I'm so glad I did this because it led me to you but I told you before I don't like being trapped on Earth. All those places I showed you in your mind, I want to show them to you for real. I'm tired of waiting. If that means I must suffer some pain to get rid of the Valeyard and get back to my ship then I will. You lot joke about me not being The Oncoming Storm and being little Sprinkles but trust me, love, I am not someone to cross and I will unleash my dark side if someone threatens me or the ones I love. I'm sure Alan is the same way, in fact I know he's the same way and I trust that he's learned his lesson after the Dalek extermination and won't go completely bonkers but just the same, we aren't lightweights, either one of us. You haven't seen what I'm truly capable of, Latara, so don't worry because I was caught off guard once by him but it won't happen again."

He took a sip of Coke.

"This is a nice little deli," he commented, looking around.

Rain took a tiny bite of the turkey sandwich.

"This is good too, turkey's juicy."

He nodded.

"So, are we good? Because I want you up bright and early for the next phase of our adventure."

She nodded.

"Yeah, I'm good."

He gave her hand a squeeze and leaned forward to give her a kiss.

"Before we go back up to the room and you close your eyes and look beautiful in your peaceful slumber, I want to ask, where do you want to go tomorrow?"

"Do you want to go to EPCOT?"

"It's up to you. We can go anywhere you want."

She took a sip of milk.

"I guess we could go to EPCOT."

"Sure? Because we could go to any one of them."

"Yeah, because I'd like to see the different countries."

He chuckled.

"So you could get a sneak preview of where you'll be going?"

She frowned.

"Do you want to stay that long? You said you want to get back to your TARDIS. You're not leaving me behind, are you?"

"No, I would never do that to you. But, if you guys want to complete your worldwide adventure I could go back to my universe, restore Donna, gather the rest of our friends for the wedding and come back to London after we figure out when the wedding's gonna be."

She shook her head.

"Then take me with you because I don't want to be without you, Thete."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

"I'd rather go see time and space anyway. We can always come back and visit any country and do it at any point in history. I just want to be with you and I want to meet Donna and your friends."

He grinned.

"You won't assault Donna, will ya?"

"Not unless she calls you Dumbo again."

"Heh, I'm glad you're coming with me. That whole Dumbo thing did get annoying, nice to know you'll be around to put a stop to it."

He stroked her cheek.

"Well, let's finish up here and go back upstairs, eh? Long day ahead."

She nodded and they finished their food and drink while they made small talk.

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Alan walked with Rose watching while Awinita and Mingxia walked in front of them and talked. They were making small talk but the whole tone was subdued and he knew it had to do with what they had told them. He seethed inwardly and silently cursed the Valeyard for the millionth time since he learned he was targeting them. He also cursed the protector for dragging his friend and family into a fight they had no business being in.

_What would it prove?_ He thought. _Is this some kind of test she has in mind? Proving that they are worthy to travel in the TARDIS with us? If it is then I wish she'd hold off the test until we were facing someone who wouldn't have a million different ways to torture and kill them._

He hated that everyone was so down now and he looked around trying to figure out a way to get their minds off the Valeyard. He stared at some hills that were about a half mile away and smiled.

"Hey," he said.

Everyone stopped and looked at him.

"See that hill over there? Let's climb up it for a bit and see if we can find a lovely view of the Japanese countryside. What d'ya say?"

They stared at it and then nodded.

"Brilliant. Come on, a nice little hilly hike is just the thing to cheer us up, eh?"

They smiled at him and his heart soared loving the cheerful expressions on their faces. They turned with him and all of them headed towards the hill.


	200. Chapter 200

Chapter Two Hundred

"Come on, guys. That's it! You can do it!" Alan said as they climbed up the hill.

They had left most of their gear at the bottom of the hill opting to take only their torches and Rose's camera with them since Alan noticed what looked like a cave halfway up. It took some doing to get up the hill but all of them managed it and sure enough, they found the cave halfway up. They clicked on their torches and went inside. There was a musty smell inside and their footsteps stirred up some of the dirt at their feet. They shined their flashlights around and paused when they noticed someone had painted something on the wall. There were a bunch of figures and some designs on the wall. One figure was shooting a bow and arrow, one was praying, one looked like he was dancing and there were several unidentifiable animals. All of them were crudely painted in black, red or green pigment. They shined their lights on the paintings while Rose took a few photos.

"Wonder who made them?" Mingxia said.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Alan said.

"What? The Time Lord doesn't know who made this?" Awinita teased.

They laughed when Alan shot her a look.

"Well, you're the clone of the guy who's been all over time and space, right?" Awinita said.

"Yes but it might surprise you when I tell you that the man I've been cloned from hasn't visited every single nook and cranny in time and space. There are still a few places left that he hasn't explored. So I repeat, I have no idea who made these paintings. But if we explore a bit more perhaps we might find an answer."

"Just be careful everyone, don't go too fast and fall off an edge and get hurt or killed," Rose cautioned.

They headed deeper into the cave looking all around them for any drop-offs or any dangerous spots.

"Hey, you guys ever see a movie called The Descent?" Awinita asked them.

They shook their heads.

"No, what's it about?" Alan said.

"It's about a group of friends that explore this cave and they run into these mutant flesh eating monsters that start attacking them."

Rose giggled when Alan gave her an odd look.

"And…you think that's what's gonna happen to us in here?" he said. "Is that why you're mentioning this lovely little film?"

Awinita shrugged.

"After hearing all those stories about the Doctor, I wouldn't rule it out, that's all I'm sayin'," she said.

"She's got a point, love," Rose said. "If anyone would find flesh eating mutants in a cave, it'd be us."

"Well, yes…" he said as they laughed. "But just the same, I seriously doubt that there are mutants in here…except for me…I guess technically I'm a mutant but I'm not flesh-eating so you have nothing to fear from me."

They went down a small slope and paused when they noticed several skeletons up ahead.

"Hullo, human remains, hmmm," Alan said.

"Flesh eating mutants ate them?" Mingxia said.

They giggled when Alan rolled his eyes. He walked past them and squatted down to examine the remains.

"They've been here awhile, that's for sure," he said while everyone squatted down beside him. "No trace of flesh left on the bones. There are some teeth marks on the bones too so animals have been up here dining on them.

"Well, we better get outta here in case the animals are still around," Rose said to him.

He nodded.

"Wonder if we should alert anyone that these are here?" he said. "I'm sure archeologists will be interested in them and the cave paintings. Rose, note down the coordinates and when we get to Iga-Ueno we'll find out who we need to get in touch with to tell them."

Rose nodded.

"But, for the moment, let's leave these chaps undisturbed and get a move on, eh?"

They nodded and stood back up. Alan led them back out into the open air and they slowly climbed back down the hill towards their gear.

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Rain cuddled beside the Doctor. Once again, he stroked and sang and soothed her and she fell asleep listening to his voice singing his beautiful language. Once she was asleep she began to dream.

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She was in the interior of the Doctor's TARDIS. She looked around at the alien interior and smiled, loving the look of it and the fact she was finally aboard it. She walked up to the console in the center of it staring down at the odds and ends that passed for the controls. She ran her hand over the rim feeling the coolness of the coral. She looked all around but her husband wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Thete?" she called out.

She frowned when she suddenly heard a distant voice laughing. But it wasn't the voice of her husband, this voice was lower.

"Love?" she called out.

Then she heard a sound that made her blood run cold. The sound of a whip cracking followed by more of the sinister laughter. Her heart raced while she followed the sound of the whip cracking. She walked down a corridor that was the same color as the coral and had more of the roundels embedded in it. Her throat was dry and her heart pounded as she heard the repeated whip cracks and the man's laughter.

"Soon, Doctor, your resistance will fade and you will become like me," she heard him say.

"Oh God, the Valeyard," she whispered to herself. "My poor Thete, what is he doing to you?"

She forced herself to take step after step listening while the whip cracks and the taunting and laughter became louder and louder. Finally she reached a room and paused just outside it knowing that this was the room where her beloved was being tortured. Holding her breath she looked inside and stifled a scream of horror.

Her husband was lying on a metal table on his stomach completely naked and restrained while the Valeyard stood with his back to her laughing at him. His back and butt where completely riddled with whip marks and blood ran off his body and dripped on the floor making tiny crimson puddles around the table. Despite all this, her husband was staring up at his tormentor with a look of defiance on his face even as the Valeyard threatened him with more torture.

"Submit to me, Doctor!" he said to him.

"Never!" the Doctor growled back.

Rain slammed her hand over her mouth to stifle the scream when the Valeyard whipped him across the back. The Doctor grimaced but said nothing and gave him the same defiant look when he finished.

"I will break your will, Doctor, count on it!"

"Don't count your Doctors before they've escaped, Shipyard!"

Tears trickled down Rain's face when his flippant remark was rewarded with a whip mark on his buttocks. She wanted so much to go in there and stop it but she was afraid she'd be caught and end up right beside him and she knew that would break her husband's hearts. She stared at the Valeyard with hate while he glared at the Doctor who was in turn giving him a smirky smile, daring him to whip him again. She quickly ducked out of sight when the Valeyard threw the whip in the corner.

"I see I shall have to use other methods to obtain your obedience," he snarled at him.

"Don't be long, gramps, I might heal up while you search for something effective to use on me," the Doctor said, cheerfully.

She winced when she heard the sound of his fist connecting with the Doctor's flesh. She sank back into the shadows when the Valeyard stomped out and went down the corridor away from her muttering under his breath about how he would turn the Doctor towards the darkness or he would die. Rain waited until she was out of sight before she tentatively moved towards the door. She peeked in and saw her husband lying there with his eyes closed. She couldn't contain herself any longer and with a sob ran inside the room. The Doctor's eyes snapped open and he stared at her in disbelief.

"No," he said. "My Latara, you can't be here. You have to get away before he comes back."

"I'm not leaving you, my love; I'll free you from this."

"Please, Rain, leave before he finds you. I don't want you to share this fate. Please, don't stay here. He'll kill you if he finds you. I don't want to lose you," he said, his eyes imploring her. "I'll be alright, just go."

"No Thete, I married you and I'll be with you for better or for worse. I won't leave you alone with that monster."

The Doctor gasped when he heard his nemesis call out.

"Ready or not, Doctor, here I come."

"Rain, no, no, please no," he murmured as he stared at the doorway with fear.

Rain looked over at the corner and grabbed the whip while the Doctor watched her with silent torment. Summoning her courage, she went to the doorway and stood by it holding the whip wielding arm back behind her.

"You won't hurt my Thete, not now, not ever," she said under her breath.

"Rain, no," the Doctor said under his breath.

The Valeyard entered, his attention focused squarely on his captive while he held a metal box with a red button on top.

"This is something I invented, my dear Doctor. I'll put it on your back and it'll send electric shocks coursing through your body. Let's see how you deal with that.

"Hey!"

The Valeyard frowned when he heard a voice behind him. He turned and grunted when the whip cracked in his face. He staggered back, dropping the box while blood ran from the wound in his cheek.

"Why you insolent whelp! I'll make you pay…"

He grunted when Rain cracked the whip on the other side of his face.

"You won't hurt him! Not anymore!" she yelled.

She grunted and the Doctor yelled when he decked her and sent her flying across the room.

"No! Leave her alone, please! I'll do anything you want!" he said.

The Valeyard paused and stared at him.

"My, my, Doctor did I find a weak spot just now? Does this whelp mean something to you? Perhaps if I hurt her a bit more I can gain your submiss…"

He grunted when Rain cracked the whip in his face.

"Hey idiot, the whelp still has the whip!" she said.

"Rain, run! Quit provoking him!" the Doctor yelled.

But Rain was angry beyond belief at the sight of her husband's torture. The Valeyard yelled and lunged at her but she sidestepped and caught him on the back of the neck with the whip when he went past her.

"Now you know how it feels!" she yelled at him.

The Valeyard spun around and gritted his teeth.

"I will make sure your death is slow and painful and I will let the Doctor witness your demise!"

Rain tried to whip him again but he quickly dodged it and grabbed her wrist, holding it in a crushing grip.

"You were a fool to think you could defeat me, little ape, and now I will give you a thousand whip marks for each one you put on me!"

"No, Valeyard, let her go, please!" the Doctor said frantically.

"Sorry, Doctor," he said, looking at him. "Not after what she did to me. She will be punished for her insolence. I will whip her to within an inch of her life, let her recover and whip her again. How do you like the sound of that little…"

He paused when he looked back at her. He stared into her eyes which were now glowing gold.

"What is this?"

"You will not hurt them!" Rain said in an otherworldly voice. "We won't let you!"

The Valeyard gasped when the golden glow spread over her body, burning his hand with its intense radiance. He let go and held it while he stared at the glowing human before him.

"What are you?" he said, staring at her in shock.

"We are the protector of the Doctor and we will not suffer you to exist one moment more!"

The Valeyard screamed when she raised her hand and golden light shot from it enveloping him. The Doctor watched quietly while the light penetrated his body flooding the darkness within him until he glowed from within and without. The Valeyard let out a howl of pain and rage, angry that a mere human girl was destroying him. Then with one final howl the Valeyard disintegrated into atoms and vanished from existence. The being turned towards the stunned Doctor and walked to him.

"Be healed, my love," the being said in a mixture of Rain and the being's voices, "you are safe now."

The being put Rain's hands on his back and the Doctor's body was flooded with the golden light but this time all wounds were completely healed and when she took her hands away, the glow faded and the Doctor's body had nary a mark on it. The being waved her hand over him and all the restraints unbuckled and fell away from him. Then the golden light retreated and Rain became herself again. The Doctor pushed himself up and Rain helped him to his feet. They embraced one another and kissed.

"It's over, Thete, you won't be bothered by him any longer," she said, stroking his hair.

They put their foreheads together and stayed that way for a moment before they shared another kiss. Then she put his arm around his newly healed back while they walked out the doorway in search of some clothes for him.

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The Doctor gazed at his wife, his curiosity peaked. He saw a myriad of emotions play across his sleeping beloved's face and felt a range of emotions in his mind from distress to anger and now happiness and peace. He wondered what she was dreaming about. He made a mental note to ask her when she woke but for the moment he was content to just be beside her, lightly stroking her hair while she continued to sleep by his side.


	201. Chapter 201

Chapter Two Hundred and One

Rain slowly opened her eyes and stared at her husband who was looking down at her with love in his eyes.

"Just once, I'd like to wake up before you," she said as he chuckled.

"How are you this morning?" he asked.

"I'm fine."

"What did you dream about last night?"

Rain frowned.

"We were lying together by a river kissing each other."

"And that distressed you and made you angry?"

"No, it was a very pleasant dream. Why would you think I'd be distressed and angry?"

"Because at one point you were dreaming and I could sense this distress in my mind and then you were really angry and then you were happy again. I was wondering what you were dreaming about."

She frowned.

"I don't remember anything that would have made me feel that way. I just remember kissing you by the riverbank and I wouldn't get distressed or angry about that."

"Oh well, maybe you had another dream before it and just forgot that one," he said, shrugging. "It's not important, just a bit of curiosity."

"Do you ever dream when you do sleep?"

"Well, most of the time I take short naps and don't go deep enough to dream but about every few months or so I do have to go into a deeper sleep and then I usually dream about my adventures and occasionally I dreamed about Rose. I haven't reached that point yet with you but I'm sure I'll dream about you when I do."

"What time is it?"

He checked his watch.

"Nearly eight. Do you wanna get a shower and some breakfast before we head out?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, after last night a shower with you sounds good."

"I agree. I think you need a bit of comforting," he said.

He sat up on the side of the bed while his wife sat on the other end. She grabbed the remote and turned it on but the only things on the TV were ESPN and The Disney Channel.

"This sucks," she said, turning it off.

"Yes, it does. John paid good money for this room; they need to have more than just two bloody channels on the telly."

"I was trying to see what the weather would be like today."

"I suppose they want you to guess," the Doctor said.

They carried their rucksacks into the bathroom, took out their toiletries and put them on the rim of the bathtub. The Doctor turned the water on, tested it and then they stepped inside when it was warm enough and pulled back the plastic shower curtain.

"Do me a favor today," he said to her while he lathered shampoo into her hair, "please remind me to get the Minnie Mouse for Te'lesu when we get to the Japan section."

"I will."

"Thanks, I'll probably remember but I never know with my advanced age and all. And I want to be sure she has it as an early birthday present."

"If you do get the TARDIS back and we travel with you, are you gonna take her somewhere for her birthday?"

"Oh yeah, I have several good ideas about where to take her. There are planets that have birthday celebrations that make Earth birthdays look like nothing. There are several resort planets and pleasure planets where people go on holiday and do nothing but relax. There are a lot of possibilities, Latara."

"Love, are you sure you wanna go to EPCOT?"

"I'll go wherever you wanna go, it doesn't matter to me," he said bringing her out of the water so he could put her conditioner on.

"Well, it's just that I'm afraid all the science stuff will bore you."

"It might, but if you wanna see it then I can live with it. It's a bit elementary but it's still science and you know, I could always give you a few extra tidbits that no one on Earth knows. But I sat through that Carousel thing yesterday and that was really boring especially since I found the whole thing laughable. 100 years of progress? Big deal, try 1000 or 2000 years of progress then I'll be impressed. Trust me, humanity progresses much further than getting a microwave and telly for the home. But if you want to see those things, I'll happily tag along. Just as long as you're happy."

"Especially since what's coming up is gonna be anything but happy."

"Latara," he said, grabbing her arms, "don't think of that, alright? Don't let the future tarnish the present. Focus on the here and now and let us deal with that when we come to it. Just live for the now and have fun, okay?"

She nodded. He pulled her back out of the shower and grabbed her body wash.

"I learned that in my travels because I can see time lines and all the possible futures contained within them. I've learned to just take each moment as it comes and now worry too much about the future because if I spent all my time worrying about what might happen, I would go insane."

"What is this whole timelines thing? Because Bro talks about it too. That's one of the things that Donna took from him."

He nodded while he used the washrag to lather the body wash on her body.

"Um…basically I can see everything happening now in my mind and I can discern if some events can be altered and some can't. Some events are fixed and can't be changed and some events can. I have the ability to know which is which."

"Like what? I mean, how do you know the difference?"

He held her close while he lathered the body wash on her back.

"Hmmm…well, take a fairly recent example, I traveled with Donna to Pompeii and Donna was upset because I was gonna let the volcano erupt and kill everyone but that event was fixed which meant I couldn't interfere even though I wanted to. She didn't understand and got angry at me because she thought I was being heartless and cruel but I wasn't, I just can't interfere in fixed events because it would severely mess up the timelines and bring catastrophic changes. When I see that in my mind, I see the event and only the event and that's how I know it's fixed. There are no other alternatives because that's the way it's meant to be."

He finished putting the body wash on her body and guided her back under the shower.

"Now if an event can be changed, I can see the event but there are several possible alternatives branching off from it like forks in a road which means that it can be altered. I can see each different scenario but a lot of times I don't know which one will be the outcome. When Rose and I were at canary wharf, I saw her being trapped in this universe but I also saw her staying with me, being killed by the Cybermen, being killed by the Daleks so I had no idea which event was the right one. It's my actions and the actions of those around me that determine the final outcome. I did try to send her away to prevent her being killed but she came back and because she wouldn't leave I was forced to accept her help which led to the outcome of her being trapped in this universe."

"It sounds complicated."

He nodded while they switched places.

"It is but I have the ability to sort all that out and make sense of it."

Rain grabbed his shampoo.

"I don't understand, if you had all those people on your planet, all those Time Lords and they were out making changes to time wouldn't that mess up all of history?"

He chuckled.

"What? What's so funny?"

"There weren't all these Time Lords out changing time, love, because I'm the only one who does it."

She frowned.

"No other Time Lord did what you do?" she said, lathering the shampoo in his hair.

"Nope because technically it was against the law to alter history in any way. But I never was much for rules and laws."

"So…what did the other Time Lords do then?"

"Watched."

"That's it?"

"Yup," he said as she helped rinse the shampoo out of his hair.

"They'd just fly around in their TARDISes and watch things?"

"Yup."

"What if they saw a monster attack someone?"

"They watched it attack someone."

"But…hold on, all Time Lords have this whole seeing the time lines thing, right?"

"Yes."

"Then what good is seeing all the time lines if you're never gonna do anything about them?" Rain said, grabbing his body wash.

He grinned.

"Exactly the point I made to my professors at the academy. I argued that very same point with them and basically got laughed out of the classroom. Part of it though has to do with Gallifreyan history. When time travel was invented, Rassilon went around and started brutally attacking any other planets that even thought of inventing time travel devices of their own so our planet had the monopoly on it. He was extremely brutal to them and wiped out a lot of civilizations and the Time Lords decided to come up with the law of non-interference to prevent that from happening again. So yes, Latara, Time Lords had the ability to alter some events but everyone except me chose not to and because of that I was ostracized and called a renegade and basically shunned by the other Time Lords except when they really did need me for something and then they secretly asked for my help."

Rain paused while she was lathering his chest.

"Tad hypocritical of them," she commented.

"Yes it was, very. But that was the high council for ya. A lot of them were corrupt and only cared for themselves. That's why I stayed away from that lot whenever possible. There was no love lost between them and me. For the most part I just traveled and made some of my own rules. And if you wanna get technical, I really wasn't supposed to have non-Time Lords in the TARDIS with me, so my taking companions along with me was illegal as well, except for Romana who was a Time Lady but she was the only one who traveled with me. But they're all dead now so basically I'm free to be on my own and don't have to answer to anyone except myself. There's no more chance of me being called back to be their lackey for some mission or being pulled into a courtroom on some trumped up charge or other rubbish like that. I do miss my friends and family and planet, don't get me wrong, but I don't miss the corrupt Time Lords and the people who considered me lower than dirt because I was a bit different from them. Those people I can do without."

He finished rinsing off and smiled at her.

"Well, you got a shower and some more basic knowledge on Time Lords, how 'bout that?"

"But theoretically, if I did become a Time Lady I would get this knowledge of the time lines too?" she said as they stepped out and grabbed their towels.

"Yes. And my brother will get the same when he goes under the chameleon arch. He'll get back his knowledge of the time lines, his language skills and the portion of his mind that was absorbed by Donna. That's why it was killing Donna because she still had her human mind and she had infinite knowledge in a finite human consciousness. It was overwhelming her and destroying her mind which is why I took it out of her."

"So…are Donna's memories inside you now?"

"Yes. Which to be frank are quite fascinating. I've examined a few memories out of curiosity and it was quite an eye opener since I was seeing events from her perspective and getting her thoughts and feelings on things we did. But when Donna is restored I will put those memories back into her mind because it'll be safe for her to remember them."

They got dressed and put their toiletries back in their rucksacks. They put their watches back on and checked them.

"8:35. Well according to the EPCOT map the science portion opens at 9 and the world showcase thing opens at 11. So would you like to get breakfast now?"

"Well, I have a thought."

"And that is?"

"If we do, let's get a light breakfast because I was thinking if we're going through the countries let's get a little something from each to share, just to sample different country's food. Rose did say that when we get to Norway we should have the polsa which she says is like a Norwegian hot dog. But maybe do that…except we don't have to do that in Japan and China since we already ate stuff from both countries."

"Sounds good. Just one item from each you mean?"

"Yes, to split, just something to try."

"Hmm, I like that idea. See, that's the right attitude too because the best way to experience a culture is by tasting their food. Trust me, I've had food from all over the universe and it's a fun way to find out what people are like, that and their music, those are two good ways to know a culture."

"But also if you want to, let's skip breakfast and then when the world showcase thing opens, let's go get lunch in England because Sis actually cooked us some traditional English food and I love it."

"Alright, we can do that as well. I'm always up for some chips."

He checked the watch.

"Well, it's almost time for the park to open then. Let's go down, get some sodas and then drink them on the way over."

"Okay."

They got their brown bags out of their rucksacks, put them in their pockets and went out the door.

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For about three hours the two of them strolled around the science portion of EPCOT. The Doctor wasn't really interested in what they saw and Rain had to admit she really wasn't that impressed either since science had never been her favorite subject. They went on Soarin' and the Test Track which they both enjoyed but she was so glad when the other section opened and they headed over to it.

They started out on the far right side in Canada. They strolled around looking at the buildings and totem poles. They wandered into the shops and looked around and took in a show by a band named Off Kilter. They stopped at a restaurant, wandered inside and looked at the menu.

"Anything you wanna try here?" the Doctor asked her.

"Well, there's nothing I really haven't had before," she said. "Maybe we better just go on to the England section and have lunch."

He nodded.

"I think it's safe to rule out Japan, China and America too since you've had items from all those countries."

"And Mexico too. I've had tons of Mexican food."

"What about Italy?"

"Um, not sure, I've had some Italian food but I'd still like to look there."

He nodded. He put his hand on her back and led her out. As they were walking towards England, he suddenly stopped her.

"Ooo, look Latara, McDonalds! Let's sample it!" he said pulling on her hand.

She laughed and ran with him but when they stepped inside, they stopped and stared at the menu.

"Chips and McNuggets? That's all they have to eat besides drinks and desserts?" he said. "What if you want a burger?"

"I guess you're out of luck then, Thete."

He stared at the menu and counted the items.

"They only have twelve items available and nine of them are drinks and one McFlurry. That's idiotic. Well, I'm not in the mood for McNuggets and I'd rather have fish and chips. So let's keep going."

He took her hand and they walked next door to the UK pavilion.

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The Doctor looked at the buildings, each one taken from a different architectural period in England's history.

"Blimey, it's like they jumped in a TARDIS, went all over England's history, grabbed buildings and put them together in a weird hodge-podgey pattern," he said. "This is England, a crash course for yanks! Come and sample every single British thing we can cram into this tiny space."

They walked around and the Doctor pointed out the various architectural styles and told his wife what period they were from. They wandered into a shop selling various British items. Rain walked over to a shelf that sold calendars with photos of British landmarks and playing cards that had English and Scottish royals on them. She glanced around and noticed the Doctor was over by the far wall looking at different boxes of teas. Beside them were several different tea pots, strainers, infusers, scoops and tongs. She walked over to his side.

"Getting some tea?"

"Maybe," he said, studying the selections. "I'm thinking of getting some Tetley Earl Grey. You wanna try some?"

"Sure."

He grabbed a box from the shelf.

"Need a teapot?" she said, gesturing to them.

He grinned.

"Wanna carry it in the rucksack?"

"Um…no."

"Well then we better not get it. Are you getting anything?"

"No, not in here."

He nodded and took his tea up to the cash register. He requested they deliver it to the hotel room and after it was paid for, they walked out.

"Well," he said, gesturing to the Rose and Crown restaurant nearby. "Wanna go eat at Rose's royal restaurant?"

She laughed and nodded. He took her hand and they walked across the street to it.

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"Blimey, these restaurants don't have much of a selection," he said as they stared at the menu. I'm getting the fish and chips, you?"

She frowned.

"Maybe the bangers and mash?" she said.

"You wanna share then?"

"Okay."

They went up to place their order.

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"Mmm, this is good," Rain said while they ate. "Just after I joined them, Rose cooked us roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and brussel sprouts and Christmas pudding and custard, cottage pie, toad in the hole, Cornish pastie and they fixed us a ploughman's lunch.

"Blimey, Rose must have cooked her bum off," the Doctor said.

"Well, that was over two days that she did that. We cooked them Navajo food when they stayed with us and Awinita fixed us traditional Cherokee dishes so she did that for us in return since we were heading back to London with them."

He smiled.

"A little cultural exchange?"

"Yup and now I can add fish and chips and bangers and mash to that list."

"This isn't bad. I've had better but it's pretty good for Disney food," he said.

He took a sip of his lager while Rain drank her Mountain Dew.

"Interesting that they serve alcoholic beverages inside Disney," he said.

"Yeah, Sis mentioned that when we were at Tokyo Disney because they wondered what was to stop people getting piss drunk and riding the rides afterwards."

"That's true. I can't get drunk unless I want to but I'm assuming they do keep a tally somewhere or something and give people a limit. Me, I'm just having this one pint of lager."

"What's next?" she asked.

He checked the map.

"Vive la France," he said. "Right across from England, just like in real life."

"Are they all in order like that?"

"No because after that is Morocco, then Japan, then America. Apparently they just built them wherever they felt like it without any rhyme or reason. Maybe in the planner's heads it's logical but if it is, I can't suss it out. Ah well, I'd rather be over here rather than the science part. We can go back to that later."

"Same here, I wasn't impressed either. I like history more than science."

"Really? I like both but the science has to be really advanced. I knew everything we looked at and the dinosaurs weren't too thrilling either. For one thing they got the skin colors wrong and some of the frills and adornments were wrong and I have been chased a time or two by dinos and after almost being eaten by them I kinda lost interest in seeing them again."

"Must be really hard having a Time Lord brain and knowing so much, you get bored so easily, Thete."

He smiled at that while he stared at his lager.

"Yeah, it is, actually. It's nice to have it when you need to know things but yes, it's very hard to impress me, particularly on Earth."

"Well, we don't have to see everything here, love. After we get done with this we could start on another park. I mean, it's not gonna be any fun if both of us aren't excited about seeing the exhibits."

He nodded.

"Okay, where though?"

"Do you wanna go to Animal Kingdom since the hotel's there? That way we won't have that far to walk at the end of the day."

"Sounds good."

They finished up their meal while they continued to make small talk and then they went to explore the rest of the England section.

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For most of the day they walked through the different pavilions seeing the sights and sampling some of the food. They shared escargot in France, Beef Brewat Rolls in Morocco, a PLT Panino Sandwich in Italy, bratwurst in Germany and Polsa in Norway. Rain was full. She had let the Doctor have most of the food when they ate since she knew he had a bottomless pit like his brother. They enjoyed everything they got and the Doctor did remember to get the kimono Minnie for Awinita. They had just finished riding the Maelstrom in Norway and were at the last pavilion, Mexico. They stopped and listened to a mariachi band. The Doctor put his arm around her while they listened.

After they got finished they went on the Gran Fiesta Tour, a boat ride that took them through Mexican history and then they were finished with the world showcase. They caught a bus and headed back to Animal Kingdom.

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"Okay, at last we can ride the Expedition Everest ride that everyone's been raving about," he said while they headed towards it. "And now maybe my dear brother can shut up about it. I…"

Rain frowned when he trailed off and stopped. She looked at him and noticed he was looking at a restaurant beside them. He looked at her with a grin.

"Yak and Yeti," he said, gesturing to the sign above the entrance. "That's what they serve here?"

She laughed.

"Yak and Yeti don't sound too appetizing, eh?" he said, winking.

He stared at the entrance.

"Wait a tic, my love, must satisfy my curiosity."

He ran through the door while she laughed. A moment later he emerged and walked up to her.

"Nope, neither Yak nor Yeti on the menu, just a bit of false advertising. Come on then."

He wrapped her arm around her and chuckled when she continued to laugh.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After an hour wait, they got on the Expedition Everest ride.

"Finally, we get to see what all the fuss is about," the Doctor said as Rain nodded.

The cars lurched forward and they started up the hill. They were sitting about three cars back. The Doctor looked around him and gave his wife a look of wide-eyed terror while she giggled.

"I'm very frightened," he said, taking her hand. "I need support and love and encouragement and fuzzy teddy bears to get me through this ride."

"Um, I don't have the fuzzy teddy bear but I'll give you everything else."

"Brilliant."

She leaned her head on his shoulder while he put his arm around her. The cars went over the hill and began to speed up while they held on. They went around the bend and saw the twisted and broken tracks when they stopped.

"Rain!" he said sternly. "How could you? Destroying Disney property, for shame!"

"I didn't do it, it was you, you're the one who wrecks things."

She hunkered down when the Doctor feigned anger.

"I do what now?" he said as she grinned at him.

The car began going backwards down the tunnel. Both of them laughed and screamed when they hurtled backwards through the darkness. The cars stopped after a few minutes and they watched the movie of the Yeti ripping up the tracks.

"Blimey, fuzz boy's havin' a bit of a temper tantrum, isn't he?" the Doctor said.

"I guess he doesn't like the tracks."

"Apparently so."

The car went forward through the darkness. Then, they saw it, the enormous yeti hanging off the mountain. Both of them laughed when the yeti roared and tried to grab at them.

"Ooooh, now I see what my brother was on about. That is absolutely brilliant! Stroke of genius. Yup, I can see why he loves this ride."

"We'll have to call them tonight and tell them we went on it."

He nodded when they got out of the car.

"Okay. Now we can say that we've ridden Expedition Everest along with the rest of them," he said to her. "What d'ya wanna do next?"

Not sure, it's getting dark now," she said, glancing at the setting sun.

The Doctor checked the map.

"Wanna go to a couple of the shows here?"

She nodded.

"Okay, follow me then," he said taking her hand.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By the time they got done walking around to the shows and watching all of them it was nearing eight o'clock. They decided to go back to Pleasure Island and see a movie before heading back to the hotel for the night. They saw Pink Panther 2 at the AMC Theater on the boardwalk. Afterwards they strolled along it for awhile hand in hand and watched the fireworks once more before they headed back to their hotel.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well, that was a wonderful day, eh?" the Doctor said when they got inside.

"Yes it was."

He smiled.

"See, we can still have a good time," he said, holding her. "We don't have to let what's going to happen in the future affect the present."

She smiled and nodded. He faked a yawn.

"My, my, I'm just knackered. I think I'll just take a cue from you humans and sleep for 8,9,14 hours straight."

"I'd like to see that."

He winked and gave her a kiss. They got ready for bed and he pulled back the covers. They got under them and the Doctor did his usual caressing and singing while Rain sighed and surrendered herself to sleep.


	202. Chapter 202

Chapter Two Hundred and Two

"Good mornin' troops! Rise and shine and let's get on our way to Ninjaville!" Alan said as he strolled over to Awinita and Mingxia's tents.

Awinita yawned and lifted the flap of her tent.

"Morning already?" she muttered.

Alan stared at her.

"Yes. What do ya mean mornin' already? You've been asleep for almost nine hours now. That's more than enough rest. Now on your feet and let's all eat before we hit the street!"

Awinita glanced at her friend before they crawled out of the tent and started packing up. Rose was up and walking towards the stream to freshen up while Alan went to check the snare.

"Wonder if Bro and Sis are still having fun," Awinita said to Mingxia.

"Probably. I doubt if this stuff about the Valeyard is gonna ruin their fun. I don't think the Doctor would let it."

She nodded.

"I just wish we knew what part we're supposed to play in all of it," she said.

"Me too," Mingxia said, "but I suppose it'll be revealed in a couple of days when they get back."

Alan stepped into the camp.

"Did you get anything, Bro?" Awinita asked him.

"Yeah, I caught a flying squirrel," he said holding up the carcass.

"Flying squirrel? Wow, I've never had squirrel before," Awinita said.

"I have. It's pretty good. At least I think so," Mingxia replied.

"Well, I guess I'll do the skinning today. I see my wife hasn't returned yet."

"Nope, she's still down at the stream," Awinita said.

"Well, with my luck, she's probably starkers and bathing under a waterfall or something."

"Um…somehow I doubt it," Mingxia said as Awinita laughed.

Rose stepped into the camp and walked over to her husband.

"Alan…"

She trailed off when Alan turned his head and leaned forward with puckered lips. Rose glanced at the other women who were snickering and kissed him.

"Ah, much better. Now that I've had my good mornin' kiss, what's on your mind, spousal unit?"

Rose gave him an odd look while the two women laughed harder.

"Spousal unit?" she said to him.

"Um…domestic counterpart?"

"How 'bout wife?"

"Oh okay, if you wanna conform with the rest of the herd, what d'ya want, wife?"

"I think it's time."

"Time for what?"

She sighed.

"Call mum and tell her the Doctor's with us and ask about the double weddin'."

Alan raised his eyebrow.

"Oh blimey, can I run with my sister and Mingxia to the hills so we don't have to listen to her ear piercing angry shrieks?" he said.

"No, you three can stay here because I want you to hear what she has to say after I'm done. Besides I want you with me since this is gonna be hard for me to do."

Alan embraced her from behind and gave her a big kiss on the head.

"I am here, Amo'tiri, to give you support and love like a good spousal unit."

Rose rolled her eyes while the two women laughed. She pulled out her cell phone and crawled back into her tent. Alan crawled in after her and the two women came near and sat on the ground while she dialed her mother's number.

"Here goes nothing, gang," she muttered.

The phone picked up on the third ring.

"Hello?" Pete said.

"Dad? Hey, it's Rose."

"Hi. How are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm doing fine, dad. Everyone's fine. Is mum around?"

"Yeah, she's in the kitchen. Let me get her. Wait a tic."

"Alright."

There was a pause and Rose stared at Alan while he rubbed her back.

"Finger's crossed," she said to him.

"Just keep calm and explain. She'll come around, especially when she hears the Doctor is leaving."

"Yeah but we're all goin' with him now."

"You're an adult, Rose. She can't keep you here forever."

"Rose?"

"Hi, mum."

"Hi, love, how ya doin'? Are ya alright?"

"Yeah we're fine, mum. We're in Japan and we're out in the countryside hikin' and campin'."

"Oh, that's nice. How's Alan and the rest of them?"

"They're fine, mum. Listen, I wanted to talk to ya because we've picked up another person."

"Bloody hell, Rose, how many you got travelin' with ya now? You trying to start your own city or somethin'?"

"Well, we lost Imiko, she had to go back home but we gained someone else a little over a week ago."

"Is she nice?"

"It's not a she, mum."

There was a pause.

"You let a man come along with ya? Rose, is he trustworthy?"

"Very trustworthy, mum."

She took a deep breath.

"It's the Doctor, mum. The real Doctor. He found us."

Alan leaned in and listened. He squeezed his wife's hand when all they heard was silence on the other end.

"I thought the gap was sealed off forever," she finally said.

"Well, he was kidnapped by this evil monster called the Valeyard and the Valeyard had this…void crosser that allowed him to cross the void safely. He enslaved the Doctor's mind and sent him after us because this Valeyard wants Alan and me."

Jackie let out a curse.

"But this…being that we can't see freed the Doctor's mind and got the mind control device out of him and he's back to normal."

"As normal as he can be, you mean," Jackie muttered.

Alan narrowed his eyes when he heard that.

"Mum, the Doctor's been through a lot. The Valeyard tortured him and roughed him up. He's down here with us havin' a rest."

Jackie softened.

"Oh, the poor dear," she said.

Rose smiled.

"The thing is…Alan has managed to make a family for himself. There's this Gallifreyan bonding ceremony that his people used to use to become brother and sister since there was no such thing on Gallifrey and he used that to make Awinita and Rain his sisters."

"Oh, that's nice," Jackie said.

"Yes and he and the Doctor also became brothers."

"Well, I am glad to hear that they do get along now since I know there was bad blood between them in Norway."

"Yes. But that's in the past. Both of them love each other and Alan loves Rain and Awinita like they're his own flesh and blood."

"Well, good for him. I hope that gives him some peace."

Alan smiled at that.

"It has, mum. This family he's made and our engagement has brought him happiness and peace and he's healed so much, mum. It's wonderful."

"I'm glad, sweetie. I really am."

"There's more though."

"Yes?"

"Well, when the Doctor was first sent down, he was in disguise. This holographic imager thing that covered his body and he used a different voice. He made himself look like a woman so we would take him along and we met him in Beijing and we were kinda wary of him at first except for Rain. Rain befriended him and ended up roomin' with him and he revealed who he was after this being freed his mind and for the longest time she was the only one he confided in and well…they fell in love with each other."

"Really?"

"Yeah and recently he asked Rain to marry him."

"The Doctor? I thought he didn't do domestic stuff like that?"

"Well, he realizes now like Alan does that family and love is extremely important and he decided to take a chance and marry her."

"I'm glad, sweetie. He needs someone to love and it's nice that he found someone besides you since you're already engaged to Alan."

"Yeah, I'm glad too. Um…I need to ask you guys a favor."

"Yes?"

Rose looked at Alan who gave her hand a squeeze. She took a deep breath.

"Mum, I want the Doctor and Rain to get married with Alan and me. Could you please pay for it so we can have a double weddin'?"

Alan held Rose's hand tightly. There was a long silence and Rose swallowed hard.

"I'll have to speak to your father about this. It isn't my call," she finally said.

"Yeah I know but could you please convince him because the Doctor's TARDIS is in the other universe and once he gets it he wants to bring over all our friends from the other universe so they can be a part of it too and Rain wants her father and sister to attend. I hate to ask but the Doctor has finally found happiness and a family and we want him with us on our wedding day. Rain too. Mum, Rain's had a hard life and not much love and this is a dream come true for her and we want her with us as well. They both deserve a proper weddin'."

"Well, what's the Doctor gonna use for a last name? He'll need one, you know."

"Probably Smith, John Smith, that's his alias," she said.

"Well, I'll speak to your father but I can't guarantee that he'll agree to it. But I will speak to him straight away and call you back."

"Thanks mum," she said as Alan squeezed her hand. "There's one other thing."

"Something else?" she said in disbelief.

"Yes. When the Doctor gets his TARDIS, all of us want to go with him. But…before you say anything, he's gonna put that void crosser device in his TARDIS which means we can go to any universe we want safely and we'll come back and see ya, I promise. But all of us are family now and we can't bear to be separated from each other, the Doctor included. He wants this just as much as us. And this is even better than just Alan and me in the TARDIS because we'll have seven people once we get Donna back and we'll all look out for one another and watch each other's backs like we've been doin' this entire time. And we'll take care of each other and love each other, so you don't need to worry. The Doctor's changed too, mum. He's not like he was especially since he has Rain in his life. He won't abandon me or her or anyone. All of us are his brothers and sisters and Mingxia is his best friend."

"Well, I'm glad for that," she said. "I can't stop ya, Rose. You're my baby girl and I love ya but you have the right to make your own decisions and live your own life and if you wanna go with the Doctor then I won't stand in your way. I just hope all of you can protect one another out there."

"We will, mum. We've gotten used to one another and we won't anything happen to each other."

"Good. Is the Doctor there? I wanna talk to him."

Rose glanced at Alan.

"The Doctor's off hunting for food with Rain, mum. He won't be back for awhile."

Alan gave her a thumbs up.

"Okay. Well, let me speak to Pete and I'll call you back, alright?"

"Alright, mum. I love ya."

"I love you too. It'll probably be a half hour to an hour but I'll call ya back no matter what he says."

"Thanks mum. I'll talk to ya then."

"Okay, hon. Bye."

"Bye."

Jackie hung up and Rose looked at Alan.

"God. I hope he says yes," she said to all of them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The wait was excruciating. All of them busied themselves with packing up the camp and skinning the squirrel and putting it in a container, trying not to worry about what Pete would say.

"Don't worry, Starlight," Alan said as he finished skinning the squirrel, "if Pete says no, we'll have a separate wedding for them with all our friends. It may not be as posh but we'll have all our family and friends there and that's what counts. Even if they have to do it at a register office and have a reception afterwards. We'll find a way to get them wed with everyone present.

They had almost gotten everything packed up when the mobile rang. Everyone stopped what they were doing and waited with baited breath while Rose answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Rose," Pete said.

"Yes, dad?"

"Your mother told me all about the Doctor coming back and wanting to marry this Rain and I will agree to do it since it's not that much more to add them in to the wedding and the reception."

Rose grinned from ear to ear and mouthed, "He said yes!" to Alan and the others who let out silent cheers.

"I'm glad the Doctor and Alan have both found people to love and have a family," he continued. "I think they both needed that."

"Yes, they did," Rose said.

"So you guys need to set up a date now and if you want to do it soon, I can arrange round trip plane tickets so you can come here and go back to wherever you are if that's what you want. Unless you're leaving as soon as the Doctor gets ready to leave in which case I'll just make it one way."

"Well, he's still out hunting but we'll talk it over with him and Rain," she said.

"Just let me know so I can make the arrangements. And your friends are more than welcome to come and Rain's family. I can make arrangements for them to fly to London from Arizona if you can work it out with them."

Rose could hardly contain her joy.

"I'll have to talk to the Doctor about that as well. He might just bring them in the TARDIS."

"Okay well let me know and I'm glad he's away from this Valeyard person and his mind's not enslaved anymore."

"Yeah, me too."

"Okay. Well talk to him and get in touch with me as soon as you can alright?"

"We will, dad. And thanks."

"You're welcome. You and everyone else have a safe journey."

"We will. Say hello to Tony for all of us."

"I will. Bye, sweetheart."

"Bye dad."

The moment he hung up she yelled and flung herself into Alan's waiting arms while everyone ran to get in the group hug.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Doctor lay in bed beside Rain listening to his IPod. Every once in awhile he would glance over at her but this time there was no distress and no anger just complete calm. He smiled at that and turned his attention back to his music. While he listened he suddenly saw a flash of light through the curtains. Frowning, he slowly got up, walked over and drew back the curtains. He stood there a moment listening to his IPod and then he saw a flash of light in the clouds and knew it was the beginning of a thunderstorm. He walked back to the bed and slid back under the covers. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table and saw it was nearing five in the morning. Suddenly there was a loud thunder boom that he could hear even with his ear buds in. He winced when Rain gasped and jerked her eyes open.

"It's alright, it's just a thunderstorm," he said, rubbing her arm.

He took his ear buds out when she raised her head and turned her bleary eyes to him.

"Thete?" she murmured.

"It's alright, love. Just a thunderstorm. Go back to sleep."

"What time is it?"

"4:49 in the morning."

She jerked her head at the window when she saw another flash of light through the curtains.

"I hope it clears up," she murmured.

"I do too but if not we'll find other things to do."

"I'm glad this didn't happen when we were out in the park."

"Me too."

She rose up.

"Rain, go back to sleep."

"I'm goin' to the bathroom."

"Oh, okay."

She sat on the edge for a moment before slowing rising up. Rubbing her eyes, she walked to the bathroom while the Doctor walked to the window and looked out. He could see ripples in the pool where the raindrops were hitting the water. He watched while the rain fell faster and faster as the lightning flashed and the thunder cracked and boomed. It was becoming a deluge and the Doctor shared Rain's thought about being indoors when it happened. As he stood there he felt his wife wrap his arms around him from behind and he squeezed her right hand. Rain came around him and stood with him at the window.

"Oh man, I hope it doesn't rain all day," she said.

"Yeah, me too."

"What time does the restaurant open for breakfast, love?"

"Um, I think 6 a.m. Do you want me to wake you up?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, if you would."

He nodded and kissed her head.

"I will, hopefully by then this'll have passed."

She nodded and gave him another kiss on the lips before going back to bed. The Doctor let go of the curtain and came back to bed with her.


	203. Chapter 203

Chapter Two Hundred and Three

At six the Doctor roused his wife and both of them got ready to go down to breakfast. By that time the rain had lessened somewhat but it was still pouring down. He took his wife's hand and they went downstairs to the restaurant. She ordered eggs, sausage, toast and orange juice and he had pancakes, hash browns and sausage gravy with coffee. They sat and talked to one another, the Doctor telling her a few more of his adventures while Rain talked a bit about her childhood. Even after they finished eating they went and got refills on their drinks and just sat in the booth talking while they waited for the rain to end. Once again Rain was spellbound listening to her husband's adventures but the Doctor was equally fascinated and heartsbroken at the same time listening to Rain growing up and some of the hardships she had to go through. They talked on and on, eventually getting up for another refill of their drinks, just enjoying the relaxing atmosphere and the pleasant chat they were having.

They had been talking for almost two hours when Rain's mobile rang. She pulled it out of her pocket.

"Hello?"

"Rain, hey," Rose said. "Were you asleep?"

"No, it's raining here and we got breakfast in the hotel restaurant and we're just sitting here talking while we have orange juice and coffee."

"Oh good, I have some good news for ya. Can you put me on speaker?"

Rain looked around and noticed that not many people were in the restaurant and they were all far enough away that they wouldn't be bothered.

"Sure, hang on…"

She pressed the speaker button and laid the mobile on the table.

"Okay, Rose, go ahead," Rain said.

"Guys, I talked to my dad and he's agreed to pay for a double wedding for us."

Rain squealed and they squeezed each other's hands.

"Thank your dad for us, Rose," Rain said.

"I will, Sis. But the thing is we'll have to work out a date for the wedding. Dad said he'll pay for plane tickets for us to go to London whenever we want to have the wedding and back if we want to come back to Japan or wherever. But if the battle is happening first and the Doctor gets the TARDIS there'll be no need for that."

"No, I can take everyone, both from here and the other universe to the wedding. Our friends and Rain's family. Pete doesn't need to spend the money on tickets for all of us."

"Well, when do you guys want to have it then? Because Pete wants to make arrangements."

The Doctor looked at Rain.

"What do you think?"

"I would love to have it as soon as we can."

"Perhaps right after we get done finishing off the Valeyard?" the Doctor said.

"So, four, five days from now?"

"Make it a fortnight from the time we get back. If I get my TARDIS I can just travel right to the day but I want to have some time to restore Donna and visit everyone and tell them and then get them assembled."

"Okay, I'll tell him. And Doctor, he also wants to know if we are leaving straight away in the TARDIS or coming back and finishing this journey because he'll pay for a flight back to Japan."

The Doctor looked at Rain.

"What do you wanna do?" he asked her.

"I want to go wherever you go. I told you if you go in the TARDIS I want to go with you. So it's up to you."

"What does the rest of the family think?" the Doctor asked.

He heard Rose asking them.

"Alan would like to go in the TARDIS and so would Awinita, Mingxia isn't sure but she would like to take a chance and personally I'd like to as well because I miss time travel."

The Doctor smiled at Rain.

"Then I think the moment the wedding is over we should find the nearest pleasure planet and have our honeymoon there and then just leg it out of the universe for adventure and thrills."

"Sounds good to me," Rose said. "I just hope we can get away from the Valeyard in one piece."

"We will, Rose, have faith in that," the Doctor said. "Working together we'll all defeat him and then it's on to our second weddings."

"Oh! And also when you fill out your marriage certificate, are you using Smith for the last name?"

Alan glanced at his wife.

"Yes. So Rain will have a proper last name," he said. "But that's the only reason why I will use it. I'm not gonna be John Smith full time, but she can be Rain Smith."

"Well, you know, if you really wanted to you could pick out something else since that's just an alias," Rose said. "I mean the TARDIS could forge documentation for you, yeah?"

"Yes, but what would I use?"

He heard Alan say something to her.

"You're Alan's brother, use Timelord," she said. "I mean that's his last name so technically it's yours as well."

He giggled.

"Would you like to be Mrs. Timelord, Latara?"

"I would love it."

"Okay, I'll use my brother's creative surname then."

Rose relayed that to the others who laughed and cheered.

"Okay, my wife will be known as Rain Timelord," he said. "So are you lot alright? How far are you from Iga-Ueno?"

"Only a few miles now. We were tired so we stopped just before we reached it but we'll definitely reach it tomorrow. But, imagine that, it's already tomorrow for you two."

He smiled.

"Yes and it's nice and warm here. Rain's been wearing shorts."

"Oi, be quiet. We don't wanna know," she said.

"Could you put my brother on for a moment though?"

"Sure, wait a tic."

There was a pause.

"Hello, future Mister and Mrs. Timelord," he said as everyone laughed in the background. "How are things?"

"Things are peachy. I just wanted to tell you that yesterday we rode Expedition Everest."

"OH! How was it? Did you like it?"

"Yes, the Yeti was brilliant. I can see why you like it so much."

Alan chuckled.

"Nice to know the fuzz ball is still there menacing the tourists," he said. "I'm glad you both got to ride it. So you went to the Animal Kingdom park?"

"Part of it. We went to EPCOT but neither of us liked the science portion so we went to the pavilions and sampled some of the food, including the polsa your wife suggested and then we went and saw Pink Panther 2 after it got dark."

"They had the polsa," Alan said to Rose.

"Did you like the polsa?" Rose said after getting back on.

"Yes, it was delicious," Rain said.

"Good. We had that while we were stuck in this Norwegian town waiting for dad to come get us and it became a favorite of ours. I wanted you to try it as well. Where are you going today?"

"Well, if the rain stops we might see some of Animal Kingdom and go on to MGM."

"I hope it stops raining then. I don't want your honeymoon to be cut short," Rose said. "Listen, Awinita wants to say hello."

"Okay."

"Hey, Bro. Hey, Sis."

"Hi!" they said in unison.

"How're you doing?" Awinita asked.

"We're doing fine. I got you your kimono Minnie yesterday."

She let out a squeal.

"Oh! Thank you so much, Bro! I love you to bits!"

He chuckled at that.

"I can't wait to be at your double wedding. Rose asked me to be maid of honor ages ago so now I get to be both your maids of honor."

"I would be honored, Te'lesu."

"I wouldn't. I want Mingxia!"

The Doctor laughed.

"Shut up, Sis!" Awinita said to her.

"I'm kidding. I'd love to have you as maid of honor too."

"Now all you gotta do is find a best man since you're now getting married and can't do it," Awinita said.

"I have a possible candidate if he'll behave himself."

"Who?"

"Our friend, Jack. I have to ask him first though but I think he would. If not there's always Mickey or Ianto or Luke or Wilf. We'll find a best man," he said.

"Mingxia wants to talk to you for a minute."

"Okay," the Doctor said.

"Doctor, Rain, I just wanted to say how happy I am that you're getting married with Alan and Rose and I'm so glad I'm invited."

"Well of course you're invited. You're our best friend. We wouldn't leave you out," the Doctor said.

"We care for you too," Rain added.

"Aw, thanks, I care for you guys also and I know I have some doubts about time travel but deep down I am excited and I'm looking forward to traveling in the TARDIS."

"Good, I'm glad," the Doctor said.

"Well, I'll give you back to whoever wants to talk. I just wanted to tell you that."

"Thanks, Mingxia. We'll see you when we get back."

"We miss you," Rain said.

"I miss you guys too. It's not the same with you gone. Um…Rose wants to talk to you again so I'm handing the mobile back to her. I'll talk to you guys later, bye!"

"Bye!" they said in unison.

"Guys, I just wanted to tell you before we got off here that I'm gonna ring Pete and tell him everything you said so he can start making arrangements."

"Good," the Doctor said.

"Just take care both of you and have fun today even if it does keep on raining."

"We will. We might take advantage of that whole in-room pizza delivery," the Doctor said.

"Oh! That sounds so good. We just caught a flying squirrel in the snare this morning so that's what we're havin' later on. But we better go now. I just wanted to give you the happy news."

"Thanks for calling, Rose and be careful," the Doctor said.

"You too. I miss you both and I'll be so glad when you get back. Bye bye."

"Bye!" they said in unison.

Everyone else screamed out goodbye and they echoed it back to them before Rose hung up. The Doctor grinned and laid his hand against his wife's cheek.

"So that's been sorted, love," he said. "Let's see if the rain's ended now."

She nodded and put the mobile back in her pocket. They stood up and the Doctor gave her a kiss on the lips before they headed out into the lobby. They walked to the front door and smiled when they noticed the sun was out.

"Yes! At last. We'll just take our umbrellas with us today and we'll go out and spend another day having fun," the Doctor said.

He took Rain's hand and they hurried across the lobby to the elevator.


	204. Chapter 204

Chapter Two Hundred and Four

When they got back in the room the Doctor went over to the curtain, drew it back and looked out the window. He sighed when he glanced at the sky.

"Damn, I wish we could see the weather forecast so we could know for sure if it's gonna rain. Bloody Disney."

He looked over at the TV. While he stared at it he suddenly got a brilliant idea.

"Rain, can I borrow your screwdriver again?" he said walking over to the bathroom door.

"Sure, it's in my backpack."

"Thanks."

He walked over to her rucksack, opened it and found the screwdriver on top.

"Let's hope this works," he said.

He moved the dresser out away from the wall and bent down. He turned the screwdriver on and held it up against the cable outlet for a second before turning it off. He turned the TV on and tried the channels and let out a yell of triumph when he got all the other cable channels.

"Thank you, brother. I'm so glad you thought to build this for my Latara," he said.

Rain came out of the bathroom.

"What happened?" she said.

"Well, I tried your sonic on the cable outlet and we got all the cable channels now."

Her eyes widened and she walked over to the TV. The Doctor flicked through them and she laughed.

"Oh my God, the sonic screwdriver is amazing," she said.

"I know and now to find the Weather Channel and find out what the weather will be like today."

He flipped through the channels until he found a station with the Weather Channel logo on the bottom of the screen. They sat down together and watched.

"Hmm, 20 percent chance so I think we'll be safe for today," the Doctor said.

He flipped through the channels, testing them and giggled when he noticed they got all the movie channels too. He smiled at Rain.

"Yup, the screwdriver is handy dandy," he said to her.

"Now you have something to do at night," she said.

"You sure that won't disturb you?"

"Nah, as long as you don't have the volume up full blast I'll be able to sleep through it. I just want you to have something to do at night. I hate that you just lay there and stare at me."

"Well, you're interesting to look at," he said.

He gave her a kiss.

"Well, let's stay in Animal Kingdom for awhile and see what the weather does and if the rain stays away we'll move on to MGM."

"Okay."

They grabbed their bags of money and headed out the door.

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"Aw, come on, Latara. I wanna have some fun."

She giggled while they sat in the back of the tram on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride. The Doctor was trying to convince her that when they got to the poacher camp he should just jump out and run through the camp screaming, "I'LL GET EM!"

"Come on, I'll give you twenty dollars if you let me do it."

"No, I don't wanna see you get arrested."

"Bah! They'll never arrest me! I'm a fast little bugger."

"And on your right, you'll see a herd of elephants," the guide said pointing.

"And in the back you'll see a Time Lord who's planning mischievous deeds," the Doctor muttered as she laughed. "And in the front you'll see…me, your tour guide who drives around talking to imaginary bosses on the radio and pointing out animals that would be happier out in the wild. Soon I will be driving a brisk 40 mph in search of some poachers who will scarper at the last minute leaving me looking like a fool."

"And if you look off to your left you'll see a herd of reticulated giraffes munching on some leaves," the guide said.

The Doctor looked at Rain.

"Should I get out and ass kick them for my brother?"

"Um…I don't think so, you might get hurt."

"Hurt, how?"

"The car is moving?"

"P'shaw, I've leapt out of moving cars before, my love. Easy peasey lemon squeasy."

"And now we see some Thompson's gazelles," the guide said.

The Doctor leaned into Rain's ear.

"And if you look just beyond the Thompson's gazelles you'll see the mysterious Snapple Dapple Zork Zonk Flitter Floof who comes from the planet Bzzzz, isn't it amazing?"

He smiled when Rain bent over laughing.

"And," he continued when she leaned back up, "If you look off to your left you'll see Pete Doherty partying with Kate Moss and Amy Winehouse. We kept them here so they don't get into trouble and get their faces in the tabloids again. And over to your right you'll see a woman playing Mary Poppins who got soused at a cast party, wandered in here drunk and got lost, wave to her everyone while she runs from the lions."

Rain leaned in his ear.

"And if you look to your left, you'll see several crocs waiting to eat a ballerina who's walking a tightrope over their lake."

He laughed.

"Good one, love."

"We have some poachers in the area, better be careful!"

"Roger, we'll keep an eye open for them."

"And just off to your right you'll see the world famous invisible poachers that everyone hears about, but nobody sees," the Doctor muttered to Rain.

"And we're coming around a bend now and we see some zebras," the guide said pointing to several of them on their right.

"Are zebras white with black stripes or black with white stripes?" the Doctor muttered to Rain. "Or are they charcoal striped with eggshell stripes or perhaps dark grey striped with cream colored stripes? We just don't know."

"And if you notice the zebras are wearing Mohawks," Rain muttered back to him. "Are they the punk rockers of the animal world or are they just idolizing Mister T?"

They giggled.

"I'm glad you're here, this is so much more fun with you making jokes with me," the Doctor said.

"Same here," she replied.

The Doctor grinned. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his Chuck-E-Cheese Yo-yo and played with it while Rain watched. He glanced at her and did walk the dog for her. Rain clapped softly when he brought the yo-yo back to his hand.

"See, told you I was talented," he said to her, putting it back in his pocket.

"Okay everyone, we're going after the poachers! Hang on," the guide said as the tram sped up.

"Why are my two hearts not racing with anticipation?" he muttered to Rain.

She grinned and shrugged.

They held on to the seat while the tram raced over the trail.

"Rollin', rollin', rollin', keep this tram a going, catchin' all those poachers, rawhide!" he sang softly to Rain. "Don't try to understand em, just rope and beat and brand em, then we'll finally be done with this riiiiide!"

She laughed.

"I see you like to sing like Bro does."

"Weeeell, every once in awhile."

"They reached the deserted camp."

"Oh, I'm sorry guys, I guess the poachers escaped."

"Slacking off, madam?" the Doctor said to Rain. "For shame, you didn't get here in time to nab the poachers which means you're officially sacked."

"I hope you enjoyed this safari and learned a little about conservation."

"Mmm, yeah, I just learned tons about conservation watching baboons sit on rocks while they scratch their big red bums," the Doctor said under his breath.

Rain put her hand over her mouth trying to dampen her hysterical laughter.

They drove back to the station and everyone got out and headed towards the exit. Once they got past the exit the Doctor pulled Rain aside and pulled the yo-yo out of his pocket. She watched while he did around the world, walk the dog, rock the baby and loop de loop.

"You are good," she said.

"Told ya so. Almost a thousand years of practice," he said proudly.

"He finished up with Eiffel Tower and put the yo-yo back in his pocket.

"That little demonstration hopefully made up for all that," he said gesturing to the safari ride. "And now that I've proven to you what a whizz I am at yo-yo's, shall we go on to the next thing?"

Rain nodded and took his hand.

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On the way to the next ride, they stopped at a kiosk. The Doctor got some hot tea and Rain got a Mountain Dew. She held his tea while he checked the map.

"There's a train nearby," he said, studying it, "and there's a river rapids ride a little ways ahead of us."

"I'd like to ride that," she said.

He chuckled.

"The Yak and Yeti restaurant is near it. Fancy some yak or yeti afterwards?"

"I thought you said there was no yak or yeti on the menu."

"Weeeeell, I could be wrong. I just had a quick dekko at it and for all I know the yak and yeti could be hidden in the food. Be just like Disney to go to the Himalayas and nab some yak and yetis and bring them back here to turn into sausages or something."

He smiled.

"Or…we could go to Pizzafari."

"No."

"You don't feel like pizza?"

"Yes but let's wait till we get back to the room tonight and do the whole in-room pizza delivery so we can use that once."

"Oh okay, works for me. So, I guess we'll go on the river rapids thing then."

She nodded and handed him his tea while they walked towards it.

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They screamed while they rode the wide circular boat down the river rapids. The Doctor was laughing because Rain kept getting wet while he stayed relatively dry. They rounded a bend and headed towards a waterfall.

"Oooh, you're about to get drenched, love!" he said when he noticed she was heading straight for it.

But at the last second the boat hit a rock and turned slightly and Rain roared with laughter when the Doctor got drenched by the waterfall along with a few other people.

"You were saying, Thete?" she said when they came out of it.

"I was saying I should keep my sodding mouth shut from here on out," he said, wiping the water off his face.

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Rain laughed softly when they got off the boat and the Doctor tried to get the excess water off his body.

"I'm guessing the river rapids will be your least favorite ride now," she said.

"Too right it is. Should have worn my swim trunks if I knew that was gonna happen."

He glanced up at the sun.

"Still…I'll dry out soon enough."

He took a step and she laughed when his trainers made a sloshing sound.

"Ugh! I hope they have laundry service in the hotel," he said.

"I think they do. Do you wanna get something from one of the fast food stands instead of going to the Yak and Yeti?"

"Yeah. If I sit on a bench maybe I'll dry out."

They walked along and looked for somewhere to eat while the Doctor dried out. Along the way they noticed a kiosk that served Yak and Yeti food.

"Oh! Here we go. They have a handy dandy takeaway," he said.

They walked up and studied the menu. They decided to split their meals. The Doctor got Kung Pao beef with a couple of egg rolls and Rain got a cheeseburger and French fries and a chocolate chip cookie. They got a Coke and Mountain Dew and carried everything over to a nearby bench. They spread everything out between them and divided it up. The Doctor gave her an egg roll while she gave him some fries and half of the cookie. She tore off a tiny portion of the cheeseburger while he gave her some of his beef. They began to eat while the sun dried the Doctor off. While they ate he looked at the map again.

"A lot of these attractions seem to be animal watching thingies," he said to her. "And the dinosaur section seems to have a lot of children's rides in it."

"Do you wanna go on to MGM then?" Rain asked.

"Depends. Do you wanna see some of the animals?"

"Not really, Thete. I've been to several zoos since I've traveled with the others and we just went on the safari. I mean, I'm sure they have everything I've seen in zoos."

He nodded.

"I wasn't going to say anything, I don't know if your brother told you but I don't like looking at animals in cages. I don't like looking at anything in cages. It disturbs me."

She nodded.

"Bro's the same way. And that's fine, Thete. I don't want you to be uncomfortable. Bro always went with us to the zoos but we could always tell he was a tad uneasy and he was doing it just because we wanted to. If you want to go to the MGM park that's fine. I would rather go there and see The Tower of Terror or ride the Rock-n-Roller coaster."

He nodded.

"You know, we're ahead of schedule here. I mean it's been three days and we're nearly done with the parks. If we go to the water parks tomorrow, that leaves us one day to go out and do something else."

He could see her deep in thought while she ate her cheeseburger.

"What is it?" he asked.

"When we get back to the hotel, maybe we could ask the people at the front desk how far it is to a beach? Drive off the last day and head to the beach."

He smiled.

"Brilliant idea. Sun, surf and sand, very romantic."

He thought.

"Although if we did that we may have to nick a couple of the hotel towels so we'd have something to dry off with when we go in the water. But they're Disney, the can afford to buy new towels," he said.

He took a bite of egg roll while he put away the Animal Kingdom map and opened the MGM Studios one.

"So…you wanna go on The Tower of Terror first then?" he said, glancing at her.

She nodded.

"Okay…they also have the Rock-n-Roller Coaster and some Star Wars ride. Hmmm….They have an Indiana Jones stunt show that might be worth a look. And they have a Studio Backlot Tour, that might be fun too."

They finished eating and Rain put her hand on the Doctor's shirt.

"You're almost dry now," she said. "Do you wanna go ahead and go?"

He nodded. They threw their rubbish away, grabbed their drinks and went to find the bus.

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"So…we now come to the infamous Tower of Terror," the Doctor said while they walked towards the ride.

He looked at his wife with wide eyes.

"I've been to a Tower of Terror before. It was the council estate where Jackie lived," he said. "Her flat was horrifying."

"I don't think Jackie's that bad. She's been nice to me whenever I talked to her."

"Yes, but you haven't been on her bad side and had your lips nearly slapped off your face," he said.

"When did she do that?"

"Um…in my ninth life when Rose first started traveling with me. I took her away and when we came back I made a teeny miscalculation and we came back twelve months later instead of twelve hours and Jackie thought her daughter had gone missing and slapped me."

"I don't blame her; I woulda done the same thing."

"Oi, you're supposed to be on my side here!" he said while she laughed.

The Doctor saw her stop and he stopped with her.

"What is it?"

"The elevator is falling in there but they don't have any weird green sparks like they do in Tokyo Disney."

"Weird green sparks?"

"Yeah, the other hotel was supposed to be cursed and when the owner went up in it, it came back down and on the cartoon they showed there were all these weird green sparks and that's what was outside the hotel whenever the elevator went up and down. They don't have that here. But this one has sliding doors that open and the other one doesn't and at this one the Twilight Zone guy introduces it."

"Rod Serling?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, this one is Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The other one is just Tower of Terror. And the other one was a hotel in 1901, I think. This one is the late 1930's."

They walked up to the queue and got in line.

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"Yeah, this one is very different," Rain said while they walked through with a bunch of people. "Rose is right, the back-story is way different."

"Well, like I said, you don't go through the exact same ride and that means you won't get bored," he said.

She nodded.

"I'm prepared for the elevator too. The last time I was kinda nervous getting into it but it's really fun."

He smiled and squeezed her hand.

They finished the tour part and were ushered into the elevator. The Doctor and Rain found seats in the front and put their seatbelts on. After a few minutes, the elevator started to go up.

"More love and support and fuzzy teddy bears for me?" the Doctor said.

She laughed and put his arm around him and gave him a squeeze.

"Are you gonna need this again on the Rock-n-Rollercoaster?" she asked.

"More than likely," he said.

The elevator stopped and a door slid open in front of them. They looked out for a few seconds before the elevator began to go up and down rapidly. The Doctor laughed, having a blast while Rain let out an excited scream. After thirty seconds the elevator went back down.

"That was fantastic," the Doctor said. "I think I'll add this one to my favorite rides list."

They unbuckled their seatbelts and followed the crowd out.

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They spent the rest of the day exploring the park and riding the rides. Unlike EPCOT both of them thoroughly enjoyed all the rides and attractions. After going on the Star Tours ride, Rain found a Star Wars souvenir shop and purchased a stuffed Ewok. She had it sent back to the hotel and walked out with him.

"You ever meet Ewoks or something like them?" she said as they walked.

"No, so far I haven't met midget teddy bear people who use spears and live in trees and dance around while they yell out yub nub and neecha! Now they might be out there somewhere but I haven't met them yet or Jabba the Hutt or Boba Fett or Stormtroopers or Darth Vader or Jar Jar Binks or anything else Star Wars related."

They continued to ride the rides and stayed until it got dark but they decided to leave before the fireworks started so they could go back to their hotel, have some pizza and relax. They found the bus and rode it back to the Animal Kingdom section.

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"Ah, another wonderful day," the Doctor said as they walked back inside their hotel room. "I'm glad you thought of coming here. This has been a lovely honeymoon so far."

"Yes, it has."

He gave her a kiss.

"And now, my wife…pizza?"

"Yes."

The Doctor grabbed the menu off the dresser. He sat on the bed and dialed the number for room service. He ordered a supreme pizza, breadsticks, Coke and Mountain Dew. After the order was taken he hung up the phone.

"It's on its way, about twenty minutes," he said to her.

"Good, I can't wait," she said from the bathroom.

"I got everything on the pizza and breadsticks, I hope that's okay."

"It is, Thete."

The Doctor sat on the bed. He glanced over at his rucksack and grinned. He walked over, pulled the ukulele out of it and walked over to the bathroom. Rain was washing her face. She glanced at him and laughed when he began to strum it rapidly and sing…

"`Ai kâkou me ke aloha.  
Hiu me ka pipi stew.  
Hiu me ka nihi poi.  
Hiu me ka big-a-opu."

"Lawe mai i ka`a maka.  
Hiu me ka nihi poi.  
Hiu me ka i Kala.  
Hiu me ka big opu."

He lowered the ukulele and grinned a big toothy grin.

"That was nice, what language was it?"

"Hawaiian. I sang a portion of a traditional Hawaiian song to ya."

"What do the words mean?"

"We eat with love.  
Pass the beef stew.  
Pass around the poi.  
Makes for a full stomach."

"Brings delight to the eyes.  
Pass the beef stew.  
Pass the Surgeon fish.  
Makes for a big stomach."

She laughed.

"Yeah, sounds like a song you'd know, Mister Bottomless Pit."

He came into the room and gave her a kiss.

"What d'ya say after we eat, we go down for a little moonlight swim?" he said.

"Ooo, I'd love that, Thete."

"Good."

She finished washing her face and walked with him back to the beds. He put his ukulele back in his rucksack and they laid down together while he turned on the TV. He turned it to HBO and they watched Fantastic Four until they heard a knock on the door. They got up and opened the door. They took their food and thanked the man before the Doctor closed it back with his foot.

"Ah, this smells good," the Doctor said as they walked back to the bed.

They sat down, opened up everything and ate.

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After eating, they put the leftovers in the box and closed it up so they could eat some in the morning. They got into their swim trunks and bathing suit, took a couple of towels and headed down to the pool.

To their relief, it was deserted and they laid the towels on a chair and went in the water. Rain gasped when the cold water hit her skin but the Doctor held her with one hand while he held on to the side and she quickly got used to the temperature. The two of them swam together side by side doing laps back and forth across the pool, enjoying the night air and the moonlit sky. After they tired of doing that, they went to the shallow end and settled down on the steps that led into the pool. The Doctor pushed Rain's wet hair away from her face and they began to snog each other, neither one of them caring if the other guests could see them. They ran their hands up and down each other's back and sides loving the intimacy and romantic setting of the pool. They stayed there for an hour, kissing and caressing one another until they finally decided to go back up to their room.

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After they climbed out of their wet suits and laid them over the shower curtain rod to dry, they dried off some more, got dressed and went back to their bed. The Doctor turned on the TV and kept the volume down low while Rain snuggled up against him. He propped his pillow up behind him, put his arm around her while she laid her head on his chest and rubbed her back while she slowly drifted off to sleep.


	205. Chapter 205

Chapter Two Hundred and Five

"At last, we're here!" Rose said when they walked into the city limits of Iga-Ueno.

All of them dropped the totes and let out a brief cheer, proud of themselves that they had actually walked from one city to another. They hugged one another briefly before picking up their gear so they could find a hotel.

They found a Holiday Inn and checked in. they got two double rooms and headed up to the sixth floor. Once they were inside, they opened the connecting doors, took off their shoes and rucksacks and all of them laid down in the soft beds to take a nap.

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Rose slept about three hours before waking up. She slowly got up so she wouldn't wake her husband, grabbed her pen and pad of paper from her rucksack and went back down stairs.

A man at the front desk bowed and she bowed in return.

"May I be of assistance," he said in English.

"Yes. We just arrived here and we have a friend who lives in Iga-Ueno and she recently came back. Her mother is ill and we want to find her to see how she and her mother are doin'. I know her name but she didn't give us an address or phone number. Do you have a phone book and could I get you to translate it so I can try to find her phone number?"

"We have phone books in English for foreign guests," he said.

"You do? May I borrow one?"

"Of course."

He reached under the counter, brought up a large phone book and handed it to her.

"Thank you and one other question. Are there any shops here where we can buy food or restaurants where we can eat? We've never been here before."

The man gave her the names of several shops and grocery stores and restaurants and directions on how to find them. Rose wrote it down on the pad while he talked. When he was done, Rose thanked him and she bowed with him before turning and going back upstairs.

When she entered she found Alan lying in the bed quietly reading his book.

"Where'd ya go?" he asked.

"I went and talked to the man at the front desk. They have phone books in English and I'm gonna try to find Imiko with it. He also gave me some information on places to shop and eat."

"Good."

She scooted up beside him, sat the phone book on her lap and began to look through it. She found Takahashi and counted twenty names. She took her mobile out of her pocket and began calling the numbers while Alan read.

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"Yes, thank you, sorry to trouble you."

Rose hung up her mobile and sat there staring at the phone book in shock. Alan glanced at her and frowned.

"Starlight? What's wrong?"

"Alan, I just tried every Takahashi they have listed. None of the people I talked to know an Imiko."

He stared at her.

"What? That can't be possible."

"None of the people have an Imiko livin' with them. I tried every single number here and there's no one who knows her."

"You mean she lied?" Alan said.

"I guess so, love. But if she did, I can't understand why since she never stole from us or tried to hurt us. She helped us out all the time so I don't know why she would have reason to hide her identity."

She closed the phone book and set it on the bedside table.

"I'll return that later when we go down to sightsee and eat. In the meantime I wanna ring dad and tell him what the Doctor said."

Alan nodded. While he listened to her talking to Pete his mind was trying to work out a reason why their friend had lied to them.

_Maybe it's a nonpublished number,_ he thought. _There must be some reason why it's not listed. Imiko wasn't a con artist or a thief. If she was, she would have nicked our stuff and our money when we were asleep but she never did that. If she did lie to us, why? But I guess that explains why she didn't want us seeing her off that day._

He got up to use the bathroom while Rose continued to talk to Pete. On his way out, he noticed Awinita and Mingxia were awake. He walked in and told them what Rose had found out. Both women were stunned.

"Imiko lied to us?" Awinita said.

"Why would she do that?" Mingxia added.

"I don't know, guys. I'm hoping her number is just unlisted for some reason and she really does live here with her ill mother. I'd hate to think that she did lie to all of us after we got to know her. But Rose is on the mobile now talking to Pete and telling him what the Doctor said about the wedding. I saw you were awake and I wanted to tell you what happened."

The two women looked at each other.

"If she was lying, she did a damn good job," Mingxia said. "Because I never doubted her for a second."

"Same here," Awinita said. "That just can't be right. She couldn't have lied. There's gotta be some other explanation."

They looked over when Rose entered the room.

"I told dad everything and he's makin' all the arrangements. I guess from the looks on your faces that you told them about Imiko?"

He nodded.

"Rose," Mingxia said, "that can't be right. I've been trained to spot when someone's lying and I didn't see any sign of it. If she lied, she was an expert at it."

Rose sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know, Mingxia, I just know that I tried every Takahashi in the phone book and no one knows her. Until we find a good reason we just have to assume she lied to us for some reason. For the moment we can't worry about it. We might as well look around for the next couple of days and have fun because once we met up with the Doctor and Rain in Maibara the fun will be ending for awhile. But…let's just go out, walk around, get a feel for where everything is, take a tour and then go get something to eat after awhile, yeah?"

They nodded. Alan and Rose went back in their room. They gathered up what they wanted to take with them and all of them headed out Alan and Rose's door. Downstairs, she returned the phone book, thanked the man and they went outside to look around.

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They went to Ueno Park and visited the ninja museum. The whole thing was fascinating. First they were led into a ninja residence that had once belonged to a ninja named Taroujirou. It had been built as a farmhouse so it would blend in with the other houses. But inside there were secret entrances, false walls, trap doors, hollowed out spaces under floorboards for weapons and an observation position secreted above a closet. A woman dressed in a bright pink ninja dogi conducted the tour in Japanese. All of them had been given sheets of paper with an English overview of the house but most of the tour was self-explanatory since two men in powder blue ninja dogi demonstrated the trap doors, hidden walls and showed the hiding spaces for the weapons. They ever allowed some people in the audience to try out the hidden passages and Awinita was chosen to go through the hidden door in the wall. She went through and came back out again. She walked back to the others with a huge smile on her face.

"That was so cool. There's a large secret room back there," she said.

They demonstrated that even though the house looked like there was one floor, there were actually 3 floors to it. They led them into one part and showed them where Taroujirou manufactured gunpowder and poisons for use in combat. They toured the rest of the house before they went on to the next part. There was a deep staircase in the house that led down to a small underground museum that displayed many of the ninja's weapons. The items were in glass cases. Each item had a plaque beside it that gave the information about it in both English and Japanese. They walked through it, gazing at the various weapons and tools with fascination.

After they got done, they went on to a live demonstration of ninja fighting skills. They sat in bleachers watching while two men clad in full black ninja dogi fought one another. The whole show was enhanced with loud music and cheesy kung fu movie sound effects but both fighters were skilled and all of them watched the show enthralled at the action. They applauded enthusiastically when they finished.

Afterwards, they got the chance to throw shuriken at a large board with a big bull's-eye painted on it. All of them threw the throwing stars but Alan was the only one who hit the target, much to his delight. They threw them for about fifteen minutes and then it was time to move on to the last part.

The last part of the tour talked about the culture and lifestyle of the ninja. Once again they were given a detailed summary in English while the woman in pink talked in Japanese. She demonstrated how the ninja used colored grains of rice as a communication system and how they used astronomy to tell time and predict the weather. There was also a section on hygiene and diet that not only promoted heath but also prevented odors that could lead to detection. When she finished up she and the two men bowed while everyone applauded them. When they went outside they saw a gift shop and went in. There was a wide selection of ninja items for sale including ninja dogi for kids, weapons, posters and little shuriken key chains. Alan joked about getting the nunchukus so he could threaten Rose with them but he changed his mind when Rose told him he would wrestle them out of his hands and beat him senseless with them. He settled on getting a shuriken keychain for him and his brother and a little pink clad ninja doll for his sister. Awinita got the same for herself while Rose got a small reproduction of a painting showing a ninja climbing up a high castle wall. They took their items up, paid for them and walked out. On the way out of the museum grounds they paused when they noticed that people were being photographed in full ninja outfits. They looked at each other and giggled and got in line to do it.

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"Oh my God, wait till Doctor and Rain get a load of us," Alan said.

He was clad from head to toe in a black ninja dogi complete with face mask, Rose had on a pink one, Awinita was in yellow and Mingxia in blue. The photographer stood them in a line and showed them how to strike fighting poses. Once he had them posed, he went and snapped a couple of photos of them. They were led away to get changed while the photographer quickly developed the digital photos. By the time there were changed and coming back out the photos were ready. Rose paid for four copies so that she and Alan, the Doctor and Rain, Awinita and Mingxia could each have one. They thanked him and walked away. They stopped and looked at the photos laughing hysterically at their ninja outfits and poses. Rose handed two of them to Awinita and Mingxia and held on to the other two while they headed out of the museum grounds.

While they were leaving they noticed another building several feet away and walked over to it. It turned out to be a monument to the poet Basho and they went inside. There was a huge stone sculpture of him inside the pagoda like structure. He was kneeling and holding a piece of paper and a quill pen in his hands while he smiled serenely. Just behind the monument was a tiny museum dedicated to him and they went inside that. Inside were several original copies of his handwritten poetry along with a few reproductions. There was also information on how he lived and Japan as he knew it. They toured the museum for a half hour and then left to get something to eat.

Rose consulted the directions and she led them to a small Japanese restaurant. They got some tempura, sushi and tea and talked to one another while they ate. They sat for about an hour and then they went out again. They finished up the day by going over to Ueno Castle and touring the large wooden castle. They marveled at the beautiful interior and Rose took several pictures of both the inside and outside. When they got through it was nearly six o' clock so they decided to head back. While they walked, Rose looked around and noticed there wasn't much else to do.

"Um, this is a beautiful city, guys but I have a feeling we just did the majority of the tourist things. Maybe tomorrow we should head up to Maibara on the train and see what's there?"

Alan looked around.

"Yes, I think you're right. Although I have a feeling Maibara won't have much either. Maybe we better find a bigger city."

Rose stopped and thought.

"You guys wanna head back to Tokyo then? If we're gonna fight the Valeyard as soon as they get back and leave in the TARDIS right after it's not gonna make a difference where we go. Besides, that'll be one less layover for the Doctor and Rain when they get back."

They nodded.

"Okay," she said, "we'll spend the night here and take the train up there tomorrow. At least up there we'll have more to occupy us. We only came down here to see the ninja museum and try to find Imiko and we saw that and can't find her so there's really no reason to stay. So let's just go back to the hotel and hang out."

They nodded and all of them headed back towards the hotel.


	206. Chapter 206

Chapter Two Hundred and Six

The Doctor munched on a slice of pizza while he watched the morning news. It was around eight in the morning and his wife was still asleep. He had warmed up a couple of slices and was now on his second one. He was almost finished when he noticed her stirring. He watched with a smile while she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him.

"Good morning," he said.

"Morning, Thete. What time is it?"

"Ten past eight."

"You wanna go to the water parks then?"

"We can."

She sat up and looked at the bit of pizza in his hand.

"I notice you've been having breakfast," she said.

"Oh yeah, that pizza box was just calling out and begging me to eat the rest of the pizza within it."

She gave him a kiss, got up and went to the bathroom while the Doctor finished off the remainder and licked the sauce off his fingers. He glanced at the bathroom when the door opened and she walked back out and went over to her rucksack. He was in a playful mood and grinned when he suddenly got an idea.

"Yup, we're gonna have another fun day today, me old butter knife," he drawled.

Rain paused with her hand in the rucksack and gave him an odd look.

"Huh? Butter knife?" she said.

"Yup, that's what you are, my butter knife."

She gave him a long, hard stare.

"Why am I a butter knife?" she said.

He sniggered.

"It's cockney rhyming slang, Latara. Knife rhymes with wife so you're my butter knife."

He giggled when she shook her head.

"Ooooookay, if you say so. Personally I'd rather you didn't refer to me as your butter knife."

"Okay, how 'bout trouble and strife then?"

"Um, no. I like that even less."

"My old Dutch?"

"Uh…no."

"Okay, how 'bout the misses then?"

"How about you call me Latara like you've been doing."

"Can I call you my old lady?"

"Can I call you E.T.?" she said.

"Um…no."

"Well, don't call me any of that and I won't refer to you as Alf or E.T. or Zippy the Space Boy or something like that."

The Doctor raised his eyebrow.

"Zippy the Space Boy?" he said as she laughed.

"Yeah and then I can shorten it to the Zipster or Zippy-poo or Zip Zip who's lookin' hip."

"Uh no, let's just stick with the original names we picked out," the Doctor said.

"Darn and I wanted to call you Zippy-de-doo-dah around others," she said, pulling out her bathing suit.

He grinned, got off the bed and embraced her from behind. He kissed her cheek.

"You know I was just havin' a bit of fun, right?"

"I know but England has some weird slang."

"Well so does America," he replied.

"Sis has a British slang book. I took a look at it once. It's very interesting," she said.

"Hmm, might have to have a butcher's at it myself."

"That was in there."

"Butcher's?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, so I know what that means."

"Blast, I was hoping to trip you up. Ah well, you are just too clever for me, love."

"Somehow I doubt that."

He kissed her cheek.

"Don't talk like that. You are brilliant and don't let anyone tell you differently."

She smiled.

"Thanks, Thete."

"You're welcome, my trouble and strife."

He giggled when she reached around and swatted his butt. He gave her a kiss and let go so she could get changed.

"So you know all this British slang," she said going into the bathroom. "Did they have slang on Gallifrey?"

"No. we weren't able to think that abstractly," the Doctor said.

"Okay, but your accent, it's British. Did that come from Gallifrey or did you pick that up here?" she said from the bathroom.

"Um…a little of both," he said, rooting around in his rucksack for his swim trunks. "Oddly enough, Gallifreyan and British accents are quite similar but I also picked up some of the accents I had from being on Earth. It's kinda like when a person moves to another country and eventually they start pronouncing words with the same accent as the locals, same thing."

"So, you just came to England and hung out there?" Rain said.

"Well, when I first came to Earth I landed in England and lived there for a time with my granddaughter, Susan. I fell in love with the country and the people and that's why I visit it frequently. Don't get me wrong I love all Earth countries and cultures but England was my first Earth home so it has a special place in my hearts."

"Not to mention the people there spoke with the same accent as your people."

"Yes, that too."

"It's just fascinating that you do act British. I guess that helps you to blend in on Earth then."

"Yes, it does. I've visited here for centuries and I've absorbed most of the culture and that also helps me to blend in. That's why it's a shame my people didn't follow my lead and actually live among the cultures instead of just watching them. They missed out on a lot just sitting in and around their TARDISes. I'm glad I turned out to be different from them."

"Me too," she said, coming out with her regular clothes on.

She paused.

"I do have my bathing suit on but I don't wanna get on the bus wearing just that. I'm assuming they have changing rooms there."

"I hope so," he said.

"I'm done in there if you wanna change."

"Thanks, love."

He walked into the bathroom while she put her money bag, camera and mobile in her pockets.

"So…do you know other country's slang?" she said, pulling out her hairbrush.

"Yes. I know almost everything about all the countries on Earth. Language, culture, customs and slang. I knew most of it from the knowledge that was infused into my brain at birth and what I didn't know I read up on. I can blend in to almost any culture on Earth save the ones that have physical differences in appearance, imitate any accent and I know the local lingos so I could pass as a native in several countries if I wanted to and not only on this planet but a lot of other planets in the universe."

"I'm surprised that your brain can hold all that information."

He walked back out in his regular clothes.

"Well, my brain is constructed differently than yours. Like I said before, Donna was trying to hold all that information in a human brain and it was killing her. If she had gained a Gallifreyan brain during the metacrisis then there wouldn't have been a problem."

He thought for a moment.

"I suppose on the way out we should chat with the concierge and find out about the beach?" he said. "And if he can recommend a beach then he could recommend other things to do near it. We'll have an entire day tomorrow and we could do a few things besides lounging around on the beach."

She nodded.

He put his money bag and camera in his pockets and stood in front of his rucksack making sure he had everything he needed.

"I guess we need towels unless they provide them there but I would rather carry my own to be on the safe side," he mused.

He went back into the bathroom and came out with two large towels and laid them on the bed. Both of them got a pair of underwear and put them with the towels.

"Are you eating some of the pizza for breakfast?"

"No, I wanna get something downstairs. Pizza at breakfast doesn't appeal to me. I'll have some later."

He nodded and looked around.

"I guess that's everything then?"

"I think so."

"Okay, well let's mosey on over to the water parks then," he said grabbing the towels and underwear.

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They went and got something to eat in the food court. Rain had eggs, bacon, hash browns and orange juice while the Doctor got some sausage gravy and biscuits and some coffee so Rain didn't have to eat alone.

They were chatting and eating when Rain's mobile rang.

"Hello?"

"Rain, hon, good mornin'" Rose said cheerfully.

"Mornin' Sis."

"Am I bothering you?"

"No, we're in the food court eating breakfast and talking. What's up?"

"Can you put me on speaker?"

She nodded, hit the speaker button and laid it between them. Rose told them about talking to Pete and making the arrangements and then he told them about Imiko. Both of them stared at the phone in stunned silence.

"You're kidding me," Rain said when she finished.

"No, I'm not. Imiko apparently lied to us."

They glanced at each other.

"But why would she lie?" the Doctor said.

"I don't know, Doctor. All I know is I tried every Takahashi in the phone book and no one heard of her. We went out yesterday and saw the major tourist attractions and we're leaving tomorrow morning and heading on to Tokyo because there's nothing else here so if Imiko is here we're gonna have to leave her behind."

"So, we meet you in Tokyo?" Rain said.

"Yes, I'll ring ya when we get a hotel there and give you the details so you can book a room there when you come back but we wanna be somewhere where we can have something to do while we wait for ya."

Rain sighed.

"I can't believe this. Imiko was such a good friend."

"I know, Sis but I don't know what else to do. If her number isn't listed then I can't call it. I did give her my mobile number so maybe she'll call us back sometime. If not then we just have to go on without her. We did get you guys some gifts from here also."

"Really, what?" the Doctor said.

She explained about the ninja museum and they laughed when they heard about the photo.

"Oh yeah, I can't wait to see the four of you in ninja garb," the Doctor said. "Thanks for thinking of us. Is there something you want from here then?"

She thought.

"Um…could you get me a little Donald Duck? Not a huge one, just a tiny one I could carry in my rucksack."

"Little Donald, gotcha," he said. "Do you want him to be dressed a certain way?"

"No. Just his usual kit will be fine. So what did you guys do yesterday?"

They told her about the Animal Kingdom and MGM parks. She laughed when Rain told her about the Doctor getting drenched on the rapids ride.

"I told ya, Doctor, you need to keep that gob shut so you won't tempt fate," Rose teased.

"Yeah, yeah I know," he said.

"Well, I'm glad you guys had fun and you had pizza as well. We'll have to go back to the pizza place in Tokyo and get us some. I have a cravin' for it now."

"Well I'm glad you got to Iga-Ueno safely and I'm proud that you actually walked all the way there," the Doctor said.

"I know! We were so chuffed when we did that! I can't believe we walked over forty miles but we did it. It's an incredible feelin'. Well, I better hang up now. I just wanted to update you and find out what you've been up to. We'll meet you both in Tokyo."

"Alright, Rose, take care."

"We will, you too."

"Bye Rose."

"Bye sweetie, have fun today."

"We will."

"Bye," Rose said.

"Bye," they said in unison.

She hung up. Rain put her mobile in her pocket and they finished their breakfast.

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After eating they walked to the front desk and talked to the concierge who was named Tom.

"I have to warn you both, first off, that Typhoon Lagoon is closed for renovation so you'll only be able to go to Blizzard Beach."

"Oh really? I'm glad you told us then," the Doctor said.

"As for the beach, I would suggest Daytona Beach. It's only 50 miles northeast of here."

The Doctor nodded.

"Do you know anything we could do around there?" he asked.

"Well, they have several things about NASCAR obviously, not sure if you're into auto racing."

They shook their heads.

"Well, I know they give helicopter tours of the area and they have this nightly ghost walk where they take you around to all the haunted sights in Daytona."

They perked up at that.

"Let's do that," Rain said. "That's sounds like the tour Alan and Rose took when they went to the haunted places in Chicago."

Tom nodded.

"Yes, I've been on it before actually. It's fun. I highly recommend it. There's also a lighthouse you can go up in and look around. There's a Museum of Arts and Sciences, a marine science center, there are several golf courses there if you play golf and of course, lots of shops and restaurants."

The Doctor smiled.

"Thank you. I think we'll definitely do the ghost walk and then choose a few others. You've been very helpful."

"You're welcome, sir. It's what I'm here for. I hope you enjoy Blizzard Beach and Daytona."

"Thank you," the Doctor said.

Tom smiled at both of them.

"Have a lovely day."

"You too," they said in unison.

He nodded and walked away while the Doctor and Rain headed out the door.

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"So, if this is the only place left, maybe we can leave after this and go somewhere else," the Doctor said as they got off the bus in front of Blizzard Beach.

"At Daytona?"

No, that's too far away. We'll find something here in Orlando. We still have the brochures in the car so we can look at them."

They walked over to the changing room. Sitting beside them were a pay lockers. They changed out of their clothes and put them in one of the lockets along with their towels. The Doctor inserted fifty cents and took the key out of the slot. He stared at it.

"Okay, what am I supposed to do? Hold this in my closed fist the entire time?" he said. "I have a feeling this will get lost going down the enormous water slides."

They walked over to a lifeguard.

"Excuse me, sir," he said to the young tanned man sitting in the high chair.

He looked at the Doctor and smiled.

"Yes, sir?"

"We both want to go on the slides and we just put our clothes in one of the lockers but I don't know what we're gonna do with the locker key since it's just the two of us and I don't wanna lose it. Is there someone we can leave this with so we don't have to hold it for half the day?"

"If you go to the Lottawatta Lodge over there," he said, pointing and ask the woman at the cash register to keep it safe for you, she will. Just leave your names with the key so they'll know who you are when you come to claim it."

"Thank you," the Doctor said as Rain breathed a sigh of relief.

"No problem, have fun swimming."

They nodded and walked over to the lodge which turned out to be the main restaurant for the park. They talked to a young blonde woman behind the counter and after filling out their information on a piece of paper gave it to her. They thanked her and walked out towards the rides.

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The first thing they came to was Cross Country Creek. They took a couple of large grey inner tubes from the attendant. It was a large circular canal that went around the whole park. They got into the shallow pool, climbed into their inner tubes and laid there while they lazily paddled with their hands and floated through the water.

As Rain drifted around the canal with the other tourists, she suddenly felt someone hit her inner tube. She looked back and saw the Doctor giving her an evil grin.

"Arrrr, landlubber, This 'ere's Doctor Vile! Give me all yer booty before I keelhaul ya!"

"Funny, dear," she said.

"Surrender or I'll board yer ship! I am Doctor Vile, scourge of the high seas, arrrrrr!"

She laughed.

"I don't think you can board my ship, there's not enough room," she said.

"I'll find a way to get on board and steal yer precious treasure! Now give it to me or I'll attack and make ya walk the plank."

"No."

The Doctor feigned anger. He reached down and splashed some water on her.

"There, now ye feel the wrath of Doctor Vile, arrrrrr."

"Oh yeah?"

She splashed him back. She laughed when the Doctor gave her an incensed look and she tried to paddle away. She felt his inner tube bump against hers and she yelled when the Doctor splashed her repeatedly with both hands.

"Now, you will learn not to cross me, arrrr!" he said as he flung water onto her.

"Thete, quit it!"

He laughed and reached out to briefly tickle her armpit. Rain went back to paddling herself. He heard a splash and then felt someone pushing her. She looked around and saw the Doctor walking through the water pushing her while he pulled his inner tube behind him.

"Just giving you a little push, love," he said

Rain relaxed while he pushed her though the water. She gasped when he suddenly sped up.

"Thete!" she said when he sniggered.

"What? You don't want a little thrill on this ride?" he said.

"You're trying to tip me over, aren't you?"

The Doctor feigned innocence.

"No, whatever gave you that idea?" he said.

She ruffled his hair while he smiled. He went back to pushing her slowly while she looked around at the people who were sliding down the water slides and swimming in the huge pool. She was so focused on watching the other people that she wasn't prepared when the Doctor suddenly pushed down on his end raising her and the other end out of the water.

"Thete!"

"Sorry, love; there was an underwater speed hump just then."

"Yeah, right," she said.

He did it again and Rain gasped while she gripped the sides.

"Blimey, they have a lot of speed humps in here," the Doctor said, looking down.

"You're asking for a beating, aren't you?"

The Doctor's eyes widened.

"Why would you beat me? It's not my fault that there are speed humps in here. Blame Disney," he said.

He giggled when she eyed him.

"You're as bad as Bro sometimes."

"Well he did spring from me, you know."

"Yeah, but you're not quite as hyper as he is."

"Hyper? Like this?"

She gasped when he ran with her again.

"Thete. God!" she said laughing.

He leaned his arm on the inner tube and used his body to push her along.

"So, do you have any ideas on where we might go later?" he asked her.

"Um, we could go to that Gatorland. I remember that from the brochures."

He raised his eyebrow.

"You mean that big alligator zoo?"

"Sure. It'd be romantic seeing a bunch of gators."

"Reptiles turn ya on, do they?"

She shrugged.

"Well, what else do you wanna do? I mean, there's Sea World and Universal Studios and I'm sure they cost as much as this place."

"And I've already seen Universal Studios and Sea World doesn't sound interesting enough. Neither does Gatorland but if you wanna go look at millions of gators I guess I'll walk with ya. Look! There's a gator and ooo, there's another one and imagine that, here's another one, what are the odds of that?"

"They have snakes too."

She laughed when he gasped and put a hand over his right heart.

"They have something other than gators? Be still my beating hearts!"

She gave him a playful swat on the head while he laid his arm back on the inner tube. She gasped when he suddenly pushed down on the inner tube.

"Blimey, another speed hump? They need to get someone in here to fix those."

He laughed when she swatted at his head repeatedly.

"I swear, if you make me tip over…" she said.

"Nah, I wouldn't do that to you. Although that would get your suit nice and wet and allow me to get a better view of your jublies."

He raised his eyebrow when she put her arm over her breasts.

"We've showered together and had sex and the minute I mention ogling your breasts you suddenly get all prudish on me," he said as she laughed. "I have seen them before, you know, Miss Prim so don't go all Victorian on me now."

She glanced down through the water at his swim trunks and put her hand over her eyes.

"What?" he said.

"I tried to get a look at your goods but the sun is hitting your lilywhite body and it blinded me just then."

She screamed when the Doctor pushed down extra hard and she lifted up out of the water.

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After they finished with the ride they looked around at the various water slides. They saw a chair lift and got on it. They rode to the top and got out at the top of the huge water slides.

"Which one d'ya wanna go on?" the Doctor said. "You wanna go on the great big one?"

She looked up at the tallest one. The Summit Plummet had a 250 foot long slide down to ground level.

"Do you wanna ride it?"

He gave her a big toothy grin and nodded.

"Okay," she said.

"Are you sure you want to?"

"I rode Tower of Terror and the roller coasters, I suppose it's along the same lines," she said.

They got in line for it.

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Finally their turn came. The Doctor went first. He sat down at the top of the slide and smiled at his wife.

"See ya below."

He pushed off and lay down, yelling while he sped down the chute to the bottom. The attendant beckoned to Rain and she let out a soft "eeee" under her breath while she came forward. She sat down on the edge and her eyes widened when she saw how steep it was. Closing her eyes she pushed off. For a second it felt like there was nothing under her and then she sped down the chute, screaming all the way. She reached the end and slid to a stop while the Doctor stood nearby watching. She got up and realized immediately that her bathing suit had gone up in her butt crack. The Doctor howled with laughter while she tried to fish it out, turning redder than a beet in the process.

"Shut up!" she yelled at him when he bent over and held his aching sides while he laughed hysterically.

She finally got it out and walked over to him, swatting him on the back. He straightened up and embraced her.

"Ah, that was hilarious. Wish I had my camera with me, that was a photo opportunity if ever I saw one," he said.

He kissed her and they both went back up to the top.

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After three hours they had finished with everything they wanted to ride. They went to collect their key from the lodge and walked back to the lockers. They dried themselves off thoroughly with the towels and went into the changing rooms. They got out of the wet swimsuits, dried off a bit more and then put their underwear and clothes back on. Once they were done they put their things back in their pockets. They walked out of the park and found a souvenir store. The Doctor found a tiny stuffed Donald and paid for it. Once the mission was accomplished, he took Rain's hand and went to find the bus so they could get back to the park exit.

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"Okay," the Doctor said when they finally reached their car and got inside, "where to next?"

They looked through the brochures but nothing looked interesting. The Doctor looked at Rain.

"Gatorland?" he said.

She shrugged.

"If you want to."

"Well it's something to do, I guess. Who knows maybe we'll watch one of those big ol' gators attack and eat a keeper."

He started the car and backed out of the lot.

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"Mmm," the Doctor hummed while Rain laughed.

The front entrance of Gatorland had a huge gator head in front of it with open jaws so that visitors walked into the gator's mouth to get to the door. Rain pulled out her camera and snapped a picture of it.

"Come on, dear," she said, taking his hand as they walked inside.

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"Wow, there certainly are a lot of gators in here alright. They certainly do live up to their name."

The two of them walked with a couple of other people along a concrete walkway through several pools of water. Around them gators was swimming around in the pools or sleeping on small manmade islands in the middle of them. On both sides of them were a steel barrier and the Doctor and Rain paused momentarily while the Doctor laid his upper arms on it and looked over.

"Hullo there, Mister Gator," he said to a twenty foot specimen that was swimming up to the walkway. "Where's the misses? Or…are you the misses? Do you enjoy swimming in your concrete pool while you get stared at by tourists?"

They watched while he stopped and rested by the walkway.

"Nice chap, bit lazy but at least he's not trying to bite our faces off," he said to Rain.

She giggled.

"What?"

"I can just see you being The Crocodile Hunter and pulling on its tail while you talk about him," she said.

He grinned.

"Crikey, this is a big gator!" he said, imitating Steve Irwin. "It's gotta be twenty feet at least! I'm gonna lie on top of him and stick my finger in his anus and see if that gets his attention!"

She laughed. They watched while another gator swam up beside him.

"And look at that Sheila! Ain't she a beaut? I'm gonna jump on her back and ride her like a horse! And after that I'm gonna take a cobra make him bite himself and then spin him around my head like a lasso while my wife Terri takes pictures!"

She giggled.

"That's a really good imitation of him."

"Yeah. Bless the poor guy. Too bad what happened to him. I hope he rests in peace."

She frowned.

"Rest in peace? He's not dead."

The Doctor looked at her.

"He's not?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"Oh. Well, there's another difference between our universes then."

"He's dead in your universe?"

"Yup."

"How?"

"Sting ray plunged its poison barb into his heart while he was underwater filming a documentary."

"God, that's horrible."

He nodded.

"Sting ray? I always figured a crocodile would get him."

"So did a lot of people. But nice to know he's still alive here and with his family and still bothering dangerous animals for our amusement."

He looked down at the gators.

"Cept for you two. You wouldn't hurt a fly would ya, you lazy things. No, you're just relaxing and not hurtin' anyone."

He took her hand and they walked on.

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They spent the rest of the afternoon touring the place. Not only were there gators but crocs, snakes, flamingos and other birds. They took in a couple of little shows, one where a man fed a gator some meat while it lunged up out of the water towards his hand and the other where a man gave an alligator wrestling demonstration. Afterwards, they decided to look at the gift shop before heading to their restaurant to eat.

They looked at the different items in the gift shop. Most of them were gator and croc related although there were also a few reptile and bird items. The Doctor and Rain wandered in different directions while they looked at the items. The Doctor looked through some t-shirts when he suddenly felt Rain tap him on the back. He turned and was taken aback when he saw a severed alligator head in her hands, its jaws open wide.

"Roar!" she said pretending to bite his arm with it.

"Um…is this real? Because if it is, I'm wondering if this was one of the former residents," he said.

"Not sure but I was thinking about getting it for Bro."

"Alan? What would he do with an alligator head?"

"Bother Rose with it?"

"Yeah, I can picture that."

"Besides, if I get it and we get back to the TARDIS we can hang it on the wall in your control room."

The Doctor raised his eyebrow.

"Why?" he said.

"Um…conversation piece?"

"No thanks," he said while she laughed. "You can put that back now."

"Just a thought," Rain said, walking away.

The Doctor shook his head and smiled. He went back to looking at the t-shirts when he suddenly noticed Rain running across the store to the cash register, giggling insanely. He watched while she blocked his view, threw a couple of things up on the counter and paid for them.

"Uh-oh," the Doctor said walking over to her.

She glanced back at him but by the time he got up to the register the man had already put the items in a big bag.

"What did you get?" the Doctor said.

"Just a little something for Rose," Rain said taking the bag.

"What?"

She giggled.

"You didn't get the gator head, did ya?"

"No, I got her something better."

"Let's see it."

Rain reached in and pulled out a fuzzy green purse. She held it up by the fuzzy green handles and showed him. On the front it had Florida written in red cursive letters and on the side was a little plush gator head. The Doctor stared at it and looked at her.

"There, Sis has her own alligator handbag now."

She laughed when the Doctor rolled his eyes and she put it back in the bag.

"Just thinking of her," Rain said.

"Yeah, I'm sure she'll be just thrilled with it," he said.

She took out something else.

"And for us I got some fudge."

The Doctor's eyes widened at that.

"What kind?" he said, smiling.

"Well, this sampler pack I got has chocolate, peanut butter, praline and maple pecan."

Ooo, that sounds delicious."

"Thought you might approve. I also got a couple of packs of gator jerky just out of curiosity."

"Fantastic."

"I'm done. Are you finished now?"

"Yeah, I am."

Rain took his hand and they walked over to the restaurant.

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"I wonder if they're serving gator in here?" the Doctor said while they walked up to look at the menu.

He scanned it.

"Yup, they are," he said pointing. "They have gator ribs or gator nuggets. I repeat, are people eating former residents?"

"Um…maybe. You wanna try one of them?"

He looked at the menu and noticed a sampler platter with both the nuggets and ribs.

"Let's get the sampler meal and some chips and something to drink, sound good?"

She nodded and they headed to the back of the queue.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This isn't bad," Rain said after swallowing a nugget. "It's different but I like the taste."

The Doctor nodded.

"The ribs are good as well. Never had gator actually so this is another new experience for me."

"Well, I'm glad we could share it."

He smiled.

"Me too."

She sighed wistfully.

"Last day tomorrow and then we head back."

"Yes but it's been lovely. I'm so glad your dad did this. It's been a wonderful honeymoon."

She smiled.

"And we get another one after we get married again."

"Yes, but I'll have my TARDIS and I'm taking you to a beautiful pleasure planet that I know you'll love."

"I can't wait."

She sighed.

"I just wish we could skip right to it without facing the Valeyard."

He took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Things'll work out, Latara, trust in that. We'll be alright, all of us."

She nodded and he gave her hand another squeeze before they went back to eating their supper.


	207. Chapter 207

Chapter Two Hundred and Seven

Once they got back to the hotel, they put their stuff down by their rucksacks and showered together before heading off to bed. The Doctor turned on the TV while Rain slept but his mind was a million miles away. There was two days left of blissful relaxation before he would have to fight his nemesis. He knew if he switched places with his brother that he would probably be tortured. He could deal with that but he knew that Rose would probably be tortured with him and the thought of her being hurt by him made his hearts ache. Still, there was a lot of preparation to do over the next few days, both mentally and physically if he hoped to survive the ordeal.

He was worried about Rain and Awinita and Mingxia and what the protector might have in store for them. He mulled over that for a moment and decided to try something.

_I wish to speak to the protector,_ he thought. _I seek an audience with you._

There was no reply.

_Well,_ he thought. _Talk to me. You've always talked to me before, so why so silent now? Is it because you know what I want to ask? _

_You cannot change what is, Doctor, _the protector finally said.

_My wife and sister and friend are not ready yet. Leave them alone, _he thought angrily.

_You cannot change what is destined to be. All of them have a part to play in this as do you, your brother and his wife._

_So my feelings about this don't matter. _

_You cannot change what is destined to be. _

The Doctor sighed angrily.

_Who are you really? _He thought._ Why are you so eager to help us?_

_I came because the TARDIS asked me to. _

_Then who are you?_

_I am the one who has been behind everything. I have orchestrated events in your lives because it was destined to be. I was the one who convinced the Valeyard to send you to Alan and Rose. I was the one who influenced Rain to room with you and I brought you both together._

The Doctor's eyes boggled at that.

_So my feelings for her aren't real? We were both manipulated by you into falling in love? _He thought angrily.

_No, Doctor. That was not orchestrated by me. I brought her to you because I knew you would fall in love with her. You needed her just as much as she needed you. _

_And now that I have her she's gonna be taken away from me, isn't that how it works? As soon as I get the slightest iota of happiness in my life it gets snatched away and I end up alone?_

_No. She will remain with you as will your family. _

He breathed a sigh of relief.

_Then you'll look after her and Awinita and Mingxia? You'll keep them safe?_

_Yes. I will watch over all of them._

_And bond with my wife? What exactly is this bonding? _

_I cannot reveal that at present._

_Why not?_

_Because you are not meant to know at this moment._

_I swear if you hurt her mind or body in any way…_

_I will not harm her. The bonding will be temporary and then I will leave and after that she will return to normal. _

_Who are you though?_

_I cannot reveal that. I promise you will learn my identity but at the time of my choosing. For now be at peace and enjoy your rest and the love of your wife. All will be well in the end and you will be rewarded._

_He frowned._

_Rewarded? You mean our weddings?_

_No, I shall bestow upon you rewards after you have gone through your ordeal. _

_Thank you._

_You are welcome, Time Lord. Despite what you may think not all of the universe is against you. Tragic things happen, yes but there is also happiness and joy in the universe, even for you. The lovely woman lying next to you is proof of that as well as the rest of your family that are waiting for your return in Japan. I have not manipulated or influenced your feelings for Rain in any way, I merely provided the opportunity for you to meet because she was the one you were destined to be with, not Rose. Your sitting beside her in the theater was no accident. Everything is structured and planned out, even the events that were heartbreaking for you like Rose's loss or River's death. There are those who have called you the death bringer and world destroyer but you must not listen to them, Doctor. The men that speak those words wish only to bring evil and chaos and destruction upon the universe and they despise you because you stand up to them. You have made a difference in so many lives, Time Lord. You carry a heavy burden and for many years you carried it by yourself in silence but now there are others to carry it with you and stand by your side while you shine light into the midst of the darkness. Know that, Doctor. Despite what others may say, you have a good soul and you are a force for good, not evil._

The Doctor smiled at that.

_And now dear Time Lord I must go but remember my words and prepare for what lies ahead. All will be well in the end and all of you will survive to attend the wedding. I bid you good night, defender of the universe._

The voice fell silent and the Doctor stared at the wall while he thought about her words. Then with a sigh, he scooted down into the bed until his head was on the pillow. Closing his eyes he fell into a deep meditative state.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rose sat with Alan staring out the window while the Shinkansen sped along to Tokyo. The train was remarkably silent and the ride was smooth. It was only a 40 minute ride to get there but a lady passed by with a trolley and offered them tea, milk and coffee. All of them requested tea except for Awinita who wanted milk.

The fact that they were heading for Tokyo seemed to finalize in Rose's mind the final battle between them and the Valeyard. There was only one more day left in the honeymoon and then they'd the Doctor and Rain would be returning to them. After that it would probably be one or two days before the plan was put into action. Rose knew that being captured might mean her torture along with the Doctor. She had been tortured before and had always come through it alright but it still didn't make it easier to bear. The fact that the Doctor, her dearest friend, might be tortured beside her made it much harder for her. She had seen him tortured before and it was always a frightening thing to see even though she was sure he had gone through it hundreds of times in his 1200 plus years. She knew though that she had to prepare herself and get ready for what lay ahead. The Doctor had taught her a few techniques in the short time she had traveled with him and he fully intended to use them. Not to mention both he and Alan had strengthened her mind with their mental blocks so she knew that there was no way the Valeyard could use a mind probe on her.

_But he is the Doctor, technically,_ she thought. _Maybe he'd know a way around the mind blocks. If he's clever enough to enslave the Doctor's mind then perhaps he will find a way around what the Doctor and Alan did and enter my mind. And what will happen to my sisters and Mingxia. God, I wish I knew for sure what was going to happen. _

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned her head. She saw Alan staring at her with concern in his eyes.

"Starlight, are you alright?" he said, laying a hand against her cheek.

"I'm just worried, Alan. I'm worried about what might happen when we get up to the TARDIS."

He gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Everything will be alright, I promise. We'll defeat him and then we'll be married again. It does no good for you to worry, love. All that does is give you an upset stomach and insomnia and piles and a migraine and eye ache and butt ache and PMT and hemorrhoids and your innards explode and…"

He smiled when Rose laughed at that. He gave her another kiss.

"We'll be fine. Please don't worry. It's nothing you haven't handled before. You survived Davros and the Daleks, you'll survive this."

She nodded and cuddled up to him while he put his arm around her.

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After another twenty minutes, they arrived in Tokyo. They took their gear and took a bus into the heart of the city. They looked around and finally settled on the Tokyo Hilton. They walked over to it and checked in, getting two double rooms. They went up to the tenth floor and entered their rooms. They dropped their gear, opened the connecting doors and took a quick nap.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rain woke up around three in the morning needing to go to the bathroom. She paused when she noticed the Doctor was lying beside her, seemingly asleep.

"Hmmm, I finally got my wish to wake up before him," she muttered under her breath.

She ran her hand through his tousle and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead before she went to use the restroom.

When she came back out she noticed the Doctor was on his side watching her with a smile.

"Oh God, I woke you up," she said.

"No you didn't I wasn't asleep. I was meditating," he said.

"Oh, I had no idea. I just figured you were asleep.

"Nah, it's not time for me to take another nap," he said. "I do mediate every so often to relax and sort out my thoughts. Are you alright? Making another run to the loo?"

"Yeah, "she said crawling in beside him. "Another toilet run."

He rubbed her side. She glanced over at the TV and noticed Spider-Man 3 was on. She smiled.

"I saw that with my brother. It was back when we rented Mamma Mia and some others. God, that seems like ages ago now. Seems like forever since I've been traveling with them and it's nearly two months. So much has happened in that short time. Sometimes it seems unbelievable."

He smiled.

"I've had the same feeling about the last four years. So many good and bad things have happened. I had four companions come and go and I've encountered old enemies and met new ones. And now in about a week and a half I've gained a brother, a wife and a family. In my life, I never know what to expect from day to day and you'll be the same way after you start traveling with me."

"Have you ever wanted a domestic life? I mean I know you like traveling and all but would you like to be in a house with a wife and kids and that kind of thing?"

He considered that.

"I don't want the house because I don't want to be tied down to one place which is why I'm glad you lot are traveling at the moment because I would go crackers if I was stuck in a house with all of you. As for a family, for the longest time I didn't think I wanted one but after being with all of you and seeing how wonderful a loving, happy family is I do. As for kids, I wouldn't mind having a child with you but I don't know if I can and I don't know how to build the looms to make one plus there wouldn't be any room for a child on the TARDIS, not with all the adventure and danger we'd get into. Did Alan ever tell you about when I was human?"

She nodded.

"He did when he was explaining the chameleon arch to me."

"The John Smith side of me did want a home and family but I think that's just one small part of me deep inside that got brought to the fore when I put my Time Lord consciousness in the fob watch. I think humanity for the most part longs for those things, home and hearth and stability but if I wanted that I would have stayed on Gallifrey or made that kind of life with Rose. I don't want that, Latara. I'm too much of a free spirit to be tied down that way. And I think you are too just like everyone else in our group otherwise why would we be doing this. Perhaps a time may come when we can adopt a child but for the moment I'd rather not risk it. But I think right now we have more than enough love between all of us, don't you agree?"

She nodded.

"Right now though why don't you get some sleep so you'll be wide awake for Daytona Beach, eh? We can talk about this more in the morning."

She nodded and kissed him.

"I love you, Thete."

"I love you too, Latara."

He rubbed her side and watched her silently while she snuggled up beside him and drifted back off to sleep.


	208. Chapter 208

Chapter Two Hundred and Eight

Through the night the Doctor meditated and prepared himself for what was coming. Even though he knew what lay ahead would be arduous he was glad he had advanced warning this time. Most of the time he was not given that luxury. He glanced down at his wedding ring and sighed. He hated to take it off his finger but he couldn't let the Valeyard see it.

_Not that it won't do much good since Rain will be up there doing something,_ he thought. _Curse this protector and her need to hide herself. How do we even know if she's on our side? Maybe she's part of the trickster's brigade or some other evil agent that's only pretending to be benevolent so she'll lure us into a trap. Wouldn't be the first time it's happened. Blast! If only I knew for sure._

He put his hands behind his head while he stared off into space. He lay there for about twenty minutes and then he noticed Rain stirring. He looked at her while she lay there staring at his side.

"You alright?" he said.

"Can't sleep very well. I have a headache," she muttered.

"Oh, that's easily fixed. Hold still, love."

He shifted onto his side and took her right arm. Rain watched while he applied pressure to one point and held it.

"Picked this up from an old Chinese acupuncturist centuries ago," he said. "Have you right as rain in a moment."

"I thought you said you weren't impressed with acupuncture."

"I'm not, but it has its uses particularly where my companions were concerned. I used to cure headaches and backaches and bellyaches all the time," he said. "Are you starting to feel better?"

"Yes I am."

"Good. Don't want a headache to interrupt our day at the beach and ghost walk tomorrow."

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

The Doctor frowned.

"Why, aren't you?"

She sighed.

"I know what you said about not worrying about what's to come but I can't help it sometimes."

"Is this why you have the headache?"

She nodded.

"Well, love, no matter how much you worry it's still gonna happen and now you've gone and given yourself a headache for your trouble," he said gently. "You don't have an upset stomach as well, do you?"

"A little."

He smiled.

"Well, you know, they don't call me the Doctor for nothing. That's easily fixed too. But before I get on to that, is your headache gone?"

She nodded.

"Good."

He put his fingers on another pressure point.

"Despite the heavy black cloud over our heads at the moment, you have to admit we've had fun."

"Yes, we have. I'm so glad we came."

"Me too. I never would have done this for myself, mind, but this is just what I needed. And I've been preparing myself so don't worry; I can handle whatever comes my way. Stomach better?"

"Yes."

"Anything else? Case of the trots, hemorrhoids, walleye vision, nose hairs too long?"

She giggled.

"No, I think I'm fine now, Thete."

"Excellentemento"

She stared at him.

"That wasn't even a word, dear."

"It wasn't? Well, I like to coin my own words from time to time, keeps me unique. Like fabulosomundo or bellisamentomunday, that kind of thing."

He smiled when she laughed again.

"Or snork."

"Snork? What's snork mean?" she asked.

"Dunno, haven't quite worked that out yet. I just came up with it two seconds ago but give me time I'll find a definition for it."

He rolled on his stomach and played with her hair.

"Feel better now?"

"Pretty much. I'm sorry, I mean you've had centuries of doing this kind of thing I've only known you guys for a few months."

"I understand, Latara. But my point is you really can't worry because it just gives you a tummy and brainy ache and we can't have that. Need ya in tip top condition so you can help me with my mission."

She giggled.

"So you've accepted that I have to go then?"

He sighed angrily.

"Not entirely but it seems I have no choice in the matter so I'm taking the advice I'm giving you and not worrying about it. This creature, whatever it is, better not be lying about you being safe because if you get hurt or killed I will find the thing and rip its invisible voice box from its invisible throat."

"You mean that?"

"Course I mean it. I will not be played for a fool by anyone or anything and if I find this thing has been leading me on I will make her pay for it. I've been betrayed and tricked before and I don't like it. I don't suffer fools or tricksters lightly especially where my companions and loved ones are concerned. Cross me and you'll see your little sprinkles become a monsoon very quickly."

He sighed.

"And here I was trying to calm you down and I'm doing the opposite, perhaps we should just stop talking about this, eh?" he said running his finger up and down his arm. "Just know that wherever you go I'll be right behind you…as your loving husband, mind, not some demented stalker…"

He grinned when she laughed at that.

"You just have to clarify everything don't you?" she said.

"Yeah, nasty habit of mine," he said with a wink. "What could be said with three words, I say it with forty four. You'll have to get used to that being my wife and all. The man you married is very, very long winded."

"I gathered that."

She laughed when the Doctor pounced on her and tickled her armpits. He let up after thirty seconds.

"Wait, why am I tickling you when you're agreeing with me? Hmm, strange," he said as she swatted his arm. "Sorry, I guess I just automatically reacted to your sassy words without thinking."

He glanced over at the clock and noticed it was almost three in the morning. He suddenly got an idea and bounded out of bed.

"Oh no, now what?" Rain said.

"He got into her rucksack and pulled out her mobile. He walked back to the bed, opened it up and dialed Rose's number. He put it on speaker and put his fingers over her lips.

"Hello?" Rose said after a couple of rings.

Rain's eyes widened when the Doctor leaned down into the mobile and let out a long, throaty belch. He leaned back up and Rain shook with silent laughter when there was dead silence on the other end.

"I have this funny feeling that it's you, Doctor," Rose finally said.

Both of them laughed.

"Christ, you are such a kid sometimes. I thought it was bad enough dealing with Alan's immaturity without you adding to it. But wait, what time is it there. It's almost 3 a.m., isn't it?"

"Yeah, Rain couldn't sleep and we're lying here talking so I thought I'd ring you and give you a greeting."

"Yeah and I just love having an alien belch right in my ear," she said as they laughed. "But I'm glad you called. We're staying at the Tokyo Hilton. Do you know what time your flight gets in?"

"Not sure, we leave at 10 again and we have an hour's layover in Chicago this time so it shouldn't take as long."

"Well let us know for sure so we can meet you there and bring you back to the hotel."

"Is that where you're at now?"

"No, we're at this shopping center that has this huge rollercoaster running through it. We've ridden it a couple of times and looked around. It's really nice. Alan and the girls are in the bookshop looking around and I'm resting right outside it on a bench while I have some milk and a chocolate chip biscuit that I got at a shop right next door. That's all we've done so far today although I think they might have a cinema in here somewhere so we might go see a film. But it's a huge place obviously since they have a whole rollercoaster in here so we've only just begun to look. So what do you two have planned?"

"Well, we're done with Disney so we're going up to Daytona Beach in the morning and have some fun on the beach."

"Oh I am soooo envious of you guys," Rose said. "Been colder 'n Hell here."

"And after that we're gonna take this ghost tour where they take you to haunted places after dark."

"Whoa, that sounds like what we did in Chicago."

"Yeah, that's why I told him we should do it, Sis."

"Well, tell us if you see anything. I saw an honest to God ghost when we did ours."

"Yeah, Rain told me. I've also been thinking."

"You? That doesn't sound like you."

"Hardy har har," the Doctor said as they laughed. "No, I've been thinking that once I have my TARDIS back and we get everybody assembled then perhaps we should have a little party and meet and greet to introduce everyone to Rain and Awinita and Mingxia so we aren't just picking them up and taking them to a wedding when they don't even know my bride or her friends."

"Great idea, I love that. Yeah, let everyone become friendly with them. I'm all for that, Doctor."

"And we have my TARDIS which means we can take as much time as we need to do it."

Rose giggled.

"What?" the Doctor said.

"Why not take everyone to Chuck-E-Cheese and let them see the singing robots?" she teased.

Rain laughed.

"Wow! Yeah…that's an idea all right. Actually I told Rain that my theory of that place is people keep on inviting people to go there just to see the singing robots and get their reaction. I told her I oughta take Jack there."

"Oh God, I can just see Jack's face," Rose said. "I dare ya, Doctor. Who are you bringing to this meet and greet though?"

"Torchwood, Sarah Jane and her son, Wilf and maybe Sylvia if she behaves, Martha, Mickey, Donna, Us and I s'pose Francine and Tish and Clive."

"So then…Awinita is maid of honor, then the bridesmaids could be Sarah Jane, Mingxia, Donna, Martha, Tish and Gwen?"

"Sounds good. On the men's side, Jack, Ianto, Wilf, Mickey-boy and Luke?"

"Who's the best man?"

"I guess Jack."

"Gee don't get so excited 'bout it." Rose teased.

"Well, I'm sure he'll be bugging us to do it and as I don't have any other prospects I suppose it might as well be him," he said. "But if we don't do the whole watch the reactions at Chuck-E-Cheese thing I'm sure we can have a party on the TARDIS or something like that."

"Well, there are a few things I think we can do. See, we have a few favorite things that we wouldn't mind going back to when we went through the US and if we can go back to them and maybe spend a day and just look around plus there's stuff that we did before we met Rain so she would get to see them as well."

"Such as?"

"Well, when we went through Indiana we saw this children's museum that is just brilliant. We could go to that and I'm sure Alan would want to go back there anyway so he can get his bleedin' White Castles and sugar cream pie again plus they have this wonderful Italian restaurant called Bocca Di Beppo that had delicious food. That would be another way to have everyone get to know each other."

"Well, you know I'll have my TARDIS again and I can land it anywhere, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I could land it inside Disneyworld and all of us could see the park for free."

Rain laughed.

"And that's just like you, Doctor, to go somewhere and not pay."

"Pay, schmay, Disney's overpriced anyway."

Rose snorted.

"Got that right," she muttered. "But anyway, those are some possibilities we have for a day or two of getting to know one another and it'll be a well-earned reward after everything we're gonna go through."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Wait a tic, here comes the husband and…"

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DOCTOR, QUIT BOTHERING US! WHY WON'T YOU LEAVE US ALOOOOOOOOOONE?" Alan screamed into the phone.

The Doctor looked at Rain who was laughing hysterically along with everyone else on the other end.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, my husband's being an ass today," Rose said, half laughing. "You'll have to excuse him; his Noble-itis is acting up."

"Noble-itis? Oh God, he has a name for it?" the Doctor said.

"Yes, he does and it flairs up every now and again and that was a flair-up just then so please excuse his behavior and…"

"Brother, help me, I'm possessed by Donna Noble. I talk like her; I think like her, I shop like her, HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!"

There was another round of laughter.

"Once again, please excuse my rude little husband, yeah?" Rose said.

"Well, I'm afraid I can't do anything to save him. It's just like Jack, no cure."

Rose relayed that to Alan and they laughed when they heard a faint, "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

There was a pause.

"Poor Alan. He's gone off to console himself with a couple of biscuits now," Rose said. "I'm afraid you just dropped a bombshell on him."

"Well, tell him that not even the chameleon arch could fix that problem."

"I will when he gets done getting a rubbish bag full of sweets to medicate the pain. But we better let you go, yeah? It's nearly 4 there, isn't it? Rain needs sleep so you can go to the beach."

"Yeah, I think we better go. We just wanted to call and irritate you. Sorry I upset my brother so much."

"Eh, nothing a biscuit or two won't fix. He'll be back to his happy, jolly self shortly. But, despite my brother's earlier outburst, keep in touch with us and let us know when your flight will get in so we can bring you back with us to the hotel. I love you both and take care."

"Take care, Rose."

"Bye, Rose, tell everyone I said hello."

"I will, Sis, look after yourself and him, okay?"

"Okay, bye."

"Bye guys."

She hung up and the Doctor folded up the phone and went to put it back in her rucksack.

"Noble-itis," he said, walking back to the bed. "Better not let Donna hear that or he'll be up on his back beating him senseless."

He sighed when he drew her near.

"But Rose is right; you need your sleep, love. I don't want you dozing off on the beach tomorrow. I'm here, everything's alright, just relax and get some sleep for me, okay?"

"I will."

He gave her a kiss on the head and pulled her in close laying his chin on the top of her head. He began to sing to her again and sent loving feelings into her mind while Rain closed her eyes and went back to sleep.


	209. Chapter 209

Chapter Two Hundred and Nine

Rose related everything the Doctor had said to her husband, sister and friend.

"Hmmm, I like the idea of the meet and greet," Alan said. "Who does he want to invite to this little shindig."

Rose told him. Alan made a face when she mentioned Sylvia.

"Oh God, not that old bat. She'll ruin the party in two seconds flat."

"I know Alan but I'm sure she'll wanna come along to the wedding if Wilf is going."

"Yeah but she'll be in our faces demanding to know why we've messed with Donna's mind so she has all those crazy notions about wanting to travel with us again."

"Well, that's even if she'll set foot in the TARDIS which I doubt if she will."

Alan shrugged.

"Wouldn't shed any tears if she didn't," he said.

"Is she really that bad?" Awinita asked.

Alan rolled his eyes.

"She blames the Doctor for spiriting her daughter away and filling her head with ideas about being something other than a temp, so yes, Te'lesu, she really is that bad."

"What about the other mothers?" Rose asked.

"The other mothers, yours and Martha's, finally understood that the Doctor wasn't trying to harm their daughters but were trying to show them a better way of living. I have no problem with them because I know they won't be up in my face cursing me, Sylvia is a different story. Now from what you've told me she's not mistreated you, which I'm glad to hear and I'm sure she wouldn't mistreat them or Rain but it's me and my brother and probably Donna who'll get to listen to her which is why I'm concerned about her coming with us. I love this whole idea and I want it to be a pleasant meet and greet and a chance for everyone to bond while we go somewhere and the last thing I want is her disrupting it. If she behaves herself and is polite to everyone, including us, then I don't mind her coming but I don't know if she'll do that. As for Jack being best man, I share my brother's thought that I really don't know if anyone else will do it and he will be asking to do it once he learns about it but there again, is he gonna be standing there lusting after us and when the vicar asks if anyone has any reason why we shouldn't be married is he gonna jump up and down and bellow, me, me, me I have a good reason!"

He looked at Awinita and Mingxia.

"And I'm warning you guys, watch yourself because he's a smooth talker and you might end up in his bed against your wills, Ianto or not. Then again, Donna might be beating you off with a club to get to him so you might not have to worry."

He smiled.

"Indiana, eh?"

"Yes, I'm sure you'll want your White Castles and sugar cream pie again."

He snickered.

"Well that and…we could always take them to meet Bill and Margaret."

"Oh Lord no!" Rose said as Awinita bent over laughing.

"Come on, love, invite them to the wedding so Bill can follow you around all day."

"Who are Bill and Margaret?" Mingxia said.

Alan giggled. He put a hand on her shoulder while he told her about them. Mingxia laughed when he finished.

"Hey yeah, invite them. Might be interesting," she said. "You could make Bill best man."

"Oh God, no!" Rose said as they roared with laughter. "No way am I making him best man and then listen to him tell the whole congregation how I remind him of some woman he banged in World War Two."

"Ah, come on, Doris. Might be fun."

He sniggered when she smacked him upside the head.

"Not to mention anytime the minister says something, you'll hear, "HUH?" followed by, "HE WASN'T TALKING TO YOU, DADDY!" Awinita said.

Rose put her head in her hand while Alan laughed.

"And you know they're gonna have those damn potholes in the aisle that the government never fixes," he added.

"You guys are so cruel sometimes, you know that?" Rose said.

"And at the reception he'll be wondering which one of the damn bitches left the toilet seat up," Alan added.

Rose giggled in spite of herself and ruffled his hair.

"You're impossible sometimes, you know that," she said fondly.

"Not impossible, just highly unlikely," he replied with a wink.

He gave her a kiss and took her hand while they went off to explore the rest of the shopping center.

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Around eight in the morning, the Doctor woke Rain with a kiss on the cheek. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Heya," he said.

"Mornin' Thete."

"Sleep better?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Good. Then let's get everything ready and head out to the beach," he said.

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After putting their rucksacks in the back, they climbed in; the Doctor started the car. He had gotten directions to Dayton Beach from the concierge and was studying them.

"If it gets to be too late, love, we might just find a hotel there and then leave for the airport in the mornin'," he said. "No sense driving back fifty miles if the ghost walk takes awhile."

Getting the directions firmly implanted in his mind, he put the car in reverse, backed up and headed towards the interstate.

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The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief. Away from Disney the traffic thinned out a bit making travel easier. Still, the closeness of the vehicles made him antsy and made him long for his TARDIS even more.

_Unfortunately I gotta go through mad, bad and ugly to get to it,_ he thought.

As they drove, Rain suddenly pointed out a raindrop on the windshield. The Doctor let out an angry sigh.

"Oh, not today of all days. Come on, I thought Florida was the Sunshine State? Ah well, if we can't go to the beach we'll find something else."

He glanced around him.

"I hate being so close to other drivers like this. Especially these artics. Anything can happen out here and I don't feel like being broadsided by a sleepy lorry driver."

"My dad knew someone who worked for a trucking company and he was a dispatcher that had to send out the police and ambulances whenever one of their trucks got in an accident and he also had to file the reports and most of the reports had these grisly photos of what happened."

The Doctor made a face.

"Don't think I'd fancy that job if you had to see that all day," he said.

"Yeah, unfortunately he told my dad about some of the more colorful wrecks and my dad told us. Some of them would be gruesome ways to go."

"Although," the Doctor mused, "if you're going up against a huge lorry and slam right into it, the death would be almost instantaneous or very nearly so. Take it from me, people die a lot quicker than you think they do. And if not, they would more than likely be insensate and have no idea what's happening. Having said that, I still have no desire to get in an…"

He gritted his teeth and slammed on the brake when the traffic slowed in front of him.

"Now what?" he said, drumming his fingers on the wheel.

He glanced over when Rain rolled down her window and stuck her head and upper torso out to see what was going on. She stayed that way for a moment and then sat back down.

"Ambulance's up ahead. I think someone's been in a wreck," she said.

"Ooo, I hope they're okay," the Doctor said as she rolled up her window.

"Yeah, me too."

The rain began to fall faster while they slowly inched down the road. When they got about a half mile from their starting point the rain stopped and the sun came out again.

"Ah good, hopefully it'll stay this way," the Doctor said happily.

"Thete!"

"Hmmm?"

He looked where she was pointing and noticed they were passing a gator crossing sign. He looked at her.

"Gator crossing? That doesn't sound good," he said to her.

"Um, okay, are we gonna turn our heads and this giant gator will be trying to crawl up the car?" Rain asked.

"Well, if one tries that I'll back up, he'll slide off, I'll go forward and hey presto, Gatorland has some more meat for its nuggets," he said.

"That's scary when you have to watch out for gators crossing the interstate. Kinda puts deer crossings to shame," Rain said. "Then again, I don't have room to talk since Arizona has killer bees, scorpions and Gila monsters."

"Gallifrey had Banocks. Big old nasty reptiles that could devour you with two big bites, kinda a cross between a crocodile and a hippo. But they lived out away from civilization so deaths from them were rare."

"I'm glad I didn't meet one."

He chuckled.

"Same here, Latara."

After another five minutes, they finally saw the wreck. The Doctor winced when he noticed a bashed up truck lying in the ditch beside the lanes, near it was a red Plymouth Mustang which was crumpled up like a piece of tinfoil.

"Oh God," Rain said, looking with him. "Do you think anyone survived it?"

"I don't know, love. Maybe the people in the truck but if anyone survived that crumpled heap it'll be a miracle."

They passed it. While they did they saw someone on a stretcher being loaded into one of the ambulances. The man had a neck brace on but he was conscious and alert.

"Well, one survived it at least," the Doctor said.

Once they were passed it, the traffic sped up again and the Doctor followed suit, taking care not to get to close to the other cars lest they end up like the crash victims.

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After a couple of hours they reached Daytona Beach. They drove around for awhile looking at the various shops and people before they finally found a parking spot next to a white sandy beach.

"I think this'll do, eh?" he said.

"It's beautiful."

"That it is. Now let's take our teeny tiny towels and hit the beach!"

She laughed. They reached into the back, grabbed the towels, bathing suit and swim trunks resting on the back seat and got out. They locked the door and went to find a changing room.

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"Ah! Much better," the Doctor said stepping out of the small plastic changing room.

Rain stepped out beside him and gasped when she shielded her eyes. The Doctor picked up some sand and threw it at her legs while she laughed.

"You just aren't gonna stop making fun of my body, aren't ya?" he said.

"I'm sorry, love, but you are skinny and white. You look like one of those 98 pound weaklings in the body builder ads."

She laughed when the Doctor chased her for a couple of feet. They picked up their clothes and towels and walked over to a spot several feet from the edge of the ocean. They spread their towels down side by side and sat down on them.

"Ah, lovely," the Doctor said.

"Yeah except we can't really lay back on these things."

"Eh, we'll be in the water in a minute anyway."

He sighed.

"Lovely white sand, frothy foamy surf…beetles the size of elephants…"

Rain looked at him and looked where he was pointing. A ten inch beetle was making its way along the sand in front of them.

"Holy crap, is that a mutant beetle?"

"I wouldn't doubt it, Latara, I really wouldn't."

Rain looked around and noticed an empty conch shell behind her. She grabbed it, poured the sand out of it and held it to her ear.

"Anything?" the Doctor said.

"Yes, little puny voice is ordering me to kill my husband."

She laughed when the Doctor made a grab for it.

"Give me that, warm and bubbly up above must have a walkie talkie installed in it. I'll soon sort him out."

She laughed when he grabbed the shell from her hand and held it to his ear.

"Piss off, robey boy!" he said before tossing it aside.

He grinned.

"Now that we have that taken care of. Little swim?"

"Ready when you are."

He took her hand and helped her to her feet.

"Wait, I just got an idea."

"What?" Rain said.

"You ever heard of From Here to Eternity?"

"I've heard of it but I've never seen it."

"Never? Awww, Rain, you have to see it, it's brilliant. Have you heard of the famous scene where Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr kiss passionately in the surf?"

"Yes."

"Let's do it! Give these bored beachgoers a show!"

"No!"

"Aw, come on, it'll be fun. You and me snogging while the water goes in our ears and the sand gets in our butt cracks, sounds romantic to me!"

"No, thank you. Maybe you can bring Jack here and do that."

He stared at her wide-eyed as she snorted out laughter.

"You'd actually let your husband snog another man on the beach? Is there a kinky side of you I don't know about?"

"Better him than me," she said shrugging.

She laughed harder when the Doctor gave her an odd look.

"You know, I'm just learning more and more about you with each passing day, including your odd little turn-ons. Okay, we'll just skip the whole making out in the sand and just run willy-nilly towards the water like a couple of hormonally charged teenagers, ready?"

She nodded and they held hands tightly while they ran pell-mell towards the water. Once they reached it, Rain squealed when the water hit her legs but they moved deeper into it and once they were chest high, they began to swim together bobbing up and down in the gentle waves. They got further and further out until the water was just a gentle undulation around them. They looked back at the beach and noticed a few other people were swimming closer to the beach. They tread water while they talked. Suddenly their heads jerked around when they noticed someone calling for help and they noticed a ten year old boy struggling to stay afloat about twenty feet from them.

"Be right back, Latara."

Before she could say anything the Doctor was under the water and swimming away. Rain hesitated a moment and then began to swim as fast as she could along the surface while others came from the beach trying to help him. She noticed the boy start to go under and she gritted her teeth and strained her muscles trying to reach him. Her heart caught in her throat when the boy went under the water and didn't resurface and she took a deep breath and went under. Under the water, she saw her husband coming up under the boy, grabbing him under the arms and kicking back up to the surface. Rain did the same and gasped when she came up a few feet away from him and the coughing child. The Doctor held out his hand to her while he kept the other tightly around the boy's torso.

"What's your name?" he asked the boy when he got his breath back.

"Billy."

"Well, I'm the Doctor and this is Rain. We have you now so just relax."

Rain put her arm under Billy's right side and they both slowly swam towards the other people who were now a few feet away. They swam around them helping Billy get to shore. Once he was there, both the Doctor and Rain sank into the sand, exhausted. Everyone around them applauded and patted them on the back congratulating them on the rescue before they walked off. Rain looked over when a woman whom she assumed was the boy's mother ran right for them and fell to her knees.

"Oh thank you, thank you, whoever you are," she said, hugging the Doctor.

Rain smiled when the Doctor grinned and hugged her back.

"It was no problem, happy to help," he said.

She hugged Rain next.

"I'm so grateful to both of you. I have to give you a reward."

"No, please," the Doctor said, holding up his hand. "No reward is necessary. I'm just glad he's alive."

"Me too."

"Well, at least let me buy you two lunch, alright?" she said.

The Doctor glanced at Rain and nodded.

"Thank you. I'm Sally."

"I'm the Doctor and this is my wife, Rain."

"Thank you so much. I'm so grateful to both of you."

The Doctor blushed at that.

"I told Billy not to go out too far but you know how kids are," she said. "But come with me, we're from Daytona Beach so I know a good seafood restaurant. It's the least I can do for you for saving my son's life."

They got to their feet and both of them went to get their things amid more applause and cheers. Rain noticed her husband was slightly ill at ease with it all.

"You don't like to be thanked, do you?" she asked softly.

"I don't mind being thanked a little but not to the point I'm getting rewarded. I don't like people giving me things when I'm just happy to help save a life but if it makes Sally feel better getting us something to eat, I'll go along with it. Besides, I'd like to get to know her and Billy a bit better. We can come back and swim some more afterwards.

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Both the Doctor and Rain listened quietly while Sally spoke to them in the seafood restaurant. Beside her Billy sat picking at his fish dinner. The Doctor could tell he was embarrassed at being rescued and he stared at him and Rain shyly. The Doctor smiled back at him while he and Rain ate their fish dinners. Sally had been a resident of Daytona Beach her whole life and her husband was off in Iraq, stationed in Basra. Both the Doctor and Rain expressed hope for his safe return.

"Thank you, this is his second tour. He made it through the first one intact and God willing he'll make it through this one as well."

"How long does he have before he can come back?"

"About six months. Although I'm hoping Barack will bring him home sooner," she said. "We've missed him so much."

The Doctor nodded. She asked about their lives and once more he gave her the cover story about him being a photographer for a travel magazine. She smiled when he told her they were on their honeymoon.

"Well, congratulations, I hope you two have a long and happy marriage," she said.

"Thank you," they both said.

"So, are you starting a new life here in Daytona?"

"No, we went to Disneyworld for our honeymoon and we seen it all and we have one more day until we fly back to Japan to meet our family so we decided to come up here and spend a day at the beach."

"Well, I'm so glad you did since you saved Billy's life."

The Doctor chuckled when he notice Billy blush at that.

"Are you doing anything else tonight?"

"We're gonna go on that ghost walk," the Doctor said.

"Oh! We've been on that, it's fascinating. I think you'll like it," Sally said. "Well, I hope you have a safe flight back to…Japan? Your family's in Japan?"

"Yeah, we're in the middle of a little holiday and we decided to get married in the middle of it and her father paid for us to come here as our wedding gift."

"Aw, that's so sweet. I've never been to Japan."

"It's beautiful," Rain said as her husband nodded.

"Hopefully someday we can get over there and see it," Sally said.

"I hope you can," the Doctor replied.

They finished eating their meal and all of them waited while she paid for it and then walked out to her car.

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For a few hours more, Sally sat on the beach and talked with her new friends while Billy built a sand castle nearby. She had moved their things over to them including a beach umbrella which the Doctor let Rain sit under. They talked until about 5:00 and then reluctantly the Doctor and Rain decided to leave to get freshened up and get ready for the ghost walk. Sally handed them her phone number and address and after they promised to call and write, hugged them both tightly.

"Take care of yourselves," Sally said.

"Yes, you too," the Doctor said.

"Hope your husband gets back safely," Rain added.

"Yes, me too."

Billy then stepped forward and thanked them. Rain hugged him and the Doctor ruffled his hair.

"You keep yourself out of trouble from now on, yeah?" he said to him.

Billy nodded and smiled. With one more wave, the Doctor and Rain grabbed their things and headed back to their car.


	210. Chapter 210

Chapter Two Hundred Ten

They got a single room at the Holiday Inn for the night preferring to just head out early in the morning and go back to the airport without having to fight the Disney crowds coming into the park. They jumped into the shower for about fifteen minutes to get any excess sand off them and quickly changed their clothes before grabbing the things they needed and heading out the door.

They asked the concierge at the desk where the ghost walk was and after getting directions they headed out to the car.

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It turned out there was about ten people in total including them. All of them were around Rain's age and younger. The youngest was about 8 or 9, a little girl with blonde pigtails who was with her father. The Doctor surmised that most people older than Rain didn't really get into this kind of thing and the elderly wouldn't stay up to go walking around in the middle of the night.

_Course I'm not counting an old geezer like myself in that,_ he thought.

They listened to a young man named Taylor who was in his early twenties with short brown hair, a baby face and blue eyes. He was dressed in a red polo shirt and tan Dockers with white trainers. After getting everyone's name he slapped his hands together.

"Well everyone welcome to the Daytona Beach ghost walk. I hope you enjoy yourselves. Feel free to take any pictures, hopefully you'll catch a ghost on film but if not I hope you enjoy looking at the historic haunted sites of Daytona. So, if everyone is ready let's begin."

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The Doctor and Rain strolled along behind the back of the tour group. It had been about an hour and they had been to a couple of historic houses and looked through them while Taylor gave them a bit of history about the places. Both houses were old and rustic but there was no sign of ghost activity in either. Rain took several pictures of the interior which contained Victorian furniture that was obviously being cared for since there was no dust or cobwebs on them. The Doctor pointed this out to his wife.

"Apparently the houses aren't too haunted or at least they aren't bothered by the ghosts since they can come in and keep house every so often," he said.

"Beautiful furniture. I've always like the Victorian style."

"Yeah, me too. I have several old pieces in rooms in the TARDIS among other things I've collected."

He put his hands in his pockets and looked around.

"Some of this house reminds me of the Haunted Mansion. I'm betting Walt got a few design ideas from houses like this," he said.

He glanced over when Taylor told them they were leaving and took Rain's hand.

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They went into a graveyard next. Taylor gave them a few facts but the Doctor was barely listening since he was so fascinated with the ancient gravestones. Taylor had passed out flashlights to them and he had turned his flashlight on and was walking along one row glancing at the inscriptions. Rain followed along behind him for several feet but she noticed a white marble crypt several rows over and walked towards that. She shined her flashlight on the outside of it while she walked around. There were carvings of angels on each corner of the roof. Rain shined her flashlight at one while she took a picture and then moved on around the corner. In the back was a medium sized stained glass window that had an angel on it with arms and wings outstretched. She shined her light at it and took another picture. Then she turned the corner….and gasped when someone seized her and rammed her up against the wall. The man slammed his hand over her mouth while he wrenched the flashlight out of her hand and kicked it away from her. Rain tried to squirm away but the man pressed his body against her digging her spine into the ice cold marble. She tried not to gag when she smelled the alcohol on his breath.

"Hey there, cutie," he slurred. "You out with the ghost tour? Why don't I give ya a little something special as a souvenir?"

Rain planted her hands and one leg against the wall and with one thrust managed to push him away enough to squirm away from him. She grabbed her flashlight and ran away back towards the tour group.

"Come back here, you little slut!" the man growled as he ran after her.

Rain made a wide U-turn and shut off her light. She ran out from behind the crypt into the rows of gravestones trying to lose him in the darkness. She was so concerned about getting away that she didn't realize at first that the man was gagging loudly. She slowed down, turned and turned on her flashlight. Shining it at the man she saw her husband holding him by the throat, murder in his eyes.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't snap your neck!" the Doctor growled.

"Thete."

He glanced at her.

"Are you alright, love?" he said, concerned.

As soon as she nodded he turned his fiery gaze back to the man.

"Just be lucky she's unharmed, mate!" he spat out. "Because believe me you don't wanna get on my bad side and if you had violated my wife, this crypt would have been your new home!"

He looked at his wife.

"Rain, go and get Taylor, tell him what's happened."

She nodded and ran past him. She gulped when she saw how black his eyes had become. She wondered if it was because of the darkness but somehow she had a feeling that wasn't the reason. The Oncoming Storm name came back into her mind and she ran faster, suddenly afraid her husband might make good on his threat to snap the man's neck if she didn't act quickly.

She found Taylor and told him what happened and led him back to the Doctor who had loosened his hold on the man's throat enough to let him breathe but not enough to let him get away. When she neared the Doctor turned his gaze to her but now there were only the warm brown eyes that she loved so very much. He put his hand out halting her a few feet from the man who was still struggling and cursing at him. Taylor put in a call to the police and explained the situation.

"They're coming," he said to the Doctor when he hung up. "I'm sorry about this."

"It's alright; it's not your fault. I'm just glad I discovered them in time."

"Let me go!" the man slurred.

"Buddy, I'd shut up if I were you," Taylor said. "You're in enough trouble as it is."

The man started to say something to the Doctor and then stared directly into his cold piercing eyes and shut his mouth.

The police arrived a few minutes later, the small tour group led them to Taylor and the Doctor and only when the police had him secured did the Doctor let go of his neck and step back to stand beside his wife. One young officer walked over and questioned both of them. The Doctor kept his hand on his wife's back, rubbing it and soothing her while the drunken man was forcefully led away from them. The officer got all of their statements and asked Rain if she wanted to press charges for assault along with the public intoxication they were booking him for. Rain shook her head.

"No, he didn't do anything except press me up against the wall. I just want to get on with my life. He's drunk anyway," she said.

The officer nodded.

"Well, he's spending a night in jail to sleep it off and he will be charged with public intoxication. I'm glad you're safe."

"Yeah, me too," she said.

The office smiled and nodded. He said his goodbyes and when he was gone the Doctor took her in his arms and held her tightly while he rubbed her back. He kissed her temple.

"Are you really alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes, he didn't do anything except press me up against the wall and wrench the flashlight out of my hand."

"I felt your terror in my mind but I was busy looking at a gravestone and didn't see where you went. I was looking around and then I saw you run out from behind the crypt and that's when I intercepted him. Thank God I got to you in time."

"Thank God I was able to push him off me then if that's how you saw me."

He looked at her and gave her a proud smile.

"I'm glad you did that too, my Latara," he said proudly.

Taylor walked up to them.

"I'm sorry that happened guys, if you two want to cut the tour short, I'll take you back so you can go home."

The Doctor looked at Rain.

"Your call, love," he said.

"I wanna go on. Up until this happened, I was having fun."

He nodded.

"We wanna go on," he said to Taylor.

"Okay," he said, smiling. "Well, the police have gone with the guy so it's safe to go on, so follow me."

The Doctor gave her one more kiss before he took her hand and followed him.

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For the rest of the night, Rain stayed firmly by the Doctor's side straying only where he could see her clearly. She had been shaken by the event but she calmed down after a half hour and was able to enjoy everything again but the Doctor kept watch on her even when his gaze wasn't directly on her. His presence soothed her and made her feel safe but she shuddered to think what would have happened if she hadn't been able to push the man away and run out where the Doctor could see her. She wondered if he'd been able to find her in time, if his mind would have worked out that the crypt was the most logical place for her to be but she soon put that out of mind because it was too disturbing to think about what might have happened to her. The other thing that unnerved her was her husband's eyes. She was sure the coal black orbs weren't due to the lack of light. Was that what her brother meant about the Oncoming Storm and the darkness lying dormant within him? Did the darkness reflect in his eyes whenever he became enraged? If they did, she was glad he loved her and wasn't on the receiving end of that. Even the man in his drunken haze could see how dangerous it was to provoke him past the breaking point.

As they walked along in an abandoned jail, Rain glanced back at him as he walked behind her, his hands stuffed in his pockets while he looked at the empty jail cells with a nonchalant air. He caught her gaze for a moment and winked at her, his smile and eyes as warm as the sun. It was hard to believe that less than an hour ago he looked like he was about to lose control and kill someone. Now he was just strolling along taking in the sights.

She noticed some graffiti in one of the cells. Curious, she walked inside and turned on her flashlight to get a better view. She heard the cell door squeak and turned to see her husband grinning at her from behind the nearly closed door.

"Bwahahahahahaha," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

She walked over to him.

"Am I caught now?" she said.

"Yup, you're my little specimen and I'm gonna keep ya for study. So whatever you were doing over there, keep on doing it while I study you and your habits."

Once again, his eyes were twinkling with merriment, so different from the hard cold look he had given the drunken man. Rain prayed she never got on her husband's bad side after seeing that look.

"So," he drawled, "exactly what were you looking at that caused you to fall into my cleverly planned trap?"

"Just this graffiti here," she said, walking back.

The Doctor opened the door and strolled inside to examine it with her.

"Frank S. 1939. Hmmm, guess he was one of the occupants of this particular cell."

"Wonder what he did?"

The Doctor turned on his flashlight and shined it around the room. He made a face when he saw the rotting and urine stained mattress on the cot in the corner.

"Dunno, but I hope that was a hell of a lot cleaner when he was here. I wouldn't give that to a dog to sleep on," he said.

Rain shined her flashlight on the back wall and her eyes grew wide.

"Thete."

The Doctor turned around and she led him to the back and shined the light on what she had seen.

"That isn't blood is it?"

The Doctor examined it closely and nodded. There were long, thin diagonal trails of blood streaked across the wall. The Doctor moved beside Rain and scratched his chin while he examined them closer. Then he got a thought and raised his hand up. Rain watched while he placed his fingertips over the streaks and followed them down.

"I think someone was trying to claw their way out, love," he said taking his hand away.

Rain knocked on the wall.

"But this is solid concrete. It would be insane to…unless he went insane."

"Bang on, that's my thought as well, little Sherlock," he said smiling.

Rain shivered and he put his arm around her. She shined her light around and then noticed something else on the cell door. The Doctor watched while she walked over and gently closed it, leaving it slightly ajar. Curious, he followed his wife over while she reached up and touched a piece of cloth that was tied around the top of one of the bars. The Doctor examined it with her.

"Thete, you don't think this might have been a bed sheet…"

"That someone hung themselves with? Could be, Latara. I suspect they had a lot of suicides in a place like this."

The Doctor watched while she shined the light back to the bloodstains and smiled knowing what his wife was thinking.

"Poor guy. Even if he did commit a crime," she said. "He might have gone insane and committed suicide here."

"He might have been insane already. They might have put him here and left him unattended. I'm sure as long as the monkeys stayed in their cages, the zookeepers didn't keep too close an eye on them. I doubt they shared your compassion for him, love. However, I sincerely doubt Frank S. is the same person since an insane man probably wouldn't have enough cognizance to be able to write his name and date on the wall like this and have it be that legible. Or it could be three separate people who shared one cell. We'll probably never know."

They heard Taylor calling for everyone. They opened the door and the Doctor took Rain's hand while they headed up to the front.

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"Well, we didn't see any genuine ghosts but that was an interesting tour albeit one marred by the presence of a soused asshole. But still, we managed to have a bit of fun exploring," the Doctor said as they walked into their hotel room.

He shut the door and kissed her.

"I'm so glad you're safe," he said.

"Me too."

He squeezed her shoulder.

"Now listen, I want you to sleep well tonight. No fears about what's to come, alright? Whatever happens will happen and all we can do is fight. But that doesn't mean you can't have a peaceful sleep which is what I want you to do alright? I'll be fine. I've had centuries of this kind of thing and except for nine times, I've always bounced back."

She nodded and he gave her a kiss. They both used the bathroom and then they lay down together. The Doctor turned on the TV and they both watched a movie until Rain fell asleep with her head on his chest and then he continued to watch it alone.


	211. Chapter 211

Chapter Two Hundred Eleven

The Doctor woke Rain up at four in the morning so they would have time to get showered, dress, eat and get back in time to go through check in. Rain was struggling to stay awake so when they finally did leave, he handled everything and led her outside while he carried his rucksack on his back and carried hers in his hand while Rain carried a small white bag filled with the souvenirs. Once the rucksacks were in the backseat and Rain was in the passenger side, the Doctor lowered her seat slightly so she could go back to sleep. He shut her door, walked around, got inside and started up the car. Smiling at his sleeping wife he backed the car out and took off into the predawn morning.

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By the time he got back into Orlando, it was 6:30 and the sun was beginning to come up. He pulled into a McDonalds and gently woke Rain up. She yawned and smiled and put her seat back up. They went inside and ordered some breakfast. By this time Rain was more awake and she sat across from him and chatted while they sipped their coffee and orange juice and had their breakfast sandwiches and hash browns.

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"Ugh!" the Doctor said after they had gotten through check in and had taken care of the rucksacks. "Here we go again, cramped legs and blood clots."

"Well, maybe you can go back to sleep again," Rain said, carrying the white bag.

He sighed.

"I'd rather not. I'd like to be awake and enjoy at least some of the flight but not if my legs are gonna be pressed up against the hard plastic."

He checked the ticket and saw the arrival time.

"Better ring Rose and tell her our arrival time," he said to her.

Rain gave him her mobile and he called her. He talked to her briefly telling her about the beach and saving the drowning boy and the ghost walk, leaving out what happened to Rain since he wanted her to have the option of telling her sister if she wanted. He finally got around to telling her about the departure time.

"We're gonna get into Tokyo at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning," he said to Rose.

He heard her relaying that to Alan.

"Okay. We'll be there and I'll book you guys a room before we leave in the mornin'. What gate?"

"45."

"Okay, gate 45 at 6 a.m. It'll be so good to see you guys again," she said.

"Yeah, you too. We both missed you a lot," the Doctor said.

They heard their gate being called.

"Rose, they're boarding now."

"Okay, well good luck and we'll be there bright and early to give you lots of hugs and kisses."

He smiled.

"Looking forward to it. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye Doctor."

He hung up the phone and took Rain's hand while they got in the queue.

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Rain gave her husband a sympathetic smile when they finally got off the plane in Chicago.

"God, this is worse than torture. Cramped seats, tiny lavatories, crying babies, I've said it before and I'll say it again…I WANT MY…"

Rain giggled when he looked around as if he were being overheard. He leaned down in her ear.

"t..a..r..d..i..s…" he whispered.

"I don't think anyone will know what you mean when you say that aloud, love," Rain said.

"Just being cautious," he said.

He leaned down in her ear.

"I have an idea. Let's get some proper food for later so we aren't forced to eat the cardboard on the plane, eh?"

"Sounds good to me."

He got 4 sodas from a vending machine and then led her to a small deli.

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While they were on the plane, Rain tried to help her husband ignore his cramped legs. While they sipped their sodas they played Sim City working on another city together. When the flight attendant did bring them their meals, they only ate their cake preferring to have the bags of McDonalds' food for later. Rain was thankful she had her DS since the Doctor seemed to be occupied with it and not feeling the stiffness of his legs. Occasionally he shifted slightly so that his long legs were going out into the aisle but he quickly drew them back in when anyone came down it. The attendant took their meals away after a half hour and the two of them played on, becoming completely engrossed in the game. After a couple of hours, the Doctor got up to use the restroom and asked Rain if she wanted to eat. She nodded and he brought the sacks down from the overhead compartment asking her to fix his too. She nodded and pulled her tray table down while he hurried to the back of the plane. She pulled out two turkey sandwiches, two bags of potato chips and a salad for her. She fixed everything and was ready with his meal by the time the Doctor got back.

"Ah, lovely, much better," he said. "Now where were we at on our reconstruction of central London?"

Rain held the game up and they ate their meals while they discussed where to put things.

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After lunch, the two of them decided to take a nap. They put their tray tables up and Rain put her DS away in her brown bag. They requested the pillow and blankets and after receiving them. They covered up and snuggled close together. Rain kissed her husband's forehead and he smiled when they put the seats back slightly and took a short nap.

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They woke up a few hours later and the Doctor took their pillow and blankets and put them up in the overhead beside their two bags. He settled back down beside her.

"Feel better now?" he said.

"Oh yeah, needed that anyway for what lies ahead. I need all my strength now."

He rubbed her cheek when he saw the anguish in her eyes.

"Let me tell you a secret, love. I have a special technique that can take away the pain of torture."

"You do?"

"Yup. I can block the pain receptors in my brain which means I can go through torture pain free. So don't worry about me. I'll be kicking robey boy's butt all around his TARDIS before you have a chance to blink."

She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder while he kissed the top of her head. He wasn't being entirely truthful with her. He did have ways to dampen the pain and there were times when he could block it out completely but he knew the Valeyard would know about that ability and find some way to counteract that. But he didn't want her to worry about him and he knew her number one concern was his being in pain. Anything he could do to alleviate that fear and keep her calm was worth a little white lie in his opinion.

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After four more hours, the Doctor got down the rest of the food and they had their dinner, ignoring the meal the attendant brought them. This time the Doctor had a ham sandwich while Rain had chicken. They had a couple bags of chips and the last of the sodas while they worked on Sim City. They kept on working on it until around eleven at night when they finally decided to go to sleep. They went to the bathroom, got the pillows and blankets down from the overhead and held hands while they snuggled close together and went to sleep.

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"Ladies and Gentlemen, we're approaching Narita International Airport and we'll be on the ground momentarily. Please put the tray tables and seats in an upright position and extinguish all smoking materials. Turn off all electronic equipment. Once again, we are landing in Tokyo in five minutes and thank you for flying American Airlines."

The Doctor and Rain put their tray tables up and got their information ready for quarantine.

"Ready, love?" the Doctor asked her.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"We'll be fine, I promise."

He squeezed her hand.

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They heard them first before they actually saw them. They were walking through the crowds getting off the plane and heard a shout that made both of them grin. Then they saw their family pushing through the crowd. They lunged at each other and melted into a group hug with much laughter and kissing from both sides.

"Oh God, we missed you guys," Rose said, hugging the Doctor tightly. "Hasn't been the same without you two around."

"Same here," the Doctor said.

He hugged Awinita and Mingxia and then hugged Alan.

"Good to have ya back, brother," Alan said.

"Same here."

He smiled warmly and embraced Rain.

"And you, Te'lesu, God, I missed you tons," he said, giving her a huge bear hug.

"Me too, Bro."

He kissed her cheek and noticed the bag in her hand.

"What's this? Goodies for me?"

"Sorta. Some of it's mine, there's something for Rose and I got you something to try."

She laughed when Alan held out his hand under her nose.

"So, make with the something to try," he said.

She opened the bag; grabbed one of the jerkys and gave it to him.

"There ya go, alligator jerky, Bro, enjoy."

They laughed when Alan just stared at it.

"And I would want this because…" he finally said.

"Because it's good?"

"And I would want this becaaaaaaaaaaaause?"

"Would you like some fudge?"

His eyes widened.

"Now you're talking my language. Make with the yummy fudge."

"Okay," Rain said, reaching into the bag. "One alligator fudge coming right up."

"Do what?" Alan said as everyone laughed.

Rain giggled and pulled out a wrapped piece of chocolate fudge.

"It's chocolate, Bro, don't worry," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, thank God for that," he said.

They moved over to the seats and sat down. Rain pulled out the kimono Minnie and gave it to Awinita.

"Yes, thanks Bro!" she said, kissing the Doctor's cheek.

"You're very welcome, Te'lesu."

Rain handed Rose the Donald.

"Yes! Thanks Bro!" she said, kissing the Doctor's cheek.

"You're very welcome, Te'lesu junior," he said.

Rain paused and got a big grin on her face when she looked at Rose.

"What? What's that grin for?" she said.

Rain glanced at the Doctor.

"I splurged on you to say thanks for all you've done for me," she said.

"Aw, you didn't have to, Sis, I was glad to do it."

"Well, no, I wanted to say thank you in a big way so I got you a genuine alligator handbag."

Rose's mouth dropped.

"Rain, you didn't," she said. "Hon, you didn't have to do that. That musta cost a fortune."

"But you're worth it, Rose. Worth every penny."

She glanced at the Doctor but he had on a poker face without the slightest hint of a smile.

"Well, let's see it then."

She grinned and pulled it out.

"There ya go, Sis, an alligator handbag."

Everyone roared with laughter when they saw it.

"Oh God, Te'lesu, you had her fooled completely," Alan said.

Rose laughed when she held it up.

"My first alligator handbag, I'll treasure it forever," she said.

She opened it up and put Donald inside.

"There, Donald's in my new alligator handbag."

"And I have the gator jerky if anyone's interested," Rain said. "And oh, I got this for me."

She held up the Ewok and made it kiss Alan.

Alan looked at his brother.

"Teddy bear midget people, how droll."

"My thoughts exactly," he said.

"Well, you guys wanna get breakfast so we can sort out everything concerning Dippidy Doo up there?"

The Doctor and Rain nodded their heads and they all headed out of the terminal.

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The six of them sat around a table in the restaurant in the Hilton planning their strategy.

"So, you're gonna impersonate me? What if he hears your double heartbeat?" Alan asked.

"I can mask that and make it sound like a single, no problem," the Doctor said. "I can also perform a ventriloquism act and make it sound like you have two heartbeats when we're together. And we can impersonate each other's voices. Stitch, however, will be problematic. Don't let him get a look at that arm, no matter what."

"I have no intention of doing that, trust me. But if he takes you away and leaves me alone, the first thing I'm going for is the chameleon arch. If I'm gonna fix the TARDIS I wanna be sure I know what I'm doing so I don't injure her further."

"You have to keep yourself from screaming," the Doctor said.

"I need to find something to bite down on then."

The Doctor thought for a moment and then pulled out his yo-yo.

"Here," he said, handing it to him.

They all giggled as he looked at it.

"Brilliant and if he comes back in, finds me and kills me, I'll die with a Chuck-E-Cheese yo-yo in my gob."

He put it in his pocket.

"What about cancelling the mental block so we can feel and communicate with one another?" Alan asked.

"If you do that, make sure the TARDIS has the power to shield our minds so Nutbag won't cotton on. I'm gonna do everything in my power to keep him focused on me and only me so he won't hurt Rose or you or…any of you, whatever your supposed roles are. I'll take one for the team, the rest of you find a way to restore the TARDIS and undermine him."

"So when do we do this?"

The Doctor looked around at them.

"Tomorrow morning. Let's have one good night of sleep. All of us, including me, so we can face him at full strength and with all our wits intact."

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The Doctor, Rain and Alan stepped through the connecting doors after he and Rose gave them their gifts. Alan gave his brother a hug.

"Good luck tomorrow, brother," Alan said.

"Yeah, you too and I'll keep Rose safe as best I can."

"You better or I'll be throttling you with the yo-yo."

The Doctor patted him on the shoulder.

"I'm proud to have you as my brother."

"And I'm proud to have you as mine," Alan replied.

They smiled and walked back into their rooms to spend their last night of peace before the storm came. The Doctor walked over to his wife.

"Come and shower with me, my Latara," he said, taking her hand.

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They spent a long time in the shower cuddling and caressing and fondling each other. Rain couldn't help but weep and the Doctor allowed her to do it figuring Rose was probably doing the same thing with her husband. He whispered loving words in both English and Gallifreyan, the ones that he had taught her. He rained kisses on her cheeks, tasting the saltiness of her tears. Even though he remained calm, he too was frightened for her wondering what the hell the protector had planned for her and Awinita and Mingxia. But he knew he couldn't express it at this moment, not with Rain so distraught. So he did what he did so many times before, pushed his feelings aside so he could comfort the woman he loved. They stayed in the shower for almost an hour just touching one another and giving each other strength and love. The Doctor dreaded telling his wife one more thing so he waited until near the end of their shower.

"Love, I…I'm going to temporarily block our link so you can't feel anything that's happening to me."

Rain gasped.

"No, please don't do that, Thete. Please don't cut me off."

The Doctor's hearts broke.

"It's only temporary, I promise. Just as a safety precaution. If the Valeyard discovers our link, he could use it to torture you as well. I want you to be safe, my love. I promise as soon as I'm out of danger, I will unblock you."

Rain swallowed hard and nodded. The Doctor kissed her lips and kissed away the remainder of her tears. Then he turned off the water, they got out and dried off. They got back into their clothes and the Doctor led her to the bed. While they walked towards it, the Doctor noticed that Alan and Rose's light was off but he could hear him softly whispering to her that everything would be alright and his suspicions were confirmed. He pulled back the covers and allowed Rain to get in before he slid in next to her. He turned off the light and pulled her into a tight embrace continuing to kiss and caress her while she held him tightly and buried her face in his chest, trying to be brave about his going but terrified at what would happen since he was voluntarily taking the brunt of the assault. Eventually, the Doctor heard the whispered murmurings in the next room fade and he too felt Rain finally succumb to sleep. He gave her one last tender kiss before he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


	212. Chapter 212

Chapter Two Hundred Twelve

The next morning it was very subdued. No one said very much and no one hardly ate anything. The Doctor ate nothing, not wanting to do something that might cause him to vomit during the torture. He had held Rain earlier while he blocked their link and he knew she was upset about it just like he was. He hated not feeling her mind in his and loathed the old familiar feeling of emptiness he had known ever since Gallifrey was destroyed but he just couldn't risk it. He knew if Rain felt the slightest pain then she'd know he'd lied to her and it would only increase her anguish. After a short discussion, they decided to go to a nearby park for the pickup for safety reasons. Before they did, the Doctor and Alan switched clothes.

"Glad we're the same size," Alan quipped.

He reached into the camping supplies and took out the nylon rope and got out the pepper spray and gave it to Rose.

"Don't know how thoroughly he'll search ya, Starlight, but just in case," he said, handing it to her.

"And I want you to have this, Doctor," Rain said, handing him her screwdriver.

"No, Rain, he'll search me for sure. You keep it with you, alright? You might need it."

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and Rain put it in her pocket. They stood there for a moment in a silent group hug giving each other strength and courage before they finally turned and headed outside.

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Alan finished tying the Doctor and Rose together while they stood in a secluded area of the park. Alan was wearing the imager around his neck but it was turned off. The Doctor was giving him last minute instructions.

"Remember, call his royal highness, Master after every sentence," he said.

Alan rolled his eyes.

"I guessed I would have to do that without you even telling me," he said.

He kissed his wife and they whispered their love for each other while Rain came forward and hugged the Doctor tightly.

"Oh, my love, come back to me," she whispered to him.

"I will, trust in that," he said.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and they touched foreheads for a moment before she reluctantly stepped away. Alan took off his birthstone ring and put it on the Doctor's finger before slipping his wedding ring off and giving it to Awinita.

"Guard this with your life," he said.

"I will, Bro."

They embraced and he gave her a kiss. He embraced Mingxia and finally he embraced and kissed Rain before he finally stepped back to his captives.

"Okay, brother, whenever you're ready to do this," he said.

They watched while the Doctor closed his eyes.

_Master,_ he thought, hoping it would work.

_Yes, my acolyte?_

_There's been a problem, Master. I've been discovered. I've captured Alan and Rose and I need you to take me up to the TARDIS before the others return. _

_Found out? How did they find out? _The Valeyard thought angrily.

_I tripped and fell and the imager malfunctioned for a second showing my true identity to them._

_Very well, it is time for them to face their final reckoning anyway. Hold still and I will lock onto your energy signatures._

_Yes, Master, I obey._

The Doctor opened his eyes and nodded.

"Here goes nothing," Alan muttered under his breath.

He just had time to look back at his family before the transmat beam surrounded them and they were gone in a flash of bright light.

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Alan blinked when the transmat beam faded and they were back inside the TARDIS. He had enough time to register they were there before he felt the Valeyard grab him by the shirt and fling him against the console.

"YOU FOOL! CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT?" the Valeyard screamed at him.

"Forgive me, Master, it was an accident," Alan said in the Doctor's voice.

He grunted when he threw him to the floor.

"You're an accident, you sentimental freak. You're a disgrace to the very name of Time Lord," the Valeyard growled at him.

As he moved towards the captives, Alan glanced up and grinned when he saw the chameleon arch hanging over the console. He got to his feet and stood still trying to calm the rapid beating of his heart when he noticed the Valeyard was headed directly for his wife.

"Well, well, at last I meet the little Halfling face to face," the Valeyard said, getting in the Doctor's face.

The Doctor masked his heartbeat and gave him a defiant look.

"You won't get away with this," he said in his brother's gruff voice.

The Valeyard snorted.

"And who's gonna stop me? You, you weak half human fool?" he said. "It would be so easy for me to stop that pathetic single heart of yours so silence your defiant tongue!"

He moved to Rose.

"And you, the loving wife. The oh-so-saintly Rose Tyler or whatever your idiot married name is. Pathetic, isn't it? You couldn't marry a full Time Lord so you had to settle for this reject."

"You're the only one who's a reject," Rose spat out.

She grunted when the Valeyard backhanded her and both brothers had to restrain themselves before they gave themselves away. The Valeyard grabbed Rose's face.

"You may think you're an expert alien fighter, little ape. But you've never met anyone like me and I'll make you regret that flippant tongue of yours very quickly!"

He let go and walked back to the Doctor.

"Despite the treatment you've received thus far, I have a proposition for you."

"Yeah, what?"

He smiled.

"I know you probably want to become a full Time Lord, regain your true heritage. I know how humiliating it must be living like an ape and being married to one. So I will offer you a deal. Give yourself to me as your sire has done and allow me to convert you to the darkness and I will give you two hearts and all your stolen lives back to you."

"What about Rose?"

The Valeyard smirked.

"Rose is a distraction. One that will be taken care of shortly so that you and your sire can concentrate on conquering all realities."

"No deal," the Doctor said.

The Valeyard stared at him in disbelief.

"You would surrender your heritage for this…thing?"

"This thing is my wife and I love her more than anything, even my so-called Time Lord heritage."

The Valeyard rolled his eyes.

"You are even more pathetic than I thought. Very well, I have ways of ridding your mind of the insufferable Rose Tyler before I convert you. If you wish to do this hard way, I'm more than happy to oblige you, little Halfling."

He looked back at Alan.

"Stand guard here. If I need you I will summon you. I might have you go down and round up the rest of his so-called family presently. Perhaps their screams will change the Halfling's mind."

Alan seethed at that but forced himself to remain calm.

"Yes, Master," he said.

The Doctor grunted when the Valeyard seized his throat.

"Come along, Halfling, and see what defiance gets you," he snarled at him

He shoved him and both he and Rose were herded through the back door. Alan closed his eyes and breathed a silent prayer that both of them would remain safe. He listened and waited and then when he was sure they were gone he moved to the console.

"Girl, it's me, it's Alan," he said.

There was a moment of silence and then he felt her weakly nudging her mind.

"I'll free you, TARDIS but you must prevent him from coming back in here while I use the chameleon to turn myself into a full Time Lord.

_I will try, my human beloved,_ she whispered to him.

He nodded and his fingers flew over the controls as he began to program the commands for the arch. He thanked God that he still had enough of his mind left to be able to do it and quickly finished inputting the programming that would turn him into a Time Lord but keep his memories and personality intact. Finishing, he pushed a button and watched as the arch slowly lowered.

"At last," Alan breathed.

When it finished lowering, Alan put it on his head, took the yo-yo out of the pocket and bit down hard on it. He glanced around making sure that the Valeyard was nowhere in sight and then he hit the on switch.

He immediately staggered back against the wall, pain rocketing through his body as every cell was rewritten and his second heart was grown. He threw both hands over the arch keeping it squarely on his head while he shut his eyes and kept biting on the yo-yo. As he underwent the agony of the arch, he could feel his mind expanding and all the information that had been lost to him restored. He began to hear the sound of a double heartbeat in his ears, a sound he had hoped to hear since he first knew life nine months ago. For a moment that thought flickered into his consciousness. Nine months. Nine long months of waiting and he was reborn again as a full Time Lord. This was his second birthday and it felt good.

After another minute the rewriting was complete and the arch switched off. Alan let go of the helmet as it traveled back up to the ceiling. He panted heavily for a moment through the yo-yo shaking off the effects. Then when he felt strong enough, he opened his eyes, spit the yo-yo out, straightened up and smiled when he quickly calculated what he needed to do next. He looked up at the ceiling.

"TARDIS, are my brother's clothes and items still intact?"

_Yes._

"Lead me to them. I need his sonic screwdriver to undo what this bastard has done to you."

_Follow, my beloved. I will guide you to them._

He smiled.

"Molto bene," he said.

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"Well, where is she?" Rain asked Awinita and Mingxia.

They were looking all around for the protector but so far there had been no sign of her. Rain was becoming more terrified by the minute thinking what must be happening to her husband and family.

"I thought she said she'd come," Rain said.

"Maybe she was lying," Awinita said.

"No, there has to be another reason. She's helped us so far, why won't she help now?"

"If I were you, Rain, I wouldn't be in any big hurry to get up there," Mingxia said.

"My husband and family are up there and I wanna help them escape," she said to her.

She took a deep breath.

"WHERE ARE YOU? SHOW YOURSELF!" she screamed up at the sky.

"I am here."

All three of them spun and looked around them.

"Where?" Awinita said. "Where are you?"

"Here."

They saw some movement in some nearby trees. Someone stepped through and they all stepped back in shock.

"Hello my friends," Imiko said.

"Imiko, you're here in Tokyo?" Mingxia said, confused.

"Yes, I have come to help you," she said stepping forward.

"How?" Awinita said.

"Do you remember the story of the kitsune?" she said, smiling.

"Yeah," Awinita said. "What about it?"

Suddenly there was a golden flash of light. A blinding radiance that caused all three of them to shield their eyes. When the radiance faded they looked again and stared at Imiko in shock.

Imiko had transformed into a nine-tailed golden humanoid fox.

"I am the protector," she spoke to them in an otherworldly voice. "I was summoned by the TARDIS to help defeat the Valeyard and that is what I will do. I have watched over all of you and kept you safe but now it is time to vanquish this abomination once and for all. Do you wish to help your friends and family?"

"Yes," the three of them said.

The kitsune smiled.

"Then, we shall begin," she said.


	213. Chapter 213

Chapter Two Hundred Thirteen

Alan breathed a sigh of relief when the TARDIS unlocked a storage closet and he entered and saw the Doctor's clothes lying in the corner of the room. He ran to them and picked up the trousers. He searched through the pockets and let out a triumphant yell when he found his screwdriver. He searched again and pulled out his psychic paper.

"At last, brother, I got your stuff back for ya," he said.

He looked at the outfit while he thought. Then quickly closing the door he began to strip his own clothes off.

"Sorry, Doctor, I realize this is your suit but I think it'll be safer on my body for the moment," he said.

He concentrated on getting dressed, trying not to think about what might be happening to his brother and wife. He knew he had to keep a level head if he wanted to free the TARDIS and help them.

He finished dressing and smoothed out the suit, an outfit both familiar and alien to him. He put the screwdriver and psychic paper in his pocket and grabbed his clothes.

"Hang on, guys, we'll get you freed," he muttered as he left the room.

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The Doctor and Rose gasped when the Valeyard turned off the electrical current. Both of them had wires running from a control panel to electrodes attached to their temples. The Doctor had pleaded for mercy for Rose hoping to spare her from the torment but the Valeyard knew how much she meant to Alan and he was making the most of it. Rose, to her credit, was facing it stoically but it still didn't help knowing that his former lover was suffering along with him.

The Valeyard walked over to him and stared down at them dispassionately.

"You aren't making this any easier on yourself, Halfling."

"I'll never give in," the Doctor snarled. "I'd rather die than serve a sadistic bastard like you."

The Valeyard rolled his eyes.

"You seem to keep forgetting, little clone, that I am as much a part of you as you are of your sire. If you are calling me a sadistic bastard than that must mean you are as well, yes?"

"Alan is nothing like you," Rose said.

The Valeyard glared at her.

"Was I even addressing you, ape?" he said. "I don't believe I was."

The Doctor winced when he smacked her across the face and her head jerked to the side. Rose glared at him when he slowly walked around to her side.

"I oughta kill you right now," he said.

"Why dontcha then?"

The Valeyard smirked.

"Your former lover taught you well, ape. You have as much bravery and strength as he does. But you see, little one, I have only begun to torture you and I have the means to make you scream a thousand different ways. If you wish your husband to watch your agony then by all means keep that flippant tongue moving."

He walked back around to the Doctor.

"Now, where was I? Ah, yes, the misfit. I might offer you the same warning. If you wish to watch as your lovely wife's life-force slowly drains from her, by all means keep resisting. I have you both in my power now along with your weakling sire and I will not hesitate to use any force necessary to get you to comply. I will see you both kneel before me as my acolytes and if you don't, I will utterly destroy her and your precious makeshift family atom by atom. So think about it, Halfling, think long and hard before you refuse me again."

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All three of them stared at Imiko in shock.

"You…you want to make us smarter?" Awinita said to her.

"I wish to give you and Mingxia a temporary Time Lord consciousness so you can assist your brother in fixing the TARDIS."

"Um, isn't that what happened to Donna and it almost killed her?" Awinita said.

"I am very powerful, Awinita-san. I will allow your minds to hold the consciousness so you will be safe for as long as it takes to assist Alan-san."

"And that's what we're supposed to do?" Mingxia asked.

"Undoing all that the Valeyard has done will be long and complicated. Alan-san needs more help so that he'll be able to free the TARDIS quickly."

"Yeah, but what about Sis?" Awinita said, gesturing to Rain.

Imiko gazed on her with her golden eyes.

"I have another task in mind for her," she said.

"What task?" Mingxia said.

She looked at them.

"Do you wish to help Alan-san and free the others?"

Awinita glanced at her friend.

"Yes," they said in unison.

"Then there is no time for talking. Come to me and I will expand your minds and send you onboard the TARDIS to help your brother."

"Will this hurt?" Mingxia asked.

"No, it will be completely painless. Now come, time is of the essence."

They glanced back at Rain and stepped forward. Rain watched while Imiko put her hands on both their heads and a strange golden light poured from them into their minds. She kept it up for a couple of minutes and then stopped.

"There, my friends, now you possess the knowledge of the Time Lords," she said. "You know now how to repair a TARDIS?"

"Yes," they said in unison.

"Then go and help Alan-san."

Rain blinked when a bright light surrounded them and they vanished from sight. Imiko turned her eyes to her.

"Now, Rain-san, you will accompany me."

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Alan quietly crept back into the console room. He went over to a panel beside the console and put his finger in a tiny groove. He lifted it up and over opening the area beneath the console. Once he pulled the section away, he reached into the trouser pocket for the screwdriver and prepared to go underneath.

Suddenly there was a bright flash of light and Alan gasped and covered his eyes. When he took his hand away, he was shocked to see Awinita and Mingxia looking around the interior in awe.

"So this is the TARDIS," Mingxia said.

He ran to them and they threw their arms around him.

"Oh no, I suppose this is your helping us out bit?" Alan said.

Awinita nodded and quickly explained everything.

"Imiko's one of those kitsune things?" Alan said.

"Yes and she expanded our minds safely so we can help you repair the TARDIS," Awinita said.

"What about Rain?"

"I don't know, Imiko said she had another task for her."

Alan cursed softly and then sighed.

"Well, if you know all about TARDISes now come with me under the console. We have a lot of work to do."

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Imiko slowly walked towards Rain.

"So what do I do?" Rain asked her.

"You must come with me first of all across the void to Derillium. You must fetch Doctor-san's TARDIS."

She frowned.

"Wait, you could do that all along and you didn't?"

"Doctor-san needed this rest. He was on the verge of collapse, both physically and mentally," Imiko said. "He needed to find you also and bond with you because you are the one he was destined to be with. I also wanted to show him how important love and family really are so he will not take that for granted again. He has learned that so now it is time to bring his time ship back to him."

"Then why not go get it? Why do I need to come?"

"Because I wish you to see your destiny. You will help to destroy one of Doctor-san's greatest foes but there are a couple of things we must do first."

"What do you mean? They're dying up there; my husband and my sister are suffering. I can't go on errands now!"

"But you must. Do not worry, my child, they are strong and they will survive. In the meantime, you must come with me."

"Alright, please, anything just as long as it gets me back to them," she said.

"Take my hand, Rain-san."

Rain took her hand and gasped when she suddenly felt herself flying rapidly through the air. For a second she thought she was going to slip out of her grasp but Imiko held fast to her. They were going so fast it was impossible to see anything but after two minutes; they finally slowed and landed nimbly in a grassy clearing. Rain's eyes widened when she heard the most beautiful singing she'd ever heard in her life. Imiko looked back at her.

"This is Derillium where Doctor-san was first taken," she said.

"The singing towers," Rain said softly.

Imiko nodded.

"Come, my child. The TARDIS is this way."

She took her hand and led her across the clearing. Then she saw it, the Doctor's TARDIS sitting beside a red and white checked blanket that had rotting food on it. Around it were clustered several large rocks and in the distance two white towers sang their beautiful song. The lights from the TARDIS flooded onto the ground in little window squares and the police box sign glowed in the night.

"It's more beautiful than I imagined," Rain said walking over to it.

She put her hand on the side of it feeling the cold smooth wood.

"Oh God, Thete, I love your ship," she whispered running her hand up and down the wood.

As she stroked it she suddenly felt a presence in her mind. She knew somehow that this was the TARDIS trying to see who she was.

"I'm Rain, TARDIS, the Doctor's wife," she said, coming around to the front. "I'd like to come in please."

She felt a happy little nudge in her mind and a moment later the door swung open throwing a large rectangle of golden light on the ground. Rain walked up to it, looked inside and she stared at the interior with childlike wonder as she walked in.

"At last, I'm finally here," she said to herself as she walked up the ramp. "Oh, my love, it's so beautiful."

As she neared the console the rotor oscillated once wheezing out a greeting while the TARDIS nudged her mind again. She put her hands on the rim of the console and smiled while she stared at the odd assortment of doo-dads in front of her. She was so lost in the moment that she forgot where she was momentarily. When it came to her, she spun around to face Imiko.

"Now can we go back?" she said.

"Not just yet, there is more to do and I must ask you something, my child."

"Yes?"

"Do you love the Doctor?"

"With all my heart and soul. I never would have married him if I hadn't."

"And yet you are willing to be the wife of a man who will never age and keep on living after you have expired."

"I don't mind it. I'm willing to pay any price to be at his side. My husband promised he would never abandon me in my old age and I believe him."

"But is there a part of you that longs to be with him throughout the ages?"

"Of course. If I could live as long as he could then I'd choose that in a heartbeat but the Doctor told me there is no way I can live past a normal lifespan."

Imiko chuckled.

"Your husband is clever, my child, but even he doesn't know everything."

"What are you saying? That I can live past a normal lifespan?"

"Yes, there is a way but it will require a sacrifice from you."

"What kind of sacrifice?"

"You must forsake your humanity and become like him."

Rain's eyes boggled.

"You mean, become a Gallifreyan?"

"Yes. You will become a full Time Lady. It is the gift I offer you because you have been my friend and have shown me kindness and respect. I have the power to transform you into a Time Lady if you so wish."

"Will I lose myself?"

"What do you mean, my child?"

"Will I lose who I am if I become a Time Lady?"

She chuckled.

"No, dear Rain-san, you will keep your personality. The difference will be physical plus you will have a full Time Lady mind but if by this question you mean will you become a dull, boring purely logical person. No, my sweet. The Doctor is a full Time Lord and he is fun to be around and acts silly at times, doesn't he?"

She smiled.

"Yes, he does."

"Then you will be the same. However, you will know what he knows including the knowledge of the time lines. You will carry that responsibility and become a protector of all creation at his side."

"I want nothing more than to do that and be a full and complete wife for him. Please change me."

"As you wish," Imiko said, drawing near.

"But wait! I have a request."

"Yes, my child?"

"My family. I want you to offer them the same thing. I want us all to be a family together. I'm tired of us being this mixed Gallifreyan/human family. I want Rose and Awinita and Donna to be Time Ladies too so the Doctor won't be the last of his kind or the next to last. I want us all to be together and bonded so we can feel one another and talk to one another in our minds like the Doctor said Gallifreyans used to do. And Mingxia too if she wants it. I know we haven't adopted her formally but she is like family now and I would like her to have the same chance as the rest of us. All I want is for my brother and husband to have a family of their own kind again. Please."

Imiko bowed.

"I will offer this to them, my child, as thanks for their kindness.

"Thank you."

"Is that all you wished to say?"

"Yes," Rain said.

"Then I will begin your transformation and then we shall go on to the next step. Hold still, dear Rain-san, this will not hurt."

Rain closed her eyes when Imiko laid her hand on her head. She felt a warm sensation course through her body and saw a bright golden light beyond her closed lids. She felt her body changing inside, felt something growing on her right side which she assumed was her second heart. Her mind began to open up and she could start to sense time and space itself. Tears fell from her eyes knowing that her beloved wouldn't have to worry about seeing her grow old and infirm, that now she could truly be with him. As her mind continued to expand she sensed the TARDIS, sensed her emotions, felt her elation at what was occurring and the love she was giving her new mistress.

"Oh dad, if you could see me now," she whispered to herself.

Finally the transformation was complete and Imiko took her hand away.

"Welcome to your new life, daughter of time," she said to her.

Rain put her hand to her chest as she felt her two hearts beating within it. She began to weep with joy imagining her husband's reaction when she told him that she was now going to be with him past a human's lifespan.

"Now, my dear, the next part of this mission is the retrieval of Donna Noble. She is needed," Imiko said. "So you must pilot this TARDIS to her house. Can you do that?"

Rain looked at the controls and instinctively knew what each one did.

"Yes, yes, I can," she said. "And I know where she lives too. I know where most of his companions live."

"That is because you share his knowledge, Rain-san. You know what he knows."

"Then it's time to go get my long lost sister and bring her home," Rain said.

She went to the controls and started up the TARDIS. Her hands danced over the controls as she programmed in the coordinates and took the ship into the vortex. She continued to run around the console, flipping switches and hitting buttons as if she'd been doing it her entire life.

"At last, I'll get to meet my other sister," Rain said with a smile.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Wilf settled down into his recliner and read the newspaper. He glanced at the TV and noticed Strictly Come Dancing was on. He glanced at it for a moment and then went back to reading the front page.

As he did, he suddenly became aware of a familiar wheezing sound and he slowly lowered his paper.

"It can't be," he muttered, dropping the paper and getting up.

He ran to the door, flung it open and grinned when he saw the TARDIS resting a few feet away.

"Doctor!" Wilf said, making his way to it. "Doctor, am I glad to see you. I…"

He paused when the door opened and a woman with long black hair and brown skin stepped out.

"Wilfred Mott?" she said.

"Who wants to know?"

"My name is Rain, sir. I am the Doctor's wife."

Wilf was taken aback.

"Wife? I didn't know he had a wife."

She smiled.

"I've only been married for the past couple of weeks."

"Oh well, congratulations, it's nice to meet you. Is the Doctor here?"

"No, sir. The Doctor's in trouble. My husband is in danger and I need to take Donna with me to help him."

"But…the Doctor said that she wasn't supposed…"

Rain held up her hand.

"I have a way to restore her and her memories."

"You do?" Wilf said, hardly daring to believe.

"Yes, sir. Is she here?"

"Yes, she's upstairs. I'll go get her. Wait here."

Rain smiled and nodded. She watched him go inside and turned to Imiko who was standing just inside the door.

"How are we gonna get her to go with us? Both Bro and my husband said if she remembers she'll burn up."

"Leave that to me, my child, I will shield her while I make her remember," Imiko said.

She nodded and turned back. A few minutes later the door opened up and Wilf and Donna came out followed by Sylvia who was enraged but afraid to say anything for fear of killing Donna. Rain smiled at her sister who had a confused look on her face.

"What is that? Is that one of those old police boxes?" she was saying to Wilf. "Are you having me on? Did Neris put you up to this?"

She stopped when she saw Rain.

"Who're you?" she said.

"Donna Noble, my name is Rain. I am the wife of the Doctor."

"Doctor who?"

"The Doctor, the man you once traveled with."

"Excuse me a moment," Sylvia said, pushing past her.

She got in her face.

"Look young lady, I don't know what that man told you but he told us never to mention his name to my daughter or it'd kill her! Are you trying to kill my daughter?"

"No, ma'am, I have someone with me that can protect Donna from being burnt up."

"Oh really? Who?"

"Me."

They gasped when Imiko came through the door.

"What the hell is that thing?" Donna said, pointing at it. "Where the hell did Neris find that ugly costume? I swear I'm gonna kill her!"

"Donna, get back inside now!" Sylvia said, starting to push her towards the door.

"NO!"

Sylvia jumped when she heard Imiko's loud voice and she spun around to see the kitsune was right in front of her.

"You will not interfere, Sylvia Noble. Stand back now!"

Meekly, Sylvia backed up. Imiko turned her attention to Donna who was now trembling with fear beside Wilf.

"Do not fear me, Donna Noble, I will not hurt you. I and Rain are here to help you."

"H…help me how?" Donna stammered.

She gasped when Imiko put her hand on her head.

"Remember, Donna Noble, remember who you truly are," she said as the golden light poured into her mind.

Everyone watched spellbound while Donna's whole head glowed with a brilliant golden radiance. Imiko kept her that way for a couple of minutes and then took her hand away. The radiance faded leaving a very stunned and confused Donna.

"Donna, sweetheart, are you alright?" Wilf asked.

"I'm fine," she said softly.

She noticed the TARDIS.

"Doctor!" she cried out, running past everyone into the TARDIS.

"He's not here, Donna."

She turned to see Rain coming up the ramp. Donna frowned.

"I know you. I mean I've never met you before but that creature told me a little about you so I would trust you."

"Yes," Rain said. "I'm the Doctor's wife and you're my sister through his clone, Alan. I know it's a lot to take in, Donna but this was Imiko's idea not mine but I'm so glad to finally meet you at last and I'm glad that you have your memories back."

She smiled and laid a hand on Rain's shoulder.

"Yeah, so am I. I oughta slug skinny boy for doing that to me, but I understand why he did it. But you…God, I never thought he'd marry anyone except Rose."

"Rose is married to Alan so the Doctor stayed close friends with her and fell in love with me and married me instead. I know this is the first time we've met but Alan's told me so many stories about you and the Doctor and I'm so glad to finally meet you. And there's a family waiting for you in the other universe. Not just me and Alan but the Doctor and my sister Awinita and Rose. All of us want you to be a part of our family and I would like nothing better than to be your sister, Donna."

Donna smiled.

"I'd like that too. Never had a sister before," she said. "Never had any siblings."

"Well, you have Alan since he's partly you and he adopted the Doctor as his brother so he'll be your brother too and Rose would be your sister-in-law, although she just wants us to call her Sis and Awinita and I would be your sisters and we have a good friend Mingxia who will be your friend too."

"Wow, I get my memories back, I get a whole new family on top of it and skinny boy is my brother now. Well, someone on the Oodsphere mentioned we looked alike so I guess it makes sense."

"There's more though."

"Yes?"

"Imiko has the power to transform people and she made me into a Time Lady so I could be with my husband past a human's life span. I asked her to do the same for all my family including you and she agreed to change you into a Time Lady if you want it."

Donna looked at Imiko who was standing in the doorway.

"Is this true?" she said.

"Yes, Donna Noble," Imiko said, coming up the ramp. "If you so desire, I can make you into a Time Lady."

"But won't that kill me? Isn't that why the Doctor had to take out my memories in the first place?"

"If I do this, you will lose your humanity and become a full Time Lady so there will be no danger of your death."

She glanced at Rain.

"And that's what you did for her?"

"Yes."

Donna glanced at Wilf who was peeking inside the TARDIS with an awestruck look on his face. He stood there a moment and then came up the ramp.

"Donna, sweetheart, what's going on?" he asked.

"Grandad, this Imiko has the power to make me into a Time Lady like the Doctor," she said taking his hands.

Wilf frowned.

"What does that mean?" he asked Imiko.

"It means that she will possess the Doctor's knowledge, all his physical attributes plus she will be able to regenerate as he does."

Wilf stared at Donna.

"Do you want that, sweetie?" he asked.

"I don't know. What d'ya think, Grandad?"

"And she'll travel with the Doctor then?" he asked Imiko.

"She'll travel with all of us. The Doctor, his twin Alan, Rose, me, Awinita and Mingxia. We would adopt her into our family and we would all be together," Rain said, stepping forward.

Wilf smiled at her.

"Donna, you've always been destined for something bigger than Chiswick. If I were you, love, I'd take it and go see the stars with the Doctor and this family of his."

Donna nodded.

"Alright, I'll do it. Make me a Time Lady."

"As you wish, Donna Noble."

Wilf and Rain stepped back while Imiko put her hand on her head. She held it there for a few minutes and then took it away.

"It is done, daughter of time," Imiko said.

Donna hugged Wilf and then turned to Rain. She paused a moment.

"Wait, I…hear you in my head."

Rain nodded and smiled.

"All Time Lords and Ladies can do that. We can feel one another and we can communicate telepathically now. When we get back to the other universe and rescue the Doctor and Alan they'll be able to do the same thing."

She smiled and gave her a hug.

"I look forward to getting to know you better then, sister," Donna said.

"Me too."

Rain walked to Wilf.

"The Doctor and I and Rose and Alan are already married but we're holding a second wedding for all our friends and family and we want you and Sylvia to come when we get done rescuing everyone."

He smiled.

"I'd be honored," he said.

"But if you do, don't tell Rose's family. They don't know that we got married secretly, they think it'll be the first time."

He chuckled.

"Your secret is safe with me. Just come back when you're ready and come get us."

"We're also planning a meet and greet too before it happens so that all the Doctor's friends can get to know me and Awinita and Mingxia. You're invited to that too."

"I'll be there."

"And now that our work here is finished, we must go back to the other universe and defeat the Valeyard once and for all," Imiko said.

Rain hugged Wilf.

"We'll be back."

"Look after yourself, Rain and you too, my Guiding Star," he said hugging Donna tightly.

"Bye Grandad, tell mum I said bye, alright?"

"I will and ignore your mum, her heart's in the right place but she doesn't know what's best for you. Now go and rescue the Doctor."

"Yes, sir," Donna said.

"Be sure to come back and pick us up for this meet and greet thing," he said on the way out.

"We will," Rain said.

They waved at him as he walked out the door. Imiko shut it and walked up to them.

"Now then, my child," she said to Rain. "There is one last thing we need to do before we go to the Valeyard's TARDIS."

"And that is…"

"I must bond with you and become one."


	214. Chapter 214

Chapter Two Hundred Fourteen

Donna frowned.

"How d'ya mean, bond with her?" she asked Imiko.

I wish to not only defeat the Valeyard but to destroy him utterly so there is no chance of his threatening all of creation ever again. I wish to bond with Rain so that she can assist me with that and also with the healing of her husband and sister. I do this in order to grant her the protection of the kitsune just as Rose is protected by the spirit of the wolf. In fact, I wish her to help me awaken my sister spirit and together we shall vanquish the darkness and bring order to his chaos. This abomination was never supposed to exist in the first place. It sprang out of darkness and evil and perversion and it shall be stopped before it ruins and destroys any more lives. We will take care of that while my sister spirit repairs the damage the creature wrought including the horrific things he made the Doctor do while he was under his thrall.

"Thank God," Rain said, remembering what he had told her when he saw the dead rabbit.

"But come, daughters of time, we have more work to do. It is time to go back across the void."

"But wait, this TARDIS doesn't have a void crosser," Rain said.

She smiled.

"As I said, my dear Rain-san, I am a very powerful spirit. I told all of you that night that my kind is the most powerful of all the kitsune. The TARDIS chose well when she chose me. Now, start it up and I will get us across the void."

Rain and Donna looked at each other and smiled. They both took half of the controls and working together got the TARDIS back into the vortex. Imiko opened a rift big enough for them to get across and closed it behind them. Rain smiled feeling the TARDIS's joy and anticipation at being reunited with her friend once again and she too longed to see him and get him and her family away from the Valeyard.

"We are approaching the TARDIS. I will help you to land it inside and turn off all defenses," Imiko said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Phew, I'm so glad we know how to do this now because this is just as confusing as hell," Awinita said as she and the others worked on freeing the TARDIS.

"Yes, well, it doesn't help that the bastard rewired her to within an inch of her life. No wonder she could barely get up the strength to contact us," Alan said. "But we are making progress, I can feel her getting stronger with each repair we do. I…"

He paused when he suddenly heard a very familiar wheezing up above. He pushed back the section and stared in shock at the TARDIS materializing several feet in front of him. Awinita and Mingxia came up beside him.

"Is that the Doctor's TARDIS?" Awinita said.

"Yes, it is."

"What's it doing over here?" Mingxia asked.

"Dunno but I'm gonna find out," Alan said, pushing himself up and out of the hole. "Keep working, I'll sort this out."

They ducked down below while Alan walked over to the TARDIS. He tentatively knocked on the door. He staggered back when the door opened and Donna stuck her head out.

"There you are! I have a bone to pick with you, Space Boy. I don't appreciate you hoovering my memories out of my brain..."

"Donna, I'm not the Doctor."

"Oh…you're Alan then?"

"Yeah…what the hell are you doing here? What the hell is the TARDIS doing here?"

"Well, I think you should talk to your sister about that," she said stepping aside.

"Alan," Rain said, running to him.

"Te'lesu," he said, holding her tightly. "Guess what I'm a full Time Lord now!"

"And I'm a full Time Lady and so is Donna."

Alan stared at her in shock.

"What? How?"

Rain very briefly explained everything to him while Awinita and Mingxia paused to listen. The smile grew wider on Alan's face with each passing moment and he held her close.

"Oh! My Rain and Donna are truly my sisters now."

He gave them concerned looks.

"Are you alright though?"

They nodded.

"The Doctor, is he alright?" Rain said.

"I don't know, Te'lesu, we've been working feverishly trying to get the TARDIS back to normal. I don't know what he's doing and what's happening. We haven't found the damn dampener or whatever he did to block our minds."

Rain paused and realized that now she couldn't feel Donna's mind anymore and she could tell from her face that she had just come to the same realization.

"Where is Imiko though?"

"She's inside me now," Rain said. "She wants me to find the Doctor and Rose."

"Blast, I shoulda known. Rain, it's risky."

"I know but she's looking after me. She wants Donna to come with me and I'll create a diversion while she gets them to safety."

"Be careful, Donna. The Valeyard's no lightweight."

"Yeah, well neither am I. I know all about the whole family thing you got goin' and I'd love to be a part of it and according to all this complicated blood ties you lot thought up, this wanker's in there hurting my brother and sister in law and I'm not about to stand back and let him do it. He wants to tangle with someone; he can have a go at me. I'll kick his black robed butt from Alpha Centauri to the Medusa Cascade and back."

Alan gave her a proud smile.

"Just be careful. Until I turn off the dampener thing we won't be able to keep track of each other and communicate."

"We will, be careful here too," Rain said.

"We will."

He gave both his sisters hugs and watched while they hurried off. He turned to close the TARDIS door when he suddenly had a thought. A grin spread over his face and he quickly ducked back down into the hole.

"Guys, I think I found a way to speed up this repair job. If we connect this TARDIS's power cells to the ones out here, the old girl can give her a boost of energy and help her to overcome what he's done" he said to them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Doctor grimaced and balled up his fists while the Valeyard tried to penetrate his memories with a mind probe attached to his head. He was throwing up mental block after block but it seemed like the Valeyard was tearing them down just as quickly as he was erecting them. His one consolation was that he was no longer harming Rose but she had to lay strapped to the table and watch him with silent anguish.

"You are a lot stronger than I anticipated Halfling," the Valeyard said while he worked the controls at a large machine resting beside them and kept his eyes on a monitor embedded in the top of it. "But, no matter. You cannot resist forever and then I will begin to purge Rose from your mind."

"Stop it! Leave him alone!" Rose yelled at him.

"Silence ape or I'll strip you naked and pour acid beetles on your flesh!" he growled at her.

He turned up the intensity and the Doctor let out a groan.

"Hurts, doesn't it, Halfling? If you complied, we wouldn't have to go through with all this."

He turned up the intensity and the Doctor, barely able to withstand the pain, momentarily lost control and his two heartbeats showed up on a scanner on the other side of the machine. He quickly regained control but not before the Valeyard noticed.

"Wait a minute," the Valeyard said.

He turned up the intensity full blast and the Doctor screamed as he lost all control of his mind. The Valeyard glared at the scanner and then turned down the intensity slightly.

"So, that's why you were able to resist the probe. You're not the Halfling at all, are you, Doctor?"

Rose gasped when he punched him hard in the face.

"I shoulda known something was wrong. I shoulda known you'd break free once you saw your little ape lover here!" he said, seizing him around the neck. "How valiant of you to sacrifice yourself for the Halfling, unfortunately you are now defenseless and helpless to protect him and you will watch while I torture him to the point of death and then you will watch as your beloved Rose goes next except I won't stop at the point of death with her, I'll go right over it into the abyss. And for your sake, my traitorous acolyte, you better hope that your half-witted clone didn't do any damage to my TARDIS or you will suffer the consequences."

He let go and stomped out the door.

"Oh God, Doctor, he's goin' after Alan now," Rose said, weakly. "And we don't have any way of warnin' him."

"Don't worry, Angel, Alan's clever. If he took down a Skinwalker, he can hold off long enough to come up with a…"

He trailed off when he saw someone come in the door and walk over to him.

"There you are, now as I was saying about this whole erasing my memory rubbish…"

Both the Doctor and Rose stared at Donna in silence.

"I'm hallucinating, Rose," the Doctor said. "The mind probe was so intense I'm now having a very vivid dream about Donna."

"You wish, Time Boy," Donna said, undoing the restraints.

"Donna? How did you get here?" the Doctor said.

"I'll explain later. We gotta get you two out of here."

"We?"

Rain entered the room and ran to him.

"Love!" she said, embracing him.

"Latara!" the Doctor said. "But how? How did Donna get here and get her memories back?"

"We'll explain it later, love, just try to rest. I'm going to heal you."

"Heal me? How are you…"

He trailed off when he saw a golden glow in her eyes.

"No! Not the Bad Wolf!" he said, starting to rise up.

"No, Doctor, it's alright. It's that Imiko. She's a kitsune. She's inside her," Donna said.

"Kitsune? The Japanese fox spirit?" he said.

"Correct, Time Lord," Imiko said in an otherworldly voice. "Now hold still and I will heal your injuries."

She placed her hands on his chest and a golden light spread throughout his body while Rose watched in silence. Donna finished unbuckling him and moved to Rose.

"Nice to see you again," Donna said.

"You too," Rose said giving her a weak smile.

She turned her attention back to the Doctor while Imiko finished up. She smiled when she noticed there were no signs of trauma or distress now. In fact he was smiling.

"Ah, that was wonderful. I oughta have one of those more often," he said, getting up.

Donna finished unbuckling Rose and moved out of the way.

"My turn?" Rose said.

"Yes, but there is something else I need to do. The Bad Wolf spirit still resides within you and I wish to awaken it and summon it to fix all that the Valeyard has done. We will erase all his evil deeds, past and present, and my sister spirit has the power to fix his meddling. Just relax, it won't hurt."

Rose nodded and smiled at the Doctor who was giving her a tender look. He got up off the table and watched while Imiko placed her hands on Rose. He breathed a sigh of relief when the golden light spread over her body, knowing that she was being healed. Then something else happened. They watched as a golden swirl of light came out of Rose's glowing body and manifested over her body as a white wolf with gold eyes and a golden aura.

"Sister spirit," Imiko said. "I have awakened you and summoned you from your host because I wish you to go out into the universes and heal all that the Valeyard has done. Correct what he did and bring order where there is now only chaos. Do this and return to your host as her protector."

"I will do as you ask, my sister," the Bad Wolf said, lowering the front half of its body in a bow.

With a howl, the spirit vanished and Imiko took her hands away from Rose. The glow ceased and Rose blinked before she looked at the Doctor and smiled.

"Are you alright?" the Doctor said.

"I feel like a million pounds right now," she said.

"Good because we have to go and stop the Valeyard before he hurts Alan," he said, jumping off the table.

"Stop!" Imiko said, holding up her hand. "He, Awinita and Mingxia are safe. I have created false corridors for him to walk through. He is going around in circles while they remain safe.

He smiled.

"Brilliant. But now answer this. How did Donna end up over here with her memories restored?"

Imiko briefly explained everything including Rain and Donna's conversion.

"They're Time Ladies now?" Rose said when she finished.

"Yes and Alan is now a full Time Lord. And now Rose Timelord, I offer you the same gift because Rain asked me to allow everyone in your family to become a Time Lord and Lady so you could truly be together."

"Me, I can be a Time Lady?"

"Yes, if you want it."

Rose and the Doctor shared a grin.

"Yes, I want to be one if Alan is so I can be with him," she said. "I agree with Rain. I want us all to be a proper family."

Imiko nodded. The Doctor and Donna watched, thrilled, while Imiko transformed her as she had transformed the others. When she was finished she stepped back and Rose embraced the Doctor and Donna who both had a little tear in their eyes.

"Unfortunately, the device the Valeyard used to block your link is still intact. Alan, Awinita and Mingxia are working to fix the TARDIS but I can take care of that for them since it is hidden far from the console room.

"Wait, if you do that, if you reestablish our link then you're gonna leave the Valeyard out of it, right?" the Doctor said.

"Of course," Imiko said.

"Okay, just checking."

Imiko closed her eyes while they watched her. Suddenly there was an explosion of buzzing in everyone's minds and the Doctor laughed when he suddenly felt his family's minds coming in loud and clear. He sensed Alan's confusion and quickly brought his mind forward telling him what had happened and what was happening with the Valeyard. Once he did that he pushed it back with the others and stood there for a moment loving the feeling of his family members happiness at being connected. Before when it had just been Rain it had been faint, barely there, but now that she was a Time Lady he felt her coming in just as clearly as the others albeit with an extra consciousness attached. But he knew she was still observing and knew what was going on even if she couldn't speak at the moment.

"And now, I want to put the final part of the plan into motion. I want to destroy the Valeyard once and for all and rid the universe of him but I will need to get in close which is why I have chosen to inhabit Rain's body. I will retreat into the background and let Rain lure him to her and then I will deliver the final blow to the fiend."

"You will do it, not Rain, I trust?" the Doctor said.

"Yes, I will put Rain to sleep temporarily when I do it so she'll have no memory of destroying the Valeyard."

The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief.

"I want you to assist me Doctor. Hold Rain to you, let him see that you care deeply for her so he'll be drawn to her."

"If I do this, I have your word that Rain will come to no harm?"

"I give you my word, Time Lord."

He nodded.

"And now I will turn the corridor he's in back this way. Get ready for him."

"Everyone back against the far wall," the Doctor said.

Everyone did as he said. The Doctor took Imiko's hand and led her there but when he turned around he saw it was Rain. He embraced his wife and gave her a kiss.

"See, told ya I'd be fine," he said with a wink.

She smiled and let him pull her into a protective hug.

"Steady everyone, Back in Black is back," he said.

They tensed when the Valeyard came in the room. His mouth dropped open when he saw his two captives freed and standing at the back of the room along with two newcomers. His eyes swept over Donna and his lips curled in disgust but then his eyes settled on Rain and he noticed how closely the Doctor was holding her and the way he was stroking her hair and he chuckled to himself.

"Unless I'm very much mistaken that is one of the ape sisters, is it not, Doctor?"

"Leave her alone," the Doctor said, making a big show of holding her closer.

He glanced down and noticed Rain was pretending to tremble in his arms. He looked at the Valeyard and stifled a smile when he noticed he was falling for it.

"What's this? You and she have something special you share, Doctor? No wonder you were so desperate to block my probe. Someone to replace your former lover there? Well, unfortunately for you, little ape, you're about to learn the consequences of loving a Time Lord."

"No, don't hurt him," Rain said, meekly. "I'll do anything you want but don't hurt my husband."

The Valeyard perked up even more which made it even harder for the Doctor to keep a straight face. His wife was the spider spinning her little web for the black robed fly that didn't have the faintest clue that this innocent looking girl could be a threat to him. Donna and Rose glanced at each other and pretended to plead for her life while the Doctor threw threats at his foe telling him what he would do if he harmed her. It all amused the Valeyard who withdrew a dagger from a sheath around his belt.

"Give her to me, Time Lord and I will slit her throat and let her die a merciful death. Resist and I'll prolong the whelp's agony for weeks before I let her go."

"No, leave me alone," Rain whimpered.

"Sorry, my dear, you should have thought of that before you married a Time Lord. Come with me willingly and I'll make it quick and painless."

He was about a foot away and held his dagger at the ready while he reached out for her. Suddenly without warning, Rain's eyes flashed gold and she reached out her hand to his chest. A burst of golden light sent him reeling back to the tables. The Doctor, Donna and Rose leapt forward but he quickly rolled out of the way and held the dagger in front of him.

"That was a very bad mistake and now my four prisoners you will pay the price for thinking you could defeat me!"

He lunged forward and the four of them tensed but suddenly he smacked hard into an invisible wall and reeled backwards with a broken nose. The four of them stared at the air in front of them in confusion until they felt the TARDIS nudging his mind and heard her laughter in their minds.

_I am free, my beloveds,_ she thought to them. _Alan and the others have freed me._

"So sorry, mate," the Doctor crowed. "It appears that team TARDIS two has managed to free the TARDIS up enough that she can fight back properly. Helps to have teammates on your side, eh?"

The Valeyard roared with rage and lunged at them again but the TARDIS quickly threw up another wall and another and another until he was boxed in. they stood and laughed at him while he pounded on the force field and demanded to be let out.

"You didn't say please," the Doctor taunted.

"If I get out of here, Doctor. I will make you pay! I will make all your lives pay starting with number thirteen and on down until I reach your first life and then I will watch you die slowly! I will not be denied my victory! No weakling Time Lord is gonna get the best of me!"

"Oh but that's just the point. I'm not weak, not anymore. As you can see, I have my family and friends giving me support while you have nothing but your ego and your warped schemes. And judging from the look in my wife's eyes, you're not gonna have that in a moment. The time has come for you to go back to the realm of nightmares where you belong!"

"You can't kill me, Doctor! I am a part of you! I am your darkness! You cannot kill the darkness within you!"

"Maybe not but I can try and this is a good first start," the Doctor said.

He shrank back against the wall when Imiko came to the fore and Rain's body glowed with a white light. She raised her hand and the white light shot from her hand enveloping the howling, screaming Valeyard in a cocoon of light. As Rose watched, she was dimly aware of the dream she had long ago where she watched the Doctor being cocooned in darkness. She smiled smugly knowing that the opposite was occurring now. They watched silently while the Valeyard tried everything he could to escape the cocoon but he was completely trapped in it and his howls of rage and pain became louder and louder until they were almost deafening.

"Depart from this realm of existence, creature of evil and hate and pain and rage," Imiko yelled, "and never return!"

The howls grew louder and louder and then suddenly they began to die away until they were no more. Imiko lowered her hand and the light faded away. They rejoiced when there was nothing there except the walls and the air. The Doctor sent a telepathic message to his brother telling him that everything was over and they grinned when a moment later they heard the same ecstatic cheering coming from the console room. They watched while Imiko walked to one of the walls and put her hand against it. Her hand glowed gold while she healed the remainder of the damage from the TARDIS. The Doctor smiled when he felt her coming in clearly along with his own TARDIS but he frowned at Imiko when he finished.

"But wait, if you could heal the TARDIS all along, why didn't you?"

"Because I wanted everyone to work as a team and as a family to defeat the Valeyard. If you're going to be traveling together as one you have to learn to work as one," she said. "Besides, I wouldn't want to be accused of having all the fun."

They smiled when she winked at them. They looked over when Alan and the others entered the room. They ran to them and everyone embraced. The Doctor frowned.

"Oi, you have my suit on," he said pointing.

"I was keeping it safe for you, brother. I could accuse you of much the same thing, you know," he said pointing to his plum colored t-shirt.

They grinned and embraced each other. As they did, Rose noticed the Bad Wolf materializing in front of them.

"It is done, sister. I have mended all the evil the Valeyard wrought in the past, present and future. Those who died by his hand have been restored and those who were subjugated are now free."

The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief at that.

"Excellent my sister, your work is done now. Go back to sleep."

The wolf bowed and walked over to Rose. Everyone watched fascinated as the wolf dissolved into a gold mist and entered her. Rose glowed gold for a couple of seconds and then returned to normal.

"Ha, I have a spirit asleep in my body, Doctor, what you got?" she teased.

She stuck her tongue between her teeth and gasped when Alan suddenly lunged around her.

"Yup, there it is, that annoying tongue that keeps falling out. I need to get a couple of tiny boards and some nails and nail those teeth shut so it doesn't fall out again," he said, trying to poke it back in.

He jerked his hand back when she tried to bite it and smiled as he embraced her from behind.

"So I guess this is goodbye then?" the Doctor said to Imiko. "I guess you're not gonna hang around and be part of the family anymore?"

"I will always be with you and I will always be a part of Rain just as the Bad Wolf is a part of Rose but no, I cannot stay in physical form. I must return to the realm of the spirits. However, I have one last piece of unfinished business. There are two left who must decide if they wish to accept my gift and become Time Ladies or not."

She looked at Awinita and Mingxia.

"I have only given you Time Lord consciousness but not a full Time Lord body. Awinita, would you like to become a full Time Lady?"

She looked at her family.

"You might as well, Te'lesu, the rest of us have now," Alan said.

She smiled and nodded.

"Very well," Imiko said, stepping forward.

They watched while Imiko transformed her and the Doctor smiled when he felt his sister's mind fully in his own. Once she was finished with her, she turned to Mingxia.

"And you? Would you like to become a Time Lady?" she asked.

"Um…I'm not sure, I mean…I really wanted to try time travel on a trial basis. I don't think I'm ready to commit to becoming a whole new species," she said. "Can I think about it?"

"Of course. I will allow you three months to think it over. When it is up I will reappear and you can give me your answer."

"Thank you," Mingxia said.

"Until then, I will bestow upon you health, prosperity and long life in return for the friendship you gave me."

She put a hand on her head and a white light glowed briefly over her whole body before it faded. Imiko took her hand away.

"And now I shall depart my host, leaving behind only a small part of me for protection as the Bad Wolf has done."

They watched with fascination as the spirit came out from underneath Rain's right breast and materialized into her humanoid form in front of her.

"Whoa!" Rain said, staggering back while Alan ran forward to steady her.

Imiko bowed and everyone did the same.

"Have a long and happy life or lives, my friends, and a wonderful marriage. I and other forces of the light shall be watching over you and your fight against the darkness with pride. Goodbye my treasured ones."

They blinked when a bright light surrounded Imiko and she faded away into nothing.

"Well, this has been one hell of a day," the Doctor said, rubbing the back of his head.

Mingxia felt someone tap her on the shoulder and turned to see Alan glaring at her.

"What d'ya mean you'll think about it, ya wuss? What's wrong with you? She offers to make you a Time Lady and you say you'll wait? What's wrong? Too timid for time travel? Time Lords and Ladies not good enough for ya? Never in all my live long days have I ever met anyone so soft and wussy weak, GAH!"

"Come along, dear," Rose said dragging him away by his tie while everyone laughed.

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After landing, Alan dropped the shields of the Valeyard's TARDIS so the Doctor could park his TARDIS next door to it. They came out and looked at the two of them. The Valeyard's chameleon circuit worked and it was now disguised as a huge boulder. The blue police box stood out in stark contrast but the Doctor let out a relieved sigh, happy to have her back at last. He patted the side of her.

"Missed ya, girl," he said as the TARDIS nudged his mind in return.

He looked at the other TARDIS.

"Think we can take along a spare?" he asked her. "Who knows? You two could have a beautiful friendship."

The TARDIS nudged his mind again and he heard her laughing in his mind. He looked back when he felt Rain come up behind him and he turned to embrace her.

"What'd you think of her?" he asked.

"I think she's magnificent," she said.

"Good because this is your home now," the Doctor replied.

"Good."

"And now since you're a Time Lady, you can stay up with me aaaaaaaaaaall night long. No more snoozing for you. In fact, we'll just do round the clock exploring since everyone except Mingxia doesn't need sleep now."

"And I have a bigger stomach too."

"Yup, there goes the whole bottomless pit comments now since you're one too. And you think making love to your mind was intense before? Heh, heh, you haven't seen nothing yet, Latara."

He felt someone's head on his back and turned his head to see Rose staring up at him.

"Can I kill Alan since he can regenerate now?"

"Um, why would you wanna kill him?"

"Because the wanker is telepathically bothering me with all these dirty jokes and rude songs and sea chanteys and he's about to die!"

The Doctor looked over and saw Alan leaning against the Valeyard's TARDIS wagging his eyebrows at her. He brought his mind forward.

_Um, brother, you wanna stay married and in your current body, I suggest you keep the vulgar telepathic songs and jokes to a minimum,_ he thought to him.

_I'm only entertainin' the missus,_ he thought back to him. _But in the interest of peace and preservin' my pretty boy looks, I'll back off from performing yuk-yuk hour in her mind. _

"He's gonna stop now," he said to Rose.

"Good thing because he was about to be on the receiving end of a knuckle sandwich."

He watched as she walked away and looked at Rain.

"Things are gonna be really interesting in the TARDIS from now on," he said to her. "But I guess now that things are sorted out here we should see about rounding up our friends for the little meet and greet, eh?"

A/N: This isn't the end, everyone. I am going to do the meet and greet and the wedding so just letting everyone know. Thanks for reading!


	215. Chapter 215

Chapter Two Hundred Fifteen

After depositing the Valeyard's TARDIS securely in a storage closet, the Doctor went inside, unhooked the void crosser and took it to his lab where his TARDIS analyzed it and reproduced it for him. He carried the original back to the other one, hooked it back up and closed the door letting the former enslaved TARDIS rest for the first time in a long time.

While he hooked up the new void crosser, the others were getting settled into rooms or getting reacquainted with their old rooms. The TARDIS widened the Doctor's bedroom to accommodate his wife and created a double bedroom for Alan and Rose to live in. She then helped Rose out by teleporting her old personal effects into a corner of the room to be sorted out while she gave Alan and the others a full wardrobe. Alan chuckled the first time he saw her wardrobe choices for him since all of them were suits like the Doctor wore.

"No, old girl, I don't fancy suits like that anymore," he said, patting the wall. "Trousers and t-shirts like I'm wearing now will be sufficient, thanks."

He smiled when the suits vanished in a flash of light and were replaced by t-shirts of varying colors and trousers, mostly black and tan.

"Thanks, girl," Alan said, patting the wall.

Meanwhile in the newcomer's rooms, the TARDIS was supplying them with TV's, DVD/VCR players, clock radios, CD players and anything else they might need from the mirror over their dresser to a toothbrush and toothpaste. She worked like mad going through each room stocking everything they might need even if they didn't think of it. She also made telepathic inquiries about decorating preferences and tried to get them furniture and carpeting to match their tastes. They traveled in and out of each other's rooms laughing and joking and getting acquainted with Donna while she in turn got to know them. The TARDIS supplied them all with a basic map showing where different things were at so they would know where to go until they got the layout memorized. The Doctor who was on his back under the console installing his void crosser smiled when he sensed how happy and full of life the TARDIS was helping everyone to move in and adjust to their new lives. Meanwhile, the Time Lords and Ladies in the group were practicing telepathy, talking to one another and talking to someone privately while blocking others. All of them enjoyed the feeling of the other's minds just as much as the Doctor did.

Once he was done installing the void crosser, the Doctor wandered off towards the library while he telepathically summoned his family for a meeting along with Mingxia. He sat down at the largest table in the library and smiled when his family walked in with Mingxia laughing and talking. They sat down around him and grew quiet while he reached into his pocket and put on his reading glasses.

"Thank you. I hope you are getting settled in and adjusting to your new life here. If you're returning, welcome back, if you're new, welcome. If you're not a Time Lady yet, sucks to be you."

He ducked and everyone laughed when Mingxia swatted his head.

"The reason I called this meeting was to discuss the meet and greet. Are we wanting to have this fairly soon because I just installed the void crosser so we can go over to the other universe now. Also, I need everyone's cell phone if you have them because I want to give you universal roaming and I will eventually get around to making you proper screwdrivers."

"I'll help with that," Alan said.

"Okay, Alan and I will see about getting you screwdrivers and we'll also try to get you psychic paper as well if we can get back to Hypnosia and get them. Okay, now we also wanna try to work out the specifics of the wedding over the next day or so, so we can get that over with and get the hell off planet Earth for about…oh…thousand years. Once again, those who didn't convert to Time Ladies will have to find a way to survive the thousand years without turning to dust."

He ducked again when Mingxia took another swipe at his head.

"So, any thoughts on possible locations or things to do for the meet and greet?" he said, grabbing a pad and pen from the next table.

"I was thinking we could go to a topless bar and perhaps get Rose to pole dance starkers for us while we have nibbles and chat," Alan said.

They laughed when he bolted from his seat while Rose tried to smack his head.

"Rose was thinking about the children's museum?" Rain said.

The Doctor wrote that down. Rain grinned and pulled his mind forward.

_Did anyone ever tell you you're a complete and total sexy stud with the glasses on?_ She thought to him.

The Doctor grinned at that and sent an extra big shot of love into her mind.

"We also had perhaps Disneyworld, Bocca Di Beppo, Chuck-E-Cheese…"

"The topless bar," Alan said.

He kissed Rose's cheek when she let out a sigh.

"Are we doing a little party beforehand in here?" Awinita said. "Just to get everyone initially acquainted and then see if people want to go elsewhere?"

"That's another idea," the Doctor said. "We could compile this list and then put it to a vote and let everyone decide where to go. But to start off in here would be good since everyone's gonna have to ride to the church in here anyway and I know Wilf, Luke, Francine, Tish, Clive, Ianto and Gwen will need to get used to it."

"I'm not sure about my mum," Donna said. "Rain can tell ya, she wasn't too happy about all this."

"Well, I didn't expect her to be, Donna. She's never been happy with you doing this going back to when you were gonna marry Lance. If she wants to come along and doesn't cause trouble, then I don't mind her being in here or going to the wedding but I won't have people yelling back and forth at a party. But then again I'm sure she won't want to come on board the TARDIS anyway so we may not have to worry. We just went through one stressful situation without being subjected to another and…"

He trailed off and stared at his wife who was giggling. He stared at her for a moment while she laughed harder.

"On a side note, I'd like to point out to the assembled throng that I'm a sexy man beast when I'm wearing my glasses and I should put superglue on them and attach them to my face permanently. Now guess who is thinking that to me repeatedly and I'll give you a tenner…" he said as everyone roared with laughter. "Apparently someone else has discovered the wonders of silent communication, isn't that right, Mister Sea Chantey?"

He glanced at his wife and deliberately took off his glasses and put them back in his pocket.

"Now, as I was saying…"

He paused when Rain reached into his pocket, opened the glasses, slid them back on his face and patted his head.

"Anyway, as I was saying, perhaps our first order of business is to go and see some people and start bringing them on board. My thinking is perhaps Torchwood since I'm sure Jack will never ever forgive me if I don't show him the three new hotties I've got tucked away on board, never mind that one of them is my wife. Besides, I want to see my friends and I'm sure Rose and Alan do as well, yes?"

They nodded.

"Okay, well, let's start off doing that. Go to Torchwood and have our happy family run rampant through the Hub until we wreck everything in sight. Meeting adjourned for the moment."

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Jack was walking through the Hub sipping a nice hot cup of coffee courtesy of Ianto. Even though Ianto had been given more duties in the past year or so, he still could make a nice pot of java especially when Jack asked nicely. The cog door slid open and he walked through. It took a moment for him to register that the TARDIS was sitting there near the door and then he did a double take and walked over to it.

"Doc?" he said, knocking on the door.

The doors opened and Jack staggered back when the Doctor and Alan stood in the doorway.

"Hello, Jack," they said in unison, "long time no see!"

"Oh Christ, this is gonna be a problem now, I can just tell."

"You think two Doctors are a problem? Are you ill, Harkness?" the Doctor said.

"No, it's just I'd prefer to know which Doctor I was talking to and not have them answer me in stereo," Jack replied.

"I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said, pointing to himself.

"And I'm Alonzo Arthur Timelord, otherwise known as Alan."

Jack stared at him.

"Come again, you're who?"

"My name is Alan. I have distanced myself from my brother and become my own person. So I prefer you call me Alan, thanks."

"Okay…um, Alan. Nice to meet you…again."

"Likewise. Have you met the missus?"

"Missus?"

"Yes, my loving wife, come here, wifey-poo and tell Jacky boy hi."

Jack's eyes widened when Rose appeared in the middle.

"Hi, Jack, I got married."

Jack took a sip of coffee.

"But that's not all. I've got a missus of my own. After all, I can't let my brother have all the fun," the Doctor said.

Jack stared at him.

"You're married?" he said.

"Yup, meet the missus, Jack. Come 'ere, love and say hello."

Jack frowned when Rose stepped back and an unfamiliar woman waved at him.

"Hello," Rain said.

"Um…hi…whoever you are," Jack said.

"Jack, where are your manners?" Alan chided. "That's my brother's wife, show some respect."

"Okay, I really wanted a cup of coffee just now, not an alien comedy routine."

"This isn't a comedy routine. This is my wife," the Doctor said.

"Yes, you said that, what's her name? Does she have a name or do you just call her Wife since we have to call you Doctor?"

"Her name, for your information, is Rain."

Jack started to stick his hand out and then stopped.

"Do I have permission to say hello to someone?"

"Will you behave?" the Doctor said.

Jack gave him a patronizing look.

"No, I'm gonna pounce on her and climb her like a lumberjack on a tree. Yes, Doctor, I'll behave myself around your wife."

"Then yes, you may say hello."

Jack rolled his eyes.

"Hello, Rain."

"Hi, Jack."

He looked at the Doctor.

"There, I can be civil and keep it in my pants when I want to."

The Doctor looked at his brother.

"Should I dignify that with a sarcastic response or any sort of response?"

"Nah, not worth the trouble."

The Doctor nodded as Jack rolled his eyes.

"The reason we're here Jack," the Doctor said, "is because even though I say we're both married. We are married in secret because Jackie and Pete are gonna pay for a lavish double wedding for us and they don't know we're married. We kept it a secret so we could invite all our friends and that includes you and your friends here at Torchwood…wherever they are…where are they? Didn't they hear us coming?"

"They went out to get some pizza. I stayed behind to keep an eye on the place and feed Myfanwy."

"Who?"

"Pet pterodactyl. Long story. Anyway, that's where they all are."

"Ianto and Gwen?"

"And Mickey and Martha."

"Oh good! They're invited too. You see, we also wish to have a meet and greet before the wedding because not only is Rain new but there are two more new faces we want everyone to get acquainted with. Rose, are they back there?"

Rose gestured to them and Awinita and Mingxia stepped through.

"This is our sister, Awinita and our friend, Mingxia."

Jack frowned.

"Sister?" he said.

The two brothers glanced at each other.

"Yes, the meet and greet is definitely a good idea," Alan said to him.

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After the four other members of Torchwood got back, the Doctor met them and ushered them inside. While they were waiting, Alan requested that the TARDIS provide a long table with some snacks and drinks so everyone could gather at once and listen to their story without having to tell it repeatedly. Once the members of Torchwood were on board, the Doctor directed Rose to take them back with the pizzas so they could relax while he punched in the coordinates for the next destination.

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Sarah Jane sat in her study typing out a column for Metropolitan Magazine. Maria had recently come back to visit for the weekend and she was upstairs with Luke, Clyde and Rani. It was a quiet afternoon and Sarah Jane took a sip of tea while she paused a moment to gather her thoughts.

Then she heard it. She'd recognize that wheezing sound anywhere. Overjoyed, she sat down her cup and bolted from her chair towards the door. Throwing it open she laughed when the Doctor ran towards her, arms outstretched. He grabbed her and spun her around.

"Oh Doctor, it's so good to see you again!" she said to him.

"You too, Sarah," he said setting her back down.

She smoothed out his rumpled jacket.

"It's always great to see you," she said. "Come in for a cup of tea?"

"Well, actually, I want you to bring Luke and come with us. We have some special people we want you to meet and some great news."

"Well…Luke's friends are also here, is that okay?"

"Sure, bring em along, more the merrier."

"Okay, wait a tic and I'll get them ready."

"I'll be waiting," the Doctor said.

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After picking them up, they ushered them into the party room while the Doctor headed for Martha's parent's house.

"I can't believe you got married, Doctor, that's so wonderful," Martha said to him as she watched him pilot the ship, "Rain is so sweet. And Alan too. I'm glad he and Rose got together."

"Yeah, me too. D'ya think your mum and dad and Tish will wanna do this?"

"Mum and Tish might, not so sure 'bout dad. But I'll ask," she said.

She went over and hugged him.

"I am just so happy and thank you for inviting me to the wedding and I promise I won't breathe a word to Jackie that you're already married."

The Doctor hugged her back.

"I know you won't. I trust you, Martha."

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The Doctor sat and waited on the captain's chair for Martha to finish asking her family about coming onboard. He leaned over when the door opened and Martha stuck her head inside.

"Um, mum wants to know if we're possibly gonna run into any monsters along the way?"

"I can't guarantee it but I'd say no," he said.

Martha told her that and then opened the door to let her mother through. She and Tish looked around at the interior in awe before shaking the Doctor's hand.

"Hello Francine, hello Tish, nice to see you again."

"And you, Doctor. Clive declined. He's not one for weddings, I'm afraid."

"That's a shame but I'm glad that you're here. Martha if you can escort them back and call Donna up here, we'll pick up her family and then we'll tell everyone the news."

Martha nodded and led her mother and Tish back to the party room while the Doctor prepared to set the coordinates.

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"Nice to see you in person this time, Doctor," Wilf said as he climbed up the ramp with Donna.

"Good to see you again as well."

"I love your wife. She's sweet."

He smiled.

"Thank you. Yes, she is. Is Sylvia…"

Donna shook her head as she closed the door behind them.

"Won't come within ten feet of here, Doctor," she said. "She's angry that I've gone with you."

The Doctor sighed.

"Well, I tried to offer her…"

Wilf held up his hand.

"It's alright, Doctor. I love my daughter but in some ways, she has a lot of growing up to do. I'm happy to be in here and thank you for inviting me to this and the wedding."

"Thanks for accepting. Donna will lead you back to the party room. We have snacks and drinks and everyone else is back there. Let me get my ship in the vortex and I'll be back there in a minute."

Wilf nodded. He looked around while he walked with Donna.

"This place is incredible. No wonder you wanted to find him again," he said to Donna as they went in the back.

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Once he got the TARDIS back in the vortex, the Doctor went back to the party room. Everyone was seated around a long table and the first thing he did was had everyone introduce themselves so everyone knew everyone else. He looked at Alan when Rani introduced herself and shared a smile but they didn't say anything. After that was done and everyone had snacks and drinks, the family members sat at the end of the table and began their story. Alan and Rose started off with being left in Norway and then Awinita helped after they got to the part where they met her, then Rain and then finally the Doctor. Everyone listened spellbound to the tale as they sat there and helped each other tell it. Finally when they were finished everyone fell silent so they could let them digest it all.

"Wow, wish I could have been there," Clyde finally said.

"Yeah, Japan sounds wonderful," Rani added.

"Sounds better than Washington D.C.," Maria said.

"So, all of you are now a little family?" Jack asked.

"Yup, we are."

"And you're all Time Lords and Ladies," he added.

"Yup," the Doctor said. "I'm no longer the last of the Time Lords. I have my own little family and a wonderful little wife."

They laughed when Rain blushed.

"Well, I'm so glad you asked us to the wedding," Sarah Jane said as everyone nodded in agreement.

"Well, we already had the wedding with just us in attendance so we want one with all of you so you can share in our happiness."

"And actually fill the reception hall for once," Alan said as they laughed.

"But we decided that this was the best way to get to know the newcomers here and for everyone to get to know everyone else as well. I mean, some of you have only just met one another so you know we would rather have a reception where everyone can chat with everyone else and not just stay in their own little groups. I mean you have to admit all of us are unique. I mean we've faced monsters and villains and fought evildoers. We have a common bond that no one else has so why not become close?" the Doctor said. "Now to that end we were discussing somewhere where we could go just to hang out and have a fun day and see something fun. We've had a few ideas from our travels and things that we've done but you know we could just as well go to the cinema and see a film or have a picnic in the park, just something to help us relax and get to know one another even more because I really do want you guys to make these newbies feel right at home and make them a part of our little gang."

He grinned at his family.

"Now, just a few suggestions here from what we've come up with. Rose and Alan went to this children's museum in Indianapolis and said it's wonderful and that's one possibility along with this Italian restaurant they liked called Bocca Di Beppo. There's also this peculiar restaurant…"

"Everyone except Donna began to giggle.

"Called….Chuck-E-Cheeses. I and Rain and Alan and Rose and Awinita have been there. It's this US restaurant that serves very good pizza but…they have singing animal robots that mangle classic tunes with these crazy falsetto voices," he said as the other four laughed hysterically. "But they also have arcade games and you can win prizes and stuff."

He chuckled when he noticed the teen's faces light up.

"One other crazy possibility is I could land this baby directly inside Disneyworld and we could be naughty and sneak into the park."

They laughed when the teens let out a loud, "OOO!" in unison.

"Unfortunately we got a bunch of adults here, guys," he said to them as everyone laughed. "And as much as you want to go to Disneyworld, they might not fancy going. But anyway, this is some of the ideas we threw out that we thought you guys might be interested in as well."

Rain tugged his jacket sleeve.

"Yes, dear?"

"We could go back to Osaka and go back to Angry Man Land and ride Panic Jungle," she said as Awinita and Mingxia laughed.

"Yeah, that's it, take them to see Angry Man, Bro," Awinita said.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and quickly explained what they were talking about.

"So, if you lot wanna go to Osaka and look at a gigantic scowling statue, let us know," he said. "But that's just one thing we wanted to focus on, the other is the people in the wedding party. Now we have maid of honor, that's Awinita but we need bridesmaids. Any takers?"

Sarah Jane raised her hand along with Gwen, Donna, Maria, Rani, Martha and Tish. The Doctor wrote down the names.

"Okay, Best man…Jack?"

Jack's eyes widened.

"You want me to?"

"If you want, I was gonna be Alan's best man until it got turned into a double wedding."

"I'd be honored to be both your best mans," he said.

"Okay, so now we need ushers. Any takers?"

Ianto raised his hand along with Luke, Clyde and Mickey. The Doctor looked at Wilf.

"Wilf? Would you be one too?"

He smiled and nodded and the Doctor wrote that down. He looked at Rose.

"Flower girl, ring bearer?"

"Tony can be ring bearer. Um…not quite sure about flower girls though. I don't know anyone young enough."

Alan shook his head.

"Um, anyone know anyone who could be a flower girl? If not we'll just drop it."

Everyone shook their heads.

"Okay, well, ring bearer is Tony then, that's good enough."

"Who's in charge of your bachelor party?" Jack asked.

The Doctor eyed him.

"I am a married man already, remember that," he said as they laughed. "I don't think the wife will like strippers in my lap."

"No, I won't."

"See, she's very possessive so I'd watch it there, Harkness. Um, so I guess the other details can be sorted out later unless Jackie has already sorted it out which I'm sure she has. But at least we have an idea of who's gonna be in the wedding party. So back to the other topic, what do you guys want to do? We can do one or a combination of things or if you have ideas."

"You're not thinking alien planets, are ya?" Martha asked.

"If it's fine with everyone, I'll consider it."

Francine and Tish shook their heads.

"That's what I figured, that's why I didn't bring that up."

"How about Disneyworld?" Luke asked.

"I'm not sure, Luke," Sarah Jane said, "I'm not too keen on us sneaking in like…"

She trailed off when the Doctor gave her an incredulous look.

"You're not keen on sneaking into places, Sarah? Did I just hear that right?" the Doctor said as everyone laughed. "I seem to recall we snuck into several places when you traveled with me."

"I was younger then."

"And I was a spring chicken?" he said pointing to himself as everyone laughed. "I'm far, far older than you are and I'm still doing it. Are you worried we might get caught or just that I'm teaching your son bad behaviors?"

"She's snuck into places before, Doctor, I've seen it," Luke said.

"Yes, but I was trying to save the world not save money on admission to Disneyworld," she said to Luke.

"What about the children's museum and the Chuck-E-Cheese thing?" Rani suggested. "Those sound fun too."

"And," Alan said, "one of you can fake your birthday and you get free prizes and pizza and game tokens."

The teenagers looked at each other.

"Brilliant," Maria said.

"And that's the one with the weird singing animal robots?" Gwen said.

They nodded.

"But the pizza is very good and the children's museum is pretty interesting," Alan said.

"And Alan can go get his White Castle hamburgers and sugar cream pie," Rose said.

"Oh yes, you guys have to try those. Especially the sugar cream pie."

The teens grinned at each other.

"Anything that has the word sugar in it is okay by me," Clyde said.

"Why don't we do that and maybe go to the Chuck-E-Cheese in the morning for the teenagers and that Italian restaurant at night as a compromise," Martha suggested. "Because I'd love to have the Italian food but I can understand them wanting to eat pizza and play arcade games."

The Doctor nodded.

"How about that, gang?"

Everyone looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

"Okay, so do you guys wanna have a bit of a rest before we do this? We have plenty of guest rooms here and we're in a time machine so we could do it whenever is convenient for everyone."

Everyone nodded.

"Okay well, I'm so glad you guys came and I can't wait to have you all at our wedding but at least this is another way for us to have fun. Especially us, since we just got done battling the Valeyard but when you're ready let me and Alan know and we'll show you to the guest rooms."


	216. Chapter 216

Chapter Two Hundred Sixteen

While everyone took a nap Rose took the Doctor into the living room and used his computer to look up the addresses for The Children's Museum, Chuck-E-Cheese and Bocca Di Beppo. She ran them off and the Doctor took them and put them in his pocket until he was ready to use them.

He squeezed her shoulder.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine, Doctor."

"You don't have any ill effects from what the Valeyard did to you? Mental wise I mean. I know Imiko healed your body."

"No, I'm fine."

He suddenly thought of something.

"Oh, I promised you I'd get rid of those nasty scars of yours when I got my ship back, didn't I?"

"Oh yeah, please and wherever Alan got to, do that for him as well."

"Wait a tic; I have it well in hand."

He brought his brother's mind forward.

_Alan,_ he thought.

_Yes, brother?_

_I'm taking Rose back to the med lab to get rid of her Jersey Devil scars, meet us back there._

_Oh yeah, forgot we were gonna do that once we got the old girl back. Be there in a tic, brother._

He pushed his mind back with the others and shrugged at Rose.

"See, wherever he is, we can contact him without running ourselves ragged looking for him."

"I'm so glad we can do that now," she said, getting up and following him out of the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan watched while Rose held her arm under the tissue rejuvenation machine.

"Thank God you have this, Doctor. I didn't want to explain to mum how I got them," she said.

"Well, I really don't want you walking around the rest of this life with big, ugly scars down your arm," he replied, watching the timer on the machine.

Rose thought about that.

"That's so weird, knowing I can regenerate now," she said to Alan. "What life am I on? Is there a way to test it?"

"Short of shooting you until you stop regenerating, no," the Doctor said.

"Damn, I was curious to see if we had the same number of regenerations or not," Rose said to Alan.

They looked over when they heard voices and saw Jack passing by the door with Ianto and Gwen.

"Oi!" the Doctor said.

Jack backed up, looked in and they came inside.

"Hey guys, just showing these two around and talking about when I used to travel with you," he said.

He frowned when he saw Rose.

"What are you doing?"

"When I was attacked by the Jersey Devil, it left these deep scratches in my arm and the Doctor is getting rid of the scars."

"Same with my Skinwalker scars on my leg. I'm just waiting my turn."

The Doctor checked the time and then brought her arm out from under the machine and grinned when there wasn't a trace of injury.

"There ya go, all healed up."

"Oh thank you, Doctor," she said, giving him a peck on the cheek.

Alan walked over, He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts the TARDIS had given him and the Doctor repositioned the machine so the healing light was over the scars. He pressed the button and they waited.

"You're not tired?" the Doctor asked Jack, Gwen and Ianto.

They shook their heads.

"Nah, slow day today at the Hub so we had plenty of rest. I was just mainly showing these two some of the rooms of the TARDIS and going on and on about the old days, back when you were a different man."

"Yup, my big eared days. When I could pick up radio transmissions from a hundred miles away."

He grinned when Rose chuckled at that.

"Did you happen to check anyone back there? Are they alright?" he asked Jack.

"As far as I know they are," Jack said. "We didn't really look in any of the rooms but I didn't hear anyone complain."

"Good, I want everyone to be comfortable here and…"

_Thete?_

"Wait a tic, Rain's contacting me telepathically."

_Yes, love? _

_Where are you? _

_In the med bay. Ask the TARDIS to make a path to it._

_Okay._

"Rain's coming back here. But anyway, I know for some people it's weird being in here and I don't want them uncomfortable."

"There you are," Rain said, walking in the door.

"Here I is! You found me. Ten points to you."

She swatted his arm when he laughed.

"I was thinking, love. What about dad? Could we pick up dad and take him on this meet and greet?"

"Bloody Hell, I forgot all about John," Alan said, slapping his forehead. "Got everyone else except her father, how dim are we?"

"Yes, Rain, we can go get him. Give me another minute on this and then I'll hop back across the void."

"Ooo, hear that gang?" Jack said to Gwen and Ianto. "We're going to another universe. Don't ever say I didn't take you anywhere."

"You aren't taking us, the Doctor is," Ianto said.

Jack looked at him.

"Well, I'm standing in here so technically I'm taking you too," he said defensively.

Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Just let him think that, Ianto and stroke his ego a bit," Gwen said, patting him on the shoulder.

Everyone snickered when Jack gave her a dirty look.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After the Doctor finished with Alan's leg, they walked into the console room. Rain, Rose, Jack, Gwen and Ianto watched while he punched in some coordinates.

"So where does your dad live, Rain?" Jack asked her.

"Monument Valley in Arizona. I lived there with him and my older sister, Amber."

"Hmmm, never been there, been to Tucson though," Jack said.

"So have I. I love Tucson."

"Boy, dear old dad's gonna get a shockeroo when he finds out what you've become, Rain," Alan said.

She shrugged.

"It was my decision. It's not like I'm dead or anything or so weird looking that I can't be seen in public. Besides, he's accepting of you two, he'll accept this."

"Her dad's nice," Alan said to Jack, Gwen and Ianto.

"Well, he has to be to have a wonderful daughter like this," Jack said.

Rain blushed.

The rotor stopped and the Doctor stared at the monitor.

"We're here, I think, step out and take a look," he said.

Alan and Rain walked down the ramp. He opened the door and stepped out with her behind him.

"Yes, this is it," Rain said, leaning back in.

The Doctor smiled at the Torchwood team.

"Shall we go meet my wife's in-laws?" he asked.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alan knocked on the door while everyone else stood behind him.

"I hope no one else wakes up and thinks we're in Indianapolis," the Doctor muttered to Jack.

"If they think mesas are in Indianapolis then they deserve to wander off and get lost," Jack muttered back.

They looked around when the door opened and a middle aged man smiled at them.

"Alan!" he said, opening the screen door.

"Hi, John. Nice to see you again," Alan said, smiling.

"Dad!" Rain said, coming forward.

"Rainshower, how are you?" he said, hugging her tightly.

"I'm fine, Dad. These are my friends and…"

She led him to the Doctor.

"My husband."

"Pleasure to meet you, sir," the Doctor said, cordially.

"Pleasure is all mine, Star Child."

The Doctor shot Jack a look when he heard him snicker at that. He quickly shut up.

"And Rose, it's so great to see you again."

"You too, John," she said giving him a hug.

"Hello," John said to the three newcomers.

"John," Rose said, "this is Jack, Ianto and Gwen. They're friends of ours. This is John."

"Pleasure, sir," Jack said, nodding

"Nice to meet you," Gwen and Ianto said in unison.

"And you. Please come inside. I'll make some iced tea for you. How are you doing on your journey?"

"Actually," Rose said as they walked inside, "we've decided to stop because we finally got the Doctor's time machine back and we're gonna be traveling in it."

"Ah, I wondered how you got here."

"Yes, we are having a little meet and greet with all our friends. There's several more besides us in the TARDIS and Rain wanted to come get you so you can meet them as well," the Doctor said.

"I would love to. My daughter is out back though so if you'll wait I'll tell her you're here. Rain, honey, take them into the kitchen and get them something to drink, alright?"

"Okay, dad."

She escorted them into the kitchen. While they sat down, the Doctor pulled his brother's mind forward.

_How much has Rain told you about her past, brother?_ He thought to him.

Alan glanced at him.

_She's told me a smattering of things from time to time. Why? _

_This Amber, she was abusive towards her. I don't like her._

_I don't either. But I guess she's the American equivalent of Sylvia, someone you have to be polite to and bite your tongue around. Don't worry, brother, I think our Rain has gotten enough self-confidence that she can't hurt her verbally anymore. Especially since she's married to you. Rain doesn't seem that uncomfortable here and I think we would sense it if she was._

_Yes, you're right. It's just that I don't want her being upset having to argue with her if she does decide to force a confrontation._

_Same here, but she has us now and we and her father give her more than enough love and support even if she won't. Remember that, _Alan thought.

They smiled when Rain put a couple glasses of iced tea down next to them. The Doctor squeezed her hand and she kissed his head before moving on. She finished getting everyone iced tea and then got one for herself. Alan moved down a seat and she sat in between him and her husband.

_Good move, brother,_ the Doctor thought to him.

John came back inside followed by Amber. The Doctor got a good look at her. She resembled Rain except her hair was braided in a long braid down the back. She gave everyone polite smiles and said hello. The Doctor nodded politely but kept his gaze firmly on her, studying her while his wife sipped her iced tea. They fixed themselves iced tea and John sat down across from Rain while Amber sat on his right.

"So," John said, "when is the wedding?"

"Well," Rose said, "it's less than two weeks now but we're not really keeping track because the Doctor has a time machine so we can just go right to the day anytime that we want."

"That would be handy to have," John said, smiling. "Would sure save me a lot of work."

He looked at Jack, Ianto and Gwen.

"What about you? Are you time traveling aliens too?"

Jack laughed.

"Well, I'm a human but I'm originally from a place called the Boeshane peninsula in the 51st century. I was a time agent which is kinda along the lines of what he does but now I run my own alien fighting team in Cardiff, Wales."

"I'm from Cardiff. I'm human," Gwen said.

"Same here, I'm human as well," Ianto said.

John smiled.

"Amazing how I have to ask this question now, if you're human or not," he said as they laughed. "But where is Awinita? She's not with you?"

"Blimey, we forget to tell her we were coming here," the Doctor said.

"I'll get her, brother," Alan said.

He brought her mind forward.

_Awinita?_

_Yes, Bro, whichever one you are._

_This is Alan, Te'lesu. Listen we're parked right outside John's house. We're talking to him in the kitchen and he wants to see you._

_Rain's dad?_

_Yes._

_Well, why didn't you tell me, ya goober?_

_I'm sorry; this was spur of the moment and we forgot to tell ya. _

_Okay, I'm with Donna actually. I'll bring her with me._

_Okay, see you in a moment. _

"She's coming with Donna. So you'll get to meet her as well," he said to John.

"What did you just do?" John asked.

"I communicated telepathically with her. Our minds are all linked. I told her we were in here and she's coming now."

John and Amber glanced at each other.

"It's amazing the kinds of things you can do," he said to Alan.

"I see them," Jack said, pointing out the window. "I'll get the door."

He got up and walked out. He returned a moment later with Awinita and Donna. John and Amber got up. John embraced her.

"It's so good to see you again, Awinita," he said.

"You too, John. This is my sister, Donna."

"Another one? I think you grow these sisters on trees," John teased her.

He shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Donna."

"And you," she said, smiling.

John and Amber gestured to their seats and picked up their iced tea. They poured them some.

"How's everyone?" the Doctor asked them.

"As far as I know they're all asleep," Donna said. "We were in the sitting room chatting and we didn't hear anything."

"We didn't realize you landed either," Awinita said. "We just assumed you were up in the front room or something."

"Like I said, this was spur of the moment," Alan said. "Otherwise we would have told you."

"Eh, it's alright, Bro. Donna and I were just talking to each other."

Both brothers smiled at that, happy they were making Donna feel welcome and fitting her in. Awinita and Donna both looked up when John and Amber set their glasses of ice tea in front of them and thanked them. They nodded and stepped back slightly from the table making small talk with everyone while they drank their ice tea.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This is amazing," John said when he and Amber stepped into the console room.

"How did you fit this in here?" Amber asked.

"Time Lord technology," the Doctor replied.

She looked at him.

"How far back does it go?" she asked.

"Blimey, I have no idea. I've never been to the very back before. She's a living thing and she's growing all the time. Probably'll never know how big she really is," he said.

"This is a she?" Amber asked.

"Yup, every TARDIS has a gender. This is a girl."

Amber and John glanced at each other. She looked back at the Doctor.

"Does she talk?"

"Um…in her own little way. Say hello."

"What's her name?"

"TARDIS."

"Um, hi TARDIS," Amber said hesitantly.

They stared at the rotor when it oscillated and wheezed in greeting. The Doctor smiled at the overjoyed look on John's face but Amber looked a bit uneasy.

"Okay, that was creepy," Amber said.

"Nah, she's a wonderful old ship. Just gotta get used to her," the Doctor said.

They looked over when Rose came from the back room with Martha and Sarah Jane. She pointed John and Amber out to them and they walked over and introduced themselves.

"Well, I see some people have finished with their kip," the Doctor said.

"Yes, the kids are awake too," Sarah Jane said. "I think they might be in the living room watching the telly."

"What about Mickey and Wilf and Francine and Tish?"

"Mickey might be up. Not sure about the others," Martha said.

"Well, we can go check. Come on, John, Amber, I'll give you a brief little tour. This is the console room where I fly the ship and if you'll follow me I'll lead you into the back."

As they Doctor walked down the corridor and gave them the tour, he couldn't help but smile at the din of activity that was going on around him. Everywhere he looked there were people walking around or chatting or laughing making the whole TARDIS feel warm and inviting. When he reached someone they hadn't met yet, he stopped them and made introductions before moving on. He noticed that now everyone was up and about and talking to everyone else. The majority of them were in the kitchen having cups of tea and coffee and talking together while the teens were dividing their time between there and the game room. The Doctor led them inside and everyone waved and said hello. He smiled when the two of them wandered up to the counter, got some coffee and joined in the conversations. The Doctor stood there for a moment and then ducked out again.

Halfway to the console room, he stopped and patted the wall.

"You like this, don't you, girl? All these happy people in here makes you happy."

He grinned when the TARDIS grumbled and nudged his mind affectionately. He looked around when Rose and Jack walked up.

"Hey you," Rose said, squeezing his shoulder. "I'm going to show Jack our family photos. Except now we gotta get another with Donna in it. We need to make one with an insert photo here slot so we don't have to keep getting them updated."

"I asked to be put in it but apparently I'm not family," Jack said, pouting.

"Might as well put him in it, Rose. He's gonna be around just as long as we are," the Doctor said walking with them.

"My point exactly," Jack said to him. "And now I have more than one person that I can talk to when everyone else dies which is nice."

They stopped at Rose and Alan's room and she went inside to get the photos. As they stood there, Mickey came down the corridor with Martha.

"Hey boss," Mickey said.

"Mickey-boy, looking good," the Doctor said.

"And you," he called back over his shoulder before he went back to his conversation with Martha.

He looked at Jack when he chuckled.

"What?"

"My, my, how times have changed. I remember when you couldn't stand to be in the same room with him and now you two are just old buddies."

The Doctor shrugged.

"He grew up and became a nice guy, not annoying like he used to be."

"And he stopped jumping on your back about Rose."

"Yes, that too."

Rose came out with the pictures of their family and the one they took at the ninja museum. Jack giggled hysterically at that.

"Oh yeah, you gotta let me have a copy of this," Jack said, pointing to it. "The four of you all ninja-ed up. Who's in this picture?"

"Me and Alan and Awinita and Mingxia. He and Rain were in Disneyworld at the time."

"Yes, we missed the whole ninja museum experience," the Doctor said.

Jack smiled when he looked at their family photo.

"Now this one I definitely want a copy of," he said.

"Why? So you can ogle me and Alan?"

"No, Doctor," he said as Rose laughed. "So I can have a picture of my friends. I have pictures of all the other people I care about in my office except for you guys and I like this group photo. Is that alright?"

The Doctor smiled.

"Perfectly all right. Let me have these and I'll go make some copies and a few extra since I'm sure Sarah will want one as well. Be right back."

"Is it me?" Jack asked Rose. "I'm really not that horny am I?"

Rose laughed.

"I think you made an impression on him the first time he heard you danced with me on a barrage balloon," she said.

"Yeah but despite what he thinks I'm not going to jump his bones or Alan's or you or Rain or Awinita or anyone else. I'm in a relationship with Yan anyway and he'd kill me and kill me again if he knew I was in bed with someone else."

"Well, reputations are hard to shake, Jack."

Jack rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I'm figuring that out," he said as she laughed.

He returned with copies of the photos. He handed Rose her originals and then gave Jack a copy of the family photo and the ninja one.

"Thank you," Jack said. "And if I can ever get Yan and Gwen interested in a professional group photo I'll give you a copy in return."

"I'll be right back, I'll see if Martha or Sarah want these copies," he said.

Rose went into her room, put her pictures back in her frames and hung them on the wall.

"So, you finally married the Doctor," he teased as he leaned against the door.

"Yes. Except Alan isn't the Doctor. He and the Doctor have two different personalities. Trust me; you stay around him long enough you'll know what I mean."

"Well, it's nice to know he's carved out an identity for himself."

Rose nodded.

"Yes, he's his own person and I love it. I fell in love with him because of who he is not because of who he looks like. The Doctor and I are best mates and I still care for him but at the end of the day I'm happy to wake up with Alan at my side."

Jack smiled at that.

"Good, I'm glad you and he found some happiness. You both needed people in your life you could love and who'd love you back. Rain is very sweet and so is her sister and friend and I'm glad you guys found them. And Rain's dad is funny, I love him. The other daughter's a bit reserved but I guess she's probably overwhelmed being in here and all."

"Well…"

Rose looked around and lowered her voice.

"I think Rain's confided in the Doctor before and told him Amber mistreated her growing up and was verbally abusive so I'm sure she doesn't feel comfortable being around her and all her new friends and family."

"You're kidding? She abused her?"

Rose nodded.

"She's a bit of a bully. We saw that when we first stayed here and the Doctor heard about it. The Doctor isn't too happy she's in here and frankly, I'm not either but as long as she doesn't cause a row, I'll be civil to her. I really wish we didn't have to invite her to the wedding but you know, she's staying with John and I just can't invite him and not her. But yeah, I've only known Rain for a couple of months but I love her dearly and I don't want any of this past bullshit she's dealt with to come back. Everyone in our family feels the same way and I'm sure Donna does as well now that she knows her. We're very protective of her and the Doctor is the most protective out of all of us so if I were her, I'd watch it especially around him."

Jack nodded.

"Trust me, I can just imagine the Doctor's reaction if she does start harassing her."

Rose nodded.

"Honk, honk, Harkness."

Jack felt someone poking his back and turned to see Alan with Sarah Jane.

"Gotta get through, thanks."

"Sorry," he said, stepping aside.

He paused when he got in the room and gave Rose a huge kiss on the forehead.

"MmmmmmmmmmmMWAH!" he said when he finished. "Aaaaah, that was refreshing. So anyway, Sarah, this is our bedroom here and this here is the little wife and this is the comic relief sidekick."

"I'm what now?" Jack said as Rose and Sarah Jane laughed.

"You're comic relief, Jack, accept it," Alan said, patting him on the shoulder.

"Mwah-ha-ha," Jack said dryly.

Alan rummaged through one of the boxes and pulled out several sheets of paper that had photos on them printed off from the computer.

"Okay, so anyway, here are the photos I was talking about…" Alan said as he handed the photos to Sarah Jane and they walked back out.

"See, told ya, he's got his own personality," Rose said.

"Yes, I see what you mean."

He leaned his head out when he heard the Doctor calling Sarah Jane's name.

"There you are. I had copies of our family portrait and this ninja photo they took and I gave a copy to Jack and made others since I figured you lot would want copies as well."

"Yes, please," Sarah Jane said taking the copies from him.

Jack glanced at Rose and he walked over to the Doctor.

"I love this family photo. This is definitely going on my wall," Sarah Jane said. "Now this is you with your hand on Rain's shoulder, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay, just so I know who is who here," she said.

She looked at him and Alan.

"Any chance you could make a copy of him for me?" she teased the Doctor while she gestured to Alan.

They laughed when Alan turned bright red. Alan grinned, embraced her from behind and hugged her tightly. Sarah Jane patted Alan's face and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"So, not to rush things, but when are we going to do this whole family outing thing?" Jack said as Rose came up behind him.

"Well, let's round up everyone and ask. I want to make sure John and Amber are coming along before I take off so let's go find the gang."


	217. Chapter 217

Chapter Two Hundred Seventeen

They managed to assemble everyone in the kitchen and the Doctor asked them if they were ready to go. When everyone said yes, he asked them what they wanted to do first.

"Now we could go to the museum, maybe Chuck-E-Cheese afterwards and then find something to do like go to the park in between Bocca Di Beppo's tonight," the Doctor said.

They all nodded at that. The Doctor looked at John and Amber.

"And you two are more than welcome to come along, in fact I'd love it," he said.

"I want too," John said.

"Me too," Amber added.

"Brilliant. Now the other thing is…since this is a time machine, I'm gonna spare us all the cold weather and take us back to a warm sunny summer day for our outing."

He chuckled when they all cheered.

"Yup, thought that might be to your liking. Well, then if everyone is ready we'll hit the open vortex."

"Wait a moment, Doctor, I need to get something from the house," John said.

"Take your time."

He quickly hurried past them and the Doctor went to power up the TARDIS. While he did it, he talked to his family telepathically.

_Since all of you know how to fly a TARDIS now, fancy helping me pilot the old girl?_ he thought to them.

He grinned when all of them said yes in his mind.

They came in a moment later and assembled around the console with him. Rose and Rain were on either side of him. Awinita was beside Rain, Donna was beside her and Alan was in between her and Rose. They stood around the console waiting for John to come back while others wandered in to watch. John came back a few minutes later carrying a large manila envelope. He walked over to the Doctor and handed it to him.

"Your tribal papers," he said. "This proves you're a member of the Navajo nation."

"I'm honored, John," the Doctor said taking it. "Thanks so much for doing this for me. But now you gotta do this for Donna, you know."

"I know. You keep adding people every time I turn around," John said as they laughed.

"Could you keep these safe for me for a moment while we pilot the TARDIS," he said handing the envelope back to him.

"Of course."

He sat down on the jump seat and watched with everyone else while the six people worked together to get the TARDIS moving and into the vortex. With the six of them piloting it was a smooth ride and everyone came up and stood around the console watching with fascination as they instinctively worked together to fly the ship. John walked up beside Rain and squeezed her around the middle.

"I'm proud of you my daughter," he whispered in her ear. "You're doing what the creator meant you to do and it makes my heart soar."

"Thanks, dad," she whispered back.

The Doctor smiled at her proudly when John kissed her cheek and let go so she could continue to help pilot the TARDIS.

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They landed in a wooded area on the other side of the Children's Museum parking lot. They filed out and immediately saw the dinosaurs coming out of the side of the building.

"Cool!" Clyde said.

"That's amazing, mum. It looks like the mother's breaking through the wall," Luke said to Sarah Jane.

"Yes. I love it. It's very creative," she replied.

"That's brilliant," the Doctor said.

"I know. We thought so too," Alan replied.

The Doctor shut the door behind them and they all walked over to it. The teens walked up to one of the baby dinosaurs and ran their hands over it while the others walked around and admired it.

"Okay everyone!" Alan called out. "My wife wants photos so we're gonna do what we did the last time. Everyone act like you're running away from the dinos in sheer terror!"

They all laughed and walked in front of them while Rose backed up to get them all into the shot. Alan joined them and all of them put on their panicked faces and pretended to run while Rose giggled hysterically. She snapped a couple of photos.

"Thanks, mates!" she said.

They all turned and headed for the entrance.

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While Rose, Wilf, John, Jack, Ianto, Gwen, Sarah Jane and Martha paid for them and their friends to get inside. The others stood and admired the water clock nearby.

"Can you imagine the mess if this thing got smashed?" Clyde asked his friends.

"I wouldn't if I were you, Clyde, or Sarah Jane might smash your skull," Maria said.

"I wasn't being serious, Maria," Clyde replied.

They looked over when everyone walked up and handed them their tickets. Once those were passed out they moved on into the next room.

Their mouths dropped open when they saw the glass sculpture.

"Forget the mess the clock would make if you smashed it. What about this?" Rani said to Clyde.

"This is bizarre," Mingxia said. "Did one guy do all this?"

"Yup, I've read the little plaque over there before," Alan said pointing to it. "This is one man's blown glass sculpture."

"Does the bloke have any lungs left?" Mickey said.

They walked around it looking at it and the glass in the floor.

"3200 pieces of glass?" Mingxia said when she read the plaque. "Jesus. Yeah, Mickey, I agree. The guy's lungs must be shriveled by now."

"I'd hate to see this thing topple over," Donna said to Martha.

"I'd hate to be under it when it topples over. Although with all these little sharp ends I suppose you'd get skewered before you got crushed."

They stared at it a moment more before they went down to the Dinosphere exhibit.

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All of them moved slowly through the exhibit admiring the tableaus and the fake weather above them.

"Wait a tic, guys. There'll be a fake storm in here in a few minutes," Rose said to them.

"Cool," Rani said.

The Doctor and Rain leaned against the metal railing and looked at a tableau. There was a t-rex skeleton and a stegosaurus skeleton posed so they looked like they were in a battle.

"This is neat. I'm glad we came back here. I heard Alan mention this before but it's nothing like being here."

"I agree and the great thing is they're not alive so I don't have to fight them."

"Oh, I don't know, I quite enjoyed battling the dinosaurs the first time we met," Sarah Jane teased walking up to them.

"Blimey, that was ages ago," the Doctor said.

He noticed the look on Sarah Jane's face.

"Course my definition of ages is different from yours," he said with a wink.

Suddenly the lights began to dim and they heard the rumble of thunder. Everyone turned and watched the fake thunderstorm above them.

"Brilliant," Luke said.

"That is ace," Clyde added pointing at the flashing lights that were meant to simulate the lightning.

The Doctor glanced over and smiled when she notice that Francine, Wilf and John were all standing together laughing and talking about it.

The storm passed after a minute and the teens groaned.

"That was the best part of this whole thing," Clyde said.

Martha walked up to the Doctor and Rain.

"That was neat," she said, pointing up. "It's a good idea to do this and make it more interesting than just put these skeletons on display and let them gather dust."

"I agree. The little nature noises add atmosphere to the whole thing," he said, "and the kids are enjoying it."

"Yeah, I'm glad we brought them," Martha said. "It's fun watching their reactions as well."

The teens moved past them to the next exhibit and they followed them.

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All of them paused outside the exit and looked at the Sarcosuchus.

"Jesus, I'm glad we never fought something like this thing," Donna said.

"I'm surprised we didn't fight something like this thing," Mickey said to her, "seeing as how the Doctor's battled every other weird thing in the universe."

"I'm kinda disappointed," Jack said. "They didn't have Myfanwy in there."

"Well, just be glad we have her and not this thing as a pet," Ianto said.

"Aw, come on, Ianto. I'd love to see you try to feed this. It would be quite entertaining watching you run around screaming while you throw steaks at its face," Jack said.

Rain looked over at Rose.

"Rose!"

"Yeah, Sis?"

"Cover me. You want an alligator handbag, I'll get you one!"

Rose laughed.

"Okay, but hurry before they find ya," Rose said.

The Doctor laughed when she pretended to climb over the railing.

"Yeah, I could see this monstrosity being in Gatorland and watching the keepers try to wrestle it," the Doctor said to her.

"Are you kidding?" Sarah Jane said. "I don't three people could have wrestled it, let alone one."

"I could take em," Jack said.

He looked around when everyone stared at him.

"What? I could, just watch me," he said pretending to climb over while everyone laughed.

They took one last look and moved on across the wide room.

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"Wow!" Luke said when they entered the room and saw the model trains right next to the actual one.

"Oh yeah, now we're talkin'" Clyde said.

"Oh my, is this real?" Wilf said.

"Yes, it is, Wilf. It's a real steam engine," Rose said, "and you can go inside it."

"You can? Brilliant!" Clyde said.

He and Luke ran over and climbed up inside it. Luke looked out the window and waved to Sarah Jane who waved back.

John and Wilf walked up to the model trains.

"I had one like this when I was a boy," John said pointing to a black Lionel train.

"So did I. I loved my train set. Played with it all the time," Wilf replied.

The Doctor walked with Rain over to the locomotive.

"Always loved steam engines. Wanted to drive one when I was a boy," he said to her.

"Doesn't every boy wanna do that?" Rain said.

"Um…maybe," he said as she giggled.

They looked over when Maria and Rani walked up and examined the front of it.

"This is so cool. Too bad dad isn't here. He'd love this," Rani said to Maria.

"My dad as well. He loves trains."

They smiled at the Doctor and Rain as they went past them and up into the train. Everyone else slowly worked their way over and sat down in the seats.

"Half past there's this little movie that'll play outside where it looks like you're really riding the train," Alan said pointing out the right side at the movie screen.

They checked their watches and saw they had five minutes to go. They all talked to one another while they rested.

When the movie started, the teens turned their attention to it watching while the adults continued to chat and occasionally glance out to see what was going on. When the movie was over they filed out and headed onto the next exhibit.

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The next exhibit was the combination Ancient Egypt/Dinosaur/Undersea exhibits. The adults continued to walk together and chat while the teens walked ahead of them ooing and ahing over the exhibits.

Jack pointed up at the ceiling when he saw a model pterodactyl suspended from the ceiling.

"There she is," he said as Gwen and Ianto laughed.

They passed by Amber, Tish and Francine who were looking at the mummy case.

"I've dated people that looked like that," Jack quipped pointing to the unwrapped mummy in the middle.

"Another few million years _you_ may look like that, Harkness," the Doctor said as he passed by him with Rain.

"Piss off, Doctor," he said as Gwen and Ianto snickered.

The Doctor and Rain passed by Mickey, Rose and Alan who were staring at some Greek mummy masks.

"Hey, Doctor," Mickey said, looking back at him. "Rose here once told me you dated Cleopatra."

"I didn't date her. I just talked with her and drank some wine," he said stopping.

"I never said he dated her, Mickey," Rose said. "I told you exactly what he just said. He told me they drank wine once."

"Well, you said he called her Cleo."

"Everyone called her Cleo except for the servants and commoners. There's nothing odd about that," the Doctor said, shrugging.

"Was she a pain in the asp though?" Jack said, walking by him.

He backed up and gave him a nudge in the ribs.

"Get it? Asp, ass, I made a funny," he said with a grin before hurrying off.

Everyone laughed when the Doctor rolled his eyes.

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On the second level they walked up and examined a huge statue of a polar bear. It was standing up on its hind legs with its arms out and its mouth open in a snarl.

"I could take him," Jack said.

"Right, Jack. Just like you could take on the gator from Hell downstairs," Ianto said.

"I could. I'm a manly man. I didn't get where I am today by being a pantywaist."

"Not gonna comment," Ianto said.

"Not gonna comment either," Gwen said.

Jack gave them a dirty look when everyone laughed.

Rose had everyone assemble around the nine foot bear and snapped a couple of photos before they headed on.

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After about a half hour, they reached the top level with the carousel. The Doctor glanced at it and glanced back at the science exhibit.

"Forget it, brother, everything in there's for little kids," Alan said when he noticed his interested expression.

The Doctor blew air through his lips and followed everyone else into the carousel room.

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"Now remember, Bro. there's a giraffe on this carousel," Awinita said to Alan.

"Oh yeah, there is, isn't there? Thanks for reminding me."

"Why? Is there something significant about a giraffe?" Sarah Jane said as she stood behind him.

He, Rain, Awinita and Mingxia erupted into giggles. He turned and with a gleeful smile explained the joke. Sarah stared at him for a moment and then a fond smile broke out over her face.

"You really are different from the Doctor, aren't you?" she said. "Somehow I can't quite picture the Doctor ever telling me he was gonna go out and kick a giraffe's arse when I traveled with him."

"No, I would have been kind to the giraffe," the Doctor said. "I would have wrapped its long neck in my long scarf and kept it warm and comfy."

Sarah Jane paused a moment and then laughed.

"Thanks, Doctor, got an image of a giraffe wearing your scarf in my head now," she said as he and Alan giggled.

She patted Alan's back fondly and rubbed it.

"I am glad you're here though," she said. "I admit I didn't really get to know you the last time we met but I'm glad I'm getting to know you now."

He smiled at her.

"Me too, Sarah," he said.

The carousel stopped and everyone got on board. Rose took Alan's hand while they went to look for the giraffe. The Doctor took Rain and went to a couple of brown horses. Everyone else got on the horses except for Wilf, John and Francine who chose the stationary seat behind Rani and Maria and Tish's horses. The carousel started up and they enjoyed a pleasant ride for two minutes before it slowed and stopped. After they got off it, they walked over to a collection of dolls and toys. The men stood off to the side and talked while the woman went through and chatted about the collection and what they had when they were children. Once they were finished, they walked across the hall and let the teens go into the science room while they stood outside and continued to chat with one another. While they talked, Rain wandered in for a moment and walked up to one exhibit. With her Time Lady mind, she instantly knew everything there was to know about it and she stared at it with a bored expression finally fully understanding her husband's disinterest in Earth science. She felt a hand on her shoulder and saw the Doctor behind her smiling at her. She explained her feelings and he nodded.

"Yes, unfortunately, that's one disadvantage of gaining the Time Lady mind, now you know all these things and there's no wonder or discovery in it anymore," he said.

"I don't care, I'm still glad I did this. I love being a Time Lady and being able to be with you past the time I normally would have lived."

He smiled.

Same here, Latara."

She smiled and spoke to him softly in perfect Gallifreyan telling him how much she loved him and how happy she was. The Doctor's hearts leapt hearing her speaking his native language and he spoke it back to her telling her that he was happy she knew his language now without having to be taught it and that he loved her too. The shared a kiss and holding hands walked back to the others.

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After the teens got done looking at the science exhibit they headed towards the exit and walked across the parking lot to the TARDIS. The Doctor unlocked the door and let everyone inside before he followed them and closed the door. The six family members took their positions around the console while the Doctor programmed in the coordinates for Chuck-E-Cheese.

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"Okay," the Doctor said when they landed, "before we go out the doors….if we're doing the fakey birthday thing, who's having the birthday?"

The teens looked at each other.

"You should have it, Luke, you don't have a birthday," Rani said.

"Yeah, go ahead and say it's your birthday," Clyde said.

Luke frowned.

"But…won't we get in trouble if we get found out?" he said, worried.

"No, because they don't care," Rose said, gesturing to Alan behind her. "This clown had a birthday the last time we ate here and they gave him odd looks when they found out it was him and not a kid but they didn't say a word and gave him his pizza and prizes. They don't care if it's your birthday or not as long as you pay them. Don't worry, Luke, no one checks to see if it's really your birthday."

"Alright, I'll do it then," Luke said.

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They pooled their money together and ordered a meat lovers, combination and pepperoni pizza along with mozzarella sticks and buffalo wings. They got Luke his birthday dinner and got four pitchers of Coke. This time Rose requested that someone help them with the dishes and glasses and cutlery and a man and woman came out carrying a trolley that had all that on it plus the pitchers. They walked into the large room and found a long unoccupied table. The man and woman set their dishes, glasses and spoons in front of them and put the pitchers in between them. They thanked them and the man and woman walked off. The Doctor and Alan and Jack got up and poured everyone their drinks before sitting back down. Their number was 59 so Rose listened closely to the announcements while all of them chatted.

Rain looked at the Doctor.

"Weren't we just here?" she said to him.

"Yeah. You're right. It's odd but I get the feeling we were just here too. Weird," he said as she giggled.

The lights dimmed.

"Oh Jesus, here we go," Rain said. "This oughta be good."

The Doctor snickered and watched everyone's expressions when they turned their attention towards the stage.

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The ones who had been to Chuck-E-Cheese before almost wet themselves laughing at the confused and bemused expressions on their friend's faces. They were listening to Jasper T. Jowls perform Hound Dog.

"Wow!" Jack said. "This is…different. I didn't think anyone could manage to mangle this song but I guess I've been proven wrong."

The teens down at the other end were laughing hysterically. In fact they were laughing so much; Maria had a coughing fit which prompted Luke to slap her back repeatedly until she got it under control.

During the middle of it, Rose's number was called and everyone roared with laughter when nearly everyone leapt up to help her carry in the food.

The lights came back up and Jack leaned over and looked at the Doctor and Alan.

"And now I understand why you wanted us to come here," he said.

"Hey, it's so bizarre, we just had to share it with ya," Alan replied, shrugging.

Everyone came back in with the pizzas and food and sat it down in the middle of them.

"Aw, the freak show is over?" Donna said as everyone laughed. "I was hoping we could get back in time to hear them sing She Bangs or something."

They got up and slowly helped themselves to the food before they all sat back down again. They ate and talked for about ten minutes before they saw two women and a man wheeling in the trolley loaded with the birthday goodies.

"Okay," a woman said, wheeling the trolley up to them, "whose birthday is it?"

The three teens pointed to Luke as he raised his hand. They put the slice of pizza in front of him. Everyone watched his stunned expression when they gave him all his prizes and then the three workers stepped back and sang Happy Birthday to him along with everyone else. When they finished, everyone applauded and the workers walked off with the trolley. Luke stared at all the prizes in shock. Clyde chuckled when he picked up the lunch box with the balloons attached.

"Hey, now you got something to take to school," he teased.

"And just think, Luke, Alan here has the exact same thing," Rose said.

"Yeah but mine's probably banged up now, courtesy of Tony," Alan said. "Speaking of, we do need to make a trip to the mansion and get our stuff from there as well."

They ate and watched while the teens examined the prizes. Rose explained the tickets to Luke when he held them up and his grin became even wider when he realized he could get more things. Clyde played briefly with his Chinese yo-yo and tapped Maria on the head with it for a moment before putting it away and concentrating on his pizza. Rani tossed a mini Frisbee to Luke who tossed it back across the table. While they did that the others continued to eat and talk to one another.

"So, Sarah," the Doctor said, swallowing a bit of pizza in his mouth, "how did Luke become your son?"

Everyone listened while she explained about Mrs. Wormwood and the Bane and how she met Maria after she moved in across the street. Everyone ate quietly and listened to her story while Luke tried not to let his embarrassment show. John and Amber both listened with quiet interest marveling at how casually this woman was telling them all about finding this boy who had been created rather than born as if it were the most natural thing in the world. John smiled to himself thinking how lucky he was to be in such company. A few of the others had also shared some of their stores of battling monsters and villains. All these people around him and Amber had seen and done the incredible yet they treated it as if it was a normal occurrence that happened every day. Even the kids were now seasoned veterans of alien and monster fights. It boggled his mind and for the thousandth time he thanked God that Rose and Alan and Awinita had decided to spend the night with them.

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After they ate, the adults stayed behind to talk while the teens went to play the games in the arcade. Everyone gave them their tokens and Rose instructed them on where to go when they were ready to exchange the tickets. Then they left and the adults sipped their Coke while they talked. By this time everyone was familiar with everyone else and there was laughter and teasing and joking from everybody as if they had known one another their whole lives. Except for Amber and John, everyone had their own war stories to tell, their own unique adventures traveling with the Doctor and without him. Both Amber and John listened in fascination while their friends traded stories with one another. They told stories of war, horror, blood, terror, torment and violence along with the tales of traveling and the fights with the Jersey Devil and Skinwalker that Alan and his family contributed. As they talked, the show started again but they ignored it and raised their voices to be heard above the din until the show stopped again and they quieted down. While they talked, John looked at his daughter who was laughing and smiling and adding her own jokes and stories to the group and thinking how different she was from the girl who left nearly two months ago on a crazy worldwide adventure with a bunch of strangers. They had mentioned earlier what the kitsune had done to her and the others and he knew that his daughter was now a Star Child just like her husband and it warmed his heart knowing that she had become so much more in these few short months than she ever had in her 23 years growing up on the reservation.

He grinned when he saw her husband grab a cheese stick and try to playfully shove it up her nose when she wasn't looking. Rain snatched half of it and pulled it apart. She laughed when the Doctor pouted and said in a little kid voice that she had killed his mozzarella stick. Then she opened her mouth and he popped his half into it while she did the same for him with her half. They shared a kiss and John's heart swelled.

"I'm proud of you, my Rainshower," he said under his breath.

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After about an hour, Sarah Jane went to round up the kids while everyone else prepared to leave. They came back into the dining room holding several little toys each and Sarah Jane and everyone else helped gather up the rest of them so they could take them back to the TARDIS.

Once outside, they looked around to make sure no one was watching and headed across the parking lot to the TARDIS resting in a field just beyond it. The Doctor opened a door and let them all inside before he went in, closed the door and took off for their next destination.

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They went to White River Park next so they could relax and let their food digest. The TARDIS provided several old blankets for them to sit on and they carried them outside along with a battered football from the game room. They headed down to the White River and spread the blankets out making a larger blanket with them. All the men except for the Doctor, Alan, Wilf and John played catch with the football while everyone else just sat and lay on the blankets, talked and enjoyed the warm summer day. The Doctor sat at one corner of the blanket with Rain sitting in front of him and leaning back into his chest. The Doctor rubbed her arm lazily while they listened to Sarah Jane tell him about both times she had fought the Trickster. The Doctor nodded.

"Donna had the same thing happen," he said when she finished. "Only it wasn't him directly, it was one of his minions that targeted her."

"Yeah, they created a parallel universe around me," Donna said, looking over, "and that's where I first met Rose."

Rose looked around and nodded at that.

"I entered her parallel world when I was trying to find the Doctor," she said. "I helped her defeat the beetle thing on her back that was changing time."

"When was this?" Martha asked.

Rose looked over at her and told her while everyone listened. Donna shook her head while she listened along with everyone else.

"I don't remember a lot of this. Once the parallel universe dissolved I started to forget," she said to Sarah Jane. "I remember being there, I just don't remember a lot of the specifics."

"I remember my run-ins all right. And I'm afraid it's my fault that the Trickster went after you. He found out about the Doctor through me and he told me he wanted to see what happened if he went after him and changed his future. I always hoped it had been an empty threat but I guess it wasn't."

"Wasn't your fault, Sarah," the Doctor said.

"Yeah," Alan said. "He would have learned about the Doctor sooner or later. You shouldn't feel guilty. He's defeated and everything is back to normal so there's no use going back and beating yourself up over it. Just one of the hazards that come with the job."

She smiled fondly at both men.

"Thanks, you two," she said.

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They stayed out for about two hours before heading back to the TARDIS to rest before going to Bocca Di Beppo. The Doctor found John and Amber two guest rooms and once they were settled in; he walked back to the living room where his family was sitting.

"Phew," he said, sitting down on the couch next to Rain. "This has been one fun but tiring day."

"I love it," Alan said. "Going back to the museum and Chuck-E-Cheese was more fun with a bigger crowd and actual kids to boot. This was a fantastic idea. Now that everyone is friends with everyone else it'll make the wedding reception a lot more pleasant."

"We need to do this again," Awinita said. "Just every once in awhile get everyone together for a big outing."

They all nodded.

"What do we do after this?" Donna asked. "I mean, we have a time machine. Do we go right to the wedding or wait a few days and give people time to get ready or what?"

"Well," the Doctor said. "The TARDIS can supply everything so if some people wanted to just stay here and use the guest rooms until the wedding, they can. We can ask everyone what they think but I'm assuming we'll have to give most people a day or two in case they wanna get gifts or need to run errands beforehand. Plus we'll have to talk to Jackie and find out what she's doing and coordinate everything. But at least we have our guest list done now."

"The other thing is where are we gonna go for honeymoons? Resort planet?" Alan said.

"I would like to and if the rest of you wanted to come along and relax you can or you can stay on the TARDIS," the Doctor replied.

"On a resort planet?" Donna said. "Not on your bloody life. If I'm going there I wanna do something outside the TARDIS. I don't wanna just sit there while you lot have fun."

"Yeah, since I don't need much sleep anymore I wanna do something that's gonna occupy my time," Awinita said.

"Yes, welcome to the wonderful world of staying awake all night instead of wasting your life with these 8 hour sleep marathons," the Doctor said.

"Well, at least we can stare at each other now," Rain said to him.

"I did other things beside stare, Latara," he said to her.

"What? Drooled?"

"Well, yes, but only a little," he said, winking.

He noticed Donna and Alan looking towards the door and they looked with them and saw John coming inside.

"I see you're still up talking," he said, walking towards them.

"Yes. Well, I don't need that much sleep," the Doctor said, "and they're all the same now."

John bent down to kiss his daughter on the cheek.

"I'm very proud of you, Rainshower."

"Thanks dad."

He straightened up.

"Did you two enjoy Disneyworld?"

"We loved it, dad. We had a blast," Rain said.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. Because I don't think I can afford a second wedding present for you or for Alan and Rose."

"We're fine, John," Alan said. "We're gonna go to a nice resort planet anyway. You've been more than generous already."

"A planet?" John said. "So, will this be your first planet then, Rain?"

"No, I went to Derillium when I got the Doctor's TARDIS and brought it back to him. They had singing towers there, dad. They were wonderful."

"Wow, singing towers. That sounds incredible."

"You know, if you'd like we could take you on a quick trip somewhere after we get back from the resort planet."

"Really? You'd do that?"

They smiled and nodded.

"It's the least we can do after all you did for us, John," Alan said.

"Wait, does that mean I'll end up fighting monsters if I go with you?"

The family members looked at each other.

"Weeeeeeeeeeell," they all said in unison before laughing.

The Doctor smiled.

"I'll take you somewhere where I'm pretty sure we won't run into any monsters. I can't guarantee it 100 percent but I'll try my very best to make your quick little sightseeing tour monster free," he said.

"I'm looking forward to it. In the meantime, I wanna go lay back down before supper. Just wanted to check and see if you enjoyed the honeymoon."

"We did, John, thanks," the Doctor said.

He smiled and nodded. They watched while he turned and left the room before they went back to talking amongst themselves again.

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The group filed into Bocca Di Beppo and was led to a large table in the back.

"Well, now I get your quip about this being the Italian Applebees," Alan said to Awinita as he gestured around at the knick-knacks on the walls.

They sat down at a long wooden table and were given menus. Since the meals were designed to be eaten by more than one person they all conferred on what to get. They decided to get several different foods rather than two or more people ordering the same thing. They settled on spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, ravioli, veal parmigiana and chicken fettuccini alfredo with salad and breadsticks plus three pitchers of Coke. They gave the order to the waitress and started chatting again while they waited. Every now and then the teens would act up a bit but they would immediately tone it down when Sarah Jane shot them a look. The Doctor smiled, happy that his friend had found a son and now had a second life as a loving mother.

The other thing that was making the Doctor happy was that his link with his family was allowing him to feel all their happiness and joy which added to his own and he knew they were feeling the same. At times, the six of them engaged in silent communication giving each other their thoughts and opinions about things that were said or trying to make each other laugh by projecting goofy things into each other's minds. Every once in awhile they could sense Alan throwing up a barrier around everyone's mind except Rose's so he could tell her something personal and the Doctor did the same with his wife. Even though this was now a part of her genetic makeup, the Doctor could tell that Rain was still trying to get the hang of the blocks and occasionally she was a bit off with the barrier when she was trying to tell him something personal and it would be overheard by everyone else in the group with the result that they had to try to stifle their laughter. But no one was malicious about it. Both the Doctor and Alan understood that their family was trying to grasp their newfound abilities and the laughter was purely affectionate.

The other thing the Doctor noticed Rain trying to do at times was master her respiratory bypass system. Occasionally, his hearing would detect a lapse in her breathing and he'd glance over to see her deep in concentration. She wasn't able to hold it for very long and he could sense her frustration so he finally threw up a privacy block and gave her some tips on what to do. She tried again and he smiled when she was able to cease breathing for two minutes before she finally stopped.

_Good job, my love,_ he thought to her.

The food was brought to the table and everyone got up and helped themselves from the big communal plates and bowls. Everyone expressed how good the food was and thanked Alan and Rose for thinking of it. As Rain ate, the Doctor pretended to be listening to something Tish was saying but in reality he had thrown up a block and was mentally serenading his wife with Italian songs while she giggled and sent loving feelings back to him. After the second rendition of telepathic Volare, Rain decided to turn the tables and thought the Macarena back to him. Only her message wasn't shielded with the result that her entire family save the Doctor stopped eating and gave her an odd look. The Doctor sniggered when Rain turned fire engine red.

_You're gonna have to learn how to block your messages, Latara,_ he chided gently in her mind.

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"Ah, full belly equals happy Doctor," he said as they all walked back to the TARDIS.

Everyone decided to spend the night in their rooms so Rose could have time to call Jackie and ask what the arrangements were for the wedding so they could have some idea of what was going on. Once they got back inside, they headed for the living room and the game room chatting, watching TV or playing games until everyone finally decided to retire for the night. Everyone wished everyone else good night and went to their rooms leaving the Doctor's family the only ones awake.


	218. Chapter 218

Chapter Two Hundred Eighteen

The Doctor had decided to pick everyone back up in three days time and take them to the day of the wedding. After they all attended a rehearsal of the wedding ceremony where Jackie finally met the other members of their family, he took everyone back to their homes so they could get ready. Jackie had booked a church for an Anglican wedding but had only invited a few of her acquaintances since none of her friends really knew them. She had left it up to Rose to choose the place for the reception and they decided the TARDIS ballroom would be perfect since none of Jackie's friends were going to stay for it afterwards. One surprise for them was the addition of Jake who also agreed to be an usher for them.

After their friends had left, the Doctor had the TARDIS redecorate and equip the ballroom for the reception. All the men were going to be wearing morning suits with top hats, everyone wearing dark gray except for Alan who had agreed to wear black so everyone could tell them apart. Awinita and the other bridesmaids were wearing soft pink dresses that the TARDIS helped select. The TARDIS also selected both brides' gowns; picking out what she thought would look most flattering. She made sure to give Rose one with long satin sleeves so she could hide her tattoo but Rain's was strapless. Both dresses were white ball gown dresses with pearls stitched onto the bodice and both had veils that came down just below the shoulders. The gowns were put in a secret place by the TARDIS so the grooms wouldn't see them until the wedding day.

On the day they went to pick everyone up, they piloted the TARDIS to locations in both realities and got everyone back on board. Once they were all together, the women took Rose and Rain into a room and the TARDIS widened the corridor and placed a false barrier wall that ran down the middle so the men could go past the room without seeing the brides. Once that was done, the TARDIS revealed the wedding dresses to the delight of everyone. Once they finished admiring them, they sat Rose and Rain down in chairs; they took off their rings and gave them to Sarah Jane for safe keeping and the women split into two groups while they worked on their hair and makeup.

Meanwhile, the men were in another room getting dressed in their morning suits. Sarah Jane acted as the liaison for both sexes moving through the false wall from one side to the other delivering messages and helping out where she was needed. She was the only one who was permitted to move between the wall, all others the TARDIS blocked.

Once the Doctor and Alan were dressed, they moved out into the console room and together they flew the TARDIS to the Tyler estate to pick up Jackie, Tony, Pete and Jake. Once they landed, they took off their wedding rings and the TARDIS spirited them away so they would be hidden. Then they went out and met Jackie at her front door and explained the situation about the walls. She nodded and gathered the men together so they could go get dressed along with her. Once they were inside, they showed Jackie the false wall and the TARDIS allowed her to go through. Once she got in the dressing room, Jackie began helping out with the brides' hair and makeup.

Meanwhile, the men were helping the others get dressed; especially Tony who after getting over his initial shock of seeing two "Awans" in the same room started squirming and trying to get away from the uncomfortable clothes the others were trying to put on him. Alan finally resorted to playing and singing with him and keeping him occupied while the others helped him into his tiny morning suit. Once he was dressed, they let him sit and play with a tiny toy car the TARDIS produced for him while they finished getting ready.

Once the men were done, the Doctor and Alan took their top hats and moved back out into the console room. The Doctor programmed in the coordinates for the church and they both worked the controls while it flew them there. They landed right beside it in the shadow of the church and the Doctor ran out to check and make sure they were at the right place. After confirming that he was, they went back in and told the men and Sarah Jane that they had arrived. Sarah Jane went to relay the information followed by Pete and John who were fully dressed and were allowed access through the barrier so they could see their daughters.

Both of them stopped short when they saw them.

"Rainshower, you're beautiful," John said as everyone backed up and let him come forward.

"Rose, you look lovely," Pete said as the women around her backed up also.

Both women had their hair swept up in a bun with baby's breath encircling it. Their fathers smiled at them.

"Everyone on the other side is ready," John announced.

"We're about ready," Martha said. "We've been doing our own hair and makeup while we've helped with them so we shouldn't be too long."

Pete nodded.

"Just let us know when you're ready for us. We'll be inside the church," he said.

They nodded and both fathers left the room while the women finished getting ready.

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The grooms waited up at the altar, shifting nervously and looking at each other while the ushers helped the few guests to their seats.

_Well, this is it, no more secrets, my brother,_ Alan thought to him. _Our marriages will be out in the open at last. _

_And finally we'll be able to get away from planet Earth for awhile and travel through time and space once again._

_Hard to believe you and I would be standing here side by side after everything we went through nine months ago._

The Doctor smiled.

_Yes, my dear brother, life is strange sometimes, _he thought._ I never imagined bonding with you and becoming your brother and I never imagined being with anyone other than Rose and now here I am getting married to my precious Rain…again._

Alan chuckled.

_Yes and I'm getting married to my Starlight…again. And not only that, our Donna has been restored to us and our greatest foe has been destroyed. Sometimes, once in a great, great while the universe is kind._

_Yes, it is and now both of us have a long and happy life and lives being with the people we love while we travel the stars in search of adventure. Yup, life really is good sometimes._

"Awan?"

The Doctor looked down and saw Tony at his feet, clutching the toy car while he stared up at him in confusion.

"No, I'm the Doctor. Alan is over there," he said pointing to him.

"Awan?" Tony said, keeping his eyes on him.

The Doctor glanced at his brother who walked over and tickled him.

"I'm right here, ya little Pollywog. Don't ya know me when you see me?" he said.

Tony stared at him for a moment and then took his hand. Alan walked back to his place and Tony held his hand while he examined the toy car.

The ushers took a break and walked back over to them.

"There he is," Jack said, pointing at Tony. "I wondered where the little tyke got to."

He made a move to pick him up.

"Nooo," Tony said, grabbing onto Alan's leg.

"Wow, Harkness, finally we found someone who is immune to your charms," the Doctor said.

Pete walked up to him.

"Tony, come with me, quit grabbing on Alan's trouser leg."

The Doctor giggled when Tony cried after Pete picked him up and carried him away.

"I'm sorry, Tony. We must part now! But be brave, little Pollywog!" he called after him.

They laughed when they could hear his anguished cries echoing through the cavernous interior of the church. Alan glanced back at Jackie's guests and frowned when he noticed them clucking their tongues and talking under their breath about how he needed to learn to behave. He glanced at his brother and could tell he heard it too because his eyes were narrowed slits.

_I'm so glad they're not coming to the reception, brother,_ the Doctor thought_._

_I know. Where'd Jackie find these toffs at anyway?_

_Who knows? Probably rubbing elbows with them to earn brownie points on some imaginary social climber's chart,_ the Doctor thought back. _Just ignore them and pretend they aren't back there._

_Thete?_

Alan frowned.

_Thete? _He thought to him.

The Doctor grinned.

_My Latara calls me that in private. I think she thinks you can't hear us. I have to help her learn how to set up effective mind blocks._

Alan chuckled as the Doctor pulled her mind forward and shielded it.

_Yes, my love? _He thought.

_I just wanted to tell you how much I love you and I can't wait to be with you at the altar. _

He smiled.

_I can't wait to see you, my treasure, in your beautiful wedding gown. I'm waiting here with Alan so get your bum out here and make our day._

His smile widened when she laughed in his mind and he sent a wave of love to her.

"Just telling me she loves me," he said.

"Well…where's Rose with her secret message of love to me? I feel neglected now," he said as the Doctor laughed.

The ushers finished their duties and joined them up at the altar. Jack was in front followed by Ianto, Mickey, Jake, Wilf, Luke and Clyde.

"Get done seating the posh people?" the Doctor muttered to them.

"Yes," Jack said, rolling his eyes. "All perfume and pearls and enough fur to make a wooly mammoth look bare. Ugh, I'm glad they're not gonna be at the reception."

"That was our feeling as well," the Doctor said.

They looked back when the ladies walked into the room.

"Well, now, all of you clean up very well," Jack said.

"Yeah, well you look odd in a suit," Gwen said as they got in their places. "I'm used to the long coat, not that."

"Well, unfortunately, I don't think my coat would work with this whole ensemble," he said indicating his morning suit.

They got in line. Awinita was first followed by Donna, Martha, Sarah Jane, Gwen, Amber, Rani and Maria. They all looked at the Doctor and Alan.

"Look at you guys, you look handsome, both of ya," Awinita said.

They smiled at her.

"And you look beautiful, Te'lesu," Alan said.

"You think I'm beautiful, wait till you see Rose and Rain."

"I can't wait," Alan said.

"Me neither. Let's get this show on the road. We're here, we're ready, we're itchy, let's start already."

They chatted amongst each other, ignoring the strangers in the seats behind them. They glanced around when Jackie came down the aisle and took a seat in front beside Francine. They talked to one another while the Doctor and Alan turned their attention back to their friends.

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Then twenty minutes later, they heard the organist start The Wedding March and everyone turned to look at the doorway. Both brothers' hearts stopped when they saw their brides being escorted down the aisle by their fathers. The Doctor couldn't take his eyes off of Rain as she walked beside John. She was carrying a bouquet of white roses while Rose had a bouquet of red.

"My love, you're just as gorgeous as you were in Kyoto," he whispered under his breath.

"Oh Starlight, that dress looks perfect on you," his brother whispered.

They escorted them to their husband's sides while everyone watched with silent joy and then both men sat beside Jackie and Francine. The Doctor stared down at Rain and saw her smiling at him through the veil.

"My love," she whispered, "now and forever."

The Doctor sent her a barrage of love into her mind.

"You're gorgeous, Starlight," Alan whispered.

"Thank you," she whispered back, "so are you."

The vicar came down and stood in front of them. He opened his bible and looked out at the congregation.

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you," he intoned.

"And also with you," everyone answered.

He looked at the Doctor and Rain.

"In the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we have come together to witness the marriage of Rain Niyol and John Smith, to pray for God's blessing on them, to share their joy and to celebrate their love…"

The Doctor only half listened to the vicar while he delivered his prepared sermon on the blessing of marriage.

_I love you,_ he thought to her through a shielded link_. I swear I will love no other._

_And I will love no other for this life and all my lives to come,_ she thought back.

"First, I am required to ask anyone present who knows a reason why these persons may not lawfully marry, to declare it now," the vicar said.

There was a long silence and then the vicar continued.

"The vows you are about to take are to be made in the presence of God, who is judge of all and knows all the secrets of our hearts; therefore if either of you knows a reason why you may not lawfully marry, you must declare it now."

They both remained silent.

"John, will you take Rain to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and protect her and forsaking all others be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

The Doctor smiled.

"I will," he said.

"Rain, will you take John to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and protect him and forsaking all others be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," she said.

"Will you, the families and friends of John and Rain support and uphold them in their marriage now and in the years to come?"

"We will," everyone said.

"God our Father from the beginning you have blessed creation with abundant life. Pour out your blessings upon John and Rain that they may be joined in mutual love and companionship in holiness and commitment to each other. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever."

"Amen," everyone said.

The Doctor stood and stared at Rain while the vicar read a passage from the bible. His hearts soared with love for her and he mentally stroked her mind while joyful tears fell from her eyes.

"John and Rain, I now invite you to join hands and make your vows, in the presence of God and his people."

They faced each other and the Doctor took Rain's right hand. The vicar told him what to say and he repeated after him.

"I, John, take you, Rain, to be my wife. To have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God's holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow."

He let go and Rain took his right hand in hers and repeated after the vicar.

I, Rain, take you, John, to be my husband. To have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God's holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow.

They let go and watched while Pete led Tony up the aisle with their rings on a blue satin pillow. The vicar took the rings from the pillow and everyone giggled when Tony tried to reach for the Doctor while crying for Alan. Pete swooped him up in his arms and carried him back to his seat while he soothed him. Once everyone was settled, the vicar continued with the ceremony.

"Heavenly Father, by your blessing let _these _rings be to John and Rain a symbol of unending love and faithfulness to remind them of the vow and covenant which they have made this day through Jesus Christ our Lord."

"Amen," everyone said.

The Doctor took Rain's ring from the vicar and put it on her finger while repeating after him.

"Rain, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honor you, all that I am I give to you and all that I have I share with you within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

Rain took the Doctor's ring from the vicar and put it on his finger.

"John, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honor you, all that I am I give to you and all that I have I share with you within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

The Doctor smiled at her and sent another wave of love into her mind.

The vicar looked at everyone.

"In the presence of God, and before this congregation, John and Rain have given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. They have declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of rings_._I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife."

He joined their right hands together.

"Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder."

Both of them knelt and listened while the vicar blessed them and finished up the sermon.

_Now it's official, my hearts, we are one now and forever_, the Doctor thought to her.

"_Yes, my love and now we can be husband and wife openly, _she thought back.

_Yes, my joy, and get lots of crappy Christmas presents we don't need for our nonexistent home from relatives who'll probably get soused and vomit all over the console room floor and…_

He bit his lip when he felt his wife shaking with silent laughter.

For the rest of the sermon, Rain had to bite down hard on her lip to keep her laughter in.

They finished up their wedding ceremony and they stood up and waited patiently while the vicar conducted the exact same ceremony for Alan and Rose. They stood together and watched them in silent happiness while they did the exact same thing they did. Once they were finished, both husbands pulled the veil up and kissed their wives while everyone clapped. After that, they finished filling out the register and thanking the people who came. The photographer then took some photos of each couple alone and with the wedding party. After that was finished, they finally headed to the TARDIS so they could have their reception.


	219. Chapter 219

Chapter Two Hundred Nineteen

"Blimey, will you look at that?" the Doctor said as he entered the TARDIS with his wife, brother and Rose.

The console room had white streamers hanging across the ceiling with little paper wedding bells and a huge white banner which was trimmed in gold and said…

CONGRATULATIONS DOCTOR AND RAIN AND ALAN AND ROSE.

As they stared at it they felt the TARDIS nudge their minds and rumble out a laugh.

"TARDIS, you sentimental old thing, you," the Doctor said as they laughed. "If I didn't know any better, I think she's enjoying this whole wedding thing."

"Maybe we should marry her to the TARDIS in the storage closet if she likes it that much," Alan said.

They smiled when the TARDIS rumbled at that. They felt everyone coming in behind them and they moved towards the ballroom while the others stopped and admired the decorations. As the two couples left the console room they noticed the decorations continued all the way to the ballroom.

"Yup, we could definitely get the old girl a second job as a wedding planner," Alan said looking around. "She's done a fabulous job."

They entered the ballroom and smiled when they saw four circular tables grouped around a square table off to the side where they would be sitting. Beside it was another small round table that had two three tiered wedding cakes on it while the wedding presents were grouped around the legs in two small piles. Soft romantic music was being piped in from overhead. They walked over to the wedding cakes and laughed. Each cake was covered with dark blue frosting with little icing dots meant to resemble stars. Around each cake was a multicolored ribbon representing the time vortex. At the very top of the tier was a tiny TARDIS with little representations of themselves in their wedding outfits standing in front of it. Each cake had an identical groom with one blonde haired bride for Rose and a dark haired one for Rain.

"Yup, I definitely think a career as a wedding planner is in her future," the Doctor said, nodding.

At the other end of their table was another long table that, at the moment, was empty. They took their seats beside the table while everyone else filed in and looked at the cakes and the decorations. After they were done admiring the cakes' beauty, they filed past the two couples and hugged them while they offered their congratulations. The two brothers sat on the outside with their wives sitting beside each other in the middle. They had both removed their veils while the brothers had sat their hats down on the floor. The TARDIS quickly teleported the items away and teleported in the food on the empty table and all the silverware, glasses and plates for each place setting on the tables.

"See, every wedding should include a TARDIS," Alan said. "We won't even have to clean up the mess afterwards."

They got up and wandered over to see what the TARDIS had prepared. There were four different sections, appetizers, entrees, deserts and drinks. The appetizers were little finger foods including mozzarella sticks for them along with cheese, bread, fruit and little sandwiches along with vegetable and chicken noodle soups. The entrees included polsa, chips, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, roast pork, roast chicken, poached salmon and haddock, the deserts included sugar cream pie, much to Alan's delight, lemon meringue pie, chocolate and caramel torte and toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce, the drinks were assorted sodas, wine, champagne, milk, coffee and tea. They picked out an assortment of items and when they were done and back in their seats the rest of the guests got up to serve themselves. The Doctor tore off half his cheese stick and fed it to Rain while Alan fed Rose a bit of polsa. Alan looked at his brother.

"So, do we get to have people sing and make fools of themselves like we did for you guys in Kyoto?" he said softly.

"Yeah," Rose said softly, "we had to go through that humiliation. We oughta make everyone do it for us now."

They chuckled.

"You wanna get this lot to sing to ya, be my guest," he said, cutting off a bit of his roast beef. "I for one could do without a serenade from Jackie."

They looked out at the table in front of them. Sarah Jane was giggling with Donna, Gwen, Martha and Awinita.

"Ought-oh, what are they up to?" the Doctor said.

"I don't know but I have a funny feeling it involves us in some way," Alan replied.

They watched while Donna got up from the table.

"I'll ask em," she said to Sarah Jane.

"See, my brother, I was correct. It does involve us," Alan said as they laughed.

They put down their cutlery and folded their hands on the table while Donna walked over. She leaned down and looked at them.

"Sarah Jane wants to know what she has to do to get her a clone of ya?" she said to the Doctor.

Rain and Rose laughed when the brothers glanced at each other.

"Okay, Sarah, here's what we're gonna do," Alan said to her.

He grabbed the Doctor's left wrist and held it up.

"First, I will saw this off with a butter knife," he said, pointing to it. "Then Harkness back there will supply a jar. Then we wait awhile till the hand gets nice and ripe and we'll send the Doctor and Rain out onto a dark deserted street where they will stand at opposite ends. Then we'll have them run towards each other while the TARDIS provides romantic music. Then, we'll go back in time, rustle up a Dalek and place it there so it can shoot my brother. Then Jack will arrive ten seconds too late and kill it. Then the Doctor regenerates, shoots the excess energy into the jar, the red haired damsel here touches it and hey presto, a clone for you! There! Does that answer your question, Sarah?"

Alan patted Donna's hand.

"There ya go, little messenger, your work is done, go enjoy your pork now," he said.

Donna gave him a playful swat on the side of the head and sat back down.

"By the way, Timelord," Jack yelled from his table. "About the whole ten seconds too late thing, be lucky I showed up at all since I had to undo what the Doctor did to my vortex manipulator. If anyone needs to be blamed for that, it's him."

"Well, I'm sorry, Jack, I don't want you going all over time and space messing up things so I can come back later and undo them," the Doctor teased.

Jack feigned anger.

"Look who's talking, Mister Meddler, if anyone likes to go all over time and space messing things up, it's you!"

"Yes, but I'm a professional meddler. Mucking up time and space is a job for professionals, not for rank amateurs such as yourself."

Everyone laughed as Jack shot him a look. He looked at Ianto and Mickey sitting beside him.

"The nerve of that guy sometimes," he said to them.

At the table next to them, Wilf, Francine, John, Jackie and Pete glanced at each other, shook their heads and smiled. Pete fed Tony a bit of chip while he sat beside him. On the other side of them, the teens were eating and joking with one another. At the table next to them Mingxia, Amber and Tish talked and laughed.

The two brothers surveyed the ballroom.

"Nice to know we actually have more than two people at our reception," Alan muttered to the others.

"Yes, finally, a full house," Rose said.

They looked over when Donna got up again.

"Now what?" Alan said.

Donna hurried over and leaned down to Rose and Rain.

"Sarah Jane wants you to aim your bouquets in her direction when you throw them and to be on the safe side, throw the garters at her as well," she said as everyone at their table laughed.

"Are you still hoping for a clone of me, Sarah?" the Doctor said to her.

"Well, no, I dropped that idea and was just wondering if perhaps I could share you with Rain," she said, grinning.

Everyone at the table laughed hysterically while Luke started to sink under the table.

"Remember, guys, aim for her," Donna whispered conspiratorially as she pointed back at Sarah Jane.

She ran back to the table while the brothers looked at each other.

"I think Sarah's getting a tad desperate in her old age," Alan said.

"I think Sarah wants a dad for Luke," the Doctor replied. "And judging from the way Luke is hiding from her with that beet red face of his, I have a feeling we're gonna be picking up one more companion now since I think he's on the verge of running away."

The Doctor took a bite of Yorkshire pudding. While he chewed he heard Pete calling out to Tony to come back and watched while he toddled over towards him.

"Awan!" Tony yelled as he made a beeline for the Doctor.

"Is there some reason why he keeps thinking you're me?" Alan said.

The Doctor shrugged. He smiled when Tony came up to the table and peeked at him over the edge of it.

"Hi, I'm not Alan," he said. "Alan's over here. See the bloke who looks like me. That's who you want."

"Anthony David Tyler, get over here right now," Pete said, walking towards him.

Tony saw Pete and quickly ducked under the tablecloth. Rain gasped when she felt him seize her leg.

"Awan," they heard him saying.

"That's not me, Pollywog, that's my brother's wife's leg," Alan said as everyone laughed.

He lifted up the tablecloth while Pete knelt down and lifted up the other side.

"Come on, my cheeky little monkey, get back here," Pete said in a weary voice. "Leave them alone."

"Noooo!"

Rain gasped when he clung tightly with an iron grip and both the Doctor and Rose tried to pry him off her leg.

"Tony, let go," Rose said, "leave Rain alone."

"Awan!"

They finally succeeded in getting his arms pulled apart and they held him while Pete crawled under the table, got him and dragged him back out kicking and screaming.

"You alright, love?" the Doctor said, amused.

"Yeah, that kid's got a grip though. Phew!" she said, lowering the tablecloth back over her.

They noticed him jumping down from his chair again.

"Oh boy, hang on to your leg, my love, he's back for a second round," the Doctor said.

Pete reached out to grab him but they watched while he bumped into something invisible. Confused, Tony tried to take a step but something was blocking his way. The Doctor grinned and looked up at the ceiling.

"Yes, thanks girl," he said.

"What's goin' on?" Rose asked.

"Oh my TARDIS threw up a little force field around Tony so he'll stay over there," the Doctor said.

They watched while Tony walked around in a circle trying to get out of the invisible playpen. He began to cry and scream in frustration. Suddenly there was a flash of light and a brown teddy bear appeared beside him. Tony stared at it for a moment and then sat down and played with it while the adults laughed and went back to their meal.

"See, gotta have a TARDIS at every wedding," the Doctor said to them. "Not only is she a party planner she's the babysitter as well."

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After everyone was done eating, they all went and got champagne except for the teens who got soda at the request of Sarah Jane. They all sat back down except for Jack who stood at his table.

"Okay, so I guess it's toast time, eh?" he said.

"Oh, this oughta be good," Alan said.

"Shut up!" he said while everyone laughed.

He cleared his throat.

"Well, um…I guess I'll start with the easiest one out of the four," he said. "Doctor, you and I have only known each other for a couple of years but so much has happened that I can't believe it hasn't been longer. Back when I first met you, you were all ears and nose and attitude and I kept thinking to myself what was this good looking blonde doing tagging along behind this total jerk?"

"Gee, thanks, Jack," the Doctor said as everyone laughed.

"Our relationship started off on the wrong foot since I was trying to swindle you into buying the Chula ambulance and I kept up the ruse until you finally called me on it. After I did that to you and Rose, both of you had every right to just shove me aside and walk away and never look back but you saw something hidden deep inside me just like you saw something in every companion you've ever had and you gave me the golden opportunity to redeem myself and help set things right. You even showed me mercy when you rescued me from my spaceship just before it exploded and then you offered me the chance of a lifetime, to tag along and be your companion and I look back on those few short months with you and Rose as not only a major learning experience since you showed me a better way to live my life but also just one of the best times I've ever had in my life, period. It was thrilling and fast paced and terrifying with both good and bad moments but I wouldn't trade what we did for anything. It's because of you that I went on to become a responsible leader of my own team and we dedicated ourselves to following in your footsteps and making a difference in the universe just like you do day in and day out. You became a friend, an advisor, a mentor and I, like a lot of people in this room, couldn't believe my luck that you actually deemed me worthy enough to travel with you and see the wonders and the horrors of the universe."

The Doctor smiled at that.

"Through it all though, I always felt a bit of sadness for you, my friend, because I could see how lonely you were and although Rose helped to ease that, still there were moments when you were inconsolable and my heart just went out to you because I couldn't believe that someone so selfless and giving and loving could be cheated out of being loved in return. I saw the same sadness when we were reunited on Malcassairo, only it was more profound since you had lost Rose and you were still grieving for her. More times than I can remember I asked the powers that be for someone to come into your life and ease your pain and now I see that at long last my prayers have been answered, although not the way I expected since I figured you'd end up with Rose. It was a bit of a shock to me when you said you had left her with Alan in the other universe but I see now that what you did was the right solution because it not only led Rose to true happiness but you as well. And now, I know I speak for almost everyone in here when I say, ABOUT DAMN TIME, TIME LORD!"

The Doctor chuckled when everyone laughed.

"I think all of us in here were wondering when you were gonna finally leave pity partyville and go find someone. I know there were times when I wanted to throttle you against your console and tell you to quit moping and go find a hottie to date."

The Doctor raised his eyebrow when everyone laughed harder.

"So imagine my surprise in the Hub when you stepped aside and I see this little spicy number behind you in the TARDIS."

"Oi!" the Doctor said as everyone laughed.

"What can I say, Doc, the woman's a looker," he said, shrugging. "And I figured when you said this was your wife that you were just kidding but nope, you just managed to surprise us all by being totally deadly serious and surprise us all again by actually going through with it and marrying her. But I'm so glad you did, my friend, because Rain is just what you needed in your life and I'm so glad you found someone like her to love and be loved in return. And Rain, I admit I don't know you all that well but judging from the time I did spend with you I can tell that you are perfect for the Doctor. You're a beautiful, loving, caring, giving woman and I can just tell that the sun rises and sets on you in the Doctor's eyes. And I sincerely hope that you will not be a stranger to me or to my team because all of us would love to get to know you better and become as close to you as we have to the Doctor. Everyone in this room is your friend, Rain. You have joined an exclusive little club, trust me, and I promise you we take care of our own because we're in or have been in the same boat you are. So if Brainy Boy here is driving you bonkers than come to Cardiff and hang out with us. We'll be glad to have you. But for the two of you, I wish nothing but long lives, happiness, lots of fun and thrills and I hope that your honeymoon period will never end. To you, my friends."

Everyone raised their glasses and took a drink. Jack sat his champagne glass down and looked at Alan and Rose.

"Okay, now we get to you guys," he said as they laughed. "Blondie, what can I say? You blew it, babe. I was here ready and waiting for ya but you ran off and got married to a clone and I guess you lose out on the magnificence that is me. Sucks to be you, I guess."

Everyone roared with laughter as Rose raised her eyebrow and grinned at him.

"Just kidding, Rose. I really am happy for you just as I'm happy for the Doctor. I also became close to you during out travels together which wasn't easy since satellite dish ears there seemed to home in on me if I even sneezed in your direction."

He winked at the Doctor when he shook his head and smiled.

"You also accepted me even though you had no reason to and we became best friends and confidants during that insane time we were in the TARDIS. When we were on the Gamestation and the Doctor sent you away, I was glad because I knew you'd be safe but I was also heartbroken because I thought I'd never see you again. Unfortunately, I didn't see you until you found your back from the parallel universe but as you know, I was the recipient of your merciful gift of life, although sometimes it seems like it's more of a curse than a gift. But still, my immortality has allowed me to be here today to witness this event and so today I consider your gift to me a blessing. Looking at Rain I can see why the Doctor fell in love with her because you and she share many similar things. You two get along like a house on fire and that's why. But listening to your stories about your worldwide travels and judging from what the Doctor has told me, you became a kind of mother hen, not just to her but to everyone under your care when you were out roaming the world. You were just like me. You went from being ordinary to extraordinary and it's because of that man sitting on your right. I see you now and it's miles and miles away from the girl hanging off the barrage balloon that night over the Blitz and I'm sure even then you had come a long way from being the shop girl the Doctor rescued. You have become a strong, confident, kick-ass, take charge woman and I'm so glad it happened because you've finally realized your full potential. I am so proud of you as I'm sure everyone else is here and I'm thrilled that you have also found a soul mate and have finally gotten hitched because it also was a long time coming."

He looked at Alan and paused.

"Okay, now we come to the most difficult one of all. Alan, I first met you when you were a hand."

Everyone laughed as Alan grinned and nodded.

"I have to admit my first impression of you wasn't favorable. You were roughed up and dingy and you had dirt under your fingernails which was extremely unsightly and uncivilized. You needed a manicure and you needed one fast. You were also lying right there in the street which seemed to me very lazy and I almost threw you in the garbage. But then I got this brilliant idea. I'll enslave you and use you to find the Doctor so I can yell at him for leaving me behind on the Gamestation, I said to myself. And so I built you your first home and you went to work for me because everyone had to pull their weight at the Hub including the severed hands."

Alan gave him a thumbs up as everyone laughed.

"And so there you swam in your little house quietly searching for the Doctor for me, probably biding your time until you did grow back into a person so you could beat the crap outta me for throwing you in a jar. And nothing happened for the longest time, but one day I was walking through the Hub and you just suddenly got so excited because at long last you had found the Doctor for me. So I threw your house in my rucksack and away we went to Malcassairo. And all that time you just sat there in your house watching the action unfold, suffering deeply while the Master extracted your DNA so he could age your progenitor and make him really, really ugly."

They laughed when the Doctor flipped him off.

"And all that time you just waited and waited in your little jar, waiting for the right person to come along and free you from your prison until at long last along came the Chiswick Temp and you stopped being this ucky severed hand and became a weird little clone. When I first saw you I couldn't believe my eyes because my little pet hand had grown up to become a cute little Doctor double. Then you ran out of the TARDIS, got your butt zapped and trapped and I lost interest in you after that."

They roared with laughter when Alan followed the Doctor's lead and flipped him off.

"Seriously though, I didn't really know what to think of you since you were this clone and I figured you were just this carbon copy of the Doctor, a little spare in case the original got damaged. But then I met you again, really met you and I was dead wrong about you being just like the Doctor because you aren't. Oh, there are similarities of course, but you have your own way of looking at the world, your own mind, your own personality and you did the impossible and managed to escape his very, very long shadow and stand in the light as a complete, complex person. And even though you have the Doctor's memories, you have chosen to push those into the background and not rely on them while you became someone unique. For instance, Sarah Jane informed me of your whole kicking the giraffe's ass joke which I would never in a million years think of the Doctor coming up with. I'm with Sarah Jane, I can't see the Doctor walking up to a giraffe and threatening it with bodily harm because it didn't eat out of his hand. Rose has also told me about a few of your other quirks that both irritate and amuse her, often at the same time. And I gotta tell ya, love the whole suicidal death leap off high places joke, I'm considering starting that up with Yan here. But the little bit I've seen, the whole coming into your room and planting a kiss right on Rose's forehead without any warning and then having the sheer nerve to refer to me as your comic relief fascinated me because this was something totally different from what the Doctor would do and it just makes me want to get to know you better and see for myself what your wife and family see. I love that you went from standing on a beach in Norway with a brokenhearted Rose with no real idea of what you were going to do with yourself to just gathering around you a loving, loyal family and making a life for yourself, apart from him. It is just fantastic that you adopted Rain and Awinita and gave them your complete love and affection and I hear it in their voices when they talk about you. They love you to bits and I don't blame them one bit."

Alan smiled at his sisters and winked at them.

"Another thing that Rose said you did was you made a conscious effort not to repeat the Doctor's mistakes which is why you made the family you did because you realized that you just can't go through life being on your own with no support whatsoever and bless you, my friend, you finally got through to the Doctor and made him see that too. You, the clone that everyone counted out, did what all of us have been trying to do for years and finally talked some sense into him. Then you went one step further and not only forgave the Doctor but you adopted him as your brother and gave him yet another family tie. You are absolutely amazing, Alan, and I'm so glad that Donna brought you to life because you were just the thing the Doctor needed. I also don't want you to be a stranger because I and everyone else here want to get to know you better now and see what your family sees and see how wonderful you are. I'm so glad Rose accepted you and became your wife because I consider that to be your reward for all you've done for the Doctor and for us. So I also wish you a long, happy and prosperous life with lots of giraffe ass kicking. Congratulations to both of you."

Everyone let out a "Hear, hear!" and drank a toast to him while Rose squeezed Alan's hand and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Anyone else wanna say something?" Jack asked.

Sarah Jane got up.

"I just want to echo everything Jack said and also extend my congratulations to all of you. I agree with everything Jack has said. I too used to get brokenhearted, Doctor, seeing you so sad and lonely and that was way before the destruction of your home. I admit I did harbor fantasies about being the one to rescue you from all that, but sadly it was not to be. Instead you found someone who was more compatible with you than I was and I'm so glad to see that you are happy at last. But if there is a chance you are into polygamy…"

They laughed as the Doctor smiled fondly and winked at her.

"Rain, you are a sweetheart and I echo Jack's plea that you not be a stranger because I also want to get to know you better. The Doctor knows that my home is always open to him and now it's open to you as well if you'd like to come round for a spot of tea sometime. Rose, it's the same for you and always has been. I'm so glad you found a way to come back from the other universe because you have family over there as much as you do here and we all missed you terribly as I'm sure you missed us. And Alan…I also agree with Jack that you are one of a kind. The whole giraffe comment threw me for a loop the other day but I also became intrigued because you are a very funny and unique man even though you have been cloned from someone else. My doors are open to you and Rose as well and please, please don't be a stranger."

"I won't, Sarah, I promise," Alan said.

She smiled.

"I love you all. You have all enriched my life in various ways and I look forward to many more years of friendship. Here's to you all."

They all raised their glasses and took a sip before she sat back down.

Donna stood up.

"Now about the sucking the memories out of my head…" she said as they laughed.

She smiled.

"I also want to echo what everyone said and offer my congratulations. I also know how sad and troubled you were, Doctor. Knew it ever since I first met ya right after you lost Rose and even though I didn't want you in that way, I still wanted to be your best mate and at least give you someone to pal around with while we went zoomin' 'round time and space. But still, I knew it wasn't enough which is why I'm so chuffed that you found Rain and finally found that missing piece of yourself you've been searching for. And not only that, but imagine my surprise when the moment I get back I get adopted into an entire family and I have to say I just love it. Rain, I'm still getting to know you, love, but I do care for you deeply like I do for Awinita and the Doctor couldn't have asked for a more perfect person. I am so glad and thrilled to be your sister because you're a very special person. Rose, you helped me when the Trickster trapped me and you've done nothing but give me your friendship from the moment I first laid eyes on you and I'm so glad we're also related now. I'm glad that I finally got to meet the woman behind the Doctor's stories and find out she's just as nice as I thought she was. And then there's you, you little assassin…"

They laughed.

"You nearly ended up killing me that day not to mention I had to go and see you naked which was disturbing to say the least. But you also saved me when you saved the TARDIS and even though it was a bit unsettling knowing that I'd made something that was half me I realize now what a blessing it is because I feel the same as Sarah Jane and Jack, you are a funny, unique person and even though you look like the Doctor, I can tell the two of you apart just by the way you act. You and Rose are perfect together because I think Rose calms you down while you pep her up and I'm just so thrilled you guys came back and got me and Imiko restored me back to myself because I look forward to going around time and space with my new family. So here's to all of you, congratulations."

They raised their glasses and sipped as she sat down.

Jackie stood up.

"I also want to offer my congratulations to both couples and I want to say how happy I am that you have gotten married and found someone. Rose, I'm so glad you found Alan. I admit he took some gettin' used to but he's always been there for ya through thick and thin and kept you safe when you were out in the world and I have no doubt he'll continue to do that now. Rain, honey, I hope we can become close just like I hope to become close with your sister, Awinita. I don't know what these two been tellin' ya, but I'm not as bad as they think I am. Our home is always open to ya, love, and my family is your family now."

"Thank you, Jackie," Rain said.

"You're welcome, sweetie, and if the Doctor gets out of line, slap em silly for me, yeah?"

The Doctor's mouth dropped open as everyone laughed.

"Here's to all of you, long life and prosperity to ya all," she said, raising her glass.

They did likewise and took a sip before she sat down.

John stood up.

"I also want to offer my congratulations and to say for the thousandth time how proud I am of you, my Rain, and I'm so glad that you have found a family and friends on this little journey of yours. Rose and Alan, you are now a part of me. You have a very special place in my heart and my house is always open to you and your family whenever you want to come visit and Doctor, I also look forward to getting to know you better and I feel blessed that you are a part of my life now. To all of you I offer my best wishes and blessings for the future and may the Great Spirit watch over you always."

They raised their glasses and took another sip. Pete stood up.

"I also want to echo everyone's sentiments. Rose, I know it was difficult adjusting to life here after you were trapped and trying to live with a man who resembled your father but wasn't but I just want you to know that you are my daughter in every way that counts and I'm so glad you are happy now and Rain, I also want you to be a part of our family along with everyone else. I also feel blessed that I've met all of you and I hope that wherever you go and whatever you do you will always be safe and successful and happy. Here's to all of you and your future."

Another round of toasts. Pete sat down and Martha stood up.

"I just have to say that I'm also happy for you, Doctor because this was a long time coming and I know I didn't make it easy on ya when I first started travelin' with ya. But you and I both finally found the perfect people to love and I'm so glad she's just as sweet as can be. I also don't want you to be a stranger, Rain because I like you a lot and I would like to get to know you and Awinita and Mingxia better now. And that goes for you too, Rose. I also want us to become close friends because you're an amazing person and I'm so glad I finally got to meet you. And Alan…you're an oddball but a cute oddball."

They laughed as Alan snickered and winked at her.

"But I also want to get to know you better because I agree with everyone else. You're funny as hell and completely unique and separate from the Doctor and I'm so glad because the last thing I would want is for you to be his double in every way and not be a fully realized person. And you guys had just better come to my wedding whenever it happens," she said as they laughed. "But I love you all so very much. I'm so glad you're in my life and I wish you just all the happiness the universe can spare. Here's to you, my friends."

There was another round of toasts. Wilf stood up.

"I also want to give my congratulations and say how wonderful it is to know you. The night we first met, Doctor, I had no idea you would become a part of my life or Donna's life in such a huge way but I'm just so thrilled you are and I'm thrilled you found a way to bring my girl back to her senses because now I get to see all of you a lot more. Rose, honey, I know we didn't meet under the most pleasant of circumstances but I'm glad you found someone to love even if it wasn't the Doctor. My house is open to you and to all of you and I'm glad that you are all taking care of Donna and giving her an extra family that will keep her safe while she's going through time and space. Rain and Alan, I admit I don't know you that well but I want to rectify that so anytime you can come see me, I will welcome you with open arms."

"Thank you," Rain and Alan said in unison.

He nodded and smiled.

"And now I wish all of you the very best, good luck, God speed and go kick some monster's bum for me."

They laughed and did another toast as he sat down. They waited but no one got up. Alan looked at Awinita and gave her a pointed look.

"What?"

"Up, Harris!" he said as they laughed.

"What if I don't want to?"

"Tough, get up and fawn over us."

She flipped him off and everyone laughed. She got up.

"Alright, fine, Bro. If I must."

She smiled.

"You guys are tremendous, that goes without saying. Alan, you and Rose let me tag along and made me the first member of your little family and I'll always be grateful for that. Rain, you are my best friend and I love you to death and I'll say it again for the trillionth time, thanks for coming with us and getting yourself adopted into our clan. Doctor, I love you too. You're just amazing and I totally get why everyone looks up to you because I look up to you too. All of you are my family now and I just thank God that you are because I couldn't ask for a better, more loving group of people. I love you all so very much and here's to you, my siblings."

She gave Alan a pointed look.

"Happy now, Bro?"

"Very, now sit your butt down."

She flipped him off and sat down while everyone laughed. She looked at Mingxia. Mingxia sighed.

"I thought this was voluntary," she said as she got up.

"It was until I got roped into it," Awinita said.

"So you're roping me now?"

"Just making sure I make someone else miserable since I had to do it," she said as they laughed.

Mingxia cleared her throat.

"I haven't known you for very long, even less time than Rain has known you. But all of you have made a huge impact on my life. I never thought in a million years that I would ever meet individuals like you and find out there are other nuts who've been in the same boat. But I mean that in a good way because trust me, I love traveling with all of you and I cherish all the friendship and love you've given me when you could have just treated me as a guide and an interpreter. I'm glad I was able to play a part in bringing the Valeyard down and I'm looking forward to seeing time and space and seeing what's out there, even the bad parts. I'm not scared in the least because I know that I'll be safe with all of you. You are just incredible, incredible people and I'm glad that you all found one another and are happy now. So here's to you, my family."

They toasted and she sat down. They waited but no one else volunteered to get up.

"Well, I suppose we'll move on to the cake then?" the Doctor said.

The brothers looked at each other.

"You go first," Alan said.

He nodded and he and Rain stood up. They took one of the knives and went to the cake with the little Rain figure on top. They grabbed a hold of the handle while everyone got their cameras ready and when they cut down, everyone snapped their picture. They cut out a couple of pieces and put them on little plates nearby. Everyone took another picture when they fed each other cake. They grabbed their glasses and intertwined them drinking a sip of champagne. As soon as they set down, Alan and Rose got up and walked to their cake. Everyone took a picture when they cut down. They put their pieces on the plates and Alan began to snicker.

"Don't you dare smear it on my face, Timelord!" she said.

He grinned when he heard a chorus of "DO IT!" from the people watching. Alan got a devilish grin and waggled his eyebrows.

"No, Alan, the Doctor behaved himself and you can as well."

She squealed when he quickly grabbed a piece of cake and smeared it around her mouth and lips.

"Alan, damn it!" Rose said, half laughing, while everyone took their pictures.

Alan smiled and pointed to his face. He closed his eyes and stood still while Rose took a piece of cake and smeared it all over his face. Everyone applauded when they kissed each other and grabbed napkins to wipe off the mess. Once they were done everyone got up to get themselves a piece.

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After they ate, it was time for dancing. The brothers looked at one another trying to decide who would take the first dance.

"Go ahead, Doctor, we'll wait," Alan said.

The Doctor smiled. He kissed the back of his wife's hand and led her to an open area beside the tables. Everyone watched quietly while the TARDIS dimmed the lights and turned up the piped in music. Rain's eyes widened when she heard First Love being played.

"How'd the TARDIS know about this song?" she asked him.

He grinned.

"Oh, I might have borrowed your IPod and played it for her when you weren't looking," he said innocently.

Everyone watched quietly while the two of them danced to their song. The Doctor and Rain were completely lost in the moment while they gazed into each other's eyes and danced around. Once the song was finished, they kissed one another passionately while everyone applauded. Then they went to their seats while Alan and Rose walked over.

"I love you so much, Amo'tiri," he said to her.

"And I love you too, my little Stitch, now and forever," she said.

You'll be In My Heart came on and the two of them swayed and danced to it while Alan sang the lyrics to her. Rose smiled softly listening to her lover's voice and staring into his warm brown eyes, loving the feel of his two hearts echoing her own. She laid her head on his chest while he held her close.

When the song ended, everyone applauded and then the TARDIS selected another song while Pete and John danced with their daughters. The Doctor and Alan stepped back and watched quietly while their beloved wives danced with their fathers. Some other people got up to dance with them and the rest of them talked quietly or ate. The fathers danced with them for a song and then escorted them over to their husbands who held them close and danced with them while another song started up.

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Finally it came time to throw the bouquet and garters.

"REMEMBER, AIM IT AT SARAH JANE!" Donna screamed as they laughed.

The unmarried or unengaged women all clustered in a circle behind Rose who stood with her back to her. The Doctor, Rain and Alan were all leaning up against the far wall watching her.

Rose glanced behind her and readied the bouquet.

"Okay, mates, count of three!" she yelled. "1…2…3!"

She flung the bouquet up and over her shoulder. All the men laughed when there was this mad dash to get at it. They laughed even harder when Donna emerged the victor holding the flowers aloft like a war trophy before sitting down.

"Your turn, Sis," Rose said, walking over to her husband.

Rain took her place and the woman positioned themselves behind her. Rain looked behind her.

"Ready?" she said.

"Ready!" they yelled.

"1…2…3!"

She hurled it up and over and there was another mad scramble. The Doctor groaned when Sarah Jane caught it. With an impish grin, she waved it at him and everyone laughed when the Doctor sprinted towards the entrance and then quickly turned back when he reached it.

"Okay, men's turn," Alan said, taking Rose's hand.

The women sat down while the men got up. Alan pulled out a chair and sat his wife down in it while she hitched up her dress to reveal her blue garter.

"Oi! Watch it!" he said when everyone wolf whistled and howled.

He grinned when he grabbed a hold of the garter and slowly pulled it down his wife's leg. He took it off and twirled it around his finger for a moment while Rose pulled her dress down.

"Okay, mates, here we go," Alan said, turning around.

He counted to three and hurled it up in the air. They laughed when the men made a mad dash for it and tackled each other when it fell to the floor. Everyone laughed when Ianto came up with it.

"That's mine too," Jack said to him as he got up off the floor.

The Doctor and Rain switched places with them while Ianto sat back down. The Doctor sat Rain down and she hitched up her dress. Again, there were wolf whistles and catcalls as the Doctor smiled at Rain and took a hold of her blue garter belt. He slowly slid it down her leg and stood up once it was off. The men took their positions while the Doctor walked over to them.

"If I were you, I wouldn't go ballistic," he said. "I don't think you wanna explain to the doctors in hospital just how you got a broken leg."

He turned around and counted to three. He threw it up and over and the men scrambled to get it. Once again the men tackled each other but Wilf who had been sitting nearby quickly ran in and snatched it up amid cheers and applause. Everyone laughed when the men stared at him in shock and he calmly walked back to his seat.

"The Doctor's right. You're too busy killing each other to see where the bloody thing went, let around grab it," he said to them.

They applauded Wilf when he held it up in triumph.

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After the reception, the Doctor began to take people back home so he and his brother could go on their honeymoons. They stopped and dropped off Jackie, Pete and Tony and then headed to Torchwood.

"I'm gonna miss you guys, thanks so much for letting us come to the wedding and the little outing," Jack said, hugging the Doctor.

"Thank you for coming and being with us."

Jack moved on to Rain and hugged her while Ianto hugged the Doctor.

"Take care, Rain."

"You too, Jack."

Jack moved on while Ianto hugged Rain and Gwen hugged the Doctor. Then Martha and finally Mickey. All of them hugged the others and said their goodbyes and wished each other well before the team finally headed out the door. They stood back and waved while the TARDIS dematerialized.

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They dropped off Sarah Jane and the kids next. Sarah Jane hugged them all tightly and gave them kisses while they promised to come visit her soon. They hugged the others and then all of them left the TARDIS and headed towards Sarah Jane's house while the TARDIS vanished.

After that, they dropped off Francine and Tish, then Wilf and finally John and Amber where they gave them a promise to take them on their quick tour once they were done with the honeymoon.

Once everyone was gone, the Doctor smiled at his family.

"Okay everyone, here we go," he said, "resort planet of Pericosis coming right up!"


	220. Chapter 220

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty

Everyone went back to their bedrooms to get ready while the TARDIS sailed through the vortex. When the Doctor reached his and Rain's bedroom, he paused and looked at the others who were going into theirs.

"Someone please look after Mingxia," he said. "I know all of you know about this planet but she doesn't so please keep her informed and help her out especially since this is her first planet."

"We will, Bro," Awinita said.

"Thank you. Okay, let's get to packin' then," he said as he ushered his wife inside their bedroom.

He closed the door behind her and they grabbed their rucksacks that were resting in the closet. As she did, Rain glanced at the outfits in the extra wide closet. Her side held an assortment of clothes and dresses and pants and shirts of different colors and at the bottom on her side were several pairs of trainers, dress shoes and pumps in orderly rows. The Doctor's side was different, however. His side mainly consisted of brown and blue pin striped suits with several shirts of various colors. Below them were several pairs of Converses arranged neatly in rows in several different colors. Rain glanced at her husband who was currently wearing a brown pin striped suit with white shirt, brown tie and white trainers. She thought he looked so handsome dressed that way but it took a bit of getting used to after the t-shirt and trousers he wore while stuck on Earth. She looked through the outfits on her side, choosing a couple. She now possessed all the knowledge that her husband had and she knew Pericosis was warm all year long which was why it was a resort planet. She chose a pair of black dress pants and some blue jean shorts and her swimsuit along with lavender and pink t-shirts and put them into her rucksack. She looked into the closet again and that's when she saw it on his side at the end of his clothes.

His long brown leather trench coat.

She had only seen him wear it once and that was when the Doctor had projected the image of himself standing in the TARDIS that night in their hotel room. She thought he looked handsome in it

It suited him perfectly but she had never seen it for real until now. She reached out for a moment and fingered the sleeve of the old battered coat loving the feel of it.

"Could you hand that to me?"

She looked around and saw her husband was right behind her. He smiled.

"Can you hand me my coat, love?" he said.

She nodded and took it off the hanger. She watched while he put it on and adjusted it. Rain came to him and put her hands on it fingering it while the Doctor watched her lovingly. She came close and buried her face in his fresh suit while the Doctor wrapped his arms around her and lowered his head to hers. She stood there a moment fingering the lapel of the coat.

"You look so handsome in this, my love," she whispered.

"Thank you," the Doctor whispered back.

"Janis Joplin gave it to you," she said, glancing up at him.

He smiled.

"Yes."

"I know what you know now."

He smiled and nodded. He gazed at her tenderly when she turned her nose to the outfit and the coat and breathed in the scent of him. Her nose was now more sensitive and she could pick up other scents besides his aftershave and soap. She could almost smell the presence of time on him, the smell of a man who has lived centuries in many different bodies and seen many different strange and wonderful sights. It was another thing that distinguished him from his brother. Her brother didn't have the scent of someone who had lived over a millennia. This scent was faint, imperceptible to a human's nose but she could smell it clearly now and it became one more thing she loved about him. Her husband carried the scent of the universe with him wherever he went and she felt like she could just stand there all day and drown in his aroma smelling every single part of the whole of his odor. But she knew they had to get going soon so she lifted her face and caught his lips in a passionate kiss. While they kissed, her husband was in her mind caressing and loving it, a pleasant sensation that was now enhanced by the fact that they were both Gallifreyan and therefore free from the limited constraints of her former human mind. It almost felt like his fingers were inside her head lightly running over the lobes of her brain and his telepathic whispers of love and devotion echoed through her consciousness while he rubbed and caressed her back and sides. While he did this, he blocked the other family member's minds so they could have some privacy and she briefly wondered if they figured out what they were doing.

The kiss deepened and she went into his mind and began to make love to it in return. As she did, she got flashes of her lover's memories. Surface memories that the Doctor had no trouble sharing with her just as she allowed him unrestricted access into the majority of her memories. She knew about Gallifrey and its history now and knew that this memory sharing they were doing was something intimate that married couples had done there. It was a sign of love and trust to share ones memories with another living being and she felt honored that her husband loved her enough to allow her to see into his mind. While she did it, she could see snatches of memories of his current life as well as his other lives, his unfamiliar former incarnations that she had never met. These memories held nothing traumatic or dark in them. Those memories were sealed safely away in the deepest recesses of his subconscious where she could never go. She knew he kept these memories locked away not only because they were unpleasant for him to remember but also because he was protecting her from the countless horrors he had seen in his 1200 years. She knew this secrecy was borne out of love for her. She respected that and didn't intrude where he didn't wish her to go and he did the same in return with the few memories she didn't care to dredge back up and relive.

After another couple of minutes of this, they reluctantly broke off the kiss and laid their foreheads against one another. Rain reached up and stroked his cheek while they did this.

"I love you so much, my Thete," she said.

"And I love you, my beloved. At last I can show you the universe, all of time and space is ours to see and I intend to make the most of it."

She smiled.

"I can't wait," she whispered.

He smiled and sent one more dose of love into her mind.

"Come, my Latara, the others will be wondering what happened to us," he whispered. "We can do this in the privacy of our hotel room later."

They gave each other one more kiss before they broke apart and finished packing.

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The family members giggled softly at the gobsmacked look on Mingxia's face. They had landed the TARDIS in the middle of a forest just up the hill from the resort and once they had stepped through them, Mingxia got a glimpse at her first alien planet. All the others had the memories of the place in their consciousness so it wasn't surprising to them but they just loved watching Mingxia walk around in a circle taking in the snow white grass at her feet, the azure blue sky with the large Saturn like planet which they knew was called Gaflax and the twin suns across from it that kept the planet nice and warm. Down the hill, the resort was a large block like building painted a deep lavender shade that looked lovely with the white grass. This was only one of several resorts. They could see more in the distance nestled among grey snow capped mountains but they were too far away unless they took the TARDIS.

The six of them walked down the hill towards the resort. On the way, the Doctor passed out credit sticks to them.

"This has unlimited credit on it so keep them and use them elsewhere," he said.

They nodded, put the sticks in their pockets and kept on walking while Donna explained the concept to Mingxia.

While they walked, Rain glanced up at Gaflax and knew that it was a warlike planet.

_They won't attack while we're here, will they?_ she thought to the Doctor.

_Who? The Gaflaxians? Nah, at this point in time there's a truce between the various planets in this system. We're safe,_ he thought back.

"Are you sure you're at the right point in time?" Rose said, looking back at him.

"Of course I am. I know where we are, Rose Timelord. I'm insulted you think otherwise. Nothing is going to happen here while we're on our honeymoon so put that out of your head this instant."

"Why am I not convinced?" Rose asked Alan.

"Maaaaaaaaaaybeeeeee, because trouble follows him everywhere he goes?" Alan said.

"Oh yeah, that's right, thanks for reminding me," she said.

The Doctor sighed and looked at his wife.

"They're picking on me, Latara," he said, pouting.

"My poor Doctor, I'll make you feel better once we get inside," Rain said.

He beamed.

"Okey-dokey," he said.

Rose glanced at her husband and shook her head when he laughed.

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Once inside, the Doctor and Alan made the arrangements. The Orlons who ran the resort were completely bald with oblong heads, large black eyes and sickly looking pale blue skin. They had two little openings for a nose and their mouth was thin and lipless. The women clustered around Mingxia and patted her back while she just stared at the creature in shock.

"This shouldn't be too shocking, Mingxia, you saw a golden nine tailed wolf being," Awinita said to her.

"I know but at least I was on Earth still and not in the middle of God knows where."

"Just relax," Donna soothed. "I promise you'll get used to it. Took me awhile to get over the shock of travelin' to planets as well."

The brothers finished booking the rooms and turned towards the others.

"Follow us, kiddies," Alan said as he and the Doctor walked off.

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The elevators turned out to be telepods that would teleport the person to the room he or she wanted to go. Mingxia was still nervous so Donna and Awinita stepped into it with her. The Doctor told them they were on floor 10 and they pushed a little black button marked 10 that was right beside them. There was a flash of brilliant white light and then they were gone. Alan took Rose's hand and stepped into it. They pressed the button and vanished. The Doctor smiled and held out his hand. His wife took it and they stepped into the pod. He pressed the 10 button and there was a blinding bright light followed by a few seconds where there was no conscious thought or feeling at all and then the light flashed and they were there. Rain blinked in shock and staggered back a little.

"You okay?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah, I just need to get used to that," she said.

He smiled and nodded and they walked out of the pod towards their rooms.

Their rooms turned out to be quite large and lavish. They had booked four of them. One for each of the couples and two double rooms for the other four. They rooms had connecting doors and the two couples kept theirs open for awhile until they were ready to be more intimate. Each room had a huge circular bed that resembled a waterbed except it was filled with a clear gel that was a lot firmer than water and adjusted to the body's shape and size allowing for a restful night's sleep. There were glowing white orbs attached to the wall on either side of the bed providing all the light for the room. Across the way was a holovision set that showed 3D holographic shows and movies. There were two plush chairs and a table, all of which had no legs and were floating stationary in midair. Nearby there was another floating chair and tabletop which had a virtual reality system resting on top of it that could be used to take virtual tours of the resort, access computer generated concierges or play holographic games. Off to the right was another room where a special shower-like device used light beams to cleanse and purify the body. There was a hot tub beside it. The water jets not only made the water foam but they also forced the nutrient rich water against the skins pores where the nutrients were absorbed for health and well being. There was a sink near the door with more of the nutrient rich water and special cleansing foam made of extract of Urshu, a local plant life which was thought to rejuvenate the skin and ensure a longer lifespan. The Doctor gave a satisfied nod.

"Yup, this is just what I paid for," he said to Rain. "Good, this place came with mixed reviews on the galactic wide web and I wasn't sure if we should go here or not but so far so good."

Rain sat down on the edge of the bed and felt the warm gel under the mattress. She laid back and closed her eyes while the mattress supported and formed around her body making her completely comfortable. As she lay there she felt her husband's finger's slowly tracking up her arms and she opened her eyes to see him giving her an amused look.

"You're not sleepy are you, my Time Lady wife?" he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"No, I'm just getting comfortable.

"Yes, these gel-o-pedic mattresses are quite comfy. They cost a ton of credits but worth the price. Course I don't sleep often enough to invest in one otherwise I would get us one for our bedroom. In the meantime, I have a special gift for you, my Latara."

"Yes? What?"

He gave her a playful grin.

"Later. But I promise you'll like it. It's a very rare and delicate delicacy and I had it special ordered as did your brother for his wife. Tonight shall be a very special night, I promise you that. For the moment though, I want you to walk with me. They have a beautiful indoor garden maze that might be worth a look. Interested?"

"Yes."

"Good, come with me then."

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The two of them walked side by side through the lush garden maze located right in the center of the resort. The hedges were at least fifteen feet high giving the two of them complete privacy. The Doctor smiled at Rain's fascination with the hummingbird like creatures called Zaptoss that had butterfly wings instead of their usual Earthly wings and greenish blue bodies. They flitted two and fro like butterflies settling on the shrub and occasionally on Rain's shoulder or arm. The Doctor walked beside her, his hands in his pockets while he enjoyed seeing and feeling his beloved's joy. One particularly brave Zaptoss landed on her outstretched hand and she gently rubbed its head and body while it poked tentatively at her skin with its beak. It sat there for a moment looking around and then flitted away.

"This place is magical," Rain said.

His smile widened.

"Good, I'm glad you think so. I hope it's the first of many magical places I will take you to," he said.

They turned a corner and reached the center of the maze. There was a floating marble bench next to a large fountain that shot water twenty feet in the air. The Doctor put his hand on her back while they walked over and sat down. The Doctor put his hand on her cheek and put up a block around her mind while he began to snog her passionately and caress her mind. They were so into it they didn't realize that someone was beside them until they heard a throat clearing. The Doctor jerked his head away and saw his brother and Rose giving them amused looks.

"I guess we're not the only ones who thought of the maze for a quick snog," he said to him. "Sorry to disturb you both but I didn't want to scare you when we went by you and out the other way. Continue the amour."

"Are the others alright?" the Doctor asked.

Alan glanced at his wife.

"In the middle of snogging his wife's face off and he still thinks of his sisters and Mingxia, isn't that sweet?" he said as she laughed.

"They're fine, Doctor," Rose said. "I think they went to the swimming pool."

The Doctor nodded.

"Listen, you guys can have a go now. We'll go find somewhere else."

"No, no, don't stop on our account. We're the ones intruding. You two stay right there, we'll go through the rest of the maze and try to ignore the loud moaning and groaning coming from the center."

He chuckled and patted the Doctor on the shoulder when he shot him a look.

"Only kidding, brother dear. You two were incredibly quiet. If you really had been moaning and groaning, we would have gone elsewhere," he said. "But like I said, carry on with your romantic maze make out. The misses and I are gonna go try the antigravity room and see if we can't have a bit of fun there. We'll see you crazy kids later, eh?"

Rain laughed when the two of them waved and walked away giggling.

"I guess we've been discovered, my Latara," the Doctor said.

"Do you wanna go someplace else?"

The Doctor shrugged.

"Makes no difference to me. They've gone. It isn't like we're bothering them now."

"Anti gravity rooms?"

He snickered.

"Interested?"

"You mean, doing what I think you think we might do?"

"Um…yeeeeah, had to work through that statement and check the logic but yes, doing what I think you think I think we might do and having tons of fun doin' it. Or I believe they have the underwater pods. Fancy a shag underwater?"

"In pods?"

"Yes, clear plastic pods that'll allow us to see all around us."

"And let anyone up above see right in."

"Oh no, it's special plastic. It's tinted on the outside so we can see out but no one can see in. Plus they stock the lake with lots of exotic and colorful fish that provide an extremely romantic view."

"You've done this before, I take it?"

"No, that was the little description on the website," the Doctor said, shrugging.

"Oh."

"Yes or they have the jungle sacrifice simulation if you fancy a bit of playacting with the shagging."

"What's that?"

"Well, basically you play the role of a helpless maiden kidnapped by a fierce jungle tribe and I'm their god. You get offered to me as a sacrifice and I get to have my way with you."

"And you're into that, are you?"

"Dunno, never tried it before but I figured it might be good for a laugh at least."

Rain looked at the bemused expression on his face.

"Why do I have to be the damsel in distress, why can't you be?"

The Doctor raised his eyebrow.

"Um, it would look strange if I were being sacrificed to you."

"Why?"

"Because I would never get myself in that kind of trouble."

"Oh right, Doctor," she said as he laughed. "1200 years and you've never been offered up as a sacrifice."

"Okay, okay, once…once or twice…three or four times…okay, I've been offered up a lot but that still doesn't mean I wanna playact it. I'd rather you did it so I could see you in a skimpy costume."

He waggled his eyebrows.

"So, wanna try it out just for a laugh?"

"You're serious?"

"I'm always serious except when I'm not."

Rain stared at him as he snickered.

"Is anyone gonna be watching us do this?"

"Not sure, there will be other members of the "tribe" but I suppose I can order them away when the time comes."

"You better, by God."

"So, you wanna try it out while my sibling is trying out the anti-gravity room?"

She giggled.

"Okay, you talked me into it. But if I don't like it…"

"We'll stop and do something else."

"Okay then."

They looked at each other and began to giggle hysterically. The Doctor took her hand and Rain followed him out of the maze.


	221. Chapter 221

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty One

"Okay, this is incredibly weird."

Rose was holding on to Alan in the antigravity room. They were both naked and floating around the room while they fondled each other. They were wearing a special harness that connected them around their chests so they could have sex together. They hadn't quite got to that part yet since Rose was trying to get adjusted to have sex in zero gravity.

"Are you comfortable doin' this?" she asked him.

"Eh, it's alright. Mind, I've never done it and neither has the Doctor so this is a whoooooooooole new experience for us both.

"Well, the harnesses feel weird. It itches and it's distracting me," she said.

"Do you wanna just go up to the bedroom and do it the old fashioned gravity filled way?" he asked.

"Yes, please."

Alan pushed a little button on the harness and they gently floated back down to Earth as the gravity slowly came back to the room. Alan unhooked them and they slid apart.

"Sorry, I guess I just don't feel comfortable doing this," Rose said.

"It's alright, Starlight, at least we know not to shag in antigravity anymore. This is as much a learning experience for me as it is for you. But let's get our clothes back on and head up to the room, eh?"

She nodded. They got up, retrieved their clothes from a special drawer in the wall and put them back on.

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The Doctor and Rain listened to the head Orlon's instructions. There were going to be a group of them playing the tribe while the Doctor and Rain got into their costumes and acted out the sacrifice scene. The Doctor made the request that they be left alone during intercourse and the Orlon readily agreed.

"We always intended to do that, sir. This whole scenario is meant as a kind of foreplay."

The Doctor nodded.

"Shall we then, Latara?" he asked as he took her hand.

They walked with the Orlons back to a dressing room area. They were shown into separate dressing rooms and the door was closed. The Doctor's had a hide loincloth in it along with a necklace that was made up of stone skulls that were molded from a lightweight volcanic rock. He began to take his clothes off and put the hide loincloth on after deciding the skulls were a bit too much.

In Rain's dressing room, there was a skintight lavender cat suit that had been ripped in strategic places. She took it down off the peg and examined it. She noticed with a sigh of relief that her private parts were still covered up. Even though she had gotten used to being with her husband and having sex she still didn't like the idea of strangers seeing her breasts and crotch. She considered those for her husband only and she knew she could never go through with it if the body suit had been ripped in those areas. She was glad the Orlons would leave when the time came to make love to him. She also didn't feel like having an audience around staring at them with their big black eyes.

She took off her clothes and slipped on the cat suit. It was loose when she first put it on and for a moment she considering telling the Orlons to get her a smaller size but as soon as she finished putting it on, the suit shrank and molded comfortably to her skin accenting every curve on her body. She stared at herself in the mirror that was behind her.

"Oh yeah, my husband's gonna love this," she said, nodding.

She opened the door a crack and peeked out. An Orlon was standing nearby.

"Um, I'm ready," she said to him.

He nodded.

"Follow me then, miss," he said.

Rain nodded, closed the door and followed him into a fake forest.

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"Oh yeah," Rose groaned as Alan made love to her, "this is more like it."

They were back in their room with the connecting door closed. She was lying on the bed and he was above her making love. She had to admit the bed was nice and comfortable and its warmth felt good on her naked body. She ran her hands over every inch of her husband's body while he kept up his rhythm.

"I'm glad we finally just decided to come back here," he gasped. "You're right, anti-gravity room was a bit strange. But hey, gotta try most things at least one time, right?"

"Well it wouldn't have been so bad if the bloody harness wasn't chafing my body," Rose replied. "Other than that, it was a very pleasant feeling."

"Well, we could just go back in and float together without having sex. Just float around naked."

Rose nodded.

"That sounds good."

"Okay, we'll do that later but for the moment I have to concentrate on the task at hand!" he said, going faster.

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Rain watched while two Orlons tied her wrists up with leather straps. She was standing between two large wooden posts almost like she was in King Kong. The posts were up on a wooden platform and several feet away on the edge of it was a huge stone throne that had some weird squid like alien creature carved into the back. Rain knew who the throne supposedly belonged to but looking around she didn't see him anywhere. She looked at the trees on either side of the platform and figured they probably had him standing somewhere behind one of them until it was time for him to make his entrance.

The Orlons finished tying her to the posts and politely asked if she was comfortable. She smiled and nodded and they bowed and told her they would be back while they prepared for their entrance. Rain watched them go, thinking how very gracious they really were despite their bizarre appearance. She didn't know if they could sense this was a first time thing for her but they put forth every effort to make sure she was comfortable before they began.

She stood there and waited, looking around. On three sides were the woods and in front of her was a large dirt clearing with a few grass huts near the back of it, beyond that was more woods. Rain frowned looking around. The resort had a huge maze, antigravity rooms and this. She began to wonder how large it was inside since the building didn't look that big to begin with.

_They stole Time Lord technology and made the place bigger on the inside?_ She thought to herself.

She suddenly heard the sound of drums echoing through the forest.

_Here we go,_ she thought.

She watched while ten Orlon dressed in hide loincloths emerged through the trees chanting rhythmically. Behind them, an Orlon dressed in purple ceremonial robes entered and walked up the stairs towards her while the others fell to their knees. Rain stared at the robe thinking how odd it looked on him since up to now they had all been naked.

"My people!" the chief Orlon said. "Today we honor our great god, Mezula, with this female sacrifice."

"Mezula, Mezula, Mezula," the others chanted in unison.

Then she heard it. Rain heard her husband laughing in her mind and she knew he was nearby watching. The sound of him laughing made her start to giggle softly.

_Blimey, I'm so glad my brother isn't seeing this right now,_ he thought to her. _I don't think he'd let me live it down._

_Can you see me now?_

_In the nice skin tight jumpsuit that's been ripped in about a dozen places? Oh yes, my Latara, I see you perfectly._

He chuckled in her mind when she looked all around for him.

_You can't see me, _he teased.

The Orlons kept up their chanting while the chief grabbed a drum next to the throne. He held it and beat on it with a stick while the Orlons chanted louder. Rain heard the Doctor laugh in her mind and then she saw an image of several women on their knees dressed in bright red dresses with cloth covering their hair. All of them looked like they had taken an eyeliner pencil and doodled on their face and each of them had an eye on the back of their hands. She watched them sway back and forth in her mind's eye while they chanted "Pyrovile, Pyrovile, Pyrovile," in nearly the same monotone voice that the Orlons had.

_See that? I saw that in Pompeii,_ her husband thought to her_. Cult of Sibylline. That's what their chanting reminds me of._

Rain giggled softly at the image. Suddenly the drumming stopped and all the Orlons in the clearing prostrated themselves while the chief raised his hand.

"BRING FORTH MEZULA!" he yelled.

_Well, here I go. My grand entrance,_ the Doctor thought to her.

Rain looked all around for him. Then suddenly she saw a strange furry creature like a large, brown muscular dog come into the clearing beside the huts. It was hooked up to a tiny wooden cart and pulling it along towards the platform. In the cart resting comfortably with an amused smile on his face was her husband. Behind the cart were two Orlon who were fanning him with huge green feather fans. Rain couldn't help but laugh at the sight of her nearly naked lover being pulled along in a tiny cart by a big dog creature while being fanned by two loincloth wearing aliens.

The cart pulled up to the platform stairs and stopped. The Doctor caught Rain's eye and winked at her while the chief came up and prostrated himself before the cart.

"Oh great Mezula! We have brought you a female for sacrifice," the chief said. "Does she please you, my Lord?"

"You better believe it," he said, wagging his eyebrows.

Rain giggled softly.

"Then she is yours, Lord, to do what you will with her."

The Doctor gave her a wicked grin which made Rain laugh harder. The fan bearers helped him out of the tiny cart and then they fell to the ground along with everyone else. The Doctor strode over to the steps and stomped up them, the amused grin still on his face while he neared his captive wife.

"Ha ha!" he said, "now little captive, you belong to me and you will obey my every command."

He feigned annoyance when Rain laughed harder.

"You're supposed to play along here," he said to her.

"I can't help it, this is ridiculous," Rain said.

His eyes bulged from his head causing her to laugh even more.

"You dare mock me, slave. I shall see you beg for my mercy!"

He paused and stared at her while she continued to giggle.

"I don't hear begging, I hear a lot of giggling though," he said to her.

"I'm sorry, Thete, but this is completely surreal."

"Nevertheless, I believe I told you to beg and begging I will have, now do as I command."

"Um…oh please let me go?" she murmured.

She laughed when the Doctor gave her an odd look.

"That was a rather weak performance," he said. "Come on, beg!"

"Oh please, please let me go," Rain said, a bit louder.

The Doctor rubbed his ear.

"I'm still not convinced," he said.

Rain took a deep breath.

"Please, I beg you, let me go," she yelled.

The Doctor pretended to consider it.

"I will, on one condition."

"Yes?"

He grinned.

"Make love to me, my little slave."

He laughed along with Rain.

"If I do this, you'll promise to let me go?" she asked him.

"Yes, I will grant you your freedom if you have sex with me."

"Um, what happens if I don't?"

He gave her a devilish grin while he shoved his fingers into her armpits and held them there.

"Then you shall be tickled to within an inch of your life," he declared. "So, what'll it be? Sex with me or tickling until you can't breathe anymore?"

"If that happens I'll just use my respiratory bypass system."

She giggled when he gave her a stern look.

"Are you sassing me slave? The great god doesn't approve of your flippant lip. I see I shall have to resort to more persuasive methods to obtain your submission."

He put his hands next to his loincloth and feigned surprise.

"What? Where is my coat and suit with all my nifty doo-dads and gadgets in its many pockets?" he said as she laughed.

He let out an exasperated sigh.

"No matter, I will just have to improvise then," he said.

He looked back at the Orlon.

"Leave us!" he ordered.

"Yes, my Lord," they said.

They watched while they walked off leading the dog and cart behind them. He waited until they were all gone before he turned his attention back to his wife.

"Now, where were we? Ah yes, your submission."

He chuckled as he put his hands on her waist and neared close to her.

"Betcha never shagged a god before, did ya?" he teased.

"No, I haven't."

He grinned and ran his hands up and down her arms before stroking her neck. His eyes watched her closely while he began to stroke her mind again. He ran his hand back up along her left arm to the strap and released her from it. Then he did the same thing with the other strap and enfolded her in his arms when she stepped into his embrace. He looked all around and noticed a thick clump of trees off to his right. He took his wife's hand and led her over to it. Once they were safely hidden from view, the Doctor slowly took his wife's jump suit off and eased it down her body admiring her as he did so. Rain untied the loincloth and it fell to his feet. She raised her eyebrows while he stood there completely naked.

"Well, it didn't take too much effort to get you undressed, did it?" she asked him.

He laughed.

"Nope, I was nearly there," he said.

He kissed her temple when she began to fondle his genitals. He smiled at her. She had come such a long way from the shy little girl who hesitantly undressed with him in the hotel bathroom. There was no longer any hesitation in her touch, no longer any fear or doubt in her mind. She had embraced being a Time Lady and all that came with it and he knew that she knew she was his equal which was why she was so sure about her touch. Knowing that she had gained this confidence thrilled the Doctor and turned him on even more knowing that she was going to do everything she could to please him and he would do the same in return.

He got the body suit past her hips and pushed it down her legs. As he lowered himself down he smelled the scent of her vagina and it turned him on even more. He put his fingers up in there and she moaned when he stroked her. He took his fingers out and sucked on them, tasting her. He smiled thinking she tasted delicious. He ran his hands up her legs while he slowly stood up. He ran his tongue up her stomach through her breasts stopping just under her chin. He grinned when she moaned even louder at that and loved that her senses had been enhanced now so she was able to enjoy every second of this to the fullest. He put his hand against her cheek and helped her lie down on a smooth patch of ground. Once he made sure she was comfortable, he lowered himself and began to lick her vagina, enjoying the taste of her while she moaned in ecstasy. He continued to caress her with his tongue putting his oral fixation to good use. He smiled when he heard her moan again. He loved that humans were such a physical lot. So unlike Gallifreyans who discontinued sex when looming was developed. He had always felt that even if they weren't able to procreate any longer they should still enjoy the pleasures of sex which was one of the reasons why he and his first wife didn't get along. He had tried to convince her to have sex just for the pure joy of being skin to skin with someone else but like every other Gallifreyan she considered carnal matters beneath her. He always wondered why he had been so different in his mindset but he supposed it was because he wasn't exactly a normal Gallifreyan, having a navel and a raging wanderlust among the many differences. His need to be intimate was what drove him to look beyond his home and family and why he was the only loomed Gallifreyan that he knew of that had actually had sex with someone. His wife was now physically and mentally like him but she still retained her memories of being a human and her personality was still intact and like him, she needed physical contact in order to feel whole. He was thankful for that and he supposed that was one of the reasons they were so right for each other. He knew his brother was the same way and Rose also could provide him with what he needed since she too retained all her human memories and urges.

He continued to feast upon her juices enjoying it more and more each time he lapped it up. The other thing he liked was she had come to him innocent and pure which meant that they could discover together what worked and what didn't, hence the whole playacting thing. The other women he had been with had been experienced and knew exactly what they wanted and it irritated him when they barked at him to do this and that and got angry for not doing it exactly the way they wanted. With Rain he was free to experiment and he was touched by how trusting she was and how willing she was to try something new. It let him slip into his natural dominant role and allow him to be a teacher to her, something he loved doing. He began to suck her clitoris and grinned when he felt pleasurable feelings in her mind nearly go off the scale. That was the other good thing about her being a Time Lady he could make love to her fully in her mind at the same time and he did just that which drove her even more wild. He felt her start to do the same with his mind and he felt himself get even harder at that, loving every second of sensation that he was getting and giving.

Rain, on the other hand, was almost unaware of her surroundings now. Her husband's warm wet tongue on her clitoris was driving her nearly insane, more so now that her senses had been enhanced. She put her hand on his hair, running her fingers through his tousle while she murmured in Gallifreyan her love for him. She knew she just did the right thing when she sensed his pleasure increasing at that and she smiled while she spoke to him in his native tongue loving the sound of the language as it came from her lips. She gasped when he kissed her clitoris and vaginal area and she let out an involuntary curse in Gallifreyan which caused him to chuckle in her mind.

_Naughty, naughty,_ he thought to her. _You need to watch that potty mouth of yours, my love._

He slipped a finger inside of her while he continued to kiss and lick her inner thighs. Rain writhed and moaned and spoke her undying love to him in Gallifreyan. Vaguely she was aware of voices beyond the trees and through half closed lids she watched her husband jerk his head up and listen to them for a few moments until whoever it was walked by them and the talking faded away and then he went back to his ministrations.

After ten more minutes, she finally climaxed for him and the Doctor leaned up and smiled while he watched and listened to her. She relaxed and he moved up to her side giving her a moment's respite while he brushed her long hair away from her face. Rain stared up at him through half closed lids gazing at his handsome, youthful face while he continued to stroke her cheek. Vaguely she remembered the other incarnations she had seen in his mind and wondered briefly what he would look like when he regenerated again. There had been a few of his other lives that had been handsome but it was this face and body she loved most of all and she didn't want it to change, not ever. But she knew that when that moment did come that she would love him just the same because she loved the inner him far more than the outer. She followed that train of thought and then briefly wondered what she would look like when she regenerated and if it would hurt or not. Her husband had assured her it didn't really hurt to die but still she couldn't help wondering.

"Are you ready, my love?" the Doctor said, gently.

She nodded and he kissed her forehead while he positioned himself over her. He entered her and began the second stage of their lovemaking caressing her cheek while he gazed down at her with unmasked love in his eyes. They got into it and both of them began to share their memories with one another. Rain kissed his cheek and ear and bit at his earlobe silently thanking God for her husband. She got near his ear and began to speak in Gallifreyan again and smiled when he moaned at that and thrust harder.

"You like when I speak your language, don't you?" she whispered into his ear.

"Yes. Oh yes…" the Doctor moaned. "I don't think I've ever heard Gallifreyan pronounced more beautifully than when you do it, my hearts. Please keep going."

She licked his ear and spoke again prompting more moans and several endearments back to her in Gallifreyan. She sucked at his earlobe and then got an idea. With a mischievous grin, she leaned into his ear and paused there letting him think she was going to speak Gallifreyan again. Instead, she started reciting pi to him, rattling off a long stream of numbers which made the Doctor laugh.

"No, love, that doesn't quite turn me on," he said looking at her with a lopsided smile. "I'd rather you spoke Gallifreyan than recited pi in my ear."

She laughed and kissed him on the lips. They began to snog while she continued speaking Gallifreyan in his mind. The Doctor, feeling himself about to go, began to speed up until finally they both climaxed together. Afterwards, they rested letting the sweat cool from their bodies. Rain glanced around at the trees while the Doctor watched her.

"What is it, Rain?" he asked.

"I wonder how many people have been in here doing the exact same thing we just did," she asked.

He smiled.

"Oh, I'm sure there have been a lot of people. This is a resort planet and the staff expects this sort of thing, that's why they left us alone. They knew where all this was leading. That's why they have that whole playacting option for guests."

"Yeah but this is probably the only hotel I've ever heard of where you could do it in the lobby," she said.

He chuckled.

"Well, Orlons are a very open minded bunch. People come here to have a good time so they just back off and let them do whatever they want as long as it doesn't involve something illegal like murder and sex enslavement. The universe as a whole is more open-minded about sex than humans are. Humans are very prudish compared to everyone else, especially in your time. In Jack's time in the 51st century they weren't that way because they colonized and spread out across the stars and were interacting with other species which is why he's got a reputation as a playboy of sorts. But that's the culture he grew up in just like you grew up in a more reserved taboo-filled society. Trust me; if having sex in these woods was illegal I wouldn't have done it here because the last thing I want is to go to prison on my honeymoon. We're fine, Latara."

"I just hope my sisters and Mingxia don't walk by."

"Nah, they can't see us in here and even if they could, the moment Donna saw me starkers she'd run back to the TARDIS screaming at the top of her lungs and I'm sure Awinita and Mingxia would follow her. We're alright, my hearts, I promise."

Rain stroked his cheek.

"You're so handsome," she said.

He laughed.

"So you keep telling me," he teased. "I guess you don't get too many handsome men out there in Arizona, eh?"

"Not like you."

"Well, thank you, I'm glad I surpass all the men in Arizona then."

"Do you ever wonder what you'll look like in your next life?"

"Um, not really. I keep hoping I'll be ginger but it hasn't happened yet so I've stopped speculating about the future and just go on with my life. Why? Are you afraid I'm gonna be Quasimodo in my next life and lose all this pretty boy charm of mine?"

"No, I'll love you no matter what you look like," she said.

"Good, because I will do the exact same thing with you when you regenerate. I didn't fall in love with your looks; I fell in love with you."

"Same here. But still I can't help thinking what we're gonna look like in our next lives."

"As long as I'm ginger, I'll be happy."

"Why?"

"Because I've never been ginger before and I wanna have one life where I am so I can see what it's like."

"What life were you on when you were very old?"

"That was my first."

"Oh. I mean, I've been seeing some of your other lives when we share memories and I saw this really old man and I didn't know if that was one of your lives or just someone you remembered."

He chuckled

"No, that was me, love. The first life you do age normally and then when you regenerate you gain your second heart and after that, you look the same for that entire life."

She nodded.

"Yeah, I got that from gaining your memories too. God, it's hard to believe how much I know."

He scooted closer and lazily ran a finger around her right breast.

"The thing that you must deal with though is now you'll continue to stay young while your family ages and eventually dies. Not trying to be a killjoy, mind, just letting you know why it was I was so afraid of commitment for the longest time, especially when it came to loving humans. Before you underwent the change your body was frail and weak compared to mine and you lot have so many diseases that ravage you and cause untold damage. Your bodies wear out so fast, it's a wonder you live to be 80 or 90 with all that against you."

Rain mulled that over in her mind while the Doctor watched her face. She looked at him.

"Does it hurt seeing Sarah Jane so much older now than when you traveled with her?"

He nodded.

"I've never told her that but I can't bear watching her grow old and knowing that one day she'll die and planet Earth will lose a wonderful human being. She still looks great, don't get me wrong, but I can see her starting to slow down now and it hurts knowing she'll be a senior citizen in several years time."

Rain put her hand against his cheek. He gave her a sad smile and scooted closer so he could drape his arm around her.

"That's why I'm glad Imiko decided to be merciful to me and my brother and let all of you become Gallifreyan so we don't have to suffer the same torment watching all of you grow old and die. Bad enough watching Sarah age without watching you as well."

She smiled and nodded.

"Besides I know everything you know and so does everyone else so now you have people who can relate to you."

He nodded.

"That too. I…"

She gasped when a brown furry alien stepped through the trees with his girlfriend.

"OH! I'm so sorry we didn't realize anyone was back here," the alien said, sheepishly.

"No worries, mate," the Doctor said as Rain giggled. "Just give us a few minutes and we'll be on our way."

The alien nodded and they stepped back through the trees.

"Come on, Latara, let's get dressed and head back up to our room. You're right, there is something to be said for having sex behind closed doors where no one can disturb ya," he said, helping her get up.


	222. Chapter 222

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty Two

Just outside their hotel room door, the Doctor stopped Rain when he noticed a little white box sitting outside both his and Alan's doors. He picked it up and grinned.

"Yes, they delivered it as asked," he said to himself.

"Delivered what?"

He smiled at her.

"Your special gift," he said to her.

Rain came close. Her nose picked up a fragrant odor coming from inside it. He looked at him.

"Flowers?" she said.

He smiled.

"You'll see," he said, putting his thumb against the ID plate beside the door.

It clicked and he opened it. They walked inside and he put the box on the table top. Rain closed the door and came over to him.

"Are you gonna give me a clue?" she said.

"Nope," he said, popping the P, "you're just gonna have to wait for it."

He gave her a kiss on the forehead and checked the mental links of his family. His brother and Rose weren't there so he assumed they were blocking them. He felt Rain and his two sisters. He brought forth Donna's mind and concentrated on it.

_Donna._

_Yes?_ She thought back.

_Where are you?_

_Out back behind the building. Me and Awinita and Mingxia are learning to play some kind of weird ball game kinda like racquetball. Where are you?_

_In our bedroom. Rain and I just came back in._

_Yeah, kinda figured you were busy. I noticed the two of you showed up again in my mind but I can't feel Alan or Rose so I guess…_

_I think so. I can't hear them but that doesn't mean anything since the walls are soundproofed. Do you guys want to eat any time soon? _

_I think so but what about Alan and Rose? _

_I'll contact them as soon as I can sense them again. We can either eat here or they have telepods that'll take us to anywhere on the planet. _

_It's up to you lot. I don't know what the restaurants are on this planet._

_Well they'll have a directory we can look at plus the virtual reality concierge can help us out. But planets like these usually have food from all over the universe since they get people coming here from all over. I'm sure we can find something but in the meantime, Rain and I are gonna find something else to do. I just wanted to check in with all of you and see if you are alright._

_Yeah, we're fine. Go and have fun._

_Is Mingxia alright?_

_Yes. She's gotten over her initial shock at being here and she's having just as good a time as the rest of us._

_Good. Well, I'll contact you lot again when we're ready to meet up. In the meantime have fun._

_You too. Talk to you later._

He pushed Donna's mind back with the others and took Rain's hand.

"Follow me, love," he said.

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"That was the Doctor," Donna said to Awinita and Mingxia. "They were just checking up on us and asking if we wanted to eat later."

"I assume they've finished lovemaking now," Awinita said.

"Yeah, I think so," Donna said.

"How do you guys know?" Mingxia asked.

"We can feel them in our minds and when they have sex or wanna do something private they throw up this mental block so we can't sense what they're doing," Awinita said. "For awhile, we couldn't feel them and now we can which means they don't care if we can listen in on them. But we still can't feel Alan or Rose so we figure they're still going at it."

"In the afternoon, no less," Donna commented. "They didn't waste time, did they?"

"That must be weird," Mingxia said.

"Not really. It's kinda nice actually," Awinita said. "It's a very pleasant feeling having everyone else's mind inside here and if you need to talk to someone you just concentrate on them, no need to go running all over looking for them. We're all connected to each other."

"Which finally makes me realize just how devastating it was when the Doctor lost everyone," Donna said.

"I know. I feel so sorry for him. I'm glad he has us now," Awinita said, picking her racquet back up.

She looked at Mingxia.

"It was your serve, wasn't it?"she asked her.

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"Aaah, that was incredible," Rose moaned as her husband pulled away from her and laid her sweaty body down beside her in the bed.

"Yes, these gel-o-pedic mattresses are wonderful. Too expensive though. The gel comes from only one planet in the universe which is why it costs a small fortune to buy it. Still, it's nice to be able to relax and shag on one.

Rose paused a moment.

"I feel the Doctor and Rain again. Apparently they finished up," she said.

He nodded.

"Yeah, they've been back for about twenty minutes now. Phew, I think we should get a light shower and do the same. See what everyone wants to do tonight."

Rose nodded. They scooted off the bed and Alan led her to the bathroom. Once inside, they entered the glass room and Alan pressed a button. Pulsating light beams washed all over their entire body cleaning and refreshing them while the two of them snogged passionately. Alan and Rose ran their hands all over each other. He cupped his wife's face with his hands and kissed all over her face while Rose ran her hands over his buttocks and squeezed them.

Once the shower was over, they stepped out again clean and refreshed. Alan dropped the mental block while they grabbed their clothes and put them back on.

_Brother?_

Alan smiled when he heard the Doctor call him almost immediately.

_Yes?_

_Are you done?_

_Yup. How 'bout you?_

_We are for the moment. I talked to Donna earlier. They're out back playing some kind of racquetball game and Rain and I are taking a hoverskift around the grounds. We wanted to eat later if you two were up to it._

_We are, but give us some time to rest._

_No worries, we're still out touring the grounds so it'll be about a half hour._

_That's fine. When you get done just contact us and we'll figure out something. _

_Gotcha, talk to you later._

_Goodbye, brother, _Alan thought before he pushed his brother's mind back with the others.

Alan related what the Doctor had said to Rose before he contacted Donna and Awinita and let them know what was going on.

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"Okay, it'll be about a half hour or so," the Doctor said to Rain.

They were sitting in a small shallow boat that was hovering about three feet above the ground. There were sitting on little plastic seats and there was a control panel between them with a joystick and several black buttons. The Doctor was maneuvering the hoverskift around with the joystick while they looked at everything. In the distance there was a large crystal blue lake where aliens of different species were sailing boats. On the other side they could see another pair of purple skinned aliens using another hoverskift. He went by some trees that had shining golden leaves. Rain stared up at them while they glided past.

"This planet is amazing. I love the contrast of the different colors," she said to the Doctor.

"Yes, it is lovely. One of the prettier resort planets I've been to," he replied.

Rain chuckled.

"I wish dad were here. The white grass and the gold leaves would blow his mind," she said.

He smiled at that.

"Yes, I could just see John's reaction seeing all this. I'll have to think of somewhere nice to take him that's just as beautiful."

"Somewhere monster free," Rain reminded him.

He laughed and nodded.

"Yes, somewhere monster free," he said.

He slowed the hoverskift down and they watched while a herd of white antelope-like creatures grazed in a field beside the woods.

"Banji," Rain said to him.

"Yup. Young ones by the look of them. Yes, I do like that you have the same knowledge I have. Saves time having to explain everything to you."

"I thought you liked talking, love," she teased.

"I do but there's a difference between talking to someone and having to explain every little thing. I s'pose we'll still have that with Mingxia but at least you lot can help me out now."

They watched while two rutting males battled each other for dominance with their curved ivory horns.

"I guess it's mating season for the little buggers. We're not the only ones shagging then."

She giggled and held his hand while they watched. The two males ran at each other and locked horns trying to throw each other to the ground in a bid to be the alpha male. Nearby, some hornless females lay in the tall white grass blending in with it while they rested. They watched while the males disentangled their horns, stepped back and rammed into each other again with a loud CLACK. They watched for a couple of more minutes before the Doctor grabbed the joystick and they glided away.

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After they returned to the hotel, the Doctor summoned everyone to the lobby and he and Alan and Rose and Rain waited while the other three returned.

"So, you're all done with your little afternoon delight?" Awinita said to the Doctor as they walked up.

"Yup, we had a bit of fun like all of you did and now we're famished. I checked the restaurant here and it's native food, not sure if you fancy that. There's one that serves Earth food but it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaay on the other side of the planet. That's no big deal though. The telepod will take us anywhere in seconds. But if you wanna try something a bit more exotic we can stay here."

They looked at each other.

"What'd ya think, guys? Same old, same old or try somethin' different?" Donna asked them.

"I'm up for anything. Earth food, Pericosis food, I don't care. I'm adventurous," Awinita said.

"Same here, "Mingxia said, "if I'm gonna be traveling to other planets, I might as well leap into the culture with both feet."

"That's the spirit," Alan said proudly. "What about the rest of you? Native food alright?

They nodded and the Doctor and Alan led them to the restaurant near the back of the building.

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Rain quietly discussed the menu with her husband while they sat at a legless table on legless chairs in the restaurant. She knew what all the foods were but not what they tasted like and she and everyone else were trying to get his and Alan's opinions on what to eat. In addition they were filling Mingxia in on what a few of the animals were.

"You might like the Leptos, love," the Doctor said to Rain. "It's basically calamari except it's not quite as rubbery. They cook it in its own ink and I liked it when I had it."

She rubbed her chin while she thought.

"What about the Banji meat?" she asked.

"Bit gamey but not bad," he replied. "Depends on what cut of the meat you get. The flanks are the most tender but naturally they're also the most expensive. We have unlimited credit though so that's not a problem. Now the stomach of the Banji is very good. It's a delicacy along with the liver and the testicles."

She made a face.

"Not the testicles but I might get the liver," she said. "My dad used to make liver and onions on occasion and I like that."

He nodded.

"It's a bit more flavorful than Earth livers," he said.

She nodded.

"I think I'll get that then," she said.

"Molto Bene, I'll get the Leptos and you can sample that."

"Okay.'

On the other side of the table, Alan was conferring with Mingxia and Rose. Rose glanced over at Rain.

"That liver you're talking about does sound good," she said to her.

Alan looked at her.

"I think you might like it. He's right about it being flavorful. Although if you like chicken the Jujunga bird tastes a lot like that."

Rose studied the menu.

"That sounds good; I think I'll try that."

"Yeah, me too," Mingxia said. "I feel like chicken at the moment."

"Excellente," he said, smiling at her.

"I'm gonna get that Banji liver," Awinita said. "I like liver and onions too.'

"Hmm," Donna mused as she stared at her menu. "I think I'll try the Jujunga bird. Chicken sounds good right now."

They all laid their menus down and waited for a server to take their orders.

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After a delicious meal, they retired to their rooms for the night. The Doctor led Rain into their room and shut the door behind them.

"Now…I believe it's time for your gift," the Doctor said while Rain sat on the bed.

"Good, I've been wondering what you got me all day."

He chuckled and took the box off the table. He handed it to her and sat down beside her on the bed. She smiled at him and opened the box. She looked inside and saw a large dark purple fruit that resembled a softball sized plum.

"Do you know what it is?" he asked her.

"Erros fruit."

He smiled.

"Yes, do you know what it does?"

"It's supposedly an aphrodisiac?"

He grinned and nodded.

"I don't need an aphrodisiac, silly boy. I'm already in love with you."

"Weeeell, I thought it might be fun to have you sample it. It's very good, it tastes like chocolate."

"Ooo, well, in that case…"

She took a bite and licked her lips when juice squirted onto it.

"Oh my God, you're right, it does, she said. "This is good."

He grinned.

"Thought you might like it."

She offered it to him and he took a bite. She laughed when he made a show of smacking his lips and making moaning noises.

"I feel aroused already," he teased.

"And I suppose Alan and Rose are next door doing the exact same thing," she said.

"Well, they've got everyone blocked off so I would imagine they are," he said.

They shared the fruit together, nuzzling each other's noses and kissing each other's faces after every bite. Rain had no idea if the fruit was working or not since his very presence was an aphrodisiac to her but she knew that she wouldn't mind if they made love again. She could tell from the Doctor's expression as he gazed at her that he was thinking the exact same thing. She figured that this fruit was always going to be a prelude to lovemaking, aphrodisiac or not.

Once they finished the two of them began to caress each other while the Doctor blocked them off. They began to undress each other. Rain laughed.

"Not so easy to get your clothes off this time," she said.

His eyes sparkled.

"Well, the whole loincloth thing really doesn't suit me," he said. "I do like to have some kit on when I go exploring."

They stood up and finished undressing. Rain got back into bed and gasped.

"What is it, love?"

"Oh God, this is so warm right here."

He chuckled.

"I'm about to make you even warmer," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

She smiled when he entered her and began his usual rhythm. Rain had to admit, the fruit might have helped her a bit because she felt even more horny than usual and she could tell from the Doctor's bedroom eyes that it probably had an effect on him too. He lowered his lips to hers and they began to snog passionately while the Doctor ran his hand repeatedly from the top of her head down her hair. Both of them moved as one while they explored every inch of each other's bodies. This time they had no worries about being interrupted and they threw themselves wholeheartedly into it, free of any worries and cares and looming threats of the Valeyard attacking them again. She hoped with him gone and with her help, her husband might learn to let go of more of the anger and rage and darkness within him and be completely happy and content for the first time in his lives. She could tell just by looking at him that her presence was helping to bring that about, even more so since there was now no threat of her dying centuries before him and leaving him along again with his demons. As they made love, she stared up into his face and saw the love and joy in his eyes.

_I love you so much, Thete,_ she thought. _I will never leave your side, never._

_And I will never leave you, my beloved,_ he thought back. _You're stuck with me, for better or for worse._

_Good._

He chuckled as his lips danced over her face in gentle kisses.

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For the next few days, the six of them relaxed and enjoyed the resort until finally they decided it was time to hit the open vortex once again. They checked out of the hotel and walked back up the hill to the forest and back to their home. Once they were inside, they got the TARDIS back in the air and took it back to Arizona so they could pick up John and Amber for their short sightseeing tour.

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They chose Feldspoon since Donna had been so keen to see it before the Doctor took her memories. The TARDIS supplied the same old blankets they had used at White River Park and all of them filed out onto the planet's surface. In front of them were one of the several swaying mountain ranges on the planet and they all spread out their blankets and had a small picnic lunch of bread, cheese and wine while they watched the mountains slowly sway back and forth in front of them.

They grinned at John and Amber who were staring at the mountains while they swayed. Above them the sun shone brightly in the pink sky making everything nice and warm and pleasant. The two couples lay beside each other feeding each other while Donna, Awinita and Mingxia sat on one end and talked quietly among themselves. John glanced back and smiled at his daughter when he saw her head on her husband's chest and his arm around her while they stared at the mountains. She felt him staring at her and met his gaze. Both of them smiled at each other before they went back to looking at the mountain.

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"Thank you for that, my friends," John said when they brought them back to his house. "I enjoyed Feldspoon and the swaying mountains. It's nice to know there are planets out there that have incredible wondrous things on it like that."

"Well, it's the least we could do for everything you did for us and for letting Rain come along with my brother and sister and Rose so she could end up meeting me."

"I'm glad she did. I know she is in good hands with you, with all of you. Please take care and come back often to visit us. We want to hear all about your adventures in time and space."

"We will, John, "Alan said.

They all hugged each other tightly and John kissed his daughter's cheek and whispered how proud he was of her before all of them finally walked back into the TARDIS. John and Amber backed up and watched while the time ship dematerialized in front of them before they headed back into the house.

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(Two weeks later…)

"Oh Lord, I am stuffed," Awinita said as she and her family slumped back on the couch in the living room.

They had just got done having a huge pizza party in celebration of Awinita's birthday. They had ordered three large pizzas and took her to Tyberian where they had a theme park with the universe's biggest and highest roller coaster. After that, they had taken her on a shopping spree on several planets including Earth so she could get some gifts. Now they were all knackered and sprawled out on and around the couch.

"Wow, I can barely move now from all the pizza in my belly and that's saying something," Alan said, patting his stomach. "I think I'm set for awhile."

Rose snorted.

"For a few hours maybe, Mister Bottomless Pit."

"I'm not going to answer that properly because I'm too tired to come up with a suitable sarcastic retort," he replied.

Mingxia who only had a couple of pieces lay on the floor nearby staring at the group of stuffed Time Lords and Ladies with a grin.

"I told you not to overdo it," she said. "Now you're all incapacitated."

"Yeah but we're in the TARDIS so unless you open the door and let a Dalek in, there's no chance of us being killed while we're in this state," the Doctor said.

He let out a small "urp" and excused himself. He looked at his wife lying beside him who had her eyes half closed and a sleepy smile on her face. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and she smiled up at him.

"Well, unfortunately, I gotta still go to bed unlike all of you," Mingxia said.

"Go ahead, all of us will sit here like lumps and let the pizza pass through our systems into our bowels," the Doctor said.

She smiled and kissed and hugged them.

"Good night, guys," Mingxia said.

"Good night, Mingxia," they said in unison.

She waved and headed out the door leaving the Gallifreyans to digest their pizza in peace while she rested up for the next adventure they would have.

THE END.

A/N: FINALLY! Lol! I didn't plan when I started out for this to become 222 chapters but I'm so glad I finished it and this will be the first part of a series also since I love these characters so much. I'd like to thank everyone who stuck with it and enjoyed it and wanted more because I had the best time writing it. And now the story continues in the Soldier and the Scientist.


End file.
